CONF./CFP- Encounters between the Caucasus and the West, Amsterdam, April 23-24
Posted by: Françoise J. Companjen <
caucasusconference@gmail.com>
Call for Papers
Encounters between the Caucasus and the West: Image and Reality
April 23-24, 2010
Possibility to publish papers/proceedings of the conference in
Amsterdam Contributions to the Study of the Caucasus.
Abstract (500 words) expected no later than December 15, 2009.
Draft papers due: March 23, 2010; final version (7000 words): June 15, 2010.
More detailed information about style sheet, panels and programme and
location will follow after abstracts are selected.
You will receive reaction on abstracts by January 30th 2010.
Estimated publication date Dec 2010/Jan 2011
Please send abstracts to dr F.J. Companjen (VU Amsterdam) at:
caucasusconference@gmail.com
There seems to be a poor understanding of the Caucasus in the West and
vice versa. The recent August 2008 war has made clear to Europe/the
West that tensions in the Caucasus are a security threat. Better
historical-cultural understanding of this region in the European
neighbourhood is of vital importance. Stereotypical images of
minorities and events, incorrect assumptions about societal
institutions can cloud our relations. Images based on different
conceptions of for instance institutions, freedom, law and security
may lead to failure in developing effective policy.
We invite you to think of encounters in terms of images and reality,
not only in the static sense of stereotypes of Asia and the West, or
between minorities within the region, but rather in the dynamic
meaning of shifting images in particular circumstances. Think of
images projected into the future: a vision, an imagined diverse
community, future scenario's. Think of images based on different basic
societal and governmental assumptions. Contributions can focus on
various levels and domains of encounters: individual, group,
organizational, diplomatic, civil-military, environmental, energy,
etc. How do various parties and actors envision the North and/or South
Caucasus in relation to western policy? The encounters and images
could be discussed against the background of Eastern Partnership
policy, foreign policy, OSCE, NATO, NGO-donor relations, IDP's, Turkey
and the EU.
We encourage a dynamic approach to images also, because the reality of
geo-political relations after the collapse of the Soviet Union and
after the August war 2008, affected images of one's self and of
neighbours and western partners. As a buffer zone in transition the
Caucasus stands betwixt and between Asia and the West, between
tradition and modernity, between Christianity and Islam, between
socialism and capitalism. Some claim that national identities in the
Caucasus are shifting towards Asia or towards Europe. On the other
hand people construct different images and identities: conglomerate,
diasporic, transnational, multiple, engendering different kinds of
encounters, global, intercultural, interethnic.
Finally, existing images and stereotypes have been constructed over
centuries of publications and films/documentaries, starting with
expeditions to and from the Caucasus. Scientists have travelled to and
from the Caucasus writing about their encounters and some even
reflecting on their identity and values. In modern times the
scientific encounters also entail theoretical encounters such as the
more traditional, primordial understanding of image and identity
versus the constructionist mode.
Papers will be grouped into panels dealing with various sub themes
such as historical encounters in expeditions, institutional and
intercultural encounters at present, future imagined encounters,
images on security issues... and of course your own creative
interpretations of this theme.
Editors: Dr F.J. Companjen (VU Amsterdam) Dr L.K. Maracz (UVA) and Dr
C.R.M.Versteegh (UVA)
Organizer: Dr. F.J. (Françoise) Companjen
http://www.fsw.vu.nl/en/departments/culture-organization-and-
management/staff/companjen/caucasus.asp
