Making, Re-presenting and Dissembling Differences and Identities in Contemporary Societies

A critical problem facing contemporary societies is the complex composition of differences within their borders. These differences are manifest by diversity in ethnicities, religions, sexualities and genders, generations, disabilities, cultures and differently conceived differences in class, wealth and income. They manifest in disparate migrations, diasporas, long established multi-racial and multi-cultural spaces and communities; emergent, retrieved, new and contested identities; issues of recognition and redistribution; and conflicting and competing ideologies and cultures. These differences are subject to transnational and national juridical regimes, cultural biases and political initiatives that seek to establish multiculturalism and diversity or establish favoured and hierarchical compositions of identities in society (often at the same time) or frame resistance to violence and hostility based on intolerance.

Within this context—and at a conjuncture where media and media technologies are central mediums for the making, dissembling and communication of cultural constructions—representational politics become critical to how degrees of solidarity and coherence are achieved in society. The making and dissembling of representations of difference is at the fulcrum of identity, difference and solidarity in contemporary societies.

This conference seeks to provide a space for scholars to take stock of the present context and share knowledge – specific or general, empirical or theoretical, with a view to develop and explore the possible ways forward to minimizing violence, discrimination, exclusion and oppression as the means by which difference is managed by political structures. It is hoped that the conference will facilitate the development of more constructive, democratic, participative and inclusive means of promoting solidarity without negating difference and diversity. 

There will be two keynote plenary sessions with speakers to be announced. Reflecting the conference theme in the context of the conference venue, one of these sessions will focus on aspects of these themes in Cyprus.

The conference fee is 395 Euros (Graduate Students: 275 Euros). This includes:

• Registration fee
• Transport to and from Ercan Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to METU-NCC Campus
• 4 nights at Campus Guest House with breakfast
• 4 lunches
• 2 Sunset Dinners (all drinks included)
• 1 Dinner Banquet (non-alcoholic drinks included)
• Guided Historic/Cultural Excursion

For any questions or concerns please see our website, including the FAQ page, or contact the conference organizers at the email address below.

Contact:

Scott Boyd
Middle East Technical University
Northern Cyprus Campus
Email:[email protected]
Web: