Third International Conference on Nordic and Baltic Studies of the Romanian Association for Baltic and Nordic Studies & Balkanalysis.com. Targoviste, Romania, 25-27 May 2012‏

The Third International Conference on Nordic and Baltic Studies of the Romanian Association for Baltic and Nordic Studies and Balkanalysis.com will be held from
May 25-27, 2012
in Targoviste, Romania

European networks:
the Balkans, Scandinavia and the Baltic world in a time of economic and ideological crisis
Conference General Topic Description:
The current global economic crisis has generated debate in Europe regarding not only the future expansion of the EU, but the very viability of the European project itself. The discussion regarding the integration of the Balkans in the EU or NATO has been accompanied or even replaced by the question of whether the European project will in fact survive the general economic and social crisis that Europe faces today. While the Balkans still look towards Western European models and standards, Europe itself is suffering a crisis of political deadlock, economic decline, and an increasingly sharp ideological divide. Similarly, while Estonia has just entered the Euro club and Latvian, Lithuanian, Bulgarian and Romanian leaders talk about joining into the Euro zone, top world economists are at the same time predicting the end of the Euro as a currency sometime in the near future.
The economic crisis in Europe seems to be partially responsible for the adoption over the past few years of anti-immigrant policies, something also being fed by fears of the future role of Islam in Europe. But these policies have also targeted citizens of European Union countries in Central and Eastern Europe (such as the Roma minority in Romania), as well as those of non-EU Balkan states.
A common reason stated for exclusionary policies is to safeguard the jobs of domestic workers. However, this crisis has also fostered the development of a new far right bloc around Europe, having as one of its features the exaltation of xenophobia, fear of immigrants and foreigners in general. The debate regarding the Roma has been particularly fierce, with even the Finns and the Swedes opposed to the formers’ presence in their countries. A transformative moment in the evolution of this phenomenon occurred in July of 2011, with the Oslo attacks carried out by Anders Behring Breivik, allegedly done to save Norwegian society from the government’s liberal policies on immigration and multi-culturalism. Disturbingly, this event proved that even advanced and well-organized European states such as Norway are unable to prevent large-scale extremist violence.
The aims of the conference:
The conference has two major goals. The first is to foster debate and academic discussion regarding contemporary problems facing the Balkan and Baltic regions during a period of severe global economic instability. These include the rise of extremist political groups with violent aims in the Baltics, the continued activity of Balkan-origin organized crime groups in Scandinavia, and the role that Baltic states may play in helping Western Balkan countries integrate politically and institutionally with the EU. The second aim of the conference is to foster cooperation and the creation of research networks between scholars from two geographical peripheries of Europe.
In this respect, the conference will address themes such as:
· The accession of Balkan states to the EU and/or NATO, with particular reference to the experiences of the relatively new EU and/or NATO Member States from South-Eastern Europe and the Eastern Baltic region. What lessons or information-sharing experiences or networks do the latter states have for the Balkan ones?
· Perceived threats to Western Europe (in economic, security or cultural terms) posed by Balkan and/or Eastern European states/non-state actors. Are these threats real or exaggerated? What measures can and are being taken to deal with them?
· The development of the far right in the Balkans and in Northern Europe, past, present and future. What linkages can be observed, and what conclusions can be made?
· Strategies for integrating minorities in the Baltic Sea rim countries and in the Black Sea areas. What is being done, and how can it be done better?
· Past and present networks of cooperation at state or NGO level between the Baltic and Black seas regions. Do these present a useful model for results-oriented cooperation (ie., in sharing experiences for EU membership goals), or otherwise how should they be modified?
· Current economic relations between Baltic and/or Nordic states, on the one hand, and the Balkan countries, on the other: trends and directions of trade between the two regions, labor costs and competitiveness, business perceptions, economic integration etc.
· Current political, cultural and diplomatic relations between Baltic and/or Nordic states, on the one hand, and the Balkan countries;
· Balkan organized crime in the Scandinavian countries
· The Balkan Roma people as threat for Western Europe
The second aim of the conference is to foster cooperation and the creation of research networks between scholars from two geographical peripheries of Europe, the Balkans and the Baltic World. This conference aims at putting this people together, at facilitating the contacts among them, at offering them the framework for developing new projects, for finding in cooperation new solutions to old dilemmas. Creating specialized networks is indeed an implicit aim of every international conference, but this would be the first organized event specifically designed to bring together scholars, academics, PhD students from the Balkans and Baltic world or interested in the problems of these two specific areas.
ARSBN welcomes papers, panels and roundtable proposals. Contributions are encouraged from disciplines but not limited to: history, cultural studies, economics, ethnic relations, international relations, political science.
Paper, panel or roundtable proposals shall be send to the organizers of the conference at conference2012@arsbn.ro and must include an abstract (motivation, problem statement, approach, results, conclusion) of no more than 300 words and a curriculum vitae.
All participants whose papers are accepted for presentation will be offered free conference attendance, accommodation and an excursion. Please be aware that the travel expenses are not covered except for a few possible travel grants offered by the Nordic and Baltic embassies in Romania (the confirmation of which is still pending). However, the participants arriving from abroad will be commuted from and to Bucharest International Airport “Henri Coanda” (some 75 km east to Targoviste).
Selected papers presented at the conference will be published in the journals:
• Revista Româna de Studii Baltice si Nordice / The Romanian Journal for Baltic and Nordic Studies: http://www.arsbn.ro/RRSBN.htm - deadline June 15, 2011
• Valahian Journal of Historical Studies: http://www.valahianjournal.info – deadline September 15, 2012;
In addition, the possibility of publishing a thematic volume at Cambridge Scholars Publishing is also envisaged.
Conference Schedule and Deadlines:
• Proposals for panels and roundtables (approx. 500 words): December 31, 2011
• Abstracts for individual papers (approx. 300 words): February 1, 2012
• Notification of Acceptance: March 1, 2012
• Publication of the Conference program: March 31, 2012
• Conference: May 25-27, 2012

PhD Studentship at Queen Mary, University of London‏

Postgraduate Studentships 2012

The School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR) offers a number of generous studentships for students entering commencing their doctoral studies in October 2012. The deadline for consideration for funded places is 31st January 2012. Candidates whose applications are received after this date may be considered for admission but not for funding.

QMUL Principal’s Studentships

The following studentships are offered:

• Politics & International Studies: in any area of politics or international studies, broadly defined, but with particular concern to the interests of members of the School's academic staff with respect to supervision – see here for more details on research interests in the School

• The Mile End Scholarship in British Political History (joint with the School of History) – see here for more details   

• The Transnational Politics of the Latin American Diaspora, focussing on Bolivia (joint with the School of Geography) – see here for more details

Queen Mary Principal’s studentships are open to UK, EU and international students. They cover tuition fees and a maintenance allowance of around £15,000 per year for up to three years. Candidates will normally be expected to have a good first degree and a Masters degree in Politics, International Relations, or a related subject.

