iCES Ethnography Research
Group call for papers for an Interdisciplinary Research
Conference:
Economic Crisis, Nationalism and the
Broken Other: new faces of nationalism and immigration during the
European economic crisis.
12 May 2011
The Broken Other: Crisis,
Immigration, Nationalism in Europe
The current economic crisis in Europe has instigated a new wave
of ethnic violence, racism and political aggression towards
collectivities perceived as non-indigenous; ‘the Other’. This has
been materialised in France through the ‘Roma issue’ and in Italy
with violence towards North African immigrants. The United Kingdom
has implemented new immigration caps and across Europe the general
rise in petty crime since the crisis began is attributed to
‘foreign’ populations; in extreme cases resulting in the revocation
of citizenship and eventual deportation. In Greece, Albanian
immigrants have left en-mass due to the economic situation. Even in
Germany potent political rhetoric has questioned what it is to be a
national citizen during the economic crisis. In these cases there
is a divergence from classic theories of nationalism as the Other
is framed as ‘food’, ‘money’ and ‘security’ rather than solely
‘Albanian’, ‘African’ or ‘immigrant’.
Economic Tension and Immigration
The new framing of the Other is similar to the category of
‘threat to state’ by ‘non-state’ actors against which
state-endorsed violence is enacted and justified. Even the US ‘war
on terror’ has been linked to controlling economic competition and
resources. Immigration is publicly perceived as a category of
threat in the current economic circumstances. Clamping down on
immigration is a way of preventing the resolution of the tensions
of post-colonial economic competition as markets and mobility of
people means a divergence on how markets move and are controlled.
However, messy economic competition, like unchartered immigration,
is something that states require in order to maintain ambiguity and
distract attention from the actual tensions of economic
competition. Yet the concept that economic tensions can generate
economic solutions is difficult to communicate to national citizens
at times of economic turmoil. Immigrants are an economic risk, they
are part of the capitalist strategy; the so-called ‘casino
capitalism’.
New 'Econo-Nationalism' in Europe
Throughout Europe there appears to be a wave of
‘econo-nationalism’; the rise of political nationalism through
official and unofficial routes, from governmental policies to
sporadic anarchistic extremism. The renewed sense of nationalism
has been triggered by the economic crisis. Even liberal governments
change their policies in accordance to public fears towards groups
that are perceived to be in competition for employment and
welfare.
At this fascinating time in the socio-economic history of Europe
we invite papers that address issues of social, economic and
political tension, immigration, political policy, citizenship,
crisis, ethnic violence and nationalism, as well as media
representations of these, within the context of the current
European economic crisis to partake in an interdisciplinary and
anthropology conference at Regent’s College, NW1 4NS, London 12 May
2011.
Paper Proposals
For paper proposals, 200-250 word
abstracts should be submitted by 1700 on Friday 15th April 2011 to
either of the conference organisers, Dr Àngels Trias i Valls
triasiva@regents.ac.uk, Dr
Stavroula Pipyrou stavroula.pipyrou@durham.ac.uk and
Daniel Knight daniel.knight@durham.ac.uk
In addition, please include a short
biographical statement (3-4 lines) and full contact information
with your submission.
PhD students and early career
academics are particularly welcome to submit proposals.
Publication
It is anticipated that, subject to the
usual critical academic standards, conference papers will be
published in Autumn 2011, either in an edited volume on
Eco-Nationalisms or in a special edition of the journal Dissent and
Cultural Politics.
Attendance
Attendance is aimed at
participants giving papers. If you wish to attend to this research
conference without presenting a paper, please contact triasiva@regents.ac.uk before
21st April 2011, there are limited guest seats available.
There are no fees for this conference.
Lunch and refreshments are free for speakers presenting a
paper.
Conference Timetable and
Programme
Starting Time 9:30 to 5.00pm followed
by (optional) drinks/dinner afterwards. More details to follow.
Venue and Location
Institute of Contemporary European
Studies
Regent's College, Regent's Park, London NW1 4NS
Room: Herringham 232
Directions
Page last updated 2/8/2011