CALL FOR PAPERS - ESA Research Network 32 – Political Sociology
The European Sociological Association’s Research Network on Political Sociology (RN32) is pleased to announce its second mid-term conference, to be held at the University of Milan (Italy), 30 November and 1 December, 2012.
Political participation is a founding theme of political sociology. In broadest terms, it refers to all forms and activities through which individuals or collectives express opinions and also exert influence on decisions that are of common concern. While concerned with apathy, abstention and “exit”, political sociology has also described and categorized a broad and ever-changing repertoire of citizen (and non citizen) voice, i.e. activism and formal or informal involvement whether individual/ collective, manifest/ latent, institutionalized/ unconventional, direct/ mediated, online/ offline. In an age of globalization and multilevel (local, national, supranational, global) networking of collective decision-making processes, in which social and political boundaries are being reshaped and new dynamics of social and political inclusion and exclusion are emerging, this scope of political participation is potentially wider and rapidly changing. One may wonder if participation is heightened in times of crisis, which favour more exclusive forms of governance and tend to mobilise new forms of protest, or on the contrary generates anomie.
The aim of this conference is to explore the extended scope of political participation in relation to transnational government arrangements and processes. Within this broad theme, all crucial concepts of political sociology are embraced. These include: challenged legitimisation of democratic representative institutions; changing power relationships between citizens and the state; the making of a new political order across the interaction of macro- and micro-level actors; the battle for cultural, social, and institutional change involving networked individuals and organized groups at local, national and global levels.
A number of key contemporary political and social phenomena can therefore be analysed from a political participation perspective:
• Globalizing forms of protest and new forms of political mobilization
• Changing interactions between public opinion, political elites, mainstream media, and social media
• The plebiscitary nature of leader-followers relationships as regards populist parties
• Party primary elections and campaigning
• New patterns of electoral turnout and volatility
• Citizens’ deliberations and experiments in participatory democracy
• The emergence of a new political cleavage along the nationalism vs. cosmopolitanism value dimensions
• The ongoing conflict over norms of citizenship
• Processes of agenda-setting and the role of migrants’ organizations in key policy areas
• Political dimensions of immigrant integration and the politics of voting rights
• Urban governance and urban conflicts
Proposals can relate to all levels of – local to global – mobilization and participation in the polity. Studies employing a European comparative perspective or EU-wide framework, that address the multi-level dimension of participation, or discuss more recent challenges to citizens’ participation and legitimacy in times of financial and economic crisis are particularly welcome.
Abstract submission: Both panel proposals and individual paper proposals are encouraged. For panel proposals please submit a short description of the theme of the panel and at least three individual paper abstracts.
Deadline: The deadline for panel and paper proposals is Friday April 30th. Please submit abstracts of max 200 words to: rn32mtc2012@socpol.unimi.it
The conference committee will notify applicants by May 30th.
Conference venue and organization: The conference will be hosted by the Department of Social and Political Studies, University of Milan (Italy). The Department is located in the centre of Milan. Participants are asked to make their own travel arrangements and book accommodation. We will suggest a list of hotels.
Information will be available at: http://www.socpol.unimi.it
To encourage participation by a broad range of early career researchers and experienced academics, there is no registration fee.
To register, please write to rn32mtc2012@socpol.unimi.it with the following information: name, position, affiliation with postal address, country, email address and dietary preferences.
Further information: Contact Mauro BARISIONE at rn32mtc2012@socpol.unimi.it
The European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science has replied to the initiative Open Letter on SSH research in the new FP, 2014-2020.
The full text is available on:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/741&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Postdoctoral Researcher in the Organizational Networks of Megachurches
The Max Weber Institute of Sociology at Heidelberg University, Germany, invites applications for a full-time
postdoctoral research position. The position is part of a project funded by the German Research Foundation
(DFG) entitled “Why are megachurches attractive? Cultural reproduction and network structures of a new
organizational form in the U.S.” The appointment begins on April 1, 2012, or sooner. The position is limited
to a 2.5-year term with the possibility of extension subject to funding renewal. The successful candidate is
expected to assume project leadership and will spend several months in the US to collect data on-site. The
salary is competitive and based on the TVöD EG 14 pay scale for public institutions. The position offers a
range of opportunities for advanced academic training.
Candidates must have a great capacity for team work and should be enthusiastic about the opportunity to
implement a collaborative research project. Specific requirements include:
- Successful completion of a PhD in the social sciences.
- Experience in scientific project management.
- Expertise in organization science and social network analysis. Familiarity with the sociology of
religion would be advantageous.
- Competence in social scientific research methods, especially in the areas of social network analysis
and survey design.
- Excellent command of the English language in both writing and speaking. Experience living and/or
working abroad is very much desired. Proficiency in an additional language would be beneficial.