Economic & Social Research Council: Doctoral Training Centre (London Social Science) Studentships

The School of Politics & IR is part of a prestigious ESRC-funded Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), London Social Science, with QMUL and Goldsmiths, University of London. The DTC will provide funding for up to two PhD studentships in SPIR for entry in 2012. Applications in any field where we can offer expert supervision are encouraged. A full list of research interests in SPIR is here.

Studentships cover up to four years of tuition fees and provide a standard maintenance grant of £15,590 per year. PhDs with a particular emphasis on quantitative research may receive an additional Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) stipend of £3,000. Successful applicants will be offered a variety of flexible models of combined PhD study and research training: either a 1 + 3 model (i.e. 1 year doing an MA or MRes in advanced research training plus 3 years of PhD) or a model where the research training is completed throughout the course of the 4 years of the studentship.

Please note that you need to complete an additional ESRC application form to be considered for funding through the DTC. Further details and guidance on how to apply are below and available here: http://www.londonsocialscience.org.uk/index.html.

Candidates must adhere to the current residential eligibility rules as laid out in the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide available here.

How to Apply

For both types of studentship, apply via the standard doctoral application process, indicating in your application that you wish to be considered for funding. Applications can be made online here. Further details on how to apply are here. Hard copies of the application form are also available.

ESRC DTC applicants must also complete an additional application for funding, which is available to download from here: http://www.londonsocialscience.org.uk/index.html (under Studentships). This additional form should be emailed directly to politics-pgresearch@qmul.ac.uk - ensure you include ‘ESRC DTC Funding Application – Your Name’ in the subject line of your email. Alternatively, you can send a hard copy to the School of Politics & IR, QMUL, London, E1 4NS for the attention of ‘The Research Manager.’

Successful applicants to both funding schemes are expected to start in October 2012.

You are encouraged to visit our website to establish if your research ideas fit with our current areas of interest. In addition, you are encouraged to make informal contact with a potential supervisor to discuss your proposed topic, in advance of making your application. Two of the College studentships indicated above pertain to specific subject areas – click on the links above for more information.

Applications to both College and ESRC-funded studentships must consist of the following:
• A research proposal which should include a hypothesis, key questions to be addressed by your research, methodology and an indicative bibliography. Further advice on writing a research proposal is here. Please note that the research proposal word length for a studentship application is max. 2000 words.
• You should have a 2:1 or equivalent in your first degree and if your first language is not English you must be able to provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is adequate for the programmes for which you have applied. You need to provide evidence of an English language test score or intend to take a test before your studies. Information about English language entry requirements can be found here.
• Transcripts from previous degrees
• 2 academic references
• A full curriculum vitae (CV)
• Supporting statement which states why you want to take the programme

Your complete application must be received in the Admissions Office no later than midnight on 31st January 2012. ESRC DTC funding forms must also be received by this date. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that academic references are also received by this date and no later than Friday 3^rd February 2012. Applications without references will be considered incomplete and will not be processed further.

Candidates whose applications are received after this date may be considered for admission but not for funding. Candidates will be interviewed for a place. Those shortlisted for funding will be passed to a selection panel for final assessment. ESRC DTC applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application from mid-March 2012.

General enquiries about making a formal application can be addressed to the Research Manager by email politics-pgresearch@qmul.ac.uk, or call +44 0207 882 5829.

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The Mile End Scholarship in British Political History (joint with the School of History)

Applications are welcome in the general field of British Politics and Professional Life in Britain in the 20th Century, with a particular focus on the relationship between the political elite and professional groups.. For example, a project may focus on the professional profile of members of Parliament, as well as patterns of cooperation and conflict between the legislature and professional groups, such as, those in medicine, or the trade union movement. Applicants are invited to contact Prof Michael Kenny and Dr Catherine Needham in SPIR, or Dr Helen McCarthy, Dr James Ellison, Dr Peter Catterall and Dr Martyn Frampton in History to discuss their ideas. Applicants are invited to contact Prof Michael Kenny and Dr Catherine Needham in SPIR, or Dr Helen McCarthy, Dr James Ellison, Dr Peter Catterall and Dr Martyn Frampton in History to discuss their ideas.

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'The transnational politics of the Latin American diaspora: the Bolivian experience'

This studentship is part of an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Schools of Geography and Politics and International Relations. The project will be co-supervised by Dr Cathy McIlwaine (Geography) and Professor James Dunkerley (Politics and International Relations) (with Dr McIlwaine as the primary supervisor). Applicants should develop their own detailed Research Proposal relating to any dimension of disapora politics among Bolivians. This might include addressing the following issues: dual citizenship, the nature of diaspora participation in formal and informal politics, the gendered and racialised dimensions of identity politics, the creation of transnational political spaces.

Candidates should discuss their research proposal with Professor James Dunkerley and/or Dr Cathy McIlwaine before submitting their application.

Please note that online applications should be submitted for the attention of the School of Geography.

Conference: Alevi-Bektashi Communities in the Ottoman Realm, Bogazici University, 13-15 Dec 2011‏

ALEVI-BEKTASHI COMMUNITIES IN THE OTTOMAN REALM: SOURCES, PARADIGMS AND HISTORIOGRAPHY

Program:

13.12.2011 (Tuesday)

Opening: 10:30-11.00

SESSIONS

1) The Medieval/Pre-Ottoman Background

Discussant: Cemal Kafadar, Harvard University

Panelists:

11.00-11.30 Ahmet Karamustafa, Washington University in St. Louis, "Sofu, Abdal, Dede: Kaygusuz Abdal and Vernacular Islam in Medieval Anatolia"

11.30-12.00 Ayfer Karakaya-Stump, College of William and Mary, "The Vefa'iyye, the Bektashiyye, and Genealogies of ‘Heterodox Islam' in
Anatolia: Rethinking the Köprülü Paradigm"

12.00-12.30 Coffee Break

12.30-13.00 Sara Nur Yıldız, Orient-Institut Istanbul, "Historicizing Sufi Communities in Medieval Anatolia: Reconsidering the Dominant Paradigms of Syncretism,Heterodoxy and High/Low Islam"

13.00-13.30 Mark Soileau, Mardin Artuklu Üniversitesi, "The Folk Among the Wonders: Finding Alevis in Bektashi Hagiographies"

13.30-15.00 Lunch

2) The Safavids and the Early Modern Context of the Kizilbash/Alevi Movement

Discussant: Derin Terzioğlu, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi.

