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Cultural diversity in European capital cities since 1945: Berlin, London, Madrid and Paris
La diversité culturelle dans les capitales européennes depuis 1945 : Berlin, Londres, Madrid, Paris
Published on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 by Anastasia Giardinelli
Summary
The seminar, which explores the cultural life and policies of four European capital cities – Berlin, London, Madrid and Paris – since 1945, devotes its fourth year on the study of cultural diversity, in partnership with MHHI and the Ministry of Culture’s History Committee.
Announcement
Presentation
The seminar, which explores the cultural life and policies of four European capital cities – Berlin, London, Madrid and Paris – since 1945, devotes its fourth year on the study of cultural diversity, in partnership with MHHI and the Ministry of Culture’s History Committee.
European metropolitan cities, major and attractive hubs of migration
European capital cities are areas that always have attracted population. Key economic and politico-administrative centers with ancient international reach, communications nodes… Their international openness continued to increase since 1945. Political factors such as the decolonization of European empires, relentless wars all over the world, persecutions conducted by dictatorial regimes, unequal development have led many communities to European capital cities. Those from Southern Europe but also from Eastern Europe have been attracted to areas that could offer educational and work opportunities as well as the ability to win their freedom. The four European capital cities aforementioned are then marked by cultural diversity. Here, in its original sense, diversity is seen as the plurality of cultures in order to analyze the relations between the various cultures in areas where migration inflows have been ongoing. Cultural diversity varies from one of these cities to another. Some, such as London and Paris, have seen migrations waves coming from their former colonial empire since World War II. The sequence of events was defined by decolonization, migration policy – which were flexible or deliberate between the 50’s and the 70’s but restricted thereafter. These capital cities are also influenced by closeness and history for different reasons – such as the Turkish immigration to Berlin or the one coming to Madrid from Africa. Berlin’s stance during the Cold War, the drawing power of West Berlin on those trying to escape Communism, Madrid after Franco’s regime or those exiled from Latin America… The issue is further complexified by the migration crisis of the 2010s.
Reception into the host societies
Through five artistic and literary topics, the seminar aims to analyze the transculturalism that happened in these capital-cities, the places, the people, the communication medium (migratory flows are not the only driving force to take into account) – and the main institutions, which made them possible. It is likely that phenomena of institutionalization would be emphasized. The stakes of these cultural and creative practices brought by migrants and their offspring deal with visibility, recognition, legitimacy and appreciation as resources or cultural heritage, which then takes part in the metropolises’ cultural center. Politics, of course, has its own part in this evolution. It is likely that cultural contacts have created resistance or on the contrary have somewhat hastened acceptance in the host societies. Specific cases can certainly be found, depending on specific territories and moments, which show a differential receptivity. Gradual recognition of cultural diversity by political institutions in various areas – the European Union and UNESCO – will provide relevant chronological landmarks and should enhance the comparative approach.
Migrants, cultural actors
Beyond how these transfers are seen in the metropolitan areas, the seminar will analyze the contributions, the inflow and the redefining of these cultural and creative dynamics related to the presence of these migrations, in order to understand the method of hybridization, but also the creations and innovations that emerged through migrants’ initiatives. Their cultural activism could lead to genuine commitment. The collective co-productions of new practices related to cultural transfers, the artists’ trajectories, the leaders’ commitments gave a political sense – visibility, claiming rights, resistance against racism etc., which will be weighed against the conditions or the obstacles that have spread in these metropolitan areas along with their presence, to strengthen, support this emergence – or not.
All the cultural sectors cannot be addressed; choices were made and are broad enough to attempt to measure the key rhythms and factors of cultural transfers. Ultimately, we might see cross-culture phenomenon, hybridization emerging in areas affected by globalization since the end of the 20th century.
2018-2019 seminar conducted by Françoise Taliano-des Garets and Laurent Martin
- 20th century Social History Centre at Paris I University
- ICEE Paris III
- Bordeaux Institute of Political Studies
- the Ministry of Culture’s History Committee
- MNHI – National museum of the history of immigration (Musée national de l’Histoire de l’immigration)
Submission Guidelines
The communication proposals have to be written on the topics discussed in the five panel discussions and focus on one or several cities out of the four mentioned. An abstract of 1500 characters maximum and a brief bibliography have to be sent before August 30th 2018 at the following email addresses:
- f.taliano@sciencespobordeaux.fr
- laurent.martin@sorbonne-nouvelle.fr
The seminar will be in French and English. The seminar will be featured in an issue of « Hommes & Migrations ». Travelling and hosting fees are included.
Provisional timetable
December 6th 2018, from 2 pm to 4 pm
Visual arts and diversity in European capital cities since 1945 As part of the MNHI/MacVal exhibit – Exhibition “Persona Grata” (from October 2018 to January 2019)
February 7th 2019 from 2 pm to 4 pm
Cultural heritage and memories of immigration in the European capital cities since 1945
March 14th 2019 from 2 pm to 4 pm
Performing arts and cultural diversity in the European capital cities since 1945
April 11th 2019 from 2 pm to 4 pm
Exile literature and language(s) in the European capital cities since 1945 As part of the MNHI’s Exile Literary Prize
June 20th 2019 from 2 pm to 4 pm
Music and cultural diversity in the European capital cities since 1945
Subjects
- History (Main subject)
- Mind and language > Representation > Cultural history
- Society > Sociology > Sociology of culture
Places
- Paris, France (75)
Date(s)
- Thursday, August 30, 2018
Keywords
- diversité culturelle, histoire de l’immigration
Contact(s)
- Laurent Martin
courriel : laurent [dot] martin [at] sorbonne-nouvelle [dot] fr - Françoise Taliano-des Garets
courriel : f [dot] taliano [at] sciencespobordeaux [dot] fr
Reference Urls
Information source
- agathe de legge
courriel : agathe [dot] de-legge [at] culture [dot] gouv [dot] fr
To cite this announcement
« Cultural diversity in European capital cities since 1945: Berlin, London, Madrid and Paris », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, https://calenda.org/456066
