Kategorie: Veranstaltungen

International Conference of the Italien Association for Canadian Studies, June 29 – July 1, 2017, University of Calabria, Italy

The Italian Association for Canadian Studies invites proposals for the international conference “Canada in the making: 150 years of cultural and linguistic diversity”. The conference aims at investigating the topic of cultural and linguistic diversity in Canada both diachronically and synchronically and welcomes theoretical papers and up-to-date case studies from the methodological perspectives of Language Studies, Literary Criticism, Cultural Studies, History, Geography, Law and Economics etc. The languages of the conference are English, French and Italian. 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation, which was officially created on the first of July, 1867, with the enactment of the British North America Act. Since then, the colonies of Canada (subsequently divided into Ontario and Québec), New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that were united under the Dominion of Canada have gained political independence and expanded territorially to form the immense country we know today. From the very beginning, one of the traits that distinguished Canada was the coexistence of several cultures and languages, which has shaped Canadian identity ever since. Over the last 150 years, the First Peoples and those of British and French descent, Canadians from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds have contributed to redefining a national identity rooted in the concepts of multiculturalism and multilingualism. Over the 20th century such diversity has been turned into one of the foregrounding elements of Canadianness also from a legislative point of view, especially with the promulgation of the Official Languages Act (1969) and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988), and the creation of Nunavut (1999). After 150 years, pluralism is still at the core of what it means to be Canadian even though (but also because) in the last decades the Canadian multicultural policies have been questioned and re-discussed in view of the challenges posed by the new Millennium.

Abstracts of no more than 300 words and a short bio-bibliographical note should be sent to this email address by 23 April 2017. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 7 May 2017.

International Conference, October 20-21, 2017, Canadian Studies Centre, Masaryk University, Brno (Czech Republic)

At a time when Canada is celebrating its one hundred and fiftieth birthday, it is important to remember that, despite its historical roots in Europe, Canada is in fact a child of the New World – that it is an American country.

With its neighbours throughout the Americas, Canada has shared many concerns, among them the daunting task of coming to terms with the new American space, both physically and symbolically; the negotiation of its relationship to the Old World and the „Mother Country“; the need to invent its own historical narrative; the development of a new society and new social relations; the creation of a distinctive culture; the necessity of coming to terms with aboriginal peoples. At the same time, dealing with these and other similar challenges has been complicated by many factors that, in the American context, are perhaps unique to Canada – the sheer size and emptiness of the Canadian space; the lack of a revolutionary tradition; the extremity of the climate; the fundamental diversity of the country and the need to create unity while maintaining difference; the relationship to the dominant culture of the New World, that of the United States; the legal status of the aboriginal peoples as „allies of the Crown“. These and other influences have all contributed to making Canada a unique American country.

The conference aims to treat Canada’s „Americanness“ from as broad a perspective as possible, welcoming contributions from scholars in the fields of literary and cultural studies, historians, political scientists, geographers, sociologists, anthropologists and those in other relevant disciplines.

What does „America“ mean for Canada? What is its vision of „America“? What in it is distinct, what divergent from practice elsewhere in the Americas? What forms does the „Canadian Dream“ take?

Proposals (300 words) and a brief CV to be sent to the conference organizers, Don Sparling and Petr Kyloušek at this email address, by May 15, 2017. 
Conference fee – 50 EUR, students 30 EUR
CEACS members: 40 EUR, students 20 EUR

Centre for Environmental and Minority Policy Studies (CEMiPoS), Sapporo/Japan, 4-6 December 2017

This conference is organized by the Centre for Environmental and Minority Policy Studies, an independent research centre in Sapporo, in cooperation with the Ainu Women’s Association in Hokkaido (Ainu Moshir), the Hugo Valentin Centre, Uppsala University and the Northern Institute of Environmental and Minority Law, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland.

2017 marks the tenth anniversary of the historic adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) by the UN General Assembly with overwhelming favorable votes. The purpose of the Declaration is to remedy the historical denial of the right of self-determination and related human rights. Indigenous peoples are, however, still suffering from and fighting against wounds caused by historical injustices imposed on them as well as ongoing development projects at the cost of Indigenous rights. Furthermore, the linguistic and cultural survival of indigenous peoples are in many ways threatened by the sweeping policies adopted by governments. What progress has been made for Indigenous peoples since the UNDRIP? It is a perfect time to examine, from the standpoint of Indigenous peoples, the outcomes and effects of the UNDRIP on them.

This conference aims to assess the existing policies towards Indigenous peoples at local, regional, and global levels by focusing on four key areas:

1. Redress for historical injustices imposed on Indigenous peoples and their struggle for indigenous rights
2. Exploitation of natural resources by external powers in Indigenous communities and their resistance against them
3. Linguistic and cultural revitalisation led by Indigenous peoples in the wake of cultural genocide under colonialism
4. Indigenous women on the front line of sufferings and struggles.