Panelists:

15.00-15.30 Cornell Fleischer, University of Chicago, "The Common Parlance of Messianism and Millenarianism in Islamdom in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries"

15.30-16.00 Shahzad Bashir, Stanford University, "Seeing Red: The Kizilbash as Image and Rhetoric in Persianate Literature"

16.00-16.30 Vural Genç, İstanbul Üniversitesi, "The Battle of Chaldiran in Iranian Sources"

16.30-17.00 Coffee Break

17.00-17.30 Fariba Zarinebaf, University of California Riverside, "Shah Isma‘il Safavi in Persian, European and Ottoman Myths"

17.30-18.00 Ferenc Csirkés, University of Chicago, "The Safavid and Ottoman Reception of the Poetry of Shah Isma‘il Hatayi"

14.12.2011 (Wednesday)

3) Tekkes and Dergâhs

Discussant: Gülru Necipoğlu, Harvard University

Panelists:

10.00-10.30 Cemal Kafadar, Harvard University, "Dutlug Bolsun: Amidst Stone and Soil at the Convent of Seyyid Ali Sultan (a.k.a. Kızıl Deli)"

10.30-11.00 Zeynep Yürekli-Görkay, University of Oxford, "Haji Bektash, His Shrine and the Ottomans"

11.00-11.30 Coffee Break

11.30-12.00 Mahir Polat, İstanbul Üniversitesi, "Lost or Imaginary? Looking for the Cemevi in Ottoman Architectural History"

12.00-12.30 Frances Trix, Indiana University,"Survival Strategies for Bektashi Tekkes in the Western Balkans: Ergeri (Albania), Kalkandelen (Macedonia), Gjakova (Kosova)"

12.30-14 :00 Lunch

4) Under the Shadow of Empire: Kizilbash/Alevi and Bektashi Communities' Relations with the Ottoman and Safavid States

Discussant: Ayfer Karakaya-Stump, College of William and Mary

Panelists:

14.00-14.30 Kathryn Babayan, University of Michigan, "The Waning of the Kizilbash in Iran Revisited"

14.30-15.00 İbrahim Kaya Şahin, Tulane University "Towards an Ottoman Sunnism: Perceptions of Bektashis/Alevis/Shi‘is/Safevis in Chronicles from Aşıkpaşazade to Celalzade"

15.00-15.30 Derin Terzioğlu, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, "How to Conceptualize Ottoman Sunnitization: A Historiographical Discussion"

15.30-16.00 Coffee Break

16.00-16.30 Erdal Küçükyalçın, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, "Janissary-Bektashi Relations Revisited: Religious Symbolism in Janissary Banner-signs"

16.30-17.00 Alişan Akpınar, İstanbul Üniversitesi, "The Ottoman State's Perception of the Alevis during the Hamidian Era"

17.00-18.00 Buffet

18.30-20.00 Social Program

Dertli Divani Baba (Veli Aykut), Keynote Speaker/Performer Narrative Performance: "The Language of Alevi Hymns"


15.12.2011
(Thursday)

5) Memory, History and Construction of Identity

Discussant Arzu Öztürkmen, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi

Panelists:

10.00-10.30 Markus Dressler, İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, "Rewriting Kızılbaş Alevism and Bektashism: Conceptual and Theoretical Challenges"

10.30-11.00 Ulaş Özdemir, Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi, "History Through Sacred Words: The Presence of Haji Bektash Veli in Ahl-i Haqq Lore"

11.00-11.30 Erdal Gezik, Independent Researcher, Holland, "Beyond the Limits of Writing: Construction of the Religio-Cultural Memory of Dersim Alevis"


11:30-12:00 Coffee Break


12.00-13.00 Roundtable

13.00 Closing Remarks & Visit to the Tekke of Nafi Baba (optional)

M.Phil/Ph.D. at Goldsmiths, University of London Location: London DL: 8 May 2012

The Department of History is inviting applications for 2 three-year bursaries, open to incoming students, tenable from 24 September 2012. Bursaries will be initially offered for one year and will be renewed annually, subject to satisfactory progress reports.
Deadline for applications: 5pm, Tuesday 8 May 2012
The department will waive the full-time Home/EU tuition fees otherwise payable by the student. This award is open to applications from incoming students who have been awarded a full-time place on the MPhil/PhD programme in the History department commencing in September 2012.
We also welcome applications from international students – however, the award will not exceed the home/EU fee per annum. In this instance, the bursaries will comprise fee-discount awards rather than full fee waivers.
Bursaries will be awarded on the basis of academic excellence. Consideration will also be given to allocation of awards across the spectrum of subjects studied within the department. For more details on the existing expertise in the department, see: http://www.gold.ac.uk/history/staff/
The award cannot be held in combination with an award from a Research council or similar body.
The deadline for applications is 5pm Tuesday 8 May 2012. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews on Wednesday 6 June.
In order to apply you should fill out and e-mail the PhD bursary application form to Ms Kerstin Feurle, the History Department Postgraduate Coordinator, at k.feurle (@gold.ac.uk). Please mark your e-mail with the subject heading BURSARY APPLICATION.
NB You must have first been awarded a place on MPhil/PhD programme in History before applying for a bursary.
http://www.gold.ac.uk/history/news-events/eventtitle,29788,en.php

Erasmus Mundus Transcultural European Outdoor Studies at Philipps-Universitaet Marburg Location: Marburg - Germany DL: 16 December 2011

Erasmus Mundus Master's Programme

TRANSCULTURAL EUROPEAN OUTDOOR STUDIES (TEOS)

offered jointly by (subject to validation)

http://www.uni-marburg.de/fb21/ifsm/teos?language_sync=1

Internship at the International Council on Human Rights Policy Location: Geneva - Switzerland DL: 15 November 2011

Interns will assist in translating short texts on human rights issues to be posted online at www.ichrp.org or communication materials. Texts will be provided in English and will need to be translated into French. Students will gain exposure, practical experience and insights into the workings of an international research institution focusing on human rights.
QUALITIES REQUIRED
 Student in 3rd year of undergraduate programme or further, trained to translate from English into French.
 Excellent attention to detail.
 Some knowledge of international relations, and possibly of human rights terminology.
 Computer literacy and familiarity with commonly used software (i.e., Microsoft Office, Internet applications).
 A high level of motivation, a responsible attitude and good organisational skills, along with the ability to work as a member of a team.
INTERNSHIP DURATION
Internships are offered for a period of eight months from mid-November 2011, early December at the latest.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
 In general, texts will be submitted once per week and will need to be translated within 48 hours after submission. Average length per week is 1000-1500 words.
 Confidential and unpublished information obtained during the internship may not be used by interns without the written authorisation of the Executive Director.
 Internships are not remunerated. (Remunerated assignments may occasionally arise. These would be subject to a separate contract.)
 Possibility to attend meetings related to the research programme at the Council.
 Interns will telecommute.
PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING
To apply for an internship, please send your CV, a translation sample and a motivation letter in French or English to Ms Axelle Devun at devun@ichrp.org (include in the subject line of your email “Translation Internship”). The deadline for applications is: 15 November 2011 by noon, Geneva time.
Please note that only shortlisted candidate will be contacted.

