[Discussion] Stereotyping

[gonul@bilkent.edu.tr]

 Subject   UPDATE: The Power and Persistence of Stereotyping (Portugal) (10/15/03; 11/27/03-11/28/03)  

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Update: deadline extended to 15th October 2003 

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Proposal 

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>From an Internet Thought for the Day 

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"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, = 
the best golfer is a black guy, The Swiss hold the America's Cup, France = 
is accusing the US of arrogance, and Germany doesn't want to go to war." 

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In the early months of 2003, with international tension increasing and = 
opinion polarising, there has been a significant and fresh recourse to = 
the practice of national stereotyping. This may be described as = 
additional recourse to and not return to because stereotyping has never = 
gone away and probably never will, all the time that difference exists = 
and identities are affirmed. This conference proposes to address the = 
question of the persistence and persuasiveness of stereotypes and their = 
role in demonizing opponents and in the reductive presentation of = 
complex issues. Although there have been many recent studies and = 
expos=E9s of the form and function of stereotyping in the modern world, = 
it is arguable whether they have had much effect outside academic = 
domains. The places where public opinion is formed and democratic will = 
expressed still seem to trade in the same old (or slightly modified) = 
perceptions, under circumstances of pressure and conflict. It is = 
therefore proposed to invite two keynote researchers of renown to give = 
45-minute lectures in their areas of established expertise, and to = 
organise the conference theme into three subsections. 

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1.. Stereotyping : Theoretical and Historical Perspectives 

In this section, the Conference will look to review and critique many of = 
the ideas circulating with respect to the representation of other = 
peoples and other nations. In addition various strategies of = 
stereotyping in the past may be analysed to establish continuities and = 
investigate fissures, articulations that mediate material practices and = 
impact directly upon the policies of governments and the imaginaries of = 
peoples. 



2. Stereotyping in the Media 

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In this section, we will look at contemporary practices in the newsprint = 
and electronic media as they deal with an increasingly contested new = 
world order. Religious, racial, political and ideological differences = 
have widened alarming fault-lines in international relations, and the = 
media have at times struggled to accompany these changes, at other times = 
have appeared to be promoting them. We will also focus on stereotyping = 
in the productions of the entertainment and culture industries, = 
activities at which the charge of promulgating simplistic images is most = 
often directed. 

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3.. Stereotyping in Education 

One of the front lines in the battle to develop a discerning and = 
informed citizenry is the classroom. As educators, we must concern = 
ourselves with the messages that are being imparted in culture-teaching = 
and the foreign language classroom. This involves looking at the texts = 
and course books currently in use to see what they have to say about the = 
values of others. Are the things we study and set to study challenging = 
old ideas or merely repackaging them in a way that simplifies them and = 
is an enemy to real engagement with the issues? 

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Conference Enrolment Fee: 60 Euros 

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Conference participants are invited to submit abstracts of not more than = 
250 words outlining their proposals for papers and specifying which = 
section they wish to give it in, to arrive not later than 15th September = 
2003. The closing date for enrolment in the conference is 31st October = 
2003.=20 

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Conference Languages: English, French and Portuguese. 

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Presentations should not exceed twenty minutes. Abstracts should be sent = 
to: 

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Dr. Anthony Barker, Department of Languages and Cultures, Universidade = 
de Aveiro, 

3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal 

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E-mail: abarker@dlc.ua.pt 

Fax: 00 351-234-370940