CFP: Gender, Identity and Nationalism in Europe, UK, (11-14 Oct 2001) Gender, Identity and Nationalism in Europe: From the Nineteenth to the Twenty First Century International Conference 11-14 October 2001 Call for Papers The fall of communis

CFP: Gender, Identity and Nationalism in Europe, UK, (11-14 Oct 2001)

Gender, Identity and Nationalism in Europe: From the Nineteenth to the Twenty First Century
International Conference
11-14 October 2001
Call for Papers



The fall of communism generated particular expectations about the future of Europe. The expectation of a united Europe, inclusive of East Central Europe, has not fully recognised the tensions created by different perceptions of the role of national identity in the East and in the West.
The preoccupation of Western Europe with the preservation of some sense of national identity within a united Europe runs parallel to the preoccupation of Eastern Europe with securing and finalising the structure of the nation-state. In other words, the current aspirations of Eastern European
nationalism, in many ways, reflect the aims of earlier European nation-builders. A key factor in the process of nation-building has been the assigning of specific symbolic roles to women in a national community.
To what extent do current differences in perceptions of national identity impact upon debates about gender in different Europes?

This conference aims to explore the relationship between gender images and national identities in Europe since the end of the nineteenth century. It will focus particularly on the construction of gender identity and the use of stereotypical images of gender in shaping nationalist discourse across Europe. The conference will compare and contrast debates surrounding the historical construction of national and gender identities in Western and Eastern Europe and will explore the implications of the differences in this area between the West and the East for the political processes in Europe post-1989.

We are especially interested in receiving proposals for papers in the following areas: (1) How and why specific images of gender have been selected to generate both nationalist discourses and assumptions about national identity and the means by which these images have been
disseminated; (2) The impact these images have on political processes, particularly the development of gender emancipation movements; (3) The impact of nationalist discourse on renewed debate around civil society and
gender in contemporary multi-ethnic states; (4) Nations and issues of gender in post-1989 Europe.

Plenary speakers will include

Cherie Booth Q C
Professor Sylvia Walby (Leeds)

Offers of papers, accompanied by an abstract of 300-500 words, should be sent by post, e-mail or fax by 7 May 2001 to Miss Louise Graham, European Studies Research Institute, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
Tel. +44(0)161 295 5614, Fax. +44 (0)161 2955223,
e-mail: l.j.graham@salford.ac.uk .

For further information about the conference, please contact
Vera Tolz and Stephanie Booth, European Studies Research Institute, University of Salford; Tel. +44 (0)161-2955606, Fax +44(0)161 2955077, e-mails: v.tolz@salford.ac.uk and agb@globalnet.co.uk