CFP: Memories of Conflict

Memories of Conflict, Conflicts of Memory
International Conference
13- 14 February, 2013
Senate House, London

Organised by:
Institute of Germanic &  Romance Studies
Faculty Institute of Graduate Studies, University College London
Centre for the Study of Cultural Memory

There are very few facets of public and private life that are not affected by cultural memories of war and conflict. Recent academic scholarship has also been revolutionised as experts on literature, cinema, history, area studies, sociology, anthropology and many others attempt to theorise the memory-narratives of the last century marked by unprecedented totalitarian regimes, coup d’états, military confrontations, popular movements and what Alain Badiou recently called the passion for the real.

This interdisciplinary conference will examine the various ways in which memories of wars and conflicts of the twentieth century are constructed, resisted, appropriated and debated in contemporary culture. The conference will provide a space for dialogue and interchange of ideas among scholars researching on memory issues related to different regions of the globe. In particular, we are interested in discussing the tensions between local and transnational memory-narratives, official and subversive forms of commemoration, hegemonic and alternative conceptions of remembering.

Questions we hope to address:
*       What benefits and risks are involved when using theories, terms and concepts coined for specific conflicts when dealing with problems relating to other regions?
*       To what extent has current research on memory of war and conflict in different parts of the world influenced the wider field of memory studies?
*       What power and/or knowledge relations are established between academic researchers and the victims of such conflicts?
*       What motivations lie behind our decision to research memory issues?

The conference will draw together cutting-edge research from theorists and practitioners and we invite proposals from people working in literature, cinema, history, area studies, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, religious studies, media studies, political theory, law, international relations and all other relevant fields.

Themes to be addressed in the conference include, but are not limited to:
*       Official commemoration
*       Gendered memory
*       Cultural memory and communicative memory
*       Memory, history and law
*       Contested memories
*       Memory, migration, exile and displacement
*       Second witnessing and generational transmission
*       Fictions of memory and performing memory
*       Sites of memory, testimony and archives

Please submit a 250-word abstract and a short biographical note to the organisers Jordana.Blejmar@sas.ac.uk and a.raychaudhuri@ucl.ac.uk by 1 November, 2012.

Convenors: Jordana Blejmar (IGRS) and Anindya Raychaudhuri (UCL)

CFP: Perspectives on Interculturality

Call for Papers
Perspectives on Interculturality
Saint Louis University
February 28 – March 1, 2013

Increased understanding of interactions between different human groups is a major challenge of our time. A half-century of critique of the concept of culture has made significant contributions, including foregrounding ethnocentrism as a source of research bias across disciplines; incorporating power into cultural studies; and expanding scholarship on cultures beyond ethno-linguistically defined groups. Likewise, study of processes that transcend group divisions–globalization, empire, neo-colonialism–has flourished. Meanwhile, understanding mechanisms of interactions between cultures has not kept pace. Intercultural studies are due for reflection and refinement.

The Center for Intercultural Studies at Saint Louis University invites proposals for papers taking a critical approach to interculturality, and exploring the potential as well as the limits of the concept. The focus of the Conference, and the invitation for paper proposals, is specifically on innovative theoretical frameworks–preferably combining methods from more than one discipline–designed for analyzing interactions between different cultures. A paper would ideally include a specific case study illustrating the application of the analytical framework proposed. The goal is to assemble a theoretical and methodological toolbox for researching and understanding interculturality. Selected papers will be published in a volume by an academic press.

Proposals should include: a one-page abstract of the paper, with a title and name of the author; the author’s brief curriculum vitae; postal address; email address; and phone number. Complete proposals should be emailed as attachments in MS Word to: rozbicmj@slu.edu. The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2012.

Study abroad – Peru

Bring your classes to Peru! The Department of Communication at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL) is taking program requests for winter and summer faculty-led programs. We can help you design courses in communication studies as well as journalism and mass media classes. We are a bilingual, private university located in Lima with an extension campus in Cusco. We offer campus classroom space, intercultural opportunities, Spanish classes and a trip to Machu Picchu for 2-4 week classes.

Contact Dr. Anthony Spencer or International Student Coordinator Keith Annis for more information.

