INPUTS
Institut für postkoloniale und transkulturelle Studien

Conference Invitation

Transculturality in the Diaspora. Spaces - Cultures - Identities

INPUTS Conference, 25-29 November 2004, in Bremen

Dear Colleague,

The Institute for Postcolonial and Transcultural Studies (INPUTS) at University Bremen and International University Bremen (IUB) invites you to participate in this year's INPUTS Conference, 25-29 November 2004 (25.11. 19h-21h; 26.11. 9h30-17h45; 27.11. 9h30-17h30), in Bremen

Conference Title:
"Transculturality in the Diaspora. Spaces - Cultures - Identities".

Outline:
The conference is concerned with the role of "transculturality" in the diaspora. As a place that lies between what is home and what is foreign, the concept of the diaspora functions as a point of reference for questions of identity in postmodern society. At the same time, it is a cultural contact zone where "spaces - cultures - identities" are the subject of constant negotiation.
We suggest to read the conference theme as a contemplation on the concept of 'encounter'. Representatives of different postcolonial countries and cultures meet and the diaspora as the space of transcultural contact comes to the focus of scholarly examination.
Thus, the aim of the conference is to consider various manifestations of such transcultural contacts in different cultural, social, and medial contexts such as: text and film, language and language contact, television and press, city and suburb, society and family, etc. Contributions could focus, but are not limited to, borders and border crossings, cultural contact and mechanisms of exclusion, living spaces, images of self and other as well as the plethora of manifestations of cultural diversity in postmodern societies.
The conference, designed as an interdisciplinary exchange between different approaches and disciplines, is meant to illustrate and illuminate the manifold facettes of the phenomenon of "transculturality in the diaspora". At the end, as has already been the case at the last INPUTS conference, there will be a panel discussion (in the series "Denkplatz Bremen") between the conference participants and interested guests from the Bremen public.
Our speakers come from a wide variety of academic disciplines, such as literature, linguistics, sociology, urban studies and ethnology. Colleagues from University Bremen and IUB will accompany the conference programme.

Conference Location:
University Guest House "Teerhof" (Bremen city centre)

To secure sufficient funding for the conference we are asking participants to provide us with titles of their papers as soon as possible. Papers should not exceed 30 minutes, including the time needed for the potential usage of supporting multi media. The presentations should be geared towards an interdisciplinary audience, who share a common interest in questions of postcolonial theory.

On behalf of the INPUTS conference organising team,

Gisela Febel & Thomas Rommel

Koordinatoren:
Prof. Dr. Gisela Febel
Prof. Dr. Thomas Rommel