Kommende arrangementer

Within current research of ethnic diversity and cultural encounters, there is a growing awareness of the need to investigate such social phenomenon in local, urban contexts.

Although cities are based in nation states, the very fabric of the city includes aspects of conviviality, conflict, attraction and resourcefulness that in some cases contrast and challenge national policies.

Metropolitan cities are historically products of migration, and have historically benefited from transnational connections and flows of capital, skills and goods. Cities are, to quote English political geographer Doreen Massey, a product of "throwntogetherness", and are thus environments of constant negotiation, reconfiguration and conflict.

In this PhD course we will discuss the role that ethnic and cultural/religious diversity plays within urban contexts across Europe and North America.

Questions that we plan to address include: How do groups and individuals of migrant background interact with, use and affect the city? How do they use city spaces for political activism? What is the impact of city governmental practices on ethnic and religious conviviality? And how does ethnic diversity and multiculturalism relate to frequently repeated politicized concepts such as social cohesion? What is social cohesion in relation to ethnic diversity? How do cities, on one hand, exploit potential resources of diversity and transnational ties, on the other, react to diversity as a challenge and even corrosive element of urban life?

One part of the seminar will take the form of a masterclass and provide an opportunity to present on-going Ph.D. projects and receive comments from the lectures.

Organizers: Catharina Raudvere (University of Copenhagen), Garbi Schmidt (Roskilde University), Nils Holtug (University of Copenhagen)

Lecturers: Peter Mandaville, George Mason University and Nina Glick Schiller, University of Manchester

Venue: The Faculty of Humanities, Copenhagen University

Date: 30-31 May 2012

Requirements: Mandatory readings and active participation in seminar discussions. Participants are further encouraged to present some of their work in the seminar (10-15 pages essays)

ECTS: 1.5 for preparation and participation and 3 for preparation and participation with paper presentation.

The course is free of charge.

Participants will be selected based on their background and field of research.

Participants are asked to pay their own travel and accommodation. Meals and coffee will be provided free to all participants.

Deadline for submission of applications (letter of motivation, CV and paper/PhD abstract) is 15 March 2012 to oluf@hum.ku.dk.

This Ph.D course is a joint venture between the PhD Programme in Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen, the strategic research alliance SOCED, and Roskilde University.