Call for abstracts for the 2nd International Symposium of the International Research Centre
for Intercultural Studies (C.I.R.S.I.)
“Diversity, Gender and Discrimination in Spaces”
16-17-18 February, 2011
Brussels (Belgium)
Deadline extension for abstracts submission: January 14th, 2011
Every human being lives and acts in space in an absolutely unique way. Despite the emergence and
spread of the virtual world (internet) – which has multiplied potentially to the infinite spaces and
dimensions in which we live and act – there are still numerous barriers that remain in space as a
physical as well as a symbolic place. Physical barriers are associated and interact with the barriers
of space as a place of symbolic meaning. Both spaces – physical and symbolic – have in common
the presence of barriers that even in their ontological difference create a continuum of thoughts,
actions and policies that discriminate against the most vulnerable parts of the population. The
critical and sensitive dimension of spaces is evident for physical spaces through boundaries, walls
and lack of infrastructure and for symbolic spaces through the absence or lack of freedom and equal
opportunities in access to education, minimum life standards, media, technology, culture and
democratic participation in political life, etc.
The International Symposium “Diversity, Gender and Discrimination in Spaces” organised in
Brussels by the International Research Centre for Intercultural Studies (C.I.R.S.I.) will address the
following and related topics in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective (proposals in
the following areas are particularly welcome: anthropology, architecture, fine and visual arts,
communication, philosophy, gender and transgender studies, geography and gender geography, law,
literature, psychology, international relations, political science, sociology, history, theatre, urban
planning, etc.):
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories about physical and/or symbolic spaces as a
place of discrimination from a perspective of diversity, disability, migration, gender, linguistic,
religious and sexual minorities, etc.
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories about physical and/or symbolic spaces as a
place of inequality from a perspective of diversity, disability, migration, gender, linguistic, religious
and sexual minorities, etc.
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories on the relationship between, on one hand,
architectural spaces, urban design, urban development, development and environment and, on the
other, diversity, disability, migration, gender, linguistic, religious and sexual minorities, etc.
(suburbs, suburban migration, access to space and services for disabled persons, elderly persons,
women, children, etc.)
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories on spaces as a place of production of
meaning, individual and collective identity and belonging process in relation to migration, gender,
linguistic, religious and sexual minorities, etc.
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories about spaces as an area organized, planned
and managed by multiple social actors (local and administrative systems, networks, associations and
sector organisations) in relation to diversity, migration, gender, linguistic, religious and sexual
minorities, etc.
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories on spaces as physical barriers (borders,
walls and lack of infrastructure, etc.) in relation to diversity, migration, gender, linguistic, religious
and sexual minorities, etc.
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories on spaces as symbolic and social barriers
(freedom and equal opportunities in access to education, minimum life standards, media,
technology, culture and democratic participation in political life, etc..) in relation to diversity,
migration, gender, linguistic, religious and sexual minorities, etc.
- theories, practices, case studies and innovative theories on spaces as emotional, representative and
narrative places in the fields of art, literature and music in relation to diversity, migration, gender,
linguistic, religious and sexual minorities, etc.
Symposium languages: English, French, Italian, Albanian, Spanish and German.
The selected papers will be published in the Proceedings of the Symposium.
Deadlines
- Deadline for abstracts submission: December 30th, 2010 (send an abstract of up to 1.500
characters accompanied by a brief bio-bibliographical note to <events(AT)cirsi.net> )
Deadline extension for abstracts submission: January 14th, 2011
- Notification of acceptance of abstracts: January 16th, 2011
- Early Bird registration deadline at the Symposium: January 18th, 2011
- Last deadline for ordinary registration at the Symposium: February 10th, 2011
- Deadline for submission of papers to be included in the Proceedings of the Symposium: February
10th, 2011
- International Symposium “Diversity, Gender and Discrimination in Spaces”: 16-17-18 February
2011, Brussels (Belgium)
Scientific Committee
Ingrid Stratti (University of Trieste, Italy) - Chair of the Scientific Committee
Lorenzo G. Dugulin (University Lumière Lyon 2, France)
Andrew S. Mundroff (AIA, Virgina Polytech, VA, U.S.A.)
Fabio Perocco (University Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Italia)
Lili Mundroff (Assoc. AIA, University of MD College Park, MD, U.S.A.)
Ahmed Boualili (École Normale Supérieure d’Alger, Algeria)
Marica Pistulli (University of Tirana, Albania)
Registration fees
(Access for the whole duration of the Symposium, two copies of the publication containing the
Proceedings of the Symposium):
1. Early Bird registration fee : 150,00 euros
2. ordinary registration fee: 200,00 euros
3. registration fee for C.I.R.S.I.’s members: 30,00 euros
After the acceptance of abstracts, more information will be provided about special rates on
transportation and accommodation during the Symposium.
For further information:
www.cirsi.net, e.mail <events(AT)cirsi.net>, tel.: +32.470.13.47.66
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C.I.R.S.I.
Centro Internazionale per le Ricerche e gli Studi Interculturali
International Research Centre for Intercultural Studies
Centre International de Recherches et d'Etudes Interculturelles
E.mail: cirsi@cirsi.net
Skype: c.i.r.s.i.
Website: www.cirsi.net
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