[csaa-forum] Everyday Multiculturalism Conference Call for Papers

[Selvaraj Velayutham]

**PLEASE CIRCULATE**
Deadline for Abstracts Extended to 15 July 2006

Key note speakers: 
Professor Ien Ang, ARC Professorial Fellow, Centre for Cultural
Research, University of Western Sydney
Dr Greg Noble, School of Humanities and Languages, University of
Western Sydney


Everyday Multiculturalism

A two day Conference
28th and 29th September 2006
Centre for Research on Social Inclusion, Macquarie University
and the ARC Cultural Research Network
			
CALL FOR PAPERS

While research on Australian multiculturalism and racism is well
developed in Australia, qualitative research into everyday modes of
lived multiculturalism, remains fairly limited. This two day conference
seeks to bring together researchers exploring everyday experiences of
cultural diversity and difference (other case studies are also
welcomed). 

The conference will be divided into two parts:

1) Everyday Multiculturalism - Open theme 
Day one will be an open themed day on Everyday Multiculturalism. Papers
in this section will engage with the quotidian dimensions of living with
diversity. Quotidian diversity has variously been described as
'togetherness-in-difference' (Ang 2000), and 'inhabiting
difference' (Hage 1998). We take the term to mean those perspectives
on cultural diversity which recognise the embodied or inhabited nature
of living with cultural difference. We are particularly interested in
papers that focus on the intersections and relationships between
cultural groups, rather than research taking a single ethnic group as a
focus. Papers may explore the interconnections between the everyday and
larger discourses; everyday interconnections, affinities, and
solidarities, and everyday disjunctures, discomforts, and racisms.
Papers may explore modes of living with and across difference in
suburbia or regional Australia such as through food, neighbouring,
shopping or sport, or issues such as multicultural place-sharing, and
battles over place identity and belonging. Papers which take an embodied
approach, such as through frameworks such as affect or Bourdieu's
habitus are also particularly welcome. 

2) Cronulla and the Everyday Politics of Cultural Difference in
Suburbia
Day two papers will present a collection of new work reflecting on the
Cronulla riots - the causes, the riots themselves, and their
ramifications. The Cronulla riots caught many commentators by surprise.
Some commentators argued that the riots were a symptom of everyday
tensions, others argued that Cronulla represents a failure of
multiculturalism, while still others argued that it was a result of a
decade of 'dog-whistle' politics in Australia. Racism, ethnocentrism
and other forms of prejudice are often born out of everyday encounters
with difference intertwined with national and global politics and
discourses. The aim of this day will be to offer an opportunity to
scholars to present works-in-progress around the Cronulla issue.

We invite proposals from any discipline that engage with any aspect of
'everyday multiculturalism' with a special focus on those employing
grounded methodologies such as fieldwork, interviews, focus groups and
ethnographic participant observation.

Registration details, keynotes, and conference info will be announced
shortly.
Please submit abstracts of 250 words or less with a short biographical
paragraph by 15th July 2006 to selvaraj.velayutham at scmp.mq.edu.au 

Registration fee: $120
Conference Venue: MGSM Conference Centre, Macquarie University

Convenors:	Dr Amanda Wise and Dr Selvaraj Velayutham
		Centre for Research on Social Inclusion, Macquarie
University
Enquiries:	selvaraj.velayutham at scmp.mq.edu.au or
amanda.wise at scmp.mq.edu.au 
Website:	www.crsi.mq.edu.au 


Dr. Selvaraj Velayutham
ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Centre for Research on Social Inclusion
Building E7A 706
Macquarie University NSW 2109 
Australia 
Tel: 9850-4426