On behalf of the Editorial Board of Historical Materialism, a warm welcome to HM’s conference in Cluj. We applaud the initiative of our Cluj comrades in developing a very strong conference, the first we have held in Eastern Europe, but hopefully not the last. We value all those who take part in our conferences and activities, encourage you to subscribe to the journal and look at our book series, and hope to see you again at one of our conferences, whether London in November or coming soon Athens in April 2025.
The programme of the Historical Materialism Cluj / Kolozsvár Conference is now online.
You can find it here
Call for Papers
Historical Materialism Cluj-Napoca
August 29-31, 2024
Polycrisis across Divides
(updated March 2024)
That we live in a state of permanent polycrisis is a well-established truth: ecological crisis, economic depressions, political failure, social breakdown, wars, and pandemics have all been piling up, intersecting and escalating one another in implacable ways. What is less clear is the way in which this complex global polycrisis is articulated and manifesting in the various sub-components of the world system, across the divides of this multipolar and multi-imperialist world capitalist formation. Particularly, but not exclusively, this first Historical Materialism conference in Eastern Europe will be interested in the specific place of the region in today’s polycritical world: what is the role of the old “Second World” in today’s global context dominated by a still hegemonic and expanding (while also retreating) First World and a fragmented, dominated, yet increasingly assertive Global South? But also, what is the place and meaning of the former socialist bloc in the global history of Marxism, critical theory and social movements? Which of its legacies are worth rediscovering, resurrecting, or instead should be discontinued?
Besides the streams covering problematics pertaining to Eastern Europe, the conference welcomes presentations and panels on all the traditional themes and topics of the Historical Materialism series, as well as discussions on the most pressing and critical aspects of today’s world, with a particular emphasis on materialist readings of recent developments in media, technology & popular culture.
Whilst we encourage papers and panels that address these themes, the Historical Materialism Cluj Conference seeks to provide a space for critical Marxist theory and research across the globe and the range of disciplines and interests. Other papers and panels that enrich Marxist understandings – historical and contemporary – of theory and philosophy, culture, politics, political economy and societies under modern capitalism are also welcome.
The organizational committee of Historical Materialism Cluj 2024 can be reached at hmcluj2024@gmail.com
Please note that individual papers and panels should include:
- Names of participants with e-mails and affiliations, and clear indication of a corresponding author where there is more than one participant
- Title of paper or panel – In the case of a paper, an abstract of no longer than 300 words. In the case of panels, an overarching description of 300 words and as relevant, abstracts for individual papers.
Partial submissions may be rejected if they are incomplete. Please submit panels here and papers here.
We invite submissions from all producers of knowledge, working within or outside institutions (researchers, students, educators, activists, organizers, cultural workers, artists, writers, translators, editors, journalists, etc.), in a variety of formats. Apart from papers and panels, which can be submitted via the online form, we warmly welcome proposals for roundtables, book launches, debates, workshops, etc. Please send a brief description (300 words) of your planned event, including bios of all participants to: hmcluj2024@gmail.com.
We still believe that this particular format of the in-person conference offers a unique and irreplaceable form that brings together comrades, enables discussion, helps the dissemination of new and original research, creates research networks and communities, and builds solidarity. This is why we will not normally accept online presentations. We would also note that we do engage in online broadcasts and podcasts all year round for such sessions.
As in the past, the conference ethos is strictly egalitarian. This means everyone is invited to contribute in a comradely spirit, the conference is open to all currents of critical Marxist theory and we expect all presenters to attend the entire conference, not just their own session (with no ‘cameo appearances’). The conference is an important part of the broader Historical Materialism project – including the journal, the book series, and the global network of HM conferences – and we want to encourage all conference participants to get involved with these different elements, for example by submitting their conference paper to the journal.
Conference streams:
- Eastern Europe: Socialist Traditions and Contemporary Politics, Society & Economy
- Ecosocialism and Ecological Crisis
- Feminism: Theory, Practice, Politics, and Debates
- Care Work and the Value of Labor
- State and Territory
- Marxist Thought and Critical Theory Today
- Literature, Film & Media: New Perspectives from the Left
- From the Techno-Scientific Revolution to Big Tech
Deadline for abstracts [EXTENDED]: April 15, 2024
Conference fees:
Solidarity donations: 150 EUR;
High-waged: 100 EUR;
Mid-waged: 50 EUR;
Low-waged: 20 EUR;
Unwaged, students, freelancers, and unaffiliated: free.
We offer free accommodation for unwaged, unaffiliated, freelancers, and student participants, within our availabilities, as well as affordable or free catering options for all conference participants. Updates will follow.
Check out our Keynote Speakers here.
This conference is organised under the aegis of Historical Materialism: Research in Critical Marxist Theory (http://www.historicalmaterialism.org/), which supports a journal (http://www.historicalmaterialism.org/journal) a book series (https://brill.com/view/serial/HM) and Marxist conferences across the globe. The conference is part of the PHILSE project ran by Janovics Center for Screen and Performing Arts Studies at BBU Cluj-Napoca and partnered by tranzit.ro/cluj.
Register Online
Fee Payment
We remind you that the conferences fees are as follows:
- Solidarity donations: 150 EUR;
- High-waged: 100 EUR (recommended for full professors and associate professors)
- Mid-waged: 50 EUR (recommended for assistant professor and teaching assistants)
- Low-waged: 20 EUR (recommended for PhD students)
- Unwaged, students, freelancers, and unaffiliated: free.
Please remember to keep a copy of your payment and bring it to the registration desk. Payments are accepted until 15 days prior to the beginning of the conference. Please be mindful that people come from all over the world and distinct positions can mean different things in different countries.
To proceed to payment click the link: https://plati.ubbcluj.ro/en/Event/Details/224
Accomodation Info
CONFERENCE VENUE
The conference will take place in two buildings of the Babeș-Bolyai University: the Main Building (Kogălniceanu Street no 1) and the European Studies Faculty (Emanuel de Martonne Street – across the Main Building). Plenary sessions will take place in the Jean Monnet room (European Studies Faculty). In the same building you will find other four conference rooms: Club, Simone Veil, Nelson Mandela and Schuman Room, as well as the Pyramid Restaurant where all the lunches and coffee breaks will take place. In the Main Building you will find five other conference rooms: Lucian Blaga, D.D.Rosca, Vasile Bogrea, 125 and 310 room. Some special events will take place at the tranzit.ro space near the university, Napoca Street 16, first floor. The Registration Desk will be at the entry to the European Studies Faculty, accessible from the interior courtyard. Volunteers will be at the venue to guide you through.
ACCOMMODATION
All students and unaffiliated participants will be accommodated in the SPORT XXI student dorm, located on Pandurilor street nr 7, in single rooms. From the accommodation to the conference venue you can take a 30 min. walk or you can use public transportation.
MEALS
All participants will have a lunch covered by the conference on 29th, 30 and 31 august, at the location of the conference and also coffee breaks. Alternatively, here is a selection of restaurants with Transylvanian, Hungarian and mixed cuisine within walking distance:
BULGAKOV
Inocențiu Micu Klein Street 17
ZAMA
Napoca Street 16
VĂRZĂRIE
Eroilor Boulevard
