Summer School: Imaginations, Construction and Staging of Space in Global Processes (University Leipzig, Germany, June 11-14, 2018)

Over the past decade, the Summer School of Leipzig's Graduate School Global and Area Studies has established itself as an important meeting place for the interdisciplinary discussion of transnationalization and transculturalism as well as new trends in the research of globalization in general. The 2018 edition, which again is organized in close cooperation with the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) and the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 1199: "Processes of Spatialization under the Global Condition" addresses the issue of imaginations of space and their role in global processes. With its thematic focus, the summer school takes up the annual conference's theme of the SFB (taking place in October 2018) and provides an arena for young researchers more specifically to present their ongoing research related to imaginations and space-making under the global condition. The Summer School is meant to provide the PhD-students of the Graduate School with an opportunity to an intense exchange with fellow PhD candidates and Postdocs from abroad on topics of common interest and to network across disciplinary as well as geographical boundaries. Thus, we heartily invite young researchers from all over the world whose research interests are related to the focus of this year's Summer School.

Thematic Focus of the Summer School Imaginations are a key dimension of globalization, not only because they reflect processes of globalization and endow them with meaning, but because imaginations become themselves a productive force in processes of spatialization under the global condition. In order to act transnationally, transregionally or even globally, people must expand far beyond the limits of their body-space and act on multiple scales. They mobilize, construct, connect, or subvert a plurality of spaces. To do so, they imagine geographies and spaces of action, connecting and cross-cutting locations, nations, or institutions. We thus need to move beyond an abstract notion of globalization as the ubiquity of flows, but address "globalizations" in the plural, as a multiplicity of projects of space- and place-making, of which imaginations are a key dimension. In this way, the differentiation of the diversity of flows and the plurality of efforts to control them, to determine their speed and scale, to produce interruptions as well as connections become visible. Investigating