The conference will feature the participation of Sami and Ainu activists as keynote speakers for the plenary and other sessions, and will include a panel discussion on Japan’s Ainu policy by Ainu women. In addition, invitation to the conference is extended to students and activists interested or involved in Indigenous affairs, policymakers, government officials, journalists, artists, citizens, as well as Indigenous peoples and researchers across the globe. In spite of the size of the conference, we hope that it will mark a watershed in the development of equitable and sustainable policies towards Indigenous peoples.

Hiroshi Maruyama, Principal Organiser
Director, Centre for Environmental and Minority Policy Studies
Honorary Doctor and Guest Professor, The Hugo Valentin Centre, Uppsala University
Professor Emeritus, Muroran Institute of Technology

Call for Papers deadline: 1 May 2017

Registration: Summer 2017 (Deadline: 1 September 2017)

Participants interested in presenting at the Conference are recommended to choose their preferred area from the above-mentioned four key areas and to submit written abstracts (maximum: 250 words) referring to one of the following suggested topics.

Suggested topics:

• Manipulation of colonial history by colonial powers
• The teaching of indigenous history in the face of majority discourse
• Towards the establishment of a truth and reconciliation committee
• Language loss and revitalisation of endangered indigenous languages
• Acquisition of language for indigenous identity
• Promoting multilingualism for the cultural well-being of indigenous peoples
• Security threats imposed on indigenous communities
• Indigenous peoples as actors in the decision making of development projects
• Sustainable development and CBD 8(j) in indigenous communities
• Impacts of the UNDRIP on indigenous communities
• Incorporating international human rights law into domestic law
• Indigenous perspectives on Gender Studies
• Indigenous women’s history
• Women and power in the (post)colonial situation
• Empowering indigenous women
• Prospects for Indigenising academia and education
• Indigenous masculinities

Abstract submission:

• title of the abstract,
• your affiliation,
• email address,
• 4-5 key words,
• specification to which key area the paper is submitted (e-mail title: „Policy towards Indigenous People – Abstract Proposal“)

Whom to submit to: To Prof. Hiroshi Maruyama at this contact email.

A draft programme and initial information regarding acceptance of abstracts will be released at the beginning of June 2017.

Practicalities:

• No fee for participation will be charged.
• Participants, excluding invited speakers, are responsible for the cost of their own travel, accommodation and other relevant expenses.
• Bearing in mind that traffic paralysis caused by a snowstorm in Hokkaido may take place, participants are recommended to come to Sapporo two days before the conference or 2 December.
• Sapporo has many options for lodging. Hotels.com, AirBnb, and Trivago can assist in finding suitable accommodation. Given the recent popularity of Sapporo as a tourist destination, participants are urged to book their rooms well in advance, preferably in the heart of the city, in the vicinity of Sapporo Station.

For updated information, please follow the organizers here.

4th Annual Interdisciplinary Conference, Oct 28-29, 2017, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto (Canada)

The perceived orthodoxy of progressive politics has come under attack in recent years by individuals, groups, and institutions that believe their actions and speech are being policed. The term ‘social justice warrior’ (SJW) emerged in 2011. This has attempted to switch the term ‘social justice,’ which has since 1840 been primarily a positive concept, into a mainstream pejorative used mainly to dismiss individuals and groups who espoused views concerning social progressivism, civil rights, cultural inclusiveness, gay rights, or feminism. For those activists and researchers who have spent their lives attempting to change society for the better, this is a troubling turn.

The conference will examine the current and past state(s) of inequality and social justice from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The conference takes place October 28th and 29th 2017 at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.

The organizers invite proposals based on (but not limited to) the following themes:

• Indigenous studies
• Democracy vs. capitalism
• Poverty and Economic inequality
• Civil rights
• Social movements
• Anti-globalisation
• Post-neoliberalism
• Past and future of labour
• Identity politics
• Racial inequality
• Retribalization
• Rule of law
• Neo-reactionary
• Post-humanism and social activism
• Decolonization
• Racialization
• Gender inequality, eco-feminism
• Social construction of difference
• Reparations/reconciliation
• Social democracy
• Social justice backlash
• Pluralistic identities
• Peace and justice
• Health inequality
• Ableism
• Heterosexism
• Access to education
• Environmental activism
• Abuse of state power

The organizers welcome proposals from researchers within all relevant academic disciplines.

If accepted, the presenter(s) should prepare a 20 minute presentation each, the oral equivalent of approximately 8 to 10 pages, double spaced, in Times New Roman 12pt font.

Deadline for Proposals: May 30, 2017

Please send in your submissions using the form provided on this website.