Germany language proficiency is optional.
Please visit http://www.soz.uni-heidelberg.de/projektdetails/835,65,0,0,1.html to access more
information about the project. Heidelberg University is an equal opportunity employer and particularly
welcomes applications from women. In case of equal qualification, applications from individuals with
disabilities will be given preferential consideration.
To apply, please send a cover letter and a CV outlining your research and teaching experience, a current list
of publications, and other relevant professional information including copies of academic transcripts to:
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Max-Weber-Institut für Soziologie
Prof. Dr. Thomas Kern
Bergheimer Str. 58
69115 Heidelberg
Germany
Applications must be received by February 12, 2012. They may also be submitted by email to
thomas.kern@soziologie.uni-heidelberg.de. If you have any further questions, please contact Prof. Dr.
Thomas Kern (email: thomas.kern@soziologie.uni-heidelberg.de, phone: +49-6221-542983).
TECNOLOGIE EMERGENTI, MONDI SOCIALI
Rovigo, 21-23 Giugno 2012
Track n.10
POLITICA E TECNOCULTURA: LOTTE, TENSIONI E CAMBIAMENTO NEI MONDI SOCIALI DIGITALI
Convenors:
Paolo Magaudda (Ciga, Università di Padova, paolo.magaudda@unipd.it)
Tiziana Terranova (Università di Napoli “L’Orientale”, tterranova@tiscali.it)
Nel corso degli ultimi anni il web, le sue tecnologie e le infrastrutture materiali si sono evolute insieme a nuove forme di circolazione della cultura e della politica. Le recenti forme di produzione della conoscenza e di interazione personale – come i social network, il web 2.0 o i giochi online – costituiscono delle infrastrutture tecniche e materiali plasmate attorno all’economia capitalista digitale e, allo stesso tempo, sono forme culturali radicate nella popular culture e in prospettive propriamente politiche. Questi esiti socio-tecnici possono essere dunque visti come cause ed esiti – e dunque come i risultati dinamici e performativi – di scontri e tensioni che avvengono nella politica culturale dei mondi digitali.
A partire da queste considerazioni, la track invita presentazioni che si confrontano con la relazione tra internet, cultura e politica con uno sguardo privilegiato rispetto ai modi attraverso i quali i mondi digitali sono radicati in politiche culturali e in pratiche politiche e, allo stesso tempo, come queste pratiche e politiche vengono performate – esplicitamente o implicitamente – nei mondi digitali.
Tra i vari punti di partenza che la track individua per affrontare la complessa interconnessione tra mondi digitali, politica e cultura, vi è l’analisi della politica delle tecnologie web e dei modi attraverso i quali le tecnologie digitali e i loro usi situati incorporano, contengono e preformano visioni e prospettive politiche. La track invita anche contributi che considerano come le pratiche politiche e le politiche culturali vengono ridefinite attraverso l’uso delle tecnologie web, nel senso sia di produrre nuove forme di coinvolgimento in politica, sia di incorniciare la partecipazione politica e le attitudini democratiche all’interno di confini definiti. Un’ulteriore linea di indagine riguarda, inoltre, l’analisi di come i nuovi modelli di produzione culturale, resi disponibili dai social network e dai servizi web 2.0, agevolino l’autonomia e dell’apertura della produzione culturale, ma anche come essi rappresentino anche nuovi strumenti per commercializzare l’esperienza e il lavoro degli utenti, in base alle logiche dell’economia globale digitale. Queste riflessioni costituiscono solo alcuni dei modi per articolare la relazione tra mondi digitali e la politica culturale di internet. Invitiamo, dunque, contributi teorici ed empirici che affrontano questi temi, come pure altre questioni all’intersezione tra internet, politica e tecnocultura, di cui di seguito elenchiamo alcuni ulteriori possibili esempi:
Gli abstract degli interventi (in lingua italiana o inglese), della lunghezza massima di 500 parole (completi di nome, affiliazione e mail dell'autore) vanno inviati in formato .doc o .rft via email entro il 1 Marzo 2012 ai coordinatori delle sessioni tematiche (e in cc a 4convegnosts@gmail.com). Ulteriori informazioni sul convegno su: www.stsitalia.org.
Convegno di etnografia 2012 Università di Bergamo 7 - 9 giugno, 2012
L’incontro bergamasco sull’etnografia arriva alla sua quarta edizione. Un'edizione che presenta molte novità rispetto a quelle precedenti del 2006, del 2007 e del 2009. Organizzato dalla rivista Etnografia e Ricerca qualitativa e dall'editore il Mulino, il Convegno si articola in numerose sessioni tematiche e workshops. La scadenza per la presentazione degli abstract è il 15 Gennaio 2012. Tutti i dettagli sul sito del Convegno.