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Call for papers

Classes and Civil Society

Organized by:
CINEFOGO Network of Excellence

Sofia, Bulgaria, 1-2 June 2009

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Call for papers

The relationship between social classes and the civil society has been one of the central themes in sociology and social sciences in general from the 19th century to the present. However, it seems that since the 1980s this theorization has been carried out partly with avoiding the use of class theoretical conceptualizations.

Themes

The purpose of this conference is to get together researchers studying various aspect the class - civil society relations. We are welcoming both theoretical and empirical contributions as well as those developing method(olog)ical solutions for empirical research.

Main themes of the conference are:

1. The relationship between class structures and civic organizations. In various countries the impact of class structures on political, ideological and cultural organizing continued to the 1970s-1980s. This was also reflected in research and theorizations on that field. But since then we don’t have a clear total picture about these relationships, for example what is the role of political (organizational) subcultures in various countries.
2. The relationship between voluntary organizations and classes has proceeded from classes to voluntary organizations. But there is a strong tradition also studying the impact of voluntary associations, social movements in various countries and during various historical periods. The interest is struggle about categorization and representation of inequalities by parties, associations and movements and other civil society actors. Special value are those contribution taking into consideration the reinforcing dialectics between classes and civil society organizations and actors.
3. Citizens’ journalism, the Internet and the new group (stratus, class) formation. The papers could deal with the competition of various forms of collective action, and the interpretation of (class) interests and their role in the representation of (class) interests and in the production collective identities.
4. Polity regimes and civil society organizations in the past and in present. One important theme consists of comparative studies about state - civil society relations as expressed in various typologies.

Organization

The organizers pay the accommodation in Sofia including 2 two nights in hotel.

The organizers does not pay any travel expenses.

How to participate

Please send a short abstract (no more than one side) to raimo.blom@uta.fi or msiisiai@yfi.jyu.fi by 31st March 2009.

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Official web site

Please check the conference's official web site for updates and further details.

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