Location: Indiana, United States
From the threat of Americanization/Europeanization to that of the transnational corporation fears exist that a homogenization will wipe out national distinctiveness, threaten democracy and, ultimately, endanger the national state. To counter this threat, some small groups on the right have responded by a narrow turning inward, a xenophobia. The more democratically inclined have suggested voluntary, local associations, self-sustaining communities and other areas where true citizenship exists. On the other hand, many have welcomed the changes that Americanization/Europeanization and the transnational corporations have brought. Youth, for example, throughout Europe consume and play in a similar way. Europe itself is now viewed throughout much of the world as a homogenizing force. Areas of the world, such as east-central Europe, see the global corporation and Americanization/Europeanization as the way to dissolve the economic and social barriers between nations and are not so upset by "cultural homogenization." European regional groupings have also taken a stance often at odds with the national states when confronted by transnational forces.
However, regional diversity is perhaps more an obstacle to national than to European cultural unity since regional groups often cooperate with the European Union rather than their own national governments.
This conference will examine the state of European cultural unity/diversity at the millennium. By bringing together scholars, performers and students of European literature, the cinema, mass media, music and the performing arts, the conference will probe the extent to which Europe is overcoming or wishes to overcome cultural boundaries. The conference will take place from December 1-3, 2000 at the University of Notre Dame under the auspices of the Institute for European Studies. Those interested in delivering papers should respond by March 31 with paper proposals addressing the areas listed. Some well-known scholars have already agreed to participate or are under consideration by the committee for participation in the conference.
Friday: (Some of the scholars listed below have already committed to participating in the conference, others are considering participating.)
* Session 1 (9 -10:30) Political/economic changes and culture
(Globalization -- the market -- enrichment or homogenization? -- commodification
of culture)
* Rob Kroes: on European citizenship/diversity/homogeneity
Benjamin Barber: Globalism and citizenship
* Tyler Cowen: on Western Market economy & cultural production
Wolfgang Fritz Haug: on commodity aesthetics and the commodification of culture
Session 2 (10:45 -12:15): Cultural Studies
* Simon Mundy: cultural diversity: obstacle to European unity
Richard Kuisel: Chair
Francisco Fernandez Buey (Barcelona): on multi-culturalism in the European academy/is cultural difference divisive/ how to recognize difference without endangering project of creating European unity?/question of regionalism
Session 3 (1:30 - 3pm): Literary Constructions of the European Imaginary
* (Wlad Godzich and possibly J. Talens)
Session 4: ( 3:15 - 4:45pm) Cinema
* (Is the global reach of Hollywood a threat to European cinema? / Is there a distinctive "European" cinema?/ Does a "European" cinema dilute "national"cinemas)
* Has a hybridization of the cinema occurred that submerges national components?
* Possible participants Paul Smith, Geoffrey Nowell Smith, Jo Labanyi, Francesco Masselli
* Evening: Film screening
Saturday
Session 1 (9:00-10:30): Mass media (TV, Newspapers, etc)
Session 2 (10:45 -12:15): Cultural Spaces (High culture/mass culture)
(Privatization of cultural space. Effects on urban spaces/architecture? Creating
Europe through mass spectacles: sports, song contests, etc)
Martin Irvine: on cyber-culture?
Edward Soja
Session 3 (1:30 - 3:00): Performing Arts
Session 4 (3:15--4:45): Music (Possible participants Laurent Dreano, Iain Chambers)
Movie "Recital" by group Kafig
Contact information:
Professor James Wegs
Nanovic Institute for European Studies
419 Flanner Hall
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5611
(219) 631-5253
fax (219) 631-3569
Email: ND.Nanovic.1@nd.edu
Call for Papers
website:
http://www.nd.edu/~nanovic
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