*Call for participants: European city seminars*
It has been argued that there is something distinctive about a European City when compared to, for instance, an American city. The ´European City´ as a sociological concept relies on the idea that cities in Europe have demonstrated their power and willingness to make interventions for the prevention of social conflict and the good of it inhabitants. Often, these interventions took place against the strict financial logic or current global trends. In the 19th century, sewage systems and street lighting were first installed into the poor neighbourhoods and local councils choose to house people who weren't able to afford buying or renting property. The rise of the national (welfare) state to its strongest position somewhat reduced
the power of cities, as many of the social institutions were transferred to the state. However, today, with pan-continental institutions and global economic forces coming to the fore, national governments have been weakened to a certain extent. The partial withdrawal of the welfare state again leaves local decision makers in an interesting position. What can and what will they do? How large is the space for independent policies? Are they forced to restructure the European City according to market principles, or will it become a corrective counter-force, which seeks to maintain social cohesion in places where the social fabric has been destroyed by economic changes?
With these statements in mind, the websites *European City* and *Plotki* and the *Centre Bruxellois d'action interculturelle* invite researchers, journalists and artists to participate in a unique project that will deal with social cohesion in European cities affected by de-industrializatio n.
*Selected participants will participate at the following research seminars:*
1) A three day-long research seminar in Bruxelles and Charleroi (Belgium), 13 - 16 March 2009.
2) A ten day-long 'travelling' research seminar in the 'ex-industrial' areas of the Czech Republic and Germany. Focusing mostly but not exclusively on the two old-industrial cities of Chomutov and Chemnitz, researches will present and discuss their own papers and participate in field research in Chemnitz, Chomutov and the Czech-German borderland, 10 - 12 July 2009.
The programme is *open for everyone* living in a EU member state with good knowledge of English. *Researchers *(senior researchers, PHD and MA students in the widest range of social science including but not limited to sociology, geography, anthropology, history, cultural studies), *journalists and artists* (photographers and film-makers) are especially encouraged to apply.
Please express your interest by sending us your professional CV and a short motivation letter by email to *europeancity@ mkc.cz*. The deadline is 31 January 2009. Thanks to support by the European Union, funding for travel and accommodation is available. Chosen participants will be informed by the 15 February 2009.
Ondej Daniel, project coordinator,
*europeancity@ mkc.cz*
*www.europeancity. cz*
The Project is organised by the Multicultural centre Prague, the Centre Bruxellois d'action interculturelle and Rejs e.V..
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