MA Peace and Conflict Studies (international double degree) Kent/Marburg‏

The University of Kent and University of Marburg are now accepting applications for the international double degree programme Peace and Conflict Studies for the 2012-2013 year.

This international double award is jointly offered by the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent and the Centre for Conflict Studies at the University of Marburg. Upon successful completion of the programme students will be awarded an MA degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from Kent University and an MA degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Marburg. The two year full-time programme encompasses 120 ECTS credits (240 Kent credits). The programme includes a mandatory internship of at least 10 weeks. The Master dissertation is jointly supervised and marked by academic staff at Kent and Marburg.

This multidisciplinary programme features compulsory modules on theories of conflict, conflict resolution, research methods/methods of conflict analysis and intergroup conflicts. Optional modules cover a wide range of topics including negotiation, mediation, diplomacy, development, critical approaches to peace and conflict studies, international political economy, foreign policy, human rights and terrorism.

Students will spend the first year at Kent University and the second year at Marburg University where courses are taught in English. Thus, international students do not need to speak German to study in Marburg. Alternatively, fluent German speakers can opt to spend the first year in Marburg where compulsory courses will be taught in German and spend the second year in Canterbury. The universities do not operate on a system of deadlines for applying to this programme. We do recommend submitting applications by the end of June 2012. Nonetheless, applications received after this date will still be accepted.

Further information on modules, application requirements, fees, and scholarships is available

at http://www.uni-marburg.de/konfliktforschung/studium/international-d...

and http://www.kent.ac.uk/politics/postgraduates/taught-programmes/mape...

Please note: We can offer five stipends for German nationals. These stipends are funded by the DAAD. These stipends cover the period between September 2012 and March 2013 at Kent University. German applicants who want to be considered for one of the DAAD stipends have to add a written statement of no more than 400 words to the application. This statement should explain why the applicant wants to be considered for a DAAD stipend. German students who want to be considered for a DAAD stipend have to submit their application to Kent University by 01 June 2012. Successful applicants who receive an offer for a DAAD stipend have to both take up the stipend and register at Kent University by 16 July 2012. This stipulation applies for German nationals only who want to be considered for a DAAD grant.

German nationals can also apply for funding by the ´Auslandsbafoeg` funding scheme. If you qualify for funding, the tuition fees at Kent University can fully be covered by a grant (i.e. non-repayable funding) by the ´Auslandsbafoeg` scheme.

The Fanatic: 14 November 2011, İstanbul Şehir University, Dept of Political Science and IR, Monday // 15.00-18:00‏

Fanaticism’ and ‘the Fanatic’ are powerful mobilising tropes of national and international politics today. In his recent book On Fanaticism (2010), Alberto Toscano observes that there are few terms in our political vocabulary as damning as that of ‘the fanatic’: it ‘stands outside the frame of political rationality, possessed by a violent conviction that brooks no argument and will only rest, if ever, once every rival view or way of life is eradicated’. Dominique Colas notes in her clasic study that “civil society and fanaticism have mutually defined each other since the 16th century,” (Civil Society and Fanaticism, 1997).



Radically polysemous terms, inteligible only as weapons in specific historical circumstances, and in terms of their reciprocal influence, we seem only to know the one in terms of the other. And yet they also shift and change places: there are civil society fanatics as much as there have been fanatical enemies of civil society. Whereas many dismiss the fanatic as obscuring or inflaming political disagreement, the discourse of the fanatic may instead also illuminate the theory as well as the practcies of politics and power in penetrating ways.



During the last 20 years, a new wave of thinkers have mobilised the figure of the fanatic as a means of re-visiting such core political problems as the relationship between religion and politics, faith and knowledge, theory and practice, reason and revolution, civil society and the state. This symposium explores the figure of the fanatic in political, historical and cultural discourse. What are the promise and the threat of the fanatic today? How can we trace its emergence or repression through the history of modernity? Who or what takes the place of the fanatic both historically and today – the Jew, the Muslim, the Christian, the communist, the terrorist, the liberal, the capitalist, or even the philosopher and the theologian?



Abir Hamdar (Lancaster University, UK)

Bülent Diken (Lancaster University, UK)

Julian Reid (University Of Lapland, Finland)

Kemal Sayar (Marmara University, Istanbul)

Michael Dillon (İstanbul Şehir University, Istanbul)







Symposium will be conducted in English



Time: November 14, 2011 - Monday // 15.00-18:00

Venue: Istanbul Şehir University Altunizade Campus Conference Hall

İstanbul Şehir University

Department of Political Science and International Relations http://www.sehir.edu.tr/en/Pages/Homepage.aspx

Discourse / Conversation / Communication Conference, Loughborough, UK‏

"Discourse / Conversation / Communication", International conference, Loughborough University, UK, 21-23 March 2012

Confirmed plenary speakers: Michael Billig, David Buckingham, David Deacon, Paul Drew, Derek Edwards, Peter Golding, Jim McGuigan, Angela McRobbie, Graham Murdock, Michael Pickering, Jonathan Potter, Teun A. Van Dijk, Liesbet Van Zoonen.

CALL FOR PAPERS
We invite submissions for individual papers that engage with empirical and theoretical topics in communication studies, discourse analysis, conversation analysis, media studies, social interaction, or cultural studies. Preference will be given to papers that address in original ways the promises and challenges or research in these areas.

Possible topics include:
* cultural economies and media industries
* popular culture and cultural history
* identity, difference and communication
* political communication
* communication and social exclusion
* media and religion
* memory and media
* comparative media research
* political and nationalist discourse
* discursive psychology
* membership categorization analysis
* conversation analysis

Abstracts should be up to 350 words in length and written in English. Only one abstract as single / first author will be accepted from any one individual.

Please submit your Abstract via Loughborough University's Conference Administration page: http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~ssca1/DCconf2012/DC2012home.html.

Deadline for Abstracts: 1st December, 2011.

Looking forward to meeting you in Loughborough!
***
Dr. Sabina Mihelj
Senior Lecturer in Communication and Media Studies
BSc Communication and Media Studies Programme Director
Department of Social Sciences
Brockington Building
Loughborough University
LE11 3TU Loughborough
UK

Url: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ss/staff/mihelj.html

The Institute for Advanced Study, Paris (IAS), long-term fellowships‏

The Institute for Advanced Study – Paris (IAS-Paris) invites you to
submit applications for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years for
five- or nine-month residencies. Longer stays (i.e. nine months) are
given priority for 2013-2014. IAS-Paris is planning to host about
fifteen guest researchers for 2012-2013 and about twenty-five guest
researchers for 2013-2014 to work on research projects of their choice.

