Mediterranean Identities. Formation and Transformation

International Conference: University of Leicester, Friday 26 - Sunday 28th March 2010

Recent studies of the Mediterranean have been dominated by the construction, reinforcement, representation and renegotiation of identities. As a departure point, this conference will address theoretical approaches to the formation and transformation of these identities throughout time and space. Especially, the use of comparative methods in the history of communal identities in the Mediterranean Sea will highlight not only the course of their development but also will explain their extraordinarily long survival, e.g. Greek or Jewish Identity.

Questions to be addressed might include, but are certainly not limited to: 1) How are identities formed? 2) How are they represented? 3) How do communities and societies organize and express themselves spatially? How does their identity relate to that of surrounding spaces and surrounding communities? How permeable are the boundaries? 4) How is power distilled from heterogeneity? 5) To what extent is the formation of identities governed by economic considerations? 6) How do wars, revolutions and migrations affect collective identities? 7) How do identities develop and evolve over time? 8) To what extent can we identify a 'Mediterranean identity'? 9) Can we recognize patterns of identity that cut across different Mediterranean communities and cultures? 10) How far did the elite centres of Greece and Rome inform the ways peripheral communities and later societies deployed and understood their populations, geography and environment? 11) How should we approach the archaeology of identity? This conference is part of a larger project that aims to assess the value of 'identity' as a tool of intellectual enquiry in the disciplines of archaeology, classics, history, literature and art history. It sets out to explore identities in the full range of spheres - social, political, cultural, religious and economic - and their value as a tool of historiographical enquiry into ancient and modern societies in the Mediterranean world. Furthermore, it seeks to depart from the 'traditional' social constructionist interpretations, who focus only on the impact of culture on the formation of identities.

Diverse methodologies are encouraged, although proposals should indicate strong theoretical content and considerations that will appeal to a wide range of discipline. Papers should be of twenty minutes' length. Abstracts of approximately 200 words should be submitted by 30 July, 2009. Successful contributions may be considered for publication in a peer-reviewed conference volume.

Place : University of Leicester
begins : 26/03/2010
finish date : 28/03/2010

Organisers
Leicester:	Dr Constantina Katsari
Nottingham:	Dr Mark Bradley
TOPOI	Dr. Kerstin Hofmann
Official Email:	MICHA@nottingham.ac.uk