The American University of Rome
26-27 November 2010
Keynote Speaker: Michael Herzfeld
The city of Rome, the Caput Mundi of Antiquity, has been studied predominantly as a historical monument. But what of contemporary Rome; its people, its politics and economy, its environment, the challenges of globalization? The fast-changing urban realities of Italy's biggest city and capital are the focus of this two-day conference which will bring together Italian and English-speaking scholars from a variety of disciplines.
Papers will be selected on the basis of empirical or theoretical originality and should focus on contemporary Rome. Historical approaches are also welcome as long as they deal with the issue of change and offer perspectives that directly relate to the contemporary scene. The organizers will subsequently present a selection of papers from the conference to put forward a book proposal to a British or American publisher.
Rationale
Both within and outside Rome's historic centre, a variety of transformations are currently underway. Recent decades have seen the arrival of large numbers of immigrants, many of whom are becoming permanent residents and are changing the outlook of the city. This new multicultural reality is affecting the arts, Rome's nightlife, its economy, and neighborhoods. It has also become a highly contested issue in local politics. Mobility is not restricted to Rome's newcomers and the city is undergoing gentrification, labor market transformations, geographic expansion. Conditions in its peripheries are now the subject of intense study and urban planners are seeking new approaches to developing the city for a sustainable future. The issues of pollution, congestion and calls for decentralization are more urgent than ever. Rome's identity as national capital is also an issue for debate as moves for increased regional autonomy and questions concerning the role of the nation state itself develop. The many ways in which the city of Rome is changing its faces deserve critical attention and analysis. The conference intends to create a forum for such a multidisciplinary dialogue.
Themes
The organizers welcome papers across the subject disciplines of the arts, humanities and social sciences, including sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, geography, urban planning and any other relevant discipline or background. There are no limitations to research methodologies used: survey analysis, interviews, demography, life history analysis, discourse analysis etc. Comparisons with other cities are acceptable as long as the primary focus is on Rome. We particularly welcome contributions that relate to one or more of the following thematic areas:
a.. Practices of space and place
b.. Dwelling practices and the stretching of the city (the 'sprawl city')
c.. Segregation, ghettoization, homelessness, gated communities
d.. Conflict and cooperation
e.. Spaces of social and political resistance
f.. Gentrification and changing neighborhood identities
g.. Rome as a global city
h.. Minorities, civil society, and political representation
i.. Encounters between 'old' and 'new' Romans
j.. Religions and inter-faith relations
k.. Evolving labor markets
l.. Formal, informal and ethnic economies
m.. Legality and illegality
n.. Post-industrial renewal and regeneration
o.. Urban and environmental policies and planning
p.. Changing political identities, political activism, and mobilization
q.. Memory politics
r.. Contemporary museums, art galleries, and architecture
s.. Popular culture and new media
Deadline for submitting an Abstract (max 300 words) and a brief biography (max 150 words) is 1 June 2010. Abstracts should be in the language in which the proposed paper will be presented.
Please submit electronically to all the following organizers:
Bjorn Thomassen, PhD: bjorn_thomassen@ yahoo.co. uk
Cristina Lombardi-Diop, PhD: cldiop@yahoo. com
Isabella Clough Marinaro, PhD: isaclomar@gmail. com
Please quote 10 Academic Resources Daily in your application to this opportunity!
