Royal Holloway, University of London
Call for Papers
The Seventh Annual Doctoral Research Workshop on Central Asia
Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU
Saturday, 26 January 2019
Art and Culture – Actors or Representatives?
Convened by Dr Gül Berna Özcan, Dr Aliya de Tiesenhausen, Dr Gulzat Botoeva and Ms Rosa Vercoe (MA, MSc)Central Asian art and culture have been gaining increased attention both within the region and on the international scene. From the ancient Scythians, through the glory of the Turks and on to contemporary art, cinema, performance and literature, the region balances the view of itself between the exotic, the dramatic and the universally topical. Art and culture are often viewed as part of the soft-power strategy employed by the states. At the same time, artists and authors increasingly find themselves at the forefront of social commentary. The workshop aims to bring together scholars or participants of the cultural production who specialise in different, often isolated from each other, spheres. Bringing these together will enhance understanding of the current trends of display, presentation, accessibility and analysis that relate to individual countries or the entire region. This will help to question the purely creative nature of art and develop a critical approach to the role and use of culture by various actors – including states, commercial, charitable and non-governmental organisations, and individuals. This will elucidate the complexity and interdependency of various stakeholders engaged in nation building and formation of national identities in the region.All paper proposals should ideally be part of PhD research or a postdoctoral study addressing a country or a region in Eurasia. We would also welcome papers based on substantial practical experience and knowledge that contribute to overall understanding and critical analysis of the relevant issues. It is planned to publish the selection of papers from this workshop as a special issue in a journal that focuses on Central Asia.
Workshop Paper Themes:
- Visual Art – including traditional and contemporary art practices, exhibition possibilities, criticism
- Cinema – official projects and independent cinema, participation in international festivals, accessibility
- Literature – choice of language and intended audience, preference in publishing, use of text in online platforms
- Performing Arts and Music – use of traditional themes, balance between authenticity and ethno-exoticism
- Context of production – artists and authors working in the region or emigrating, use of national themes or preference for universality
- Relationships with financial backers – state, private individuals, sponsors and philanthropists
Submission details:
1. Author’s name, institutional affiliation and e-mail
2. A 300-500-word paper summary
3. A 100 word bio
Deadline for Submission: 26 October 2018
All submissions should be sent to: Dr Aliya de Tiesenhausen (aabykayeva@hotmail.com)
