[URBANTH-L] CFP: One Place--Different Memories: Rethinking the role of planning in the production of urban space (Tel Aviv)

[Angela Jancius]

2nd  Call for Papers

One Place- Different Memories:
Rethinking the role of planning in the Production of Urban Space

International Workshop

26-29/12/2006
The Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem

Background
One Place- Different Memories: Rethinking the role of planning in the 
Production of Urban Space aims to critically discuss how urban spaces are 
designed, planned and socially constructed. Our main objective is to deal 
with cases in which contested national, ethnic and cultural sentiments  that 
shape memories and practices of belonging, clash in designing and planning 
urban spaces.  Indeed, it can be argued that examples of such situations 
exist in many parts of the world, where communities construct their "past 
memories" within their current daily life and future aspirations. However, 
this workshop aims to go beyond and by so doing to explore how the very acts 
of planning and urban design (which are considered "rational", 
"professional" and "objective") are rooted in the existing structures of 
hegemonic power (in terms of knowledge production and agency) and thus 
contested.

Based on critical theories of planning and urban design we aim to establish 
a critical discussion that focuses on the symbolic and tangible construction 
of places in the cities.

In our academic work, the Palestinian and Jewish memories as well as the 
construction of both parties sense of belonging in Israel is one such 
example. These conflicts over memory and belonging are spatially expressed 
and mediated through the official planning apparatus with various local 
examples which emphasize the One Place-Different Memories complications.

One Place- Different Memories: Rethinking the role of planning in the 
Production of Urban Space will provide the platform to various cases of 
conflicting memories and belonging and to discuss the growing interest in 
understanding the substance and multiple expressions of memory, belonging 
and commemoration not only in their sociological or political implications 
but also in their spatial and territorial expressions.

Objectives of the Workshop
The objective of the international research workshop is twofold:
-    To explore new theoretical approaches concerning the interrelationships 
between memory, sense of belonging and urban planning and design.
-    To critically examine various political, social and cultural case 
studies concerning the role of urban planning and design in (re)constructing 
memory in space with focus on the inherent conflicts over planning 
procedures in contemporary urban settings.


Structure of the Workshop

26/12/2006  Opening Ceremony and reception.
27-28/12/2006  Workshop presentations.
29/12/ 2006  Field trip in Jerusalem on the theme of Memory, Urban Planning 
and Sense of Belonging, guided by academics, activists and planners (lunch 
box included).

Tea, Coffee and refreshments will be provided during the workshop.

We also invite the participants to join us for a Dinner on December, 28th , 
2006

The two days workshop will include paper presentations and a discussion by 
another participant. This means that each participant besides presenting 
his/her paper will also respond to another paper.

The workshop will include approximately 20 participants.

Candidates who are interested to participate should send their abstract (500 
words in English) until May, 30, 2006, as well as one page CV to: Mrs. Libat 
Avishai, email: libata at vanleer.org.il  .

An academic committee will review and select the abstracts, which will 
participate in the workshop by August, 15, 2006.

The draft papers should be sent to the organizers no later than November, 
15, 2006


Tovi Fenster and Haim Yacobi

Organizers

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Tovi Fenster, Ph.D
Department of Geography and Human Environment
Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
http://www.tau.ac.il/~tobiws
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Chair - Commission on Gender and Geography
International Geographical Union
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