Anthony Spencer, Ph.D.
Director de Carrera de Comunicaciones
317-1000 Anexo 3256
Nextel 810*8739
Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
Av. La Fontana 550. La Molina

Survey Updating Perceptions of Natural Resources

A Survey Updating Perceptions of Natural Resources

Call for participation: initiative of the Michel Serres Institute on resources & public goods (ENS Lyon, France)

Objective of the survey: Resources can be natural, human, economic, institutional or cognitive. This survey targets natural resources, questioning the perception and relationship between humans (individually and collectively) and natural resources (and to a certain extent between humans and nature). These are key issues that need to be clarified before moving forward, whether through discussions, controversies or actions, towards what has been called the decarbonated era, the ecological transition, or the green economy. The international survey uses English to avoid inadvertently introducing bias as a result of translation.

Estimated time: 10 minutes

Une enquête pour connaitre votre perception des ressources naturelles

Objet : lancement de l’enquête internationale. Cet appel à participation est une initiative de l’Institut Michel Serres pour les ressources et les biens communs (ENS de Lyons).

Pourquoi une telle enquête ? Les ressources sont  naturelles, humaines, économiques, institutionnelles ou intellectuelles. L’enquête cible principalement les ressources naturelles et interroge la perception et la relation entre les humains (à titre individuel ou collectif) et les ressources naturelles (et, dans une certaine mesure, entre l’homme et la nature). Ce sont des sujets-clé qui doivent être définis clairement, avant que nous ne nous engagions plus avant dans des discussions, controverses ou actions vis-à-vis de ce que l’on appelle communément l’ère décarbonnée, la transition écologique ou l’économie verte.

Cette enquête internationale est en anglais afin d’éviter tout biais, du fait de la traduction, dans la compréhension, la terminologie, et l’analyse des données recueillies.

Temps nécessaire pour répondre : 10 mn

NOTE: I am one of the founding members of the Michel Serres Institute, and have been asked to help circulate this survey to an international audience. My contributions are related to my interest in establishing interdisciplinary collaborations. I would very much appreciate your time in completing this survey to establish a baseline of perceptions about natural resources.


JustStories Online Story Festival

JustStories Online Story Festival
Thursday August 2 @ 8PM EST

The JustStories Festival features stories that build bridges between diverse racial and ethnic groups and is a co-production of Angels Studio, a communications ministry of The Society of the Divine Word, and Halloran Diversity Productions.

This year the festival is going to the web in hopes of reaching an even bigger audience with stories that can heal our racial and ethnic divides. During the August JustStories online festival, every hour (14 hours a day!) on the JustStories Facebook page a premiere video of a professional storyteller’s story will be shown; 60 stories in all!

You can watch the videos, then comment on them and contribute your own story. Even better – you can simultaneously listen to other people’s comments, too – from Australia to India to Mississippi and New York. In addition, some of the storytellers will be online Thursday August 2,  8PM EST  to answer  questions and listen to comments and shared anecdotes. 

Yes! You can be part of the red carpet and get a front row seat without leaving the comfort of your home or workplace. Won’t you please join the worldwide conversation, a respectful and fun conversation on witnessing and honoring our diverse experiences and exploring the possibilities of living in harmony?

Go to:  www.facebook.com/juststories and encourage your friends around the world to join us, too. If you are already on Facebook, “Like” the JustStories page and then you’ll be able to “Share” the videos and resources with your friends.

Cross-cultural/intercultural powerpoints wanted

Request for Basic Cross-cultural/Intercultural Powerpoints

“I am Mara Adelman (Seattle University, author of BEYOND LANGUAGE: Cross-cultural Communication for ESL), and I am heading to Mekelle University in Ethiopia on a Fulbright assignment, for a 42 days series of lectures, seminars, workshops on various topics in communication. Am seeking powerpoints on basic presentations for cross-cultural communication (e.g. theory, values, rituals, non-verbal, verbal, cross-cultural adaptation, work place, friendships, etc.). I would be willing to exchange for powerpoints on such topics as distraction, solitude, contemplative practices, world travel.  Please know that your powerpoints would only be used during this assignment, no copies, forwarded emails, etc. would occur.  Please send to/any questions, etc.: mara@seattleu.edu
MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.”

–Mara Adelman, Seattle University

Peace Education SIG, AERA CFP

Peace Education SIG, AERA: Call for Papers
San Francisco, California, April 27 – May 1, 2013
(Proposal Submissions Accepted: June 1 – July 22, 2012)

The Peace Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association warmly invites you to submit a proposal for the Annual General Meeting of the American Educational Research Association in San Francisco, California April 27- May 1, 2013. The theme of the conference is “Education and Poverty: Theory, Research, Policy and Praxis.”

Education has long been seen as a way out of poverty. Educational systems also perpetuate cycles of poverty and wealth. Poverty interacts with education through local, national, and international systems of financial markets and the global knowledge economy. The goal is to consider the relationships of education and poverty. The theme is conceived broadly to include the ways that education theory, research, policy, and praxis contribute to alleviating economic, intellectual and moral poverty.

The purpose of the Peace Education Special Interest Group (SIG) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) is to create a global forum for scholars from diverse backgrounds and with varied perspectives to critically explore educational research and promote constructive changes in the areas of peace keeping, peace making, peace building, peace education, nonviolent conflict resolution, reconciliation, mediation, and more. Our work often addresses compelling, complex and politically charged topics and is informed by both sophisticated and sensitive analyses. Consequently, we welcome innovative as well as traditional theoretical and methodological approaches to research, and we encourage collaboration among members.

We welcome research papers from a very wide range of conceptual, methodological, experiential and international perspectives that represent theoretical advances; that analyze the complex social, cultural, political, historical and economical contexts within which peace education develops; that heighten individual and collective consciousness and inspire transformative practice to more effectively connect education and peace building and further the institutionalization of peace education. We encourage you to indicate in your proposal your engagement with the peace education literature and to clearly demonstrate the wider lessons that can be learned from your particular context. We particularly welcome papers that draw on interdisciplinary research data and that reflect the conference theme of education and poverty.

Proposals should be submitted through the AERA proposal submission system ( www.aera.net ) and identified as for the Peace Education Special Interest Group.

Please make sure to register as a member of the PEACE SIG when submitting the AERA proposal. Joining as members allows the PEACE SIG to extend its academic activities at the AERA conference. It also strengthens an intellectual community connected by a commonality of interests and encourages more collaboration.

Candice C. Carter, AERA Peace Education Special Interest Group – Program Chair
Zvi Bekerman, AERA Peace Education Special Interest Group – Chair

Shanghai Normal U Int’l Conf Intercultural Comm

Intercultural Competence and Interaction
Call for Papers: 2012 SHNU International Conference of Intercultural Communication

With the success of the first International Conference of Intercultural Communication in 2008 and the second in 2010, Shanghai Normal University will sponsor the third on December 15-16, 2012. The 2012 ICIC focuses on “Intercultural Competence and Interaction”. It is, as the previous two, characterized by high-level scholarship, explicitly focused themes, multiple perspectives and in-depth discussions. We welcome both domestic and international scholars to interpret the conference theme from different perspectives, and would like to share their knowledge and expertise.

Working Language: English/Chinese
Time: December 15-16, 2012
Venue: 100 Guilin Road, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China

Invited Speakers: Colleen Ward, Donal Carbaugh, Guo-Ming Chen, Michael Byram, Molefi K. Asante, Nobuyuki Honna, Patrice Buzzanell, SUN Youzhong, SHI Xu and XU Lisheng.

Abstract and paper submission:
Please submit a 300-500 word abstract (APA style, Times New Roman 12 point font and double spaced) to iccshanghai@163.com as an email attachment no later than September 15th. Authors of accepted abstracts will be notified by October 15th, 2012, and will then be invited to submit a full paper ranging from 5000 to 12000 words by December 1st. All submissions will be carefully reviewed. High quality articles will be selected for publication. For more information, please visit: www.shicci.org.cn

Conference Registration Fee:
Teachers or researchers: 800 RMB（$120）
Students or Spouse: 400 RMB（$60）

Payment of the registration fee covers the cost to attend the main conference and the concurrent sessions, coffee breaks and conference meals. Notice that this registration fee does NOT cover the cost of the local transportation and accommodation.

Sponsor: Foreign Languages College of Shanghai Normal University
Chief of Organization Committee: Prof. Lu Jianfei, Secretary of Shanghai Normal University/chair of SHNU council.
Deputy Chief: Prof. Cai Longquan, Dean of Foreign Languages College of Shanghai Normal University.
Executive: Dr. Dai Xiaodong, Shanghai Normal University, Fulbright research scholar.
Tel: 86-21-64323699
Fax: 86-21-64321755
E-mail: iccshanghai@163.com
Website: www.shicci.org.cn

Museums and Intercultural Dialogue

A very nice article by Eva Zimmerhof on museums as forums for intercultural dialogue has just been posted online by the Goethe Institute.

It begins: “In future the traditional national museums to be found in Europe are to open multidimensional perspectives on the history and culture of both the individual countries and on Europe as a whole. To implement this new approach the European Union has initiated a program called “Eurovision – Museums Exhibiting Europe” (EMEE). This is an interview with the project’s coordinator, Prof. Dr. Susanne Popp.”