Call for Papers for the Critical Approaches to Romani Studies conference, May 24-25 2018, Budapest, Hungary

Conference: Critical Approaches to Romani Studies

Date: 24-25 May, 2018

Deadline: 25 February, 2018

Venue: Central European University, Budapest, Hungary

The Romani Studies Program at the Central European University is pleased to invite scholars to submit abstracts for the Critical Approaches to Romani Studies conference organized in May 24-25, 2018, Budapest, Hungary.

The Roma have been an object of academic inquiry for centuries. In spite of the increasing number of articles, studies, and books, especially since the collapse of communism, Roma participation in shaping the discourse on themselves has remained very limited. In the name of scientism and objectivity, Roma have been de facto excluded from knowledge production. Recently there has been an increasing number of Roma and non-Roma researchers and academics using critical theories and methods in their work on and with Roma. They propose a paradigm shift in Romani Studies and challenge the dominant academic and policy discourses. They question the status quo and suggest inquiries into the forms of oppressions Roma are facing and the importance of structural racism for Roma and Romani identity.

The conference takes place annually and aims to provide a forum for scholars embracing critical approaches and methods to Romani Studies. We are especially keen to receive papers on the following topics:

• The relevance of Postcolonial studies for Romani studies
• Romani women’s activism and gender politics
• Epistemic and structural violence against Roma
• Critical Race Theory and researching forms of oppression of Roma
• Empirical inquiries into forms of antigypsyism
• Critical analysis of Roma inclusion policies
• Roma representation, self-representation, and cultural appropriation

Guidelines for authors

Proposals are welcome from researchers at all stages of their careers (including MA graduates and PhD students). Young scholars of Romani origin are particularly encouraged to apply.

Please send proposals including the author’s name, title, a 500-word-long abstract, a 100-word long biography and institutional affiliation (if relevant) to res@ceu.edu.

Deadline of submission: February 25, 2018. All abstracts will be peer-reviewed by the academic program committee. Successful applicants will be notified by March 10, 2018.

Original (not yet published) draft papers are to be submitted by April 30, 2018.

CEU covers travel, accommodation and meals costs for all the successful applicants who submit an original (not yet published) draft paper. Junior scholars (MA graduates, junior PhD students) may submit 2000-3000-word-long papers (including critical reviews of books or cultural events, products), whereas senior scholars are expected to contribute 4000-7000-word-long papers.

We recommend authors to present their draft paper at the conference; however, we are accepting submissions from scholars who cannot attend the conference as well. Selected papers might be published - after peer review – in the journal Critical Romani Studies.

About the Romani Studies Program at CEU

Central European University (CEU) is a graduate research-intensive university specializing primarily in the social sciences and the humanities, as well as law, business and public policy. It is located in Budapest, and accredited in the United States and Hungary. CEU's mission is to promote academic excellence, state-of-the-art research, and civic engagement. CEU offers both Master's and doctoral programs, and enrolls about 1400 students from 100 countries. The teaching staff consists of more than 180 resident faculty members from over 40 countries, and a large number of prominent visiting scholars from around the world. The language of instruction is English.

The Romani Studies Program (RSP) is an academic unit at CEU established in August 2017 and aims to engage scholars, policy makers, and activists in interdisciplinary knowledge production and debate on Roma identity and movement; antigypsyism; social justice and policy making; gender politics; and structural inequality.

RSP includes the Roma Graduate Preparation Program, a non-degree program for Roma graduates, the Roma in European Societies Initiative and academic teaching and research.

The Roma in European Societies initiative has been launched in 2016 as the first of its kind in higher education, a new interdisciplinary effort to support existing work to improve the situation of Roma in all sectors at local, national, and regional levels through teaching and research, leadership development and community outreach. The initiative is funded by a consortium of grant makers: the VELUX Foundations, the Open Society Foundations’ Roma Initiatives Office and the Roma Education Fund.

For more information on the Central European University, please visit www.ceu.edu

All inquiries should be directed to res@ceu.edu