Forms of Inequality and the Legitimacy of Governance
Organized by: International Urban Symposium
Convenors: Italo Pardo and Giuliana B. Prato, University of Kent, UK
Montecatini Terme, Italy, 28-31 July 2023
This 4-day International Conference is organized by the International Urban Symposium-IUS. It will bring together junior and senior scholars from around the world, who will present their work based on ethnographic knowledge on Forms of Inequality and the Legitimacy of Governance.
Mainstream publications have recently addressed inequalities in health, income, education, labour market and competition, and the gaps between different parts of a country – often worsened by the effects of stereotype and stigma. While concern with inequalities stays at the forefront of today’s public and policy debates, worldwide, equality of opportunities, of access to resources, to compete continues to be a utopia. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed pre-existing inequalities, often bringing out graphically the ramified ways in which they – individually or in combination – threaten the very fabric of the economic, social and political system. Our analysis needs to recognize the nature and interconnections between different forms of inequality and investigate the major forces combining to create inequalities.
With a keen eye on citizens’ rights and their betrayal, the Conference aims to address variations of inequality across the world, the socio-economic, fiscal, legislative and political forces that determine them and the efficacy and legitimacy of the policies implemented to tackle them. In view of the fundamental distinction between equality and levelling argued comparatively in “Urban Inequalities: Ethnographically Informed Reflections” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), we invite scholars from the social sciences to participate in this event with ethnographically based papers to address key topics in this field.
Key Topics
• Employment, Unemployment and Work, including the “Gig economy”, digital work and the deep inequality between the “guaranteed” who enjoy secure employment and trade union protection and the “non-guaranteed” (e.g., the self-employed, the small entrepreneurs, employees on casual contracts);
• Economic and Non-economic Resources;
• Access to Credit (individual and national);
• Healthcare and Public Health;
• Housing: accessibility, financialization;
• Gentrification;
• Education and Educational Opportunities;
• Regional Disparities.
Revised papers will be considered for publication in the open-access, peer-reviewed Urbanities-Journal of Urban Ethnography (https://www.anthrojournal-urbanities.com/), either as part of a Special issue or as individual articles. If applicable, collections of revised papers may be considered for publication in edited volumes in the Series “Palgrave Studies in Urban Anthropology” (https://link.springer.com/series/14573).
Scientific Committee: Gary Armstrong (City University of London, UK); Hana Cervinkova (Maynhoot University, Republic of Ireland); Subhadra Channa (Delhi University, India); Ketevan Khutsishvili (Tbilisi State University, Georgia); Jerome Krase (Brooklyn College, CUNY; USA); Italo Pardo (University of Kent, UK); Giuliana B. Prato (University of Kent, UK); James Rosbrook-Thompson (City University of London, UK); Liora Sarfati (Tel Aviv University, Israel); Manos Spyridakis (University of Athens, Greece).
DEADLINES
- Deadline for Paper Proposals: Titles and 200-word Abstracts should be submitted no later than Monday 13 March 2023.
- Deadline for Panel Proposals: Proposals should include: 1) the Panel Title and 150-word Abstract; 2) At least 4 papers (including titles and 200-word Abstracts), and should be submitted no later than Monday 13 March 2023.
Proposals should be sent to Prof. Italo Pardo at i.pardo@kent.ac. uk and Prof. Giuliana B. Prato at g.b.prato@kent.ac.uk.
- Acceptance of Papers and Panels: Monday 27 March
- Registration Deadline: Monday 15 May 2023
CONFERENCE FEES
Conference Fees should be paid no later than the Registration Deadline (15 May 2023).
The Conference Fee is inclusive of Registration and 4-day Accommodation (en-suite hotel room), covering Conference facilities, air conditioning, Covid-19-related sanitation, certifications, administration, conference folders, breakfast, coffee breaks and light lunch.
- 4-day single room stay: Arrival 28th July, Departure 1st August. €480.
- 4-day twin room stay: Arrival 28th July, Departure 1st August. By arrangement with the organizers, participants will have the opportunity to share a twin room accommodation with their chosen colleagues. If a twin room is chosen, the total fee for the event will be €420 per person.
- Students 4-day single room stay: Arrival 28th July, Departure 1st August. €410.
- Students 4-day twin room stay: Arrival 28th July, Departure 1st August. By arrangement with the organizers, students will have the opportunity to share a twin room accommodation with their chosen colleagues. If a twin room is chosen, the total fee for the event will be €350 per person.
- Registration exclusive of accommodation (paid by the registration deadline – 15 May 2023): €250
- Late (after 15 May 2023) and Onsite Registration exclusive of accommodation: €350.
Funding
The organizers hope to obtain funding and, thus, be able to support the participation of low-income delegates. However, we strongly encourage participants to apply for funding from their university or other funding institutions.