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Conference Announcement Theme: Identity, Religion and Ethnicity Type: International Workshop Institution: Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies (GCIS), KU Leuven Intercultural Dialogue Platform (IDP) Department of Sociology, Suleyman Sah University Location: Istanbul (Turkey) Date: 29.11.–1.12.2012 __________________________________________________ Workshop theme and questions Identity, Religion and Ethnicity are three terms interrelated and become all important issues in the European Union and its neighbourhood. The socio-economic transformations of societies resulting from immigration and emigration of people, mindsets, symbols are forcing the change on identity and citizenship relations. Today, a high degree of human mobility, telecommunications have contributed to the new understanding of citizenship as a mode of identity in relation to national identity, ethnicity, religion and social movements. Belonging to an ethnic-religious group and consequent features are increasingly either blurred or strengthened in the new national and international contexts. The motivations and modes of belonging and identifying are much more diverse. It is therefore useful to explore relatively new patterns of the interactions between religion, identity and ethnicity issues. As noted “ethnicity, and nationality” are not only concepts in the world but they are ways of perception of that world. They are ways of understanding and identifying oneself, making sense of one’s problems and predicaments, identifying one’s interests, and orienting one’s actions. They are also ways of recognizing, identifying, and classifying other people, of construing sameness and difference, and of “coding” and making sense of their actions” (Brubaker, Loveman, and Stamatov 2004). The workshop proposes to analyse the relation between these three notions interconnected in different political, cultural and economic cases to understand also some challenges and pitfalls in a pluralalistic societies. Workshop issues What are the relationships between identity, ethnicity and citizenship in a global world? What are the new patterns of ethnic identities in pluralistic societies? Can globalization de-ethnicize religion? How are ethnic and religious identities changed when faced with social and economic transitions? What are the roles of social movements in these undergoing changes? What are the challenges for the classic ethno-religious identity? Can ‘nation state models’ influence the plurality of religious and ethnic groups? How does EU reconcile with ethnic pluralism and diversity? Participants in the workshop about Identity, Religion and Ethnicity will explore possible answers to these questions. The workshop will analyse the interaction and the interpenetration of nationality, ethnicity and identity through the problematic of transnationalism, globalization and nation-state perspectives. The workshop will be supplemented by practical visits to local communities. Participants are invited to consider the theoretical debates and issues in differing local areas with a variety of social practitioners and representatives to gain further insights of demographic, economic, philosophic, legal and socio-anthropological approaches. This workshop looks at identity, citizenship and ethnicity issues across Belgium as well as in Turkey, focused primarily on EU cases. Topics of Workshops The workshop will be organized around three central themes: 1. Ethnicity and ethno-nationalism - Multiple language policies and education - Racism and nationalism - Immigration, Assimilation and National History 2. Religion and ethnic identities - Religious Minority and Identity - Immigration and Religion 3. Politics and Ethnicity - Identity policies and Citizenship - Citizenship and Nation state - Multiculturalism and ethnic relations Tuition Fees and Scholarships There is no tuition fee for participants in the workshop programme. The IDP will organize and finance board, accommodation and airport transfers in cooperation with Suleyman Sah University. However, presenters and participants are expected to pay the costs of their flights to and from Turkey. A limited number of scholarships are available for outstanding candidates to cover travel fees as well. Outcome Within six months of the event, a book will be produced and published by the GCIS, comprising some or all of the papers presented at the Workshop. The papers will be arranged and introduced, and to the extent appropriate, edited, by scholar(s) to be appointed by the Editorial Board. Workshop Editorial Board Johan Leman, KULeuven Erkan Toguslu, KULeuven Ismail Mesut Sezgin, IDP and Leeds Metropolitan University Workshop Co-ordinator Ismail Mesut Sezgin The international workshop will be entirely conducted in English and will be hosted by Suleyman Sah University in Istanbul. Papers and abstract should be sent to Erkan Toguslu: [email protected] Contact: Erkan Toguslu Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies KU Leuven Parkstraat 45 – box 3615 B-3000 Leuven Belgium Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.gcis-kuleuven.com/workshops/ __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