*Deadline for applications: 20 January 2012.*

Eligible applicants:

- High-level international researchers in the humanities and social
sciences (HSS)
- Postdoctoral researchers that hold a position in a university or
research centre (having held a doctorate for at least three years, plus
a minimum three years of full-time research experience)

Applicants may request residencies for the following periods:

• 1 September 2012 to 31 January 2013 or
• 1 October 2012 to 30 June 2013 or
• 1 February to 30 June 2013

• 1 September 2013 to 31 January 2014 or
• 1 October 2013 to 30 June 2014 (requests for nine-month residencies
are given priority for the 2013-2014 academic year) or
• 1 February to 30 June 2014

The application, in English or French, is submitted via an online
application system. Paper applications are not accepted.

The online application is comprised of the following:

– Completed application form
– Curriculum vitae and list of publications (20 pages maximum)
– Information on your research project (between 5 and 10 pages / 1,000
to 2,000 words), including:
. A selected bibliography on the topic
. A statement on current or potential partnerships with institutions or
researchers based in France
– Two separate project summaries, one in English and one in French, of
1,500 characters / 200 words maximum, including the project’s title

Further information: Please see the section "Becoming a fellow".

Discipline(s): Humanities and social sciences
http://www.paris-iea.fr/en/evenement/appel-candidature-iea-paris-pour-les-annees-universitaires-2012-2013-et-2013-2014

Rethinking the Self: Transnational and Transdisciplinary Bioethical and Biopolitical Concerns, Helsinki, 10–12 April 2012‏

Rethinking the Self: Transnational and Transdisciplinary Bioethical and
Biopolitical Concerns
International symposium at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies,
University of Helsinki, Finland, 10–12 April 2012.

Keynote speakers include Prof. Beverley Skeggs, Goldsmiths, University
of London, UK, and Dr. Jenny Slatman, Maastricht University, the
Netherlands.

This international and interdisciplinary symposium addresses how
cultural, medical and political understandings of the self are shifting
and changing in contemporary societies. It explores how humanness is
imagined and conceived in various symbolic systems of knowledge, and how
gender, disability, class and ethnicity articulate these understandings.
With a particular focus on how ideas of the flesh and national identity
reconfigure experiences of the embodied self, the symposium aims to
bring together scholars whose work engages with issues that range from
medical and cultural technologies, globalisation, migration and
neoliberalism to phenomenology and ethics, political ideologies and
subjectivities, and theories of social transformation.

This symposium aims to create a transdisciplinary dialogue regarding the
local and global changing understandings of and practices related to the
self by bringing together speakers from a broad range of cultural,
methodological, national, disciplinary and transnational foci. It seeks
to further conversations and research on topical and vexing questions of
the self, especially in relation to recent medical, cultural,
technological, political, social and neo-colonial developments. With an
emphasis on the biopolitics of bodies, machines and institutional
structures, the symposium also addresses the ethics of human selfhood,
specifically how we define the human and what is at stake in our
definitions of this now global being.

We welcome submissions for papers, poster-presentations and artwork from
a broad range of disciplines and fields of research. Topics can include,
but are not limited to:

* Theories and technologies of the self
* Community belonging and violence
* Contemporary medical therapies, technologies and ethics (organ
donation and transplantation, gene therapy, HIV therapies, etc.)
* Class dimensions of the self
* The self, disability and monstrosity
* Self harm and narratives of the self
* Medicalised race theories
* Gender, sexuality and queering the self
* Phenomenology, the senses and an embodied sense of self
* Ethics and the ethics of the human

If you would like to participate, please submit an abstract of no more
than 300 words and a brief biography (max. 100 words) to Suvi
Salmenniemi (suvi.salmenniemi[at]helsinki.fi) and Donna McCormack
(donna.mccormack[at]helsinki.fi) by *1st December 2011*. For more
information, see
http://www.helsinki.fi/collegium/events/rethinking-the-self.htm

Conference: Identity in the era of Globalization and Europeanization, Skopje, 3-4 November 2011‏

International conference Identity in the era of globalization and europeanization to be held in Skopje, 3-4 November 2011, organized by the Institute for sociological, political and juridical research and Institute of sociology, Faculty of Philosophy of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, R. Macedonia.

http://isppi.ukim.edu.mk/FTP/Pokana%20A4-2.pdf

Conference: Debating the End of Yugoslavia, University of Graz, 4-6 November 2011‏

South East European Dialogues (SEED): Debating the End of Yugoslavia
Centre for Southeast European Studies, Karl-Franzens-University Graz
4-6 November 2011


The Centre for Southeast European Studies is organizing the international conference “Debating the End of Yugoslavia” from 4-6 November 2011.

2011 is the 20th anniversary of the disintegration of Yugoslavia, providing for an opportunity to reflect on this event which not only shaped the region, but also Europe at large.

The conference constitutes the most important academic event on this occasion this year. Instead of discussing the dissolution again, the conference is taking an innovative approach. On the first and second day, (4 & 5.11.) eye witnesses remember and reflect on the dissolution of Yugoslavia. This includes politicians, journalists, diplomats and other personalities from public life. The recollections of eye witnesses are commented by scholars, who provide a background and open a discussion. On the second and third day (5 & 6.11.), some 35 leading historians, sociologists, lawyers, anthropologists, political scientists and economists from former Yugoslavia, the rest of Europe and North America discuss the state of scholarly debate.

The conference is thus not just a conference on the dissolution of Yugoslavia, but also aims at identifying new directions for research. In addition to the interdisciplinary perspectives, the conference also brings together senior scholars with younger researchers and provides for a dialogue on these issues between scholars from former Yugoslavia.

During the conference, the university museum will host an exhibition of the Design Studio Trio (Sarajevo), which has designed iconic posters, magazine covers and ads over the past 20 years.

Programme available at: http://www.uni-graz.at/en/opv1www/events-2.opv1www-newpage?=

ECMI MMTE Research Internship

Minority Map and Timeline of Europe (MMTE) Research Internship Announcement
http://bit.ly/sbPzLn

MMTE Staff

Out-of-house Research Intern

1. Role/Tasks:

1.1. Research and write upon one country-minority entry
1.2 Update information on country-minority entries
1.3 Update information on other websites and add links to the MMTE

2. Position:
2.1 Three full-time positions/one four-month internship period

3. Remittance
3.1 Research will be contracted on a paid basis

Responsibilities

The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) is currently seeking three out-of-house interns for a four-month paid internship period from January to April 2012 to undertake research for the newly redesigned Minority Map and Timeline of Europe (MMTE). In collaboration with the General Coordinator and Project Leader/Editor, interns will research and write upon one country-minority entry with the use of the Minority Map and Timeline of Europe (MMTE) Template. Interns will have the opportunity to choose which country they would like to research upon, this being dependent upon if the country-minority entry has not already been completed. While interns may research upon a country they are not residing in, it is highly sought after that interns have very good knowledge of their chosen country-minority entry. Through both primary and secondary data use, will write upon the general environment/relations of the country and government concerning its minority population as well as further examining major communities living throughout the country. Responsibilities will also include locating statistical data concerning population numbers for the interactive map as well as writing events for the interactive timeline. During the internship, interns will update other information when necessary as well as add information from the MMTE and links to relevant websites.

