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The aim of the conference is a cross-/transcultural examination of the multifarious questions occasioned by the presence of minority groups (ethnic, sexual or other) in democratic societies. The countries of Central/Eastern Europe -- like other democratic societies -- have been searching for and working towards a development of plausible local solutions to the complex problems of minorities. The organizers of the conference would like to propose a comparison between minority discourses in long-established democracies on the one hand and young democracies on the other. While not confining the focus of the conference to Canada exclusively, we put forward the Canadian model as an instructive point of reference for the Central/Eastern European region.
Since the conference has a firmly interdisciplinary character, we invite a wide range of perspectives, including literature, arts, law, history, political sciences, sociology, psychology, queer and gender theory, media and cultural studies, etc. Possible areas of investigation might include (but are not restricted to):
- defining minorities (both "from within" and "from without")
- the problems of group psychology ("How does it feel to be a problem?")
- the economy of the minority discourse (gains and losses)
- the relationships between minority discourses and identity politics
- minority cultural expression
- the minority discourse and human rights
The organizers are planning to invite two keynote speakers -- one from Canada and one from Eastern/Central Europe (preferrably a CEP fellow or former fellow). The conference is addressed to a wide variety of professionals, including scholars, social and political activists, lawyers, artists, etc. Besides professional panels, we intend to offer a special forum for students interested in the subject of the conference.
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