Urban Cultures of the Caribbean

[i]Call for papers[/i] International, interdisciplinary Symposium September 27-29, 2007 University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica The event will be organized by the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work, in cooperation with the Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Department of Geography and Geology of the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus). This symposium aims to bring together experts from a range of academic disciplines - including anthropology, sociology, cultural studies and human geography - to discuss various cultures of the urban Caribbean. We invite contributions discussing cities in the Dutch, Hispanic, Francophone and Anglophone Caribbean. In this symposium, we aim to explore how the specific nature of cities and urban cultures can cause a difference in the discussion of Caribbean cultures. We wish to increase a better understanding of both Caribbean cultures and of urban spaces. We aim not only at a celebration but also a critical examination of such cultural manifestations, assessing their role in both the positive and negative aspects of urban life. Potential topics include urban subcultures, countercultures and lifestyles; musical and performance cultures; urban symbolism and imaginings of urban space; historical perspectives on Caribbean urban cultures; urban space and sexuality; architecture, identity and culture; ethnicity and contested space. Interested contributors are invited to submit an abstract, accompanied by a short bio, by June 1, 2007. Abstracts should not exceed 250 words in length and should be sent in electronic form to Rivke Jaffe at [url=mailto:rivke.jaffe@uwimona.edu.jm]rivke.jaffe@uwimona.edu.jm[/url] . Participants will be expected to submit their full conference paper by [b]September 1, 2007[/b]. Limited funding may be available to overseas participants.