Skills/Knowledge

Out-of-house interns will generally be based in the country that is being researched upon for the country-minority entry. Internships are intended for junior scholars who have recently finished a second degree (i.e master's degree) in a pertinent discipline, and who have researched upon and have exposure to one of the regions, countries, and/or minorities of the Minority Map and Timeline of Europe. As research will be performed out-of-house, it is important that the applicant is able to work independently and meet deadlines. For these reasons, interns must have regular access to a computer, a reliable broadband Internet access, be able to commit to a full-time workload, and be willing to use Skype and e-mail during the internship period. The intern must be organized and have excellent communcations skills. Excellent English skills are required for this internship, while other language skills, particularly in the country of study, are extremely valuable.

Application by e-mail only, no phone calls please

Please provide a letter of motivation titled "MMTE Research Internship", curriculum vitae, three reference details (including contact details/e-mail addresses), and short writing sample (5-7 pages), which may be an excerpt of an academic paper (not edited by someone else) that demonstrates knowledge of the regions, countries and/or minorities (in general or upon the intern's specific choice) or other relevant disciplines, as well as English language competence. Applicants should also provide a list of three country-minority entries they are interested in researching upon. Applicants that are not selected for the internship period will be entered in a roster for future internship possibilities.

Dates/Contact

Due date for submissions: 25 November 2011

Short-listed applicants will be contacted by: 9 December 2011

Please forward all application materials to: William McKinney, mckinney@ecmi.de

Transformation in European History, GRACEH, Vienna, 3-5 May 2012‏

"Transformation in European History. Preconditions – Processes –
Perceptions"

6th Annual Graduate Conference in European History (GRACEH), Vienna, May
3–5, 2012

organized by the University of Vienna (Universität Wien,
Historisch-Kulturwissenschaftliche Fakultät)
in cooperation with the Central European University (CEU), Budapest and
the European University Institute (EUI), Florence


The “transicion” of political systems in Southern Europe and Latin
America since the 1970s and the revolutionary changes in Central and
Eastern Europe in 1989/91 have resulted in the rise of “transformation
studies” in social sciences. The term transformation is commonly
understood as the politically steered transition from communist
dictatorship to democracy, from a planned to a market economy, and from
a closed to an open society. In contrast to this teleological reading
the 6th GRACEH conference intends to explore a historical approach to
transformation. A very broad working definition of the term would
characterize transformation as a “period of especially intense and
accelerated structural changes on a political, social, economic, and
cultural level” that were caused by major political and social upheavals
such as the breakdown of the continental empires in 1918, the French
Revolution in the late 18th century, or the Reformation. Unlike the
social sciences, we wish to broaden the application as far back as to
the beginning of modern age. In what way can this concept of
transformation be applied to contemporary, modern and early modern
contexts? What kind of adjustments of the concept are required for the
historicization of transformation?

The following three key aspects will serve as guiding questions
throughout the conference:

- Which preconditions lead to periods of transformation? Which triggers,
causes and turning points can be identified?
- On which levels does transformation occur? How can the complexity of
transformation processes be analyzed without being trapped in
teleological assumptions?
- How is transformation perceived and interpreted by internal and
external observers? How do transformation discourses influence the
process itself?

The conference invites postgraduate and early career researchers in
history and related disciplines to submit their papers dealing with this
broad concept of transformation on the basis of textual and visual
sources from the modern age onward. The proposals should consider and
discuss political, social, and cultural dimensions, causes, evolution
and perceptions of transformation. In order to enrich the discussion the
Graceh organizers have invited Gudrun Gersmann (DHI Paris/Universität
Köln) and Christian Gerlach (Universität Bern) as external keynote speakers.

We look forward to receiving submissions on topics including but not
limited to the following research areas:
- Continuity and discontinuity in transformation periods
- Agents of transformation
- Transfers and transnational dimensions of transformation
- Synchronic and diachronic comparative approaches for a history of
transformation(s)
- Historical source material of transformation research
- Macro- and microhistorical approaches to transformation
- Legitimizations of transformation such as nation building,
independence, liberty, and economical welfare, social movements, social
network analysis, gender issues

The main conference language is English.

The conference has no registration fee. We offer logistic help to find
good and low budget accommodation near the University of Vienna. A
limited part of the travel cost for external participants can be covered
on the basis of individual request (if you like to apply for a stipend,
please provide documentation about your economic situation).

Please submit your proposal of max. 300 words and your CV by using the
application form to graceh2012@univie.ac.at. You can download the
application form on the congress website:
http://www.univie.ac.at/graceh2012.

Deadline for submission: January 15, 2012

If your proposal is accepted by the program committee, you are expected
to submit a paper (5-10 pages) no later than April 1, 2012. For further
information on the GRACEH 2012, please consult the congress website.

Organizing Committee
The GRACEH 2012 program committee: Katharina Ebner, Sandra Hertel,
Florian Kührer, Rafael Prehsler, David Pruonto, Marion Romberg, Burkhard
Wöller, Prof. Philipp Ther, Prof. Wolfgang Schmale

For further questions, please contact the organizers by e-mail:
graceh2012@univie.ac.at.

Congress website: http://www.univie.ac.at/graceh2012

Communications Intern at the European Rail Industry Location: Brussels DL: 1 November 2011

Trainee – Railway Systems Unit

UNIFE is looking for a trainee for a period of between 4 and 6 months to start as soon as possible, the latest in September 2011. The trainee will be part of the Railway Systems Unit of UNIFE, which supports UNIFE members in standardisation, regulation and R&D at European level.

Deadline for submissions is 23 August 2011
More information here

Communications Intern

UNIFE, the European Rail Industry, is looking for an intern in the Communications Unit. The candidate will assist in event organisation and editing UNIFE publications. He/she will report directly to the Head of Communications.

Only candidates available for an interview in Brussels will be considered.
Deadline: 1 November 2011
More information here

Traineeships at the European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion Location: Luxembourg DL: 20 November 2011

Traineeships at the ESPON Coordination Unit Luxembourg


25 October 2011 - The ESPON Coordination Unit is looking for two trainees for a period of 5 months to join our international team, starting preferably in the beginning of February 2012.
The ESPON 2013 Programme

ESPON is a network providing European observation and evidence on territorial development and cohesion. The activities are implemented as a programme under the Structural Funds 2007-2013 and the objective of European territorial cooperation. The mission is to enhance European knowledge, data and indicators on territorial structures, trends, perspectives and impacts of sector policies which can meet policy demand related to EU Cohesion Policy and be useful for policy makers and practitioners around Europe.

