EKA Urbanistikapäevade eelinfo
3rd Urban Studies Days at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia
25.-26.4.2007
Call for papers
Abstract deadline 29.3.2007
THEME
The tools of urban planning and policy can poorly address a range of important contemporary urban issues. Finding cultural and creative uses for old industrial areas, fighting social polarisation, achieving a liveable multicultural milieu and redefining urban character as a political project are questions where forms of urban activism have recently played decisive roles. Multicultural festivals, temporary cultural uses and community based new media are examples of fresh approaches, the ?Research and Activism? conference aims at bringing together.
We welcome both scientific research papers and case presentations. We are interested in cases where activism made a difference, groups that use alternative tactics to influence urban development and agenda setting as well as new tools of facilitating participatory processes.
We encourage papers that proceed to theoretical framing and policy implications of the new practices.
The event in Tallinn will be organised so that there is enough time to discuss and network, not only listen to papers. Keynote and paper sessions will alternate with workshops that concentrate either on a theme or a site. Tallinn itself is not providing too many cases of successful activism, but many promising sites and interestingly open questions. The city is booming and only very recently, the public opinion has become aware and critical towards aspects of the rapid change. The conference will pick some of the current themes and speed up the local debate.
PAPERS AND REGISTRATION
The event is of interest for researchers and students of urban studies, political science, sociology, planning, architecture, geography, cultural studies, anthropology and media studies, as well as activists, event organisers, media, environmental and urban artists, city authorities and policy makers.
Please send abstract (max 250 words) and a short bio (max 100 words) to the coordinator Lilia del Rio <> latest 29.3.2007.
The organisers inform accepted speakers by 5.4.2007. We do not expect full written papers before the event, but will collect the proceedings afterwards.
There is no conference fee, but we kindly ask all participants, both paper presenters and others, to register by mailing their name, occupation, organisation, country and valid email address to the above email of the coordinator. Please do this as soon as possible, latest by 10.4.2007.
The conference is organised by the Chair of Urban Studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts, the leading school of architecture and urbanism of the country. For more information about the MA programme and related interests, please see www.urbanistika.ee. The updated conference programme will be found at this address, too. If you have suggestions or questions about the content, please contact professor Panu Lehtovuori <>.
Warmly welcome!
ESTONIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS, FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE