[Bilimsel Haber] CFP: History and Cultural Identity (3/1/06; collection/seminar)

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

From: "Mclean, George F" <mclean@cua.edu>

The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy

THE FALL, 2006 SEMINAR
History and Cultural Identity
September 14-November 9
Washington, D.C.

Challenge

Humankind has experienced multiple modes of recounting its history 
since, and
including, some of its most ancient and sacred texts. It has had different
theories of history from Augustine to Collingwoord, etc.

Modern times with its emphasis on objectivity and clarity, universality and
necessity pulled this toward efforts to establish a single overall 
narratives
which not surprisingly reflect the place and times of a Hegel or Marx. 
In the
process attention to the diversity of peoples, motives and civilizations 
was too
long neglected. Now in the developing global interchange of peoples we pay a
great price.

The present step beyond the strictures of modernity might best be marked 
by the
new attention to human subjectivity. This enables a more interior reading of
history in terms of the inspirations, motivations and commitments of 
peoples,
how they conceive life, and their efforts to survive and even thrive within
difficult and changing circumstances, both physical and social. Thus 
attention
shifts from a negative 'freedom from,' but to a positive and creative 
freedom
which shapes values and cultures and the history of their civilizations.
In the global context in which we meet others in ever more pervasive manners
through education commerce and media it becomes necessary to understand more
deeply the nature of history as well and of our histories, as well as our
responsibility for their future. We need to understand the nature and 
role of
culture and religions as they shape our history. We need also to 
understand how
in global times our histories converge and how this can be the basis not for
conflict and destruction, but for cooperation and progress.


Response

For this work there are significant and promising resources. The humanities
(history and literature) can uncover the values of the various cultures. The
social sciences (psychology, sociology and economics) can contribute
understanding of the structures of the world in which we live. Above all, it
will be necessary with these to think together philosophically in order to
understand the way in which faith inspires reason and reason articulates 
faith,
that human freedom is open rather than closed, and that self-assertion 
consists
in reaching out to others in the solidarity and subsidiarity in which civil
society consists.


For this a seminar is projected with the following characteristics.

- Size: restricted to under 20 scholars, in order to facilitate intensive
interchange around a single table;

- Interdisciplinary: in order to draw upon the contemporary capabilities 
of the
various humanities and sciences and to penetrate deeply into the 
philosophical
roots and religious meaning of cultures;

- Inter-cultural: to benefit from the experiences and commitments of the 
various
cultural communities from all parts of the world, to discover their 
particular
problems in our day, and especially to envisage new and creative responses;

- Focused: a single integrating theme, in order to encourage a 
convergence of
insights;

- Duration: 10 weeks, in order to allow the issues to mature, the 
participants
to establish a growing degree of mutual comprehension, and new insight to
emerge;

- Intensive: analyzing in detail the papers planned in common and written by
each of the participants during the seminar; and

- Publication: the resulting volumes, consisting of chapters written by the
individual seminar participants, intensively discussed in the seminar 
and then
redrafted, will reflect concretely the work of the seminar and share it with
those working in the various cultural communities in facing the problems of
contemporary life.


Organization

- Sponsor: The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP), and The
Center for the Study of Culture and Values, Catholic University of America
(CUA).

- Participants in each seminar: 10 philosophers from the various continents,
with an equal number of professors from various disciplines in the 
universities
and institutes of the Washington area. The visiting scholars from other
countries will be welcome to join in seminars and courses at CUA, where they
will be designated Visiting Research Professors. They will have the use 
of the
research facilities of the Library of Congress and of the universities and
institutes of the Washington area. Thus, the period of the seminar should
constitute effectively a hard working mini-sabbatical.

- Schedule: The seminar will meet on Tuesdays 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 noon for
discussion by the visiting scholars of key contemporary texts related to the
evolution of the theme of the seminar; and on Thursdays, 3:00-5:00 p.m. for
presentation by the participants of the drafts of their chapters as a 
basis for
intensive critical and exploratory discussion by the group.

- Costs: Successful applicants will be granted an RVP Research 
Fellowship which
covers all fees for the seminar itself including simple room and board, 
but not
travel.

- How to apply: By a letter of application before March 1, 2006, 
together with a
curriculum vitae and bibliography, providing details of the importance 
of the
seminar to the applicants overall work and the achievement of his or her
specific goals.

- Address: George F. McLean, The Council for Research in Values and 
Philosophy,
Room 003, St. Bonaventure Hall, CUA, Monroe and Michigan Aves., NE (at the
Brookland-CUA Metro Station), Washington, D.C.; postal address: Cardinal
Station, P.O. Box 261, Washington, D.C. 20064; tel./fax or voice message:
202/319-6089; e-mail: McLean@cua.edu.; Website: http://www.crvp.org


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