• Nationalism and Human Geography
2014-11-19
Call for Papers:
Nationalism and Human Geography.
Analysis, Critique and Interventions
Session at German Congress for Geography
1-6 October 2015, Berlin (Germany)
Chairs: Bernd Belina (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main) and Matthias Naumann (Leibniz Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning, Erkner)
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The nexus of national territory, the exertion of power by the nation state and nationalist exclusions will be analysed and critiqued from the specific perspective of human geography.
During the German Congress of Geography in 2015 it will be 25 years since the GDR acceded to the FRG. Several studies show that German nationalism has changed significantly since 1990. Critical voices claim that a radicalisation took place, one leading to further exclusions and a hierarchisation of groups and states. The euphoria over Germany’s unification was paralleled by nationalist hate campaigns and pogroms. The 25th anniversary of German unification provides an opportunity to reflect on nationalism – its emergence, political realisation and media representations – as well as to consider critiques and potential counterstrategies.
The session presents and discusses human geographical perspectives on nationalism. The focus lies on the nexus of national territory, the exertion of power by the nation state and nationalist exclusions. Departing from an analysis of these dynamics, a critical human geography approach argues against the apparent “naturalness” of nations and national identities as well as against nationalist ideologies and their violent articulations.
We invite papers dealing, for example, with
– nationalist spatial images and cartographies of the national (e.g. “map-as-logo”; B.Anderson) and their historical development,
– discourses and practices of national territorialisation and the demarcation of borders (e.g. “Schengen Borders Code”)
– everyday nationalisms, their codes and spatial representations (e.g. “banal nationalism”; M. Billig)
– verbal as well as physical violence against the other of the nation (e.g. “hate speech”; J. Butler)
Furthermore, we welcome contributions on anti-national interventions and human geography approaches that go beyond the nation.
The session includes four papers of about 20 minutes each to be followed by a discussion. Results of completed research as well as first conceptual ideas and work in progress are welcome.
Please submit your abstract by January 11th, 2015, online: https://www.congressa.de/dkg-2015/CallForAbstracts/?session_id=51 (webpage only in German) _____________________________________________________________
