2012 Annual Conference: ‘Grand Challenges for the Humanities?’

Utrecht University, the Netherlands, February 28-March 1, 2012

The purpose of ECHIC is to provide a forum to discuss important issues in the field of arts and humanities. More specifically, the Consortium aims to speak up on behalf of members in dialogues with ESF, EU and others on matters concerning humanities research and to establish a network for mutual benefit and possible identification of partners for European research collaboration ECHIC is committed to organize an annual Humanities Conference at one member institution which would involve all partners and interested stakeholders.

Conference convener: Prof. Rosi Braidotti (Utrecht)
Organizing Committee: Prof. Poul Holm (Dublin); prof. Marxiano Melotti (Florence)

The conference will have five components:
A)     Academic papers on the four themes mentioned below;
B)     A parallel coordinators session;
C)     An institutional forum;
D)     An extended digital programme;
E)     A business meeting for ECHIC members.

A) The general conference theme ‘Grand Challenges for the Humanities?’
is organized around four scientific panels. Each panel will be
introduced by a keynote speaker and will consist of two other paper
presentations.
The themes of the panels will be:
1.      Environmental Humanities. Convener: prof. Poul Holm
2.      Civic responsibility of the Humanities. Convener: Prof. Susan Manning
3.      Global Humanities.  Convener: Prof. Rosi Braidotti
4.      Cognitive Humanities. Convener: Prof. Marxiano Melotti

Please send 300-word abstracts for papers on one of these four themes plus a short bio to info[at]echic.org. The DEADLINE for proposals is January 15, 2012.
It is intended to publish a selection of papers in a peer/reviewed journal dedicated to arts and humanities.

B) There will be a parallel coordinator’s session entitled ‘Supporting Content: Policy Management, Finances & Communication Strategies for Humanities Institutes and Centres ’, for coordinators and administrators of Humanities centres and institutions.  This parallel session will focus on three practical topics:
Best practices in funding
Best practices in assessment
Best practices in communication
Panel coordinator: Esther Rinkens (CfH, Utrecht University)

C) There will be an Institutional Forum for international policy makers in the field of the Humanities, which will welcome speakers
from the ESF, ALLEA, Net4Society, The Dutch Research Organization and the European Commission.

D) As an extended programme, we are happy to present a series of events on the: “Digital Humanities “, which will highlight the relevance of classical Humanities fields such as musicology, media studies and linguistics for contemporary digital culture.

E) The conference will be closed by a business meeting for all ECHIC members, for which a separate agenda will be circulated closer to the date.

Practical Information

Conference Registration

You can register for this conference by filling out the form on the ECHIC website: www.echic.org. Please use the comments section of the form to indicate whether you are working as a coordinator/administrator at your institute. The registration fee is €
300 (including 2 lunches, 2 dinners and refreshments) and instructions for payment will be sent to you once your registration has been confirmed.
PLEASE NOTE the conference registration DEADLINE: February 5, 2012.

Call for Papers

The deadline for the paper proposals is January 15, 2012. Abstracts of
300 words plus a short biography can be submitted at info@echic.or