FACE-TO-FACE · Connecting Distance and Proximity

Final Activity Report Summary - FACE-TO-FACE (Face-to-face: connecting distance and proximity)

'FACE TO FACE: connecting distance and proximity' was a large conference programme. From the topical viewpoint the focuses were intercultural discourses, identity and alterity in shifting contexts of proximity and distance. From an overall perspective, three major dimensions had been addressed in various, multidisciplinary ways. The first dimension of our theme concerned this increase of transnational interconnections with heightened socio-cultural diversity. In today's world, these interconnections are going hand in hand with the construction of disjunctures, as well as with the sharp differentiation of identities and essentialising practices. Populisms, fundamentalisms, or xenophobia and racisms are not vanishing in any way. The European Union itself represented a case in point. Its redefinition is underway in the context not only of claims for social and cultural difference, but of different understandings what it unites. Its reflection was undertaken from an anthropological perspective. Ongoing (political) processes were considered to remain however partial, as the historical conjuncture of Europe in the world-system is deeply associated with its postcolonial condition. On the one hand, new hierarchies between societies are simultaneously being introduced; whilst on the other, Europe's multiple 'faces' are often downplayed. The conference's second dimension related to reflections on the meaning of locality as a space of social connections, or on the construction of cultural difference as a product of the very nature of social relations. Many of today's anthropological discourses have informed, and are informed and challenged by, everyday concepts of culture and identity. Relying on historical reflections and scholarly achievements, such thoughts have been elaborated and transformed into concepts such as civil society, imagined communities, socialities/collectivities, virtual communities, or of the Creole (or hybrid) character of culture. "FACE-TO-FACE" also pointed towards the sort of methodological concerns that, in ever renewed forms, continue to represent a central strength of our subject area: ethnography. They received particular attention at this conference in the new forms such as multisited fieldwork, i.e. repositioning these methods according to recent social reality. In the course of our methodological reflections, empirical analyses and theoretical debates this meeting did centrally reflect different national and regional anthropological traditions in Europe in the context of reciprocal interactions within a global anthropology. On the other hand the conference concentrated on the interaction between early stage researchers and experienced / prominent ones. Attention was given first to a high degree of egalitarian access to workshops for presentations. Secondly, mobility and communication should be enhanced by conveying the opportunity to attend several workshops. The management of the conference therefore was eager to promote workshops with speakers from different regions (regional pluralism). Further, preference was given to smaller workshops, i.e. up to eight speakers. Moreover participants should not contribute with papers in more than one workshop, though they could convene another one. One may assert the success of the implemented strategy in numbers: around 802 participants from all European countries, from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia (more than 50 nationalities). The gender ratio was 2:1 (female : male). And there was a total of 86 events (plenary sessions, workshops, etc.). With the help of the Marie Curie funding, with the support of other institutions, and the special focus of the local committee socio-economic disadvantages could be largely balanced, and the participation of colleagues be improved. Finally, one also should mention that a special childcare was available throughout the conference. From the organisational perspective, the conference centrally was modelled as a space of interaction, favouring networking of researchers across Europe and opening on the world. By focusing on the pluralism of researchers, early stage and others, according to gender, and according to a regional viewpoint, and by linking this focus to the thematic ones, this meeting could be realised as a successful pooling of expertise.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз