Transformations in Politics, Culture and Society: Media Perspectives 

Munich, Germany
Friday 7th - Saturday 8th December 2001

Call for Papers
This inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary conference seeks to integrate the study of transformations in politics, culture, and society with the analysis of key media - for example, art and art history, cinema and film, literature and poetry, music, newspapers, and television and radio.

Papers, presentations, and short surveys are invited on issues related to any of the following themes;

  • dissolution, liberation, reconstruction; political and economic rejuvenation
  • invasion, resistance, revolution
  • coalitions, governments, social reform, and the presentation of political agendas
  • state control of media; political mass communication, election campaigns, lobby groups; propaganda; fringe movements; pressure groups
  • the place of street drama, posters, graffiti
  • the importance of land; territory; boundaries; rural/urban; land redistribution
  • education, student rebellions, and the role of the intelligentsia
  • cultural revolutions: status of women, feminism, sexual freedom; representations of gender, ethnicity, sexuality; pornography
  • exposure of labour issues; exposure of class issues
  • cultural difference and otherness; immigration and immigrants
  • international confrontation; the role and influence of the military
  • the impact of globalisation
  • third world issues; global responsibility; public awareness; ecological issues
  • medical and social issues in film - for example, drugs, aids, euthanasia
  • role of religion and religious institutions
  • role and influence of the United States
  • influence of new technologies; multimedia industries, Internet, www, cyberspace
  • accessibility to data, information, knowledge; the fate of intellectual property
  • Control of knowledge; anonymity; privacy
  • the role of the law and legal processes; regulation and legislation; appeal systems
  • market economies; monopolies and mergers; control of multinationals

Papers will be considered on any related theme, writer, book or film. 300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 19th October 2001. Full draft papers should be submitted by Friday 16th November 2001.

The conference is the first in a series of annual research projects, run under the general banner ‘Probing the Boundaries'. It aims to create working 'encounter' groups between people of differing perspectives, disciplines, professions, and contexts. The project is to be supported by an e-mail discussion group, threaded forum board, e-journal, and dedicated e-publication series.

Selected papers accepted for and presented at the conference will be published in themed volumes.

Click here for further details; to submit a paper or receive clarification of any aspect of the conference, please contact: Dr Rob Fisher