The 4th International Conference of the series:

Iberian and Slavonic Cultures in Contact and Comparison

under the programmatic title

Res Publica(s)

University of Lisbon
13 - 15 May, 2010

www.iberian-slavonic.org
compares.ibs5@gmail.com


Organising Institutions
CompaRes – International Society for Iberian-Slavonic Studies
CLEPUL – Centre of Literatures in Portuguese of the Lisbon Universities
Commission for Iberian-Slavonic Comparative Research at the International Committee of Slavists

Promoting Institutions
Spanish Association of Slavists
Spanish Association for Iberian-Slavonic Studies
Centre of Philosophy of the University of Lisbon
Centre for Russian and East European Studies of the University of Glasgow, UK
Institute for Cultural Sciences “Padre Manuel Antunes” ESADE - FLUL
Center of Humanistic Studies - University of Minho

Associated Institutions
Camões Institute
Cervantes Institute
Slavonic Embassies in Lisbon
Spanish Embassy in Lisbon

Call for Papers

The organisers invite you to the 4th international conference

IBERIAN AND SLAVONIC CULTURES IN CONTACT AND COMPARISON:
Res Publica(s)


The conference will be held between 13 and 15 May 2010 at the University of Lisbon and will be truly international in its outlook, while at the very same time drawing on Portugal’s rich republican experience. It is meant to promote an Iberian-Slavonic debate on the differing republican concepts and traditions, as well as the corresponding cultural imprints.

The debate in question is inspired by the 100th anniversary of the implementation of the first Republic in Portugal (5 October 1910). Res Publica(s), the Latin term referred to in the conference subtitle, is intentionally used in plural with a view to putting emphasis on its two crossing meanings: “public affairs” and “commonwealth”. The use of such a term is motivated by the organisers’ intention to renovate the contemporary discourse on cultural expressions of republican ideas by situating them in the Iberian-Slavonic perspective.

With its focus centred upon the literary, historical, philosophical and linguistic aspects of Slavonic and Iberian outlooks, the conference will be a good opportunity to reflect upon imaginative and historical Res Publica(s) prevalent in different times and spaces. Its primary goal is to provide a forum for the discussion of various contributions from diverse fields and domains. Moreover, the conference seeks to contribute to the contemporary European reflection on republican ideas and practice in social and individual perspectives.

Although preference will be given to contributions regarding comparative perspectives, papers presenting other angles will also be taken into account. Contributions may be approached from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds including, but not restricted to: anthropology, communication studies, cultural studies, gender studies, history, intercultural studies, linguistics, literary theory, media studies, pedagogy, political science, postcolonial studies, pragmatics, reception studies, sociology and translations studies. Both research on recently gained insights, as well as new perspectives on old ones, are welcome.

The conference will constitute the central event of the 4th Week of the Iberian-Slavonic Cultural Cooperation organized at the Faculty of Letters, University of Lisbon (10 - 17 May 2010). During this week the General Assembly of the International Society for Iberian-Slavonic Studies – CompaRes will be also held. Conference participants and other researchers from the field are welcome to join the Association. The membership application form is available at the CompaRes website: www.iberian-slavonic.org.


Thematic areas include, but are not restricted to, the following:


I. Res Publica(s ) as a historical collective experience in Iberian and Slavonic countries and cultures:

1. Republican ideas in the process of creation collective Identity and Memory:

 The relationships between republican ideas and the interpretations of national and cultural myths, missions and teleological concepts
 The role of republican traditions in constructing the collective memory and history (republican readings of the “Self” and of the “Other”)
 Question of (non)existence of the specific Iberian and Slavonic traditions of republican thought and practice

2. Republican thought and action in marking institutional relationships:

 Fusions and diffusions of republican institutions in different political regimes (monarchies, dictatorships, etc.)
 Republican attitudes towards churches and other religious institutions (Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, etc.)
 European perspectives:

- Historical shifts in Iberian and Slavonic cultures and their impact upon European republican ideas
- European Union and the republican thought and expression.


II. Res Publica(s) and the individual experience:

 Republicanism in the existential perspective (illusions and disillusions, traps and vantage points, fortunes and misfortunes, etc.)
 Republican thought versus the individual religious experience
 Republicanism as the artistic experience and expression (artist`s living and re-living of the real and imaginative Res Publica(s), the phenomenon of the “Republicas literarias”, etc.)


III. Reading the Res Publica(s) in contemporary Iberian and Slavonic cultures:

 Ever-changing meanings of republican thought, its intellectual and cultural dimensions, inspirations, ideals, etc.
 Culture, Literature and Art, broadly defined, and their (lack of) interest in republican concepts and practice


IV. Iberian and Slavonic Res Publica(s) and Translation Studies:

 Translating Res Publica(s) in different cultures, times and spaces
 The differing functions of translation in creation and dissemination of republican topics, ideas and motives
 Republican expression conveyed by translation theory and practice
 Translating in Iberian and Slavonic cultures during the republican regimes


V. Linguistic perspectives on republican expression:

 Rich/poor linguistic tradition of republican ideas and organisations (eg. the Polish Rzeczpospolita, the Portuguese Soberania popular, etc.); Linguistic pitfalls and solutions in naming/ reviving/dooming the republican ideas and thought
 Relationships between Iberian and Slavonic languages as conveyed in their expression of republican ideas

Proposals: Abstracts of maximum 250 words with 5 keywords for 20 min. papers should be submitted using the pre-registration form available at www.iberian-slavonic.org. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 15 February 2010. Only the proposals submitted by filling the spaces of the pre-registration form will be accepted. Reception of complete applications will be acknowledged by e-mail.

Selection: The Scientific Committee will select paper proposals and return their decision by 28 February 2010.

Papers: English and Portuguese are official languages of the conference. Abstracts can be submitted, and contributions given, in any of these two languages. Contributions in Portuguese should also present their title in English. However, if requested, the use of Slavonic and other Iberian languages may be considered. Authors are kindly requested not to exceed the 20-minute time allocation.

Publication: A selection of papers presented during the conference will be published. The final deadline for submission is 15 July 2010. Articles should follow the norms available at http://www.iberian-slavonic.org/yearbook.htm.
Format: Word (preferably 2000 or more recent versions); Font: Times New Roman 12; Length: 3500-8000 words (including list of references).

Registration fee: The estimated registration fee is 30 euro. Registration will be open from March 2010. The fee includes: conference material, lunches and coffee breaks. The organizers cannot provide financial assistance to the self-proposed participants of the conference, but only for its keynote-speakers; participants are requested to cover their own travel, housing and other costs.

Updates on the conference: A second circular including further information and the final registration form will be issued in March 2010. A third circular including the conference programme will be sent shortly before the conference starts. Further information will be made available on the conference website: http://www.iberian-slavonic.org

Should you have any inquiry concerning the conference, please contact us at compares.ibs5@gmail.com. We will be glad to answer your questions.