[Bilimsel Haber] CFP: Public Space: Text and Context (Morocco) (12/15/06; 3/15/07-3/16/07)

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

Mohamed I University, Oujda, Morocco
Faculty of Letters and Humanities
Identity and Difference studies group
announce a conference on
Public Space: text and context

15-16 March 2007


Public Space: text and context

Call For Papers

A public space is a place where anyone has a right to come without being
excluded because of economic, social, ethnic conditions. One of the
earliest examples of public spaces is the Agora, where no fees
or paid tickets are required for entry, nor are the entrants admitted
based on background. In ancient times, the agora was a public square
where the exchange of information occurred alongside the exchange of
goods. In the traditional sense, it is a place where citizens interact.
They find an opportunity to hear one another and are provided a
public space for social action. Access to the public sphere was thus
essential to good citizenship without which no effective democracy would
be possible, for citizenship entitles one to participate in public
affairs and decide the fate of the community, and it presumes access to
the public arena where these political and social issues are discussed
and resolved. Philosophers and social scientists have stressed the
importance of the public space for modern democratic societies and for
the “education” of the citizen, in Civil Society and the Political
Public Sphere Jürgen Habermas defines the public sphere as "a
network for communicating information and points of view" which
eventually transforms them into a public opinion.

However, history shows us that even though in theory citizenship allows
one to take part in the affairs of the community, access to the public
arena has always been exclusive, i.e. certain classes; categories
(slaves, women) ethnicities etc. have always been barred from the public
sphere. Today, as the example of the developing or emerging countries
demonstrates, good citizenship cannot be achieved without a certain
degree “human development.” While the values of democracy are slowly and
not always surely making their way into these societies, the public
sphere is still restricted to a certain educated class. In fact,
whole sections of the population find themselves excluded from it
because of poverty and most importantly because of the lack of
education, social, and economic empowerment. The same situation could
also be observed in first world countries where immigrants and certain
ethnic minorities do not have access to the public space.

The aim of this conference is to trigger a reflection on topics related
to public space or public sphere as textuality and as praxis. We are
particularly interested in interdisciplinary papers that address
issues of public space in connection with literature, the arts, social
action, economic and social empowerment, and all other forms that give a
sense of presence in society and in the world.

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Public space and/in literature, the arts and humanities
Minorities and (access to, or in/visibility in) public space
Public space and the politics of social and economic empowerment
Public space and human development
Hyperspace as a public space
Art and performance in urban spaces
Public space in urban policies
Public space and civil society

Please send via email (no attachments) an abstract of approximately 250
words and a short biography/Vita by December 15th 2006, completed papers
expected by February 15th, 2006. Please note that the reading time
is limited to 20 minutes per paper (8-9 typed pages).

Selected papers will be considered for publication,participants are
therefore urged to conform their articles to the guidelines of the
Chicago Documentation Style.

The Faculty of Letters offers accommodation for 2 nights and food to all
participants. Air travel will be at the participants' charge. A
participation fee of 100 USD is required from international
participants; Moroccan Nationals are required to pay a fee of 300
MAD.

A website for the conference will be available shortly.

Please send proposals to Dr Larbi Touaf or Dr Soumia Boutkhil
(Conference Chairs) ltouaf at yahoo.com sboutkhil68 at yahoo.com




Larbi Touaf
Assistant-Professor
Department of English
University Mohamed I Ojuda
Po Box 457
60000 Oujda, Morocco

Phone: 212- (0) 5650 0604
Fax:    212 - (0) 5650 0596

http://myprofile.cos.com/ltouaf



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