Call for Papers:

Workshop "Practices of Exclusion: Xenophobic Movements and the State" (Bergen, 14-18 August, 2000)

In the last quarter of the 20th century many European countries have experienced the rise of politico-social movements mobilizing against immigration and multiethnicity. In fighting "foreign infiltration" and the multicultural society, xenophobic movements not only use traditional channels of political participation, but often also incite people to illegal actions, such as personal attacks, harassment and collective violence against foreigners (to the point of small-scale-riots and pogroms as, for example, in Germany 1991-1992). Typical of collective violence against immigrant minorities, perpetrators regard themselves as legitimate representatives of the majority and believe that they are acting in accordance with society (and even the authorities), redefining their violent practice as "self help" against "foreign dominance". The "success" of their violent actions largely depends on the behavior of the government and the police and on the responses of the media and civil society.

The proposed workshop takes this constellation as a point of departure. It seeks to examine the varying causes, motives, and surrounding conditions of anti-foreigner mobilization in an analytically precise way. The goal is to achieve a clearer, more refined picture of the relation between xenophobia/racism as ideology and violent practice. The findings of this workshop might also contribute to the development of strategies to counteract xenophobic movements.

Papers may focus on one or more of the following aspects:

(1) the origins of xenophobic movements: public discourses, the role of the media, definitions of the "self" vs. the "other", social conflicts, triggering events, symbols etc.;

(2) the organization of xenophobic movements: political parties and platforms, activities, social background of members and activists, "radicals" vs. "moderates";

(3) forms of exclusion: legal restrictions against immigration and integration; violent forms of exclusion;

(4) the role of the state and civil society in escalating or containing xenophobic mobilization/violence;

(5) defense strategies: responses of the minorities affected; anti-racism groups and activities, "healing" xenophobia.

Papers may present individual case studies or be comparative in orientation. Although the workshop is mainly concerned with post-1945 Europe, contributions about historical precedents (such as, for example, popular opposition to Jewish or Catholic emancipation in the 19th century, or the anti-Chinese movement in the U.S.) are also welcome.

The workshop is part of the Seventh ISSEI conference: Approaching a New Millennium: Lessons from the Past - Prospects for the Future which will take place in Bergen, Norway, from the 14th to 18th August 2000. Further details about the organisation of the conference can be obtained from the ISSEI 2000 website at http://www.uib.no/issei2000/

Proposals for papers should be mailed to the organizer of this workshop

Christhard Hoffmann, Department of History, University of Bergen, Sydnesplassen 7, 5007 Bergen, Norway; phone: + 47 55 58 89 43; fax: + 47 55 58 96 54; e-mail: christhard.hoffmann@hi.uib.no


Quelle = Email <H-Soz-u-Kult>

From: Christhard Hoffmann <Christhard.Hoffmann@hi.uib.no>
Subject: CFP workshop "Practices of Exclusion: Xenophobic Movements and the State" (Bergen, 14-18 August, 2000)
Date: 15.11.1999


Copyright ©1996-2002, H-Soz-u-Kult · Humanities · Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte

Termine 2000