[Discussion] The Beirut Conference on Public Spheres

[sule tarakcioglu]

The Beirut Conference on Public Spheres
Beirut, Lebanon
October 22-24, 2004

The Social Science Research Council (New York) and The American=20
University of Beirut invite proposals for papers and presentations at an=20
international conference: =93The Beirut Conference on Public Spheres,=94 =
to=20
be held on October 22-24, 2004 in Beirut, Lebanon. The conference will=20
be co-organized by the SSRC Program on the Middle East and North Africa=20
and the Center for Behavioral Research at AUB.

The concept of =93Public Spheres,=94 as elaborated by different social=20
theorists, has generated an important literature on the conditions=20
shaping public discourses, on the nature of =93publics=94 and =93public=20
action=94 and on the implications of such processes for democratic theory=
.=20
The literature on these issues is becoming increasingly comparative and=20
critical, demonstrating the limits of the original notion as emanating=20
from a particular view of European history and specific socio-political=20
transformations.

This conference aims at promoting inter-disciplinary discussions that=20
examine Public Spheres in the context of the Middle East and North=20
Africa but also addressing cross-regional / cross-national comparisons=20
and advancing theoretical approaches to the notion of the Public Sphere.

	Program on the Middle East and North Africa
Social Science Research Council
810 7th Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10019

Phone: (212) 377-2700 x 613

Email: mena@ssrc.org <mailto:mena@ssrc.org>
Visit the website at http://www.ssrc.org/programs/mena/Beirut_Conference/