Call for Papers: Multi-Ethnic Cities In The Mediterranean World. History, Culture, Heritage. Genoa, 4-5 June 2018
The Associazione Italiana di Storia Urbana is pleased to announce the next AISU CONFERENCE.
In the Mediterranean world the encounter/clash of people and civilizations has always been particularly rich, varied, intense, going often so far as to deeply mould the shape of cities, both along the coasts of the Mediterranean and in the hinterland of countries overlooking it, for which the sea was an undisputable horizon of reference. Urban developments and settlement patterns bear witness to those processes (ports, fairs, fondachi, ghetti), as well as linguistic uses and eating habits, social and juridical customs; as do many of the most typical expressions of European art and culture, as a result of an ancient − albeit not always peaceful – familiar coexistence with foreigners.
This meeting aims to foster a discussion about the continuities and disruptions which have conditioned the multi-ethnic dimension of our cities. The conference will focus on the specificity of places and time in our millennial history that have produced both tangible and intangible cultural heritage (a heritage which today seems strongly under attack). The conference aims for a historical perspective – by drawing attention on well-documented case-studies offering comparative insights – without however forgetting to ask ourselves the meaning of our research in the troubled world we live in; without anachronisms, but also without hiding behind the pretext of specialisms, while in front of our eyes the Mediterranean world is more than ever a theater of death, exclusion, suffering. In other words, the conference would like to broaden the traditional horizons of our disciplines under the issues of our times, questioning the role of historical research and the forms of scientific communication nowadays, when old practices seem more challenged than ever by the overwhelming expansion of new technologies.
A Call for Papers is now open for proposals on any topic consistent with the lines mentioned above, with no chronological or disciplinary limits.
Proposals can take different forms, provided they are methodological concerned: short papers (max 10-15 minutes), posters, video footage and/or photographic shows, multimedia installations.
Proposals must be submitted via email to convegno2018@storiaurbana.org by the deadline of 18 February 2018, with a brief abstract (max 1000 chars) and a curriculum vitae of the author (max 1000 chars).
Contact Info: Marco Folin, University of Genoa
Contact Email: convegno2018@storiaurbana.org
Conference website here.