[URBANTH-L]CFP: the Commission on Urban Anthropology

[Angela Jancius]

Call for papers
Two Academic Sessions for the Commission on Urban Anthropology


International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (ICAES):
Humanity, Development and Cultural Diversity, Kunming, China, July 15-23,
2008


Session 1: Cities in Conflict and Cities of Conflict - Convenors: Dr Vesna
Vucinic-Neskovic (University of Belgrade), e-mail: vvucinic at f.bg.ac.yu; Dr
Giuliana B. Prato (University of Kent) - e-mail: g.b.prato at kent.ac.uk 

This Session addresses conflicts that arise from cultural diversity and that
affect humanity worldwide; that is, beyond the interaction of the specific
groups involved in the conflict. It will focus on Cities in Conflict and
Cities of Conflict at three different, but complementary levels: The
expression Cities in Conflict aims at exploring cities that have experienced
or are experiencing conflict for religious, ethnic or cultural reasons.
However, Cities in Conflict also include cities that are competing among
themselves in the new geo-political situation of their Region. This may be
the case with cities in post-Socialist Europe, or cities that are directly
or indirectly affected by the emerging economies of some Asian Countries.
These cities appear to be competing to attract capital investment, as well
as human resources. Cities of Conflict addresses cities that are themselves
symbolic or actual targets of violence. These may be cities of religious and
symbolic significance - such as Jerusalem, or Rome - or cities that are
identified with specific economic, political and cultural powers - recent
attacks on New York and London are fitting examples. 
The Session will bring together a geographically varied number of
empirically based contributions on these complex topics. The Convenors wish
to stimulate debate and ethnographically informed comparative analysis on
this increasingly important topic that will contribute significantly to
disciplinary debate and to the advancement of anthropological knowledge.
There is a strong possibility to produce an edited volume that brings
together revised and expanded versions of selected contributions to the
Session in the context of extended and up-dated discussion.
 

Session 2: Socialism, Liberalism and the Urban Question - Convenor: Dr Italo
Pardo (University of Kent, U.K.) - e-mail: i.pardo at kent.ac.uk 
This session aims at stimulating debate on issues of substantive
citizenship, identity, social and ethnic interactions in the project of
multiculturalism, the relationship between the public and the private, and
that between the rulers and the ruled, also raising issues of legitimacy and
responsibility in the management of power and political decision-making.
Different political ideologies, such as Socialism and Liberalism, have
influenced notions of citizenship and the ways in which people's
participation in the decision-making process has been either encouraged or
frustrated. These two ideologies have been portrayed, respectively, as a
modified version of the Jacobean nationalist project and as a servant of
market capitalism. Similar to the Jacobean project, which rejected rival
loyalties to the nation-state, the Communist version of Socialism does not
accept rival loyalties to their god, proletarian dictatorship. In such
contexts, citizenship has become an abstract concept based on a formal,
rather than substantive, definition that apparently granted political rights
while aiming at affirming a superior 'neutrality' of values and lifestyles
and at manufacturing people's unquestioning loyalty to their rules. On the
contrary, Liberalism advocates the individual's entrepreneurial role in the
political, cultural and economic development of society. Classical
Liberalism has been concerned with urban problems, such as poverty, housing
and education, arguing for minimum state intervention to give individuals an
opportunity to develop their potentialities and improve their social
position, thus benefiting society. The geo-political events of the
late-twentieth century, have brought about a resurgence of neo-Liberal
approaches based on tolerance, pluralism, individual freedom and opportunity
for all. However, as exemplified by the ill-thought-out multicultural
project, not always the Liberal ideals of tolerance, respect of human
rights, and freedom have produced positive results. In such a situation, the
city has become a crucial arena for the renegotiation of citizenship and of
the democratic process. This complex situation increasingly affects urban
and national life across the world and needs to be urgently understood and
addressed specifically and comparatively. Given their commitment to in-depth
and detailed empirical research, anthropologists are particularly well
suited to offer invaluable insights into such a complexity. This session
will bring together ethnographically varied contributions in an attempt to
build up an informed comparative understanding. There is a strong
possibility to produce an edited volume that brings together revised and
expanded versions of selected contributions to the Session.
 
Please send your paper proposals to the Session convenors, including the
proposer's name and institutional affiliation, the paper's title and
abstract (250 words), four key-words.
 
Deadline for submission of paper proposals: 30th  June 2007. For more
information about the ICAES conference see: http://www.icaes2008.org

Dr Giuliana B. Prato
Co-Chair, Commission on Urban Anthropology, IUAES
Department of Anthropology, Marlowe Building
University of Kent, Canterbury,
Kent CT2 7NR, UK
Tel.: +44 (0)1227 700366 (personal)
         +44 (0)1227 823942 (Dept. Secretary)
Fax.: +44 (0)1227 827289