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Call for Papers Theme: Recognition and the Politics of Identity and Inclusion in the 21st Century Subtitle: Managing Diversity in Plural Societies Type: International Conference Institution: Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong Location: Hong Kong Date: 28.–29.4.2011 Deadline: 31.1.2011 __________________________________________________ Migration has generated an increasingly borderless world which has challenged the nation-state model as an effective tool for the governance of multiplicities and the management of diversity. As the nation- state is faced with the challenge of dealing with immigrants, non-nationals, refugees and others with newly emerging identities, there is a need to reassess existing frameworks for recognition of the claims of minority communities. Whilst civil society movements over the course of the last century have helped secure legal recognition of the rights of minorities, the complexities of plural identities showcase the weaknesses of the current categorizations which form the basis for the extension or denial of rights. As a result, it is necessary to critically examine the resulting marginalization of individuals and groups on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion, nationality, national minority status, refugee status, gender, age, sexuality, health, and disability. Current protections are inadequate as they continue to be based on exclusionary frames of analyses which ignore the distinct needs and rights of these groups. The fact that each of these minority statuses often overlap with other minority traits further compounds the challenges of governance. This conference seeks to explore the changing dimensions of the politics of identity and inclusion and their implications for governance and the protection of minority communities in plural societies. It aims to explore the role of membership and citizenship in nation-building and reorient existing discourse on marginalised communities through a comprehensive forum which will build on knowledge from different disciplines to tackle these challenges. The conference intends to forge new synergies between disciplines to develop conversations that account for multiple and fluid identities. It will draw on the concepts of equality, non-discrimination, identity, inclusion, minority rights and human rights to address the comprehensive challenges posed by life at the margins of society. It is hoped that interdisciplinary encounters will serve to foster a more coherent analysis of the experience of different marginalisations and enhance the quality of the policy directives that arise from these discussions. The Conference solicits proposals for papers that address any of the following themes: 1. National, Multiple and Fluid Identities: The New Politics of Identity and Recognition 2. Religion and the State: Fissured Discourses on Secularism, Accommodation and Tolerance 3. Legal Pluralism and Cultural Diversity 4. Citizenship, Participation, Inclusion and Belonging in Diverse Societies 5. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Inequality People from all disciplines, including, but not limited to anthropology, cultural studies, economics, education, healthcare, law, philosophy, politics, psychology, social work, and sociology working on these or related themes are invited to submit proposals for consideration. Please submit a 300 word abstract by 31 January 2011 and send it to Puja Kapai at <[email protected]>. Please include the following information in your submission: a) your full name b) institutional affiliation c) email address d) the relevant conference theme which your paper will address e) the title of your paper The subject of the e-mail should be “Diversity Conference Abstract Submission” and should include a short CV of no more than two pages. Abstracts should be in Word format and the file name should be the author’s full name. All submissions will be reviewed and the authors of accepted abstracts will be informed by mid-February 2011. Draft papers are due on 31st March 2011. Papers presented may be eligible for selection for publication in an edited volume. The Conference is part of the University of Hong Kong’s Emerging Strategic Research Theme (ESRT) on Diversity Studies. This theme aims to strengthen and consolidate diversity-related research efforts within and across disciplines and to enhance the interdisciplinary research capabilities of the University. Diversity encompasses a range of community identities including ethnicity, race, religion, disability, gender and sexuality, among others. The ESRT team recognizes that growing diversity in Hong Kong and elsewhere necessitates targeted and coordinated research efforts supported within a broad diversity framework. As such, the ESRT seeks to facilitate a holistic approach towards researching diversity by emphasizing connections between existing projects, creating inter- and intra- institutional collaborative opportunities, and encouraging new multidisciplinary approaches to researching key issues facing many societies. Organising Chairs: Puja Kapai, Assistant Professor Summer Social Justice Internship Centre for Comparative and Public Law Faculty of Law The University of Hong Kong Email: [email protected] Kelley Loper, Assistant Professor LLM Human Rights Programme Centre for Comparative and Public Law Faculty of Law The University of Hong Kong Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.hku.hk/law/ __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
