MINELRES: CfP: Changing and Overlapping Identities: Society of Latvia Facing the
EU Enlargement, Riga, 17-18 September, 2004
MINELRES moderator
[email protected]
Sat Apr 3 08:54:22 2004
Original sender: Juris Rozenvalds <[email protected]>
Department of Political Science at the University of Latvia
and
Institute for Advanced Social and Political Research
at the Faculty of Social Sciences
in cooperation with
Secretariat of Minister for Special Assignments for Society and
Integration Affairs
would like to announce a
CALL FOR PAPERS
for an international conference
CHANGING AND OVERLAPPING IDENTITIES: SOCIETY OF LATVIA FACING THE EU
ENLARGEMENT
Riga, 17-18 September, 2004
University of Latvia
The aim of the conference is to provide scientific analysis accounting
for changes in the self-identification of the society of Latvia as a
consequence of European integration as well as evaluating perspectives
for future transformation with regard to Latvia becoming a full member
of the European Union. Changing, interacting and overlapping identities
- political, ethnic, linguistic, regional, European - will be the most
central issue at the conference. Transformation of identities has
already had and will certainly have a major impact on integration
processes taking place on the societal level in Latvia also in future,
therefore a critical evaluation of identity change is relevant not only
from the scientific, but also from the practical policy-making point of
view. One of the aims stressed by the organizers is to attract the
attention of the wider public to issues of identity transformation and
to emphasize the necessity for a structured discussion in the public
space.
Scholars whose research interests are related to the transformation of
contemporary society, the dynamics of European integration and issues of
identity change are invited to take part in the conference which will be
structured along the following central themes:
- Transformation of political, state and regime identities;
- Transformation and interaction of the ethnic identities;
- Interaction of local and European identities, formation of new
regional identities in the context of the enlargement of the European
Union.
The organizers of the conference are also interested in comparative
aspects of identity transformation and utilization of integration
experiences from other European countries. The comparative aspect of
the conference will be covered by Estonian and Lithuanian scholars as
well as researchers from other EU member-states whose experience and
research findings may be of great relevance to improve the understanding
of the Latvian case.
The organizers of the conference are also proud to announce that
professor David Laitin from Stanford University (USA) has confirmed his
participation in the conference. His recent book Identity in Formation.
The Russian-Speaking Populations in the Near Abroad. Ithaca and London,
Cornell University Press, 1998 is regarded as one of the most
significant contributions to the understanding of identity
transformation. It is scheduled that there will be a seminar on the
second day of the conference on Laitin's book with participation and
introductory remarks of the author himself.
The conference will have two working languages - Latvian and English.
All papers from Latvia will be submitted and may be discussed in
English.
Potential participants are expected to provide organizers by the 1st
May, 2004, with their:
- abridged CV in English;
- proposal of the paper about 250-400 words long;
Papers should be finished and delivered to the organizers together with
a short abstract of 100 words for the conference program by the 15th
August, 2004. All papers should be submitted in MS Word format. Every
author accepted for the conference will be given 20 minutes presentation
time at the conference.
It is also expected that conference materials will be published after
the conference.
Organizational committee of the conference:
- prof. Juris Rozenvalds
e-mail: [email protected]
(transformation and interaction of the ethnic identities)
- lecturer Ivars Ijabs
e-mail: [email protected]
(transformation of political, state and regime identities)
- lecturer Toms Rostoks
e-mail: [email protected]
(interaction of local and European identities, formation of new regional
identities in the context of the enlargement of the European Union)
- project manager Velta Mazure
e-mail: [email protected]