[Bilimsel Haber] Call for Papers: Regional Architecture and Identity (13-15 November, 2007, Tunisia)

[Onur Inal]

Call for Papers: Regional Architecture and Identity

Call for Papers
Regional Architecture and Identity in the Age of Globalization
13-15 November, 2007
Tunis, Tunisia

The International Conference of the Center for the Study of Architecture
in the Arab Region (CSAAR)
Organized by: The Center for the Study of Architecture in the Arab
Region

In Collaboration with
Department of Architecture, National School of Architecture and
Urbanism,
Tunis, Tunisia

Sponsored by:
Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Introduction
Developments in transportation, communication and networking
technologies in recent decades have instigated unprecedented flow of
people, goods, and information across the globe, a phenomenon that has
shaped the all-powerful thrust of globalization. This phenomenon led a
drive for taking a universal outlook on social, economic, and
environmental issues, but at the same time, instigated a wave of
criticism. With its tendency to blur the boundaries among nations and
cultures, globalization is seen as benevolent and progressive by some,
and malevolent and regressive by others. While one camp promises
economic prosperity for partners of global exchanges, the counterpart
protests the potential of the exchanges to breed erosion in societal
identities of regions and nations. The opposing views tackle all aspects
of human living, and as such, spread broadly to the academia and the
professions where heated debates on global issues are now enduring.
CSAAR 2007 conference addresses regional architecture and identity in
the built environment in the context of globalization. The conference
will focus on the study of increasing contradictions between the
"modernization" of regions on the one hand and the cultural identity of
these places on the other.

Though the recent tide of globalization is very strong, it is clear that
there is also a countervailing need for regionalism. We propose that
globalization can only succeed on the basis of healthy regionalism. It
is evident that under strong globalization trends, regional identities
did not disappear. On the contrary, they have tenaciously continued to
express themselves urbanisiticlly, architecturally, and behaviorally.
The conference intends to use this proposition as a point of departure
to explore and examine the various discourses regarding regionalism,
globalization and their impact on the built environment. Questions to be
asked and issues to be considered include: regional architecture and how
it is being (re)defined, the interaction(s) between the regional and the
global, the intersection between colonial past and contemporary
architectural productions, the regional dynamics of
architectural/cultural flows, the trends of regionalism and how they
coexist, compete or contradict with the process of globalization, the
role of architecture in connecting people and cultures across
geographical and chronological boundaries, the role of the state in
promoting/ constructing various types of cultural identities, bridging
the gab between Regionalism and Modernization, how regional architecture
can surmount the limitations of constant forms of the past, to what
level features of contemporary urban developments respond more to global
(economic) conditions than to local or national ones, to what extent
regionalism accept other regions traditions and incorporate and
integrate new technological, and environmental inventions.

Topics of Interest
We invite scholars and practitioners in architecture, urban design and
related fields to submit papers on any topic related to conference
theme. Papers may reflect on a wide spectrum of issues related to
regional architecture, identity and globalization. The conference is
structured around a number of themes that include -but are not limited
to:

Architecture in the Global and Regional Context
Architecture between Regionalism and Internationalism
Impact of Globalization and Regionalism Trends on Architectural
Production Contextual Architecture Sustainable Architecture Architecture
and Postmodernism Critical Regionalism Critiquing Critical Regionalism
Regionalism and Digital Media Trends in New Regionalism

Globalization and the City
Urban Morphology and Identity
Re-humanizing the Built Environments: the Regional Dimension Social and
Spatial Problems of Suburbanization New Urbanism Sustainability at Urban
and Regional Levels City Form/ City Image between Internationalism and
Regionalism Locality and Globality in the Built Environment Tourism and
the Packaging of Region Cultural Heritage and Tourism

The Built Environment and Identity
Forms of Cultural Identities
Localization and Delocalisation
Contested Identities in Architecture
Modernization and Cultural Regeneration
Reinventing Traditions/Identities in the Globalized Context
The Meaning of Regionalism in Architecture
Identity in Postcolonial Architecture
The Construction/Production of Architectural Identity in the Information
Age Natural Identity versus Constructed, Forced, Global and other
Identities Architectural Heritage, Authenticity and Modernization
Rehabilitation, Regeneration and Restructuring Beyond the Vernacular
Threshold Conservation and Meaning of Place

Key Dates
Full paper submission April 15, 2007
Notification of acceptance May 30, 2007
Deadline for final papers July 30, 2007

Abstract Submission
Abstract submission must be in English with about 700 words. Full paper
submission could be either in English or Arabic. Abstract and full paper
submissions should be sent in MS Word or PDF document format. Abstracts
should be e-mailed to conference co-chair (jamalq at kfupm.edu.sa). Full
paper submissions are required to be done online at the conference
Website.

On-line  paper submersion system is open now.
Posters, Panel Discussion & Workshops
CSAAR 2007 also welcomes proposals for:
* Poster papers
* Plenary Session/ Panel Discussion
* Workshops
Proposals may address any of the topics falling within the scope of the
conference themes.

Schedule (for Posters, Plenary Sessions/ Panel Discussion & Workshops
Proposals)
Proposals due: April 15, 2007
Notification of Acceptance: May 30, 2007
Position papers due (panels): July 30, 2007

General Note: Workshops and Panel Proposals & Samples of Work should be
submitted by e-mail or by surface-mail (Work Samples) to conference
co-chair
(jamalq at kfupm.edu.sa)

Conference Secretariat
Samer Taweel
Conference Secretariat
CSAAR 2007
samer at csaar-center.org

More infos:

http://www.csaar-center.org/conference/2007/index.htm