The ESPON 2013 Programme is the second generation of ESPON. The budget of this programme amounts to around 47 million Euros in total. All 27 EU Member States as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are partners in the programme, which is managed by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructures, Department for Spatial Development of Luxembourg. The European Commission is playing an active advisory role during the programme implementation.

Applied research projects and targeted analyses, defined by stakeholders and based on ESPON results, will be carried through until the end of 2013 by contracting Transnational Project Groups composed of scientists and consultants. A scientific platform for European territorial research shall be further developed, including the ESPON Database, tools and territorial indicators. The awareness and capitalisation of comparable information on European regions shall be ensured through publications and events etc. at European and transnational level.

You can find more detailed information about the ESPON 2013 Programme and the existing ESPON achievements and results on www.espon.eu.
The ESPON Coordination Unit

The ESPON CU will by end 2011 include 14 staff members and 2 trainees.

The CU is located in Luxembourg City, 5-10 minutes walk from the train station.
The job for the trainees

The ESPON CU offers a five-month period of training for young academics in the final stage of their university studies related to territorial development and planning, geography, regional economics, European studies, political science and/or other relevant fields.

The work in the CU is organised in three clusters each dealing with a key area of the implementation of the ESPON 2013 Programme: 1) Programme, Finance and Budget, 2) Project Development and Coordination and 3) Capitalisation, Publication and Analysis.

During the traineeship period one trainee will be involved mainly in tasks related to the cluster on Capitalisation, Publication and Analysis. The other trainee will mainly be involved in tasks of the cluster related to Programme, Finance and Budget. The trainee jobs will accordingly include a variety of tasks related to the ESPON 2013 Programme.

The current development of the ESPON 2013 Programme requires an enhanced effort concerning the communication and publication of ESPON results. A commitment in the Capitalisation Cluster will therefore be required. Some support to the Project Cluster is also envisaged, among others, to support the preparation of responses on project reports.

The work in the Programme, Finance and Budget cluster includes a variety of financial and administrative tasks.

Both trainees might as well be involved in dissemination tasks related to the implementation of the communication plan, support the organization of events and preparation of meetings, seminars and workshops.

Please note that an allowance of 1.000 Euro per month will be available. It should be treated as an indemnity to support your living expenses while training at the ESPON CU.
Your profile

You are a student registered at a university during the entire period of the traineeship and carry a passport from Member States of the European Union or from Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein (full partners in the ESPON programme).

Applicants should demonstrate:
Interest and some knowledge in relation to European cooperation in the field of EU Structural Funds, regional policy and/or spatial development and planning, geography, regional economics, European studies, political science, public administration, communications and/or other fields related to territorial development.
Motivation for learning and contributing to management, financial and administrative tasks, to content-related tasks related to project development and coordination as well as tasks related to communication and capitalisation on programme activities.
Attention to detail and accuracy, capability to meet pre-defined deadlines, ability to quickly grasp new tasks would be irreplaceable in order to fulfil her/his tasks and duties successfully.
An excellent understanding and fluency in spoken and written English and preferably good communication skills in other languages.
Strong interpersonal skills, being keen team players, capable of taking direction and working on their own initiative, consulting if needed, open and capable of working in a complex multicultural environment, involvement in performing tasks and accuracy.
Knowledge and experience of working with Microsoft Office.

For persons interested in the cluster on Capitalisation, Publication and Analysis traineeship, experience in desk research (i.e. finding relevant literature and synthesising it) will be a key asset. Furthermore, with specific regard to the capitalisation activities, good communication skills and experience of promotional/marketing activities will be an advantage.

For persons interested in the post related to the Programme, Finance and Budget cluster traineeship specific attention will be devoted to candidates presenting administrative flair and motivation related to project management or financial management. For both trainees’ communication competences, and experience in reporting, preparing presentations and organizing events will be considered an advantage.
How to apply

Your application shall include the following:
A motivation letter in English – not longer than 1 page. Your motivation letter may include the following: Why you would like to be a trainee at the ESPON CU? Which personal assets do you feel you can bring to the ESPON CU? Your expectations for the traineeship: what you hope to learn from it?
Your Curriculum Vitae in English– not longer than 3 pages;
A profile table duly filled-in (available below).

All the above mentioned documents are to be sent by e-mail to traineeship@espon.eu. Please specify in the subject of the e-mail the following information: “Your First Name and Last Name – Profile you are applying for* - ESPON TRAINEESHIP APPLICATION”.

*Profile A: Capitalisation, Publication and Analysis cluster.

*Profile B: Programme, Finance and Budget cluster.

Deadline for submitting an application is 20 November 2011.

You will be informed, latest by the end of December, about the outcome of the selection. Please be informed that copies of your relevant university certificates and diplomas as well a proof of being registered at your University will be necessary for the contracting, in case you are selected.

The ESPON Programme applies the principle of equal opportunities between men and women.
Further information

You can get further information about the job and the ESPON Coordination Unit by contacting:

Alexandra Frangenheim (e-mail: alexandra.frangenheim@espon.eu)

Veronika Tóth (e-mail: veronika.toth@espon.eu)

Fellowships at the JAMS Foundation Location: San Francisco, CA, USA DL: 2 December 2011

Weinstein International Fellowship
The Weinstein International Fellowship program, inaugurated in 2008, provides opportunities for individuals from outside the United States to visit the U.S. to learn more about dispute resolution processes and practices and to pursue a project of their own design that serves to advance the resolution of disputes in their home countries.

The JAMS Foundation Board of Directors will approve Fellowships of up to $25,000 in support of projects outlined by Fellowship applicants. This program is intended to be flexible and open to innovation, and applicants are encouraged to develop proposals that will increase the availability of dispute resolution education, training and services in their home countries and beyond.

During their time in the U.S., Fellows will spend some of their time at a JAMS Resolution Center. Depending on the nature of their proposal, Fellows may also participate in a university program or be connected to other organizations or institutions. Such affiliations can take may forms, from formal enrollment in graduate degree programs to more informal arrangements providing varying degrees of access and support. Applicants are strongly encouraged to research and establish such affiliations prior to or concurrent with their Fellowship application. While the JAMS Foundation will make every effort to facilitate introductions where possible, it is Applicant’s responsibility to identify and establish affiliations with organizations with which they plan to work or study.

Fellowships may be from one month to one year in duration.

