Mediterranean Port Cities in the Twenty-First Century
Call for Chapters to Form Part of an Edited Volume
Port Cities are by definition maritime gateways into their region and the hinterland that extends beyond the shoreline (Baldacchino, 2013). It is however a peripherality that is not necessarily reflected in the socio-economic function of such cities, which were often conceived as commercial centres in an age when seaborne travel dominated trade routes (Pagratis, 2018). This dichotomy continues to define Port Cities and is especially relevant when considering the Mediterranean Sea, itself a crossroad for maritime trade since prehistoric times, but nevertheless peripheral to the European, Asian and African continents. Cultural flows, eastward and westward, as well as between the northern and southern regions of the Mediterranean have long-defined global relationships, the Medterranean Sea acting as a locus of confluence as well as of conflict (Horden and Purcell, 2000).
This call aims to formulate a compendium of themes related to Mediterranean Port Cities as beacons of culture, set within a spatial context that was instrumental to the development of several civilisations and the continued flourishing of the cities that these peoples created. Chapters that delve into matters related to contemporary challenges are welcomed, since it may be time to reconsider the role of the Mediterranean in a globalised world. How have historic Port Cities adapted to a globalised economy, and to what extent and how are Port City cultures (as intended by Hein et al., 2021) being eroded in favour of less distinctive and more global forms of cultural consumption? It is the editors’ intention for this edited volume to question stereotypical portrayals of Mediterranean Port Cities (as suggested by Driessen, 2005), towards the compilation of a more contemporary definition of the region. Redefining a notion as broad as that of Mediterranean Port Cities however necessitates an often introspective insight into matters of post-colonial influences, migration and porosity, conflict and rebellion, amongst others (Benjamin and Lacis, 1924; Mah, 2014). Common to such matters is the concept of change and the opportunities and challenges that this brings about. Macroeconomic ebbs and flows are indeed as characteristic of the region as the fluctuation of the sea that defines it. This highlights the importance of understanding local livelihoods, regeneration initiatives, gentrification, and other socio-economic matters as they develop within the geographical boundaries of the Mediterranean region as a result of both internal and external catalysts (Andrade and Costa, 2020; Tommarchi, 2022).
This call is therefore an opportunity to foster long-term collaborations among scholars of the Mediterranean region, while simultaneously contributing towards a body of knowledge on diverse themes related to the region and the many Port Cities that border it. We particularly welcome contributions focusing upon:
1. Permacrisis and global forces of change
2. Cultural ‘porosity’, de-maritimisation and re-maritimisation
3. Land use management and policy
4. Functional relationships as a result of peripherality
5. Governance issues, especially related to spatial planning
6. Territorial cohesiveness and coherence
7. Heritage planning and challenges for urban conservation
8. Contested spaces, mass tourism and visitor management
9. Mega-events, including cultural and sporting events
10. Community planning and bottom-up placemaking
Submission Guidelines
Interested academics are asked to send an abstract of no longer than 300 words excluding references, 5 keywords, and an author biography and affiliation of no longer than 150 words, by 27/05/2024 to Dr Wendy Jo Mifsud ([log in to unmask]) or Dr Enrico Tommarchi ([log in to unmask]). Final chapters would be between 5,000 and 6,000 words in length, including references. The abstracts will be presented by each author during an online conference to be held on 08/07/2024, which will be used to develop a book proposal for Routledge. Further
dates are to be confirmed at a later stage, as the edited volume needs to be approved and contracted by Routledge.
Apologies for cross-posting.
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Dr Enrico Tommarchi
Lecturer in Urban Planning
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design | University of Dundee
[log in to unmask]
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