[Discussion] CfP: THE MAKING OF "WORLD SOCIETY", University of Bielefeld, 24-25 Nov. 2005

Mon, 6 Jun 2005 14:43:47 +0300

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THE MAKING OF "WORLD SOCIETY": Transnational Practices and Global =
Structures Workshop
at the University of Bielefeld, 24-25 Nov. 2005

The phenomenon of transnationality has been intensely discussed from =
different perspectives over the last years. Especially in globalisation =
and migration studies, the focus has been put on the emergence of new =
social formations and lifestyles that cross the borders of the national =
states. This raises criticism into the concepts of social sciences, =
traditionally bounded to the framework of the nation states =
(methodological nationalism) and opens an inquiry on the necessity to =
transform them.

The aim of this conference is to analyze the transnational and global =
formations, by portraying them in a "world society perspective". This =
approach stresses that the world as a whole should be taken as a social =
realm, in which transnational or global processes are embedded. In this =
respect, different functions and structures of the world society might =
be empirically analyzed, for instance, global networks, organisations, =
and global markets. From this angle, we look at the possible commonness =
between the world society perspective and research of transnationality. =
In this light, we might look at communication and economic practices of=20
transnational actors, at the ways in which local and global interact in =
specific markets or development processes. Accordingly, the conference =
is organized in four panels.

Panel 1: Transnational Practices and Development
Contributing to local development processes is increasingly becoming a =
responsibility of transnational actors that are located beyond the =
state. Contributing to the transformation of home is the aim of many =
migrants especially from countries in conflict. But apart from political =
mobilisation, the major focus lies on active engagement in post-conflict =
reconstruction. Financial assistance (e.g. remittances, donations) and =
other forms of intervention by transnational actors (diaspora, =
international organisations, etc) into local contexts are at the centre =
of attention in this panel. The aim is to figure out, how practices of =
transnational actors and their negotiations with actors at different =
levels are influencing local processes of social change.

Panel 2: Transnational Practices and Irregular Migrants
This panel focuses on the transnational practices of irregular migrants, =
their role in the emergence and development of ethnic transnationally =
(or even globally) operating enterprises. The attention can be paid =
either on direct effects of irregularity in the emergence of =
transnational fields (by influencing remittances and transnational =
circuits), on the emergence of transnational structures (such as =
networks, enterprises, and so on) or on ethnic transnational structures =
that use the irregular migrants (on the same or on a different =
ethno-national group). At the same time, since less was done in =
understanding gender differences in transnational practices of the =
irregular migrants, in this panel there are also welcomed gender =
approaches to this issue, including eventually social changes and =
redefinitions=20
produced by these processes.

Panel 3: Transnational Practices and Local Marketplaces
This panel will deal with transnational or global practices and patterns =
in the field of seemingly place-bound commerce and trade. The =
practices/patterns may be connected with buying and selling but could =
also go far beyond; the scope of actors may include "ethnic =
entrepreneurs" with migration background as well as (transnational) =
organisations such as retail chains or franchise stores. In a second =
step this panel will deal with the consequences of these transnational =
practices and patterns for action and performance in the marketplace =
itself - against the background of global consumption patterns, changing =
places of production and new ways of distribution, observation and =
communication.

Panel 4: Living Together while Being Apart: The Emergence of Internet =
Based =20
Life Forms in Transnational Populations The Internet has turned out to =
be the single most important medium for global communication and =
networking, increasingly used by transnational populations, in order to =
tie and maintain links between sites of being and sites of belonging. =
This panel seeks to analyze some of the implications of this =
fast-growing integration of Internet facilities into the everyday-lives =
of transnational families and communities. The following questions might =
be=20
addressed at the panel: What kinds of Internet practices have been =
developed by transnational populations? How do electronic communication =
shape senses of community and belonging? How are physically grounded and =
virtual sites of life worlds interrelated and influenced by each other? =
How do transnational populations share everyday life virtually? Can we =
imagine that computer mediated communication will substitute physical =
presence?

Conditions of participation

Participants can be either PhD students or young researchers. =
Applications should consist of a short CV (maximum two pages) and an =
abstract between 500 and 1000 words. As a follow up of this workshop, we =
intend to edit a publication with some of the papers presented. In case =
of accepted papers, written versions of the presentations are expected. =
The dead-line for applications is 15 th of July. For applications and =
additional information, please contact the following persons:

Contact persons:
Panel 1: Eva Gerharz        eva.gerharz@uni-bielefeld.de
Panel 2: Remus Anghel      remus.anghel@uni-bielefeld.de
Panel 3: Sven Kleinekathoefer    sven.kleinekathoefer@uni-bielefeld.de
Panel 4: Heike Greschke      heike.greschke@uni-bielefeld.de

Address:
Eva Gerharz tel: + 49-521- 1064231
Universitaet Bielefeld fax: + 49-521-1066448
Institut fuer Weltgesellschaft
Postfach 100131
33501 Bielefeld
Germany
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<DIV align=3Djustify>THE MAKING OF "WORLD =
SOCIETY":=20
Transnational Practices and Global Structures =
Workshop</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>at the University of =
Bielefeld,=20
24-25 Nov. 2005 The phenomenon of transnationality =
has been=20
intensely discussed from different perspectives over the last years. =
Especially=20
in globalisation and migration studies, the focus has been put on the =
emergence=20
of new social formations and lifestyles that cross the borders of the =
national=20
states. This raises criticism into the concepts of social sciences,=20
traditionally bounded to the framework of the nation states =
(methodological=20
nationalism) and opens an inquiry on the necessity to transform =
them. The=20
aim of this conference is to analyze the transnational and global =
formations, by=20
portraying them in a "world society perspective". This approach stresses =
that=20
the world as a whole should be taken as a social realm, in which =
transnational=20
or global processes are embedded. In this respect, different functions =
and=20
structures of the world society might be empirically analyzed, for =
instance,=20
global networks, organisations, and global markets. From this angle, we =
look at=20
the possible commonness between the world society perspective and =
research of=20
transnationality. In this light, we might look at communication and =
economic=20
practices of transnational actors, at the ways in which local and =
global=20
interact in specific markets or development processes. Accordingly, the=20
conference is organized in four panels. Panel 1: =
Transnational=20
Practices and Development Contributing to local development processes =
is=20
increasingly becoming a responsibility of transnational actors that are =
located=20
beyond the state. Contributing to the transformation of home is the aim =
of many=20
migrants especially from countries in conflict. But apart from political =

mobilisation, the major focus lies on active engagement in post-conflict =

reconstruction. Financial assistance (e.g. remittances, donations) and =
other=20
forms of intervention by transnational actors (diaspora, international=20
organisations, etc) into local contexts are at the centre of attention =
in this=20
panel. The aim is to figure out, how practices of transnational actors =
and their=20
negotiations with actors at different levels are influencing local =
processes of=20
social change. Panel 2: Transnational Practices and Irregular=20
Migrants This panel focuses on the transnational practices of =
irregular=20
migrants, their role in the emergence and development of ethnic =
transnationally=20
(or even globally) operating enterprises. The attention can be paid =
either on=20
direct effects of irregularity in the emergence of transnational fields =
(by=20
influencing remittances and transnational circuits), on the emergence of =

transnational structures (such as networks, enterprises, and so on) or =
on ethnic=20
transnational structures that use the irregular migrants (on the same or =
on a=20
different ethno-national group). At the same time, since less was done =
in=20
understanding gender differences in transnational practices of the =
irregular=20
migrants, in this panel there are also welcomed gender approaches to =
this issue,=20
including eventually social changes and redefinitions produced by =
these=20
processes. Panel 3: Transnational Practices and Local=20
Marketplaces This panel will deal with transnational or global =
practices and=20
patterns in the field of seemingly place-bound commerce and trade. The=20
practices/patterns may be connected with buying and selling but could =
also go=20
far beyond; the scope of actors may include "ethnic entrepreneurs" with=20
migration background as well as (transnational) organisations such as =
retail=20
chains or franchise stores. In a second step this panel will deal with =
the=20
consequences of these transnational practices and patterns for action =
and=20
performance in the marketplace itself - against the background of global =

consumption patterns, changing places of production and new ways of=20
distribution, observation and communication. Panel 4: Living =
Together=20
while Being Apart: The Emergence of Internet Based&nbsp; Life Forms =
in=20
Transnational Populations The Internet has turned out to be the single =
most=20
important medium for global communication and networking, increasingly =
used by=20
transnational populations, in order to tie and maintain links between =
sites of=20
being and sites of belonging. This panel seeks to analyze some of the=20
implications of this fast-growing integration of Internet facilities =
into the=20
everyday-lives of transnational families and communities. The following=20
questions might be addressed at the panel: What kinds of Internet =
practices=20
have been developed by transnational populations? How do electronic=20
communication shape senses of community and belonging? How are =
physically=20
grounded and virtual sites of life worlds interrelated and influenced by =
each=20
other? How do transnational populations share everyday life virtually? =
Can we=20
imagine that computer mediated communication will substitute physical=20
presence? Conditions of participation Participants can =
be=20
either PhD students or young researchers. Applications should consist of =
a short=20
CV (maximum two pages) and an abstract between 500 and 1000 words. As a =
follow=20
up of this workshop, we intend to edit a publication with some of the =
papers=20
presented. In case of accepted papers, written versions of the =
presentations are=20
expected. The dead-line for applications is 15 th of July. For =
applications and=20
additional information, please contact the following =
persons: Contact=20
persons: Panel 1: Eva =
Gerharz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
eva.gerharz@uni-bielefeld.de Panel 2: Remus=20
Anghel&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
remus.anghel@uni-bielefeld.de Panel 3:=20
Sven Kleinekathoefer&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
sven.kleinekathoefer@uni-bielefeld.de Panel 4: Heike=20
Greschke&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
heike.greschke@uni-bielefeld.de Address: Eva Gerharz tel: + =
49-521-=20
1064231 Universitaet Bielefeld fax: + 49-521-1066448 Institut fuer =

Weltgesellschaft<BR>Postfach 100131<BR>33501=20
Bielefeld<BR>Germany</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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