CfP: From Rebellion to Revolution: Dynamics of Political Change
The recent waves of protests and demonstrations in many countries around the world have reintroduced the question of revolution and grass-roots system change to the political and scholarly agenda. Whether it is the fight against autocratic and corrupt regimes or protests against market-driven politics, in many of these cases revolution is in the air or already on the streets. Against this background, the 16th Berlin Roundtables on Transnationality from October 17 – 20, 2012 at Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB) want to examine the dynamics of political (and often violent) unrest that lead to, or at least aims at, fundamental structural transformations of political regimes and alterations in power relations between the masses and the elites. Our key questions are: Who makes revolutions and why? What influences the emergence and course of revolutionary situations? What the immediate and long term outcomes? And what are successful modes of transformations to more democracy?
Conference Format
Based on an international essay competition, approximately 45 applicants will be invited to discuss their research, concerns and agendas with peers and prominent scholars in Berlin. The Irmgard Coninx Foundation will cover travel to and accommodation in Berlin. Discussions will take place in three workshops:
Workshop 1 "Revolutions, Democratisation and Democracy"
chaired by Wolfgang Merkel (Political Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin/ WZB) and Christoph Stefes (Political Science, University of Colorado Denver/WZB),
Workshop 2 "The Genesis of Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements" chaired by Jeff Goodwin (Sociology, New York University) and Sonja Hegasy (Middle Eastern Studies, Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin), and
Workshop 3 "International Intervention in Revolutionary Processes"
chaired by TBA.
The conference will be accompanied by public evening lectures by Nancy Fraser (Political Philosophy, The New School for Social Research) and Amr Hamzawy (requested, University of Cairo/Freedom Egypt Party).
Eligibility and Application Procedure
The call for papers extends to scholars (max. up to 5 years after Ph.D.) and practitioners (e.g. workers in governmental or urban services, NGOs, journalists). Please submit your paper (maximum 3500 words including footnotes and bibliography), an abstract (max. 300 words), a narrative biography and a CV using the online submission form and the style sheets for your abstract and essay.
Submission deadline is June 30, 2012. Please note that co-authorship and already published papers will not be accepted. All participants are expected to actively participate during all days of this workshop.
Irmgard Coninx Research Grant
Conference participants are eligible to apply for one of up to three short-term fellowships to be used at the WZB in Berlin. For further information on the fellowship please visit our research grant site. Conference participants will receive all necessary details on the grant application shortly before the conference.