It is anticipated that Fellows will come from countries that do not have an established culture of using mediation for cases in litigation. Part of the Fellows’ time in the United States will be spent observing how JAMS administers and resolves such cases.

Criteria
Applicants must be fluent in English
Fellowship period must be one month to twelve months in duration
Applicants must be available to attend a week-long gathering of Fellows in the San Francisco Bay Area in early September, 2012
Preference for proposals that would help applicant’s home country establish viable dispute resolution systems or change how disputes are resolved
Preference for applicants who have experience as lawyers, law professors, court administrators, government officers, ADR practitioners, or judgesInformation Sought From Applicant
Purpose and goal of Fellowship
Anticipated activity or activities in the U.S.
Proposed duration and location(s) of Fellowship
Plan for accomplishing Fellowship objectives upon return to home country
Educational background
Dispute resolution training and experience
Organizations or institutions with which you are affiliated in your home country
Organizations or institutions with which you expect to be affiliated while in the U.S.
Amount of funding sought and proposed budget regarding use of funds
Other sources of funding available, applied for, or awarded
Additional non-monetary resources or support requested from the JAMS Foundation
Current visa status for entry into U.S. (visa type, expiration date)Please note that pursuant to U.S. State Department regulations, the JAMS Foundation is not an approved ‘Sponsor’ with regard to the issuance of visas to foreign nationals. While the JAMS Foundation will make every effort to help facilitate visa applications of Weinstein Fellows, Fellows are individually responsible for obtaining the necessary visa for the purposes and duration of their Fellowship.

Please also note that pursuant to U.S. Internal Revenue Service regulations, Fellowship funding is subject to taxation as income. This tax may be affected by a number of factors, including recipient’s country of origin, whether that country has a tax treaty with the U.S., and the purpose for which Fellowship funds are used. Additional information regarding the taxation of income to foreign nationals is available at www.irs.gov.

Fellowship applications for 2012 will be reviewed by the JAMS Foundation Board of Directors at their first quarterly meeting on January 27, 2012. Applications must be received by December 2, 2011 in order to be eligible for consideration, and may be submitted electronically or in hard copy.

Complete application submissions include the following:
Fellowship application form
Curriculum Vitae
Two signed letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation may be included with your application or sent directly from the recommending party. If submitted electronically, signed letters must be scanned and sent in PDF or comparable format.

Fellowship awards will be announced in March, 2012. For more information visit this link.

Workshop: Regulating Uncertainty: Anthropological Approaches to Spaces of Uncertainty in and of Law [DL: 28.11]‏

“Regulating Uncertainty: Anthropological Approaches to Space of Uncertainty in and
of Law” for the EASA2012 Conference in Paris. We seek proposals
consisting of a paper title, a (very) short abstract of <300
characters, and an abstract of 250 words.

All proposals must be made via the online form, no later than 28
November 2011. On submission, the proposing author will receive an
automatic confirmation of receipt.

To propose a paper, please go to:
http://www.nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa2012/paperproposal.php5?PanelID=1320

For more details, please visit the EASA 2012 website:
http://www.nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa2012/panels.php5?PanelID=1320
http://www.easaonline.org/conferences/easa2012/callforpapers.htm

Conference: The Representation of War in Recent Conflicts: Aesthetic, Ethical and Political Issues (Lille, 22-23 November 2012)‏

“The representation of war in recent conflicts: aesthetic, ethical and
political issues”
International Conference
University of Lille 3 Charles de Gaulle, France,
November 22-23, 2012

In the last twenty years many events have taken place in the world
(such as the dissolution of the USSR, or of Yougoslavia), while
various wars and conflicts affected different regions of the world
(Irak, Afghanistan, Tchetchnia, Palestine, Israel, Somalia, etc..)

The aim of the conference will be to examine the various aesthetic
means used to represent war: films, novels, comic strips, photography,
reports. At the core of this theme is the question of the unspeakable,
of what cannot be represented.
In recent times, new forms of war and of representation of the war
have appeared, as a correlate of the technological revolution, It will
be of interest to consider the impact of such means of communications
as the Internet, Twitter, mobile phones (or the recent example of
WikiLeaks) that deeply transform the attitude of populations towards
the war, the way people and their rulers see each other.
The immediacy of television news, the difficulty of verifying facts,
the emotional impact of the images or of the information on the
population will be essential to a global assessment of the problem.
The aesthetic question will also need to be considered, since, as the
etymology of the word implies, it concerns the way one feels and
perceives the world. Besides, the issue of how to convey the truth is
often crucial to artistic preoccupation in this kind of
representation.

The following issues will be particularly relevant to the conference :

Does the analyzed work (or works) of art reflect the official line
of the country under consideration, does it play a part in propaganda
or does it offer a direct or disguised criticism of the policy of that
country ?
What impact can this kind of work have on public opinion in
general ? How can one evaluate the use of the images and how can one
create images which evoke the unrepresentable?
What are the differences between documents and works of art where
such issues are concerned?
To what extent does the role of art in its various forms consist
in touching, provoking indignation, strong reactions? Does it tend to
divert or does it merely express the artist’s creativity ? What is its
ultimate aim ?
How can the younger generations be affected ? Is the chosen
artistic medium supposed to have a moral role or can we say that
everything is permitted in the name of artistic freedom ?
What are the limits to the representation of violence? Does it
contribute to acknowledgment by the younger generations of possible
deviations on the individual or collective levels, due to the
unbridling of passions ? Or does it encourage it indirectly ?

Plan

The representation of war in recent conflicts: aesthetic, ethical and
political issues (November 22-23, 2012)
I- War and Ideology

A- The denunciation of war
B –The glorification of war (in democratic or dictatorial countries)
II – War and Technology (Internet, Twitter, WikiLeaks, etc.)

A- Dehumanization : fiction versus reality (video games, war seen as a
game, etc.)
B- Hypersensitization (immediacy of the images transmitted throughout
the world and their immediate emotional impact)
C- War images and war of images.
III -War and Affect

A- How to live through the war (representation of traumatic
experiences, process of resilience)
B- War and sensual enjoyment: « beyond the pleasure principle »
(psychoanalytical point of view)
IV- Aesthetics and Engagement: resistance to war.
How to submit

Please submit your proposals (the title, a short abstract -300 to 500
words maximum, and short CV) by
November 1st, 2011

to the following address:

dalipagiccatherine@yahoo.fr.

Please try to relate your proposal as closely as possible to one of
the conference themes, as outline above.
The Conference Proceedings will be published. They may be written
either in English or in French.
Scientific comittee

Mme Josiane Paccaud-Huguet (Université de Lyon 2)
M. Marc Crépon (CNRS)
Mme Catherine Géry (Inalco, Paris)
Mme Catherine Dalipagic (Université Charles de Gaulle, Lille3)
Mme Galina Subbotina (Inalco, Paris)