CFP: PREOCCUPIED: The Words, Wounds and Workings of Occupations, Past and Present. Berlin June 2012

Pairing the interdisciplinary nature of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral
Programs with the innovation of multimedia storytelling, the PREOCCUPIED
2012 conference offers a platform for academics, activists and artists to
challenge the confines of their disciplines: provoking thought, debate, and
action on issues that have accelerated to global predominance in light of
the recent occupations.

The conference invites papers that consider the various meanings of the word
occupy and occupation. The disparate meanings of the increasingly-loaded
word will be assembled in panels and a series of talks, interspersed with
forays into art and activism, inviting participants to explore the roots of
the current occupation movement, and its implications throughout time and
place ­ in the realms of work, conquest, and protest.

Hosted by the Kulturpark Berlin, an abandoned DDR theme park, the conference
will embody occupation in many ways: from its location, to its catering ­
which will feature locally foraged greens and ³recycled² foods, courtesy of
The Dinner Exchange. In collaboration with the Kulturpark and the 7th annual
Berlin Biennale, international visual artists will coexist with the
conference participants in the uncanny spaces of the Kulturpark. PREOCCUPIED
is an unlikely conference, bringing together a diversity of people and
opinions in two stimulating days of art, academics, action and interaction.

We welcome papers that address issues related to Occupation, in the broadest
sense of the word. These might consider, but should by no means be limited
to:

OCCUPATION OF SPACE
�    Occupation as colonization / decolonization
�    Occupied territories
�    Occupation of online spaces ­ social media and virtual action
�    The city as political space

OCCUPATION OF TIME
�    Occupation as employment, as a calling
�    Occupation in the humanities
�    Preoccupations and professions

THE OCCUPATIONS
�    Occupation as protest
�    Occupation as strategy
�    Occupation as change
�    Occupations worldwide
�    Art as occupation/resistance

Some of the presentations of papers will be video-recorded, and thus a
certain use of interactivity, audiovisual materials and storytelling is
encouraged. While not all of the talks need be filmed, the goal of creating
engaged, concise talks should apply to all. Those that opt to have their
talks filmed may see them featured on the conference¹s website.



Paper Proposals

Scholars from all areas of the Humanities are invited to submit proposals
for contributions. The conference languages are English, French, and German.
Proposals may be written in any of the above languages.

We ask prospective participants to submit a short (1-2 page) CV and an
abstract (between 250-500 words) that outlines the paper¹s topic,
methodology and argument, as well as how the prospective participant¹s
research interests relate to the theme of the conference.

Please note that individuals may submit only one paper proposal, either to
the open call or as a part of a pre-constituted panel. Panels should number
no more than three people, need not be limited to academics, and must
include a single proposal of 500 words and separate CVs for all of the
proposed panel members.

Please submit all CVs and proposals before March 16, 2012 to:
emjdconference@gmail.com

Find more information about the conference online at:
http://emjdconferences.wordpress.com


Thank you,

Samara Chadwick
Organizing Committee
PREOCCUPIED 2012