CfP: Fourth Annual International CCCS Conference 2016 “Dislocations and Cultural Conflicts: Migrations, Diaspora, Terrorism, Borders (MDTB)”

Centre for Culture and Cultural Studies (CCCS), Fourth Annual International CCCS Conference 2016:”Dislocations and Cultural Conflicts: Migrations, Diaspora, Terrorism, Borders (MDTB)”

September 1- 3, 2016, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Deadline for submitting abstracts: March 15, 201 6

Deadline for submitting full papers: December 15, 2016

The Centre for Culture and Cultural Studies organizes the 4th Annual International Conference of the CCCS 2016: “Dislocations and Cultural Conflicts: Migrations, Diaspora, Terrorism, Borders (MDTB)”.

Human movement, within and without nationally-set borders, is an undeniable reality, present and past contexts included. Indeed, we live in a world where migrations and migratory practices bring forth grave implications. Throughout the history of human civilization and thought, including present circumstances, migrations mostly come as the result of man’s desire to improve the immediate quality of life, better one’s family’s economic milieu, and quite frequently, they are the effect of the painstaking efforts undertaken to preserve the sanctity of one’s life. In other words, they come in place of an answer to ethnic and ideological conflicts, poverty and unemployment, natural disasters. Henceforth, we can come to the conclusion that migrations are the by-product of a number of socio-economic, political, ethnic, military, ideological, and ecological factors.

Over the course of past century, migration studies have evolved into an important disciplines, mostly in the late 1960s and 1970s, when the focus rests on the diasporic life and the loss it entails. Gradually, as a discipline, migration studies shift their focus towards questions about the relationship that exists between dislocation and information technologies, media, the hard sciences, networking and the methods used when passing on knowledge and information. At present, the significance tied to migration studies stems from the realization that they too are an integral part of the discourse on conflict and political strife.

Migrations can be studied through several different theoretical practices. This Conference aims at acknowledging the different disciplines that actively engage with the study of migrations, hence creating a platform that will unite the research conducted by economists, lawyers, political scientists, historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and social psychologists, as well as researchers from the domains of cultural studies, literary theory, media and communication studies, the arts, all with the common goal of examining closely the effect that migrations exert on beliefs, customs, everyday practices, institutions, policies, laws. Namely, how said factors impact the behaviors and experiences of migrants and the country/state hosting them, that is to say, the behaviors and experiences of ethnic minorities and majorities. Thusly, the Conference aims at underlying the different theoretical discourses that approach the subject of migrations from several different aspects, including:

  • the polarization of the world;
  • the threats to peace and security;
  • issues tied to global diversity;
  • socio-economic inequalities;
  • cultural shifts, etc.

Notwithstanding the reasons behind migratory patterns, the changes they bring forth are foundational to a society’s future, as they ask that we rethink the “us/them” binary, particularly in terms of social, economic, and cultural differences, thus revisiting the relationship between diasporas and homelands. Namely, their influences are not to be ignored when defining societies as transnational.

Today, migrations, as a global process, can be perceived as less of a challenge and more of an opportunity. While well-managed migrations can help usher in socio-economic growth, thus affording new opportunities both in the migrant’s homeland and their host country, misguided profiteering over migratory practices and migrants can in fact result in risky social cohesion, safety, and sovereignty. Contemporary discourses focused on development assume that migrations en route from the developing world can act as “agents of progress”, since the process of migration enables the transfer of skills, investments, cultural goods, ways of life, collective memories, onto the new locations. The mixing of cultures and cultural templates adds to a better familiarity with the value system of the Other, thus contributing to the enrichment of the domicile culture.On the other hand, the introduction of the culture of the Other through the processes accompanying migrations heightens the sense of fear and dread, particularly surrounding the self-perceptions of the host country’s national identity (namely, its insofar exceptionality). Migrants are often placed at the center of attention due to an externally perceived lack of loyalty towards their host countries. They can be even lumped together as groups that threaten a host country’s national security. In light of the recent terrorist attacks, public sentiment (particularly in the countries of the so-called First World) has started to equate migrations with terrorism. Hence, not that infrequently, refugees and terrorists are seen as interchangeable categories. Conflicts, the struggle for democracy and the fight against totalitarian regimes – all help create a domino effect that results in mass migrations. This in turn has contributed to further compartmentalization, along the lines of religion and culture within the host countries. The influx of migrants provides fertile ground for organized crime and terrorism, since organized crime populates territories under siege. Today’s findings point out that terrorism cannot be simply viewed through a legal framework, since this phenomenon, through time and space, begets various cultural, historic, and socio-political contexts. However, what remains is that fact that the principal tenants of the modern state include democracy, security, the rule of law, sovereignty and integrity, civil rights, and that all these are under terrorism’s constant constraint.

Henceforth, the Conference welcomes researchers who can offer different conceptualizations of the topic Dislocations and Cultural Conflicts: Migrations, Diaspora, Terrorism, Borders.

The papers can address, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Migrations, Migrants, Diaspora

  • Basic problems in migratory movements;
  • Future problems in migratory movements;
  • The difference between migrants and refugees;
  • Migrants/refugees and civil rights and liberties;
  • Diaspora, and the old country/new country (host country) relationship (Diaspora and Cultural Memory, Diaspora and economic influences, Diaspora as an example of “good practices” in the host country, the role of Diaspora in the construction of the nation-state);
  • The role of migrants/diaspora in international politics;
  • The negative reactions to the expansion of diasporas;
  • Migrations/Diaspora and Identity (Liquid identities, Identity Transformations – Hybridization, Creolization);
  • Migrations/Diaspora and Borders (Global/Local/Glocal; Third Spaces; the blurring of lines between public and private spaces);
  • Diasporic cultural practices, beliefs, customs;
  • Migrants, diaspora, and religion.

Terror/Terrorism

  • The legal history of terrorism and its criminalization;
  • The legal history of the anti-terrorist legislation and its impact on civil rights and liberties;
  • Terrorism as a threat over social order based on the rule of law;
  • The war on terror and civil rights and liberties;
  • The effectiveness/purpose of dialogue and reconciliation in the war on terror;
  • Larger questions connected to asymmetrical conflicts;
  • Torture as a tool of terrorism;
  • Terrorist discourse and cultural constructions;
  • Terrorism, economics, and social changes;
  • Terrorism and gender dynamics;
  • Migrations, Diaspora, Terrorism, Borders (MDTB), crises and war;
  • MDTB and terror attacks;
  • MDTB and their reception by the host country after a terrorist attack.

Representations of MDTB in the Arts and Media

  • Literary Dislocations (Migrant literature, Literary nomadism, Literature and borders, the Poetics of exile, Migrant identities, Articulations of not-being at home);
  • MDTB and the performing arts;
  • MDTB in music (migrations and movement; cultural diaspora through the prism of the migrants’ music, humanitarian concerts, resistance and music);
  • MDTB in the visual arts (video and multimedia);
  • MDTB in media;
  • Cultural construction and consumption of the terrorist discourse.

MDTB and Linguistic

  • Linguistic adaptation of migrants in a foreign language environment;
  • Characteristics of intercultural communication of migrants;
  • Problems of language competence during the migration process and adaptation of migrants;
  • Methods of overcoming linguistic barriers in the process of adaptation of migrants to a foreign cultural environment;
  • Problems of linguistic self-identification of  the population in the border zones in a multi-ethnic environment;
  • Bilingualism in the migration process

MDTB and History/Memory/Cultural Heritage

  • MDTB and different historical narratives;
  • MDTB and the question of memory/forgetting;
  • MDTB and traditional stereotypes;
  • Memories about MDTB
  • MDTB and Cultural Heritage (its dislocation; MDTB and museums).

Fourth Annual International Conference of CCCS 2016: “Dislocations and cultural conflicts, migration, diaspora, terrorism, borders (MDTG)” welcomes the participation of researchers of culture, literature, history, philosophy, art, religion, sociology, media, linguistic, and all interested in the topic. We welcome abstracts pertaining to the theme of the conference, and the broader field of study.

Conference calendar

March 15, 2016: Deadline for submission of abstracts

End of March 2016: Acceptance info

August 15, 2016: Final programme of the Conference

September 1-3, 2016: Conference dates

September 4-6, 2016: Visit to Ohrid (optional post-conference event)

December 15, 2016: Final paper submission deadline

April 1, 2017: Results from the review of submitted papers

Until the end of 2017: Publication of accepted and reviewed papers

Proposals

Papers proposals

Submissions of abstracts (up to 250 words), short bios (up to 100 words) may be made online, by filling the form.

Link to form: http://cultcenter.net/?p=3522

Also, you can send paper proposals offline. Please, download the form (MS WORD document), fill it in and send it by e-mail to conference@cultcenter.net

Link (MS WORD format): http://cultcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Form-papers-MDTB.docx

The abstracts should not be longer than 250 words (1720 characters).

Panel proposals

We welcome proposals for panel discussions, especially panels organized by internationally recognized experts that aim to gather a group of researchers around one topic or subject. That will achieve interaction between the panelists and the other participants in the conference. The panels are an important segment of the Conference.

Submissions of abstracts (up to 250 words), short bios (up to 100 words) may be made online, by filling the form.

Link to form: http://cultcenter.net/?p=3523

Also, you can send panel proposals offline. Please, download the form (MS WORD document), fill it in and send it by e-mail to conference@cultcenter.net

Link (MS WORD format): http://cultcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Form-panels-MDTB.docx

The abstracts should not be longer than 250 words (1720 characters).

Abstracts can be submitted in English, Russian or Macedonian language, depending on the language of presentation of the paper.

Selection and publishing of papers

The participants shall have 15 minutes to present his/her report. Five minutes Q&A session shall be reserved for every presentation.

The papers have to be original and to not have been published previously or presented at an earlier conference.

The abstracts shall be reviewed by the organization committee of the Conference, in accordance with international standards for scientific publications.

The papers that will receive positive reviews shall be published in the online peer-reviewed journal Investing Culture during 2017.

Selected full text papers with high-impact shall be published in the international peer-reviewed journalКултура/Culture (in both the print and online editions). The paper selection will be carried out during the peer review process as well as at the conference presentation stage. The final decision for paper selection will be made based on peer review reports by the editorial board and conference board jointly.

Participation Fees

Early registration: till May 1st, 2016: €50

Registration: May 2nd – June 15, 2016: €70

Late registration: On ‐site registration (or after June 15, 2016): €90

If presentations have multiple authors, participation fee is needed for each author, to cover the cost of materials.

The conference fee include conference materials, use of presentation equipment, refreshments, the welcome party, online Book of Abstracts, the review of the submitted papers and the publication of accepted full text papers

The participants are expected to cover their travel and accommodation costs.

For additional information please contact organizers on email conference@cultcenter.net or visit conference sitehttp://cultcenter.net/

Conference call for papers (PDF):

http://cultcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/CFP_en.pdf