[URBANTH-L]XVI ICAES

[G.B.Prato at kent.ac.uk]

XVI ICAES - International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences
 
Humanity, Development and Ethnological Sciences
Kunming, China, July 15-23, 2008
http://www.icaes2008.org


CALL FOR PAPERS
 
The Commission on Urban Anthropology (http://www.uned.es/dpto_asyc/IUAES) and the International Association for Southeast European Anthropology (http://www-gewi.kfunigraz.ac.at/inasea) invite submission of paper proposals for the following Sessions:
 
Session 1: Socialism, Liberalism and the Urban Question - Convenor: Dr Italo Pardo (University of Kent, U.K.)
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 allegedly 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. 
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.
 
Session 2: Cities in Conflict and Cities of Conflict - Convenors: Dr Vesna Vucinic-Neskovic (President InASEA, University of Belgrade), Dr Giuliana B. Prato (Co-Chairperson CUA, University of Kent) 
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 aims at bringing 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.
 
Paper proposals
Paper proposals for Session 1 should be sent to:
Dr Italo Pardo, e-mail: i.pardo at kent.ac.uk
Paper proposals for Session 2 should be sent to:
Dr Vesna Vucinic-Neskovic, e-mail: vvucinic at f.bg.ac.yu and
Dr Giuliana B. Prato, e-mail: g.b.prato at kent.ac.uk 
Paper proposals should contain the paper title, a 200-250 word abstracts, as well as the author’s name, institutional affiliation and address, e-mail and a brief academic C.V.
 
Deadline for submission of paper proposals is 15 October 2007. Notifications about acceptance will be sent by 30 October, 2007.