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Minority Discourses in a Cross-/Transcultural Perspective:
Eastern/Central Europe and Canada
An international, interdisciplinary CEP conference
Ustron (Poland), 26-28 April 2002
The aim of the conference is a cross-/transcultural examination of the
multifarious questions occasioned by the presence of minority groups
(ethnic, sexual or other) in democratic societies. Minority voices pose a
fundamental challenge to the democratic ethos based on the equality of all
human subjects in terms of civil rights and political representation. The
countries of Central/Eastern Europe -- like other democratic societies --
have been searching for and working towards a development of plausible local
solutions to the complex problems of minorities. The organizers of the
conference would like to propose a comparison between minority discourses in
long-established democracies on the one hand and young democracies on the
other. We believe that the Canadian example might prove particularly helpful
in this respect. Canada has been hailed as a role model for the world,
combining a social conscience with a clear-sighted political agenda, but in
the eyes of some critics its mulitcultural politics of difference does not
always bring the expected results. While not confining the focus of the
conference to Canada exclusively, we put forward the Canadian model as an
instructive point of reference for the Central/Eastern European region.
Since the conference has a firmly interdisciplinary character, we invite a
wide range of perspectives, including literature, arts, law, history,
political sciences, sociology, psychology, queer and gender theory, media
and cultural studies, etc. Possible areas of investigation might include
(but are not restricted to):
-- defining minorities (both "from within" and "from without")
-- the problems of group psychology ("How does it feel to be a problem?")
-- the economy of the minority discourse (gains and losses)
-- the relationships between minority discourses and identity politics
-- minority cultural expression
-- the minority discourse and human rights
The organizers are planning to invite two keynote speakers -- one from
Canada and one from Eastern/Central Europe (preferrably a CEP fellow or
former fellow). The conference is addressed to a wide variety of
professionals, including scholars, social and political activists, lawyers,
artists, etc. Besides professional panels, we intend to offer a special
forum for students interested in the subject of the conference.
Proposals for individual papers, complete panels, and session chairs will be
accepted through to December 20, 2001. Submissions from graduate students
are both welcome and encouraged.
Please email proposals - including a one page abstract for each paper, a
current, one-page c.v., and mailing and email address for each participant
to
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For more information, please contact:
Dr. Eugenia Sojka or Tomasz Sikora
Canadian Studies Centre
University of Silesia
Institure of British and American Culture and Literature
Zytnia 10
41-205 Sosnowiec
tel/fax: +48- 32 - 435 92 05
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