Political, Social and International Studies
Post-graduate Research Conference
Shifting Boundaries of the Public and Private
University of East Anglia
Norwich, UK, 5 June 2009
The boundaries between the public and private spheres are central to how we study politics, society and culture, economy, political theory and international relations, amongst others. The public/private distinction encapsulates the division between state/family/individual and market and between individual/family and state.
Over the past few decades, the boundaries between these two spheres have shifted as a result of globalization and transformations of legal codes, social attitudes, economic and political systems, the shift from government to ‘governance’, as well as the emergence of ‘new actors’ (for example, the EU, NGOs, international organizations, multinational corporations, non-state/sub-state political and military groups, amongst others).
Some questions that this conference seeks to address, include, but are not limited to:
• How do we define ‘public’ and ‘private’ in today’s ‘globalizing’ world?
• How do conceptions of public and private differ over time or between places?
• How does the development of religion affect both public and private spheres?
• How does new media shape the public sphere?
• How legitimate are non-governmental or other ‘new’ actors in attempting to define public interest?
• How do ‘old actors’ (such as political elites, trade unions, professional groups, religions) act in new ways?
• How are religion and politics merging in different contexts?
• What does privatization and the impact of new public management mean for the role of government, the relationship between government and citizens and the provision of public services?
• How is the private sphere being reshaped by international and transnational processes?
• What role should state/regional/international law play in protecting invasions of privacy whilst simultaneously protecting individuals within the private sphere?
• How are identities constructed/managed in the context of transformations?
The conference is open to all post-graduate researchers. Send a 300-word abstract of your proposed paper, a recent CV and your contact details to S.El-Tarouty@uea.ac.uk by 15 February 2009. Successful applicants will be notified by the beginning of March and are required to submit their final papers of 8,000 words by 22 May. Possibilities for publication of presented papers will be discussed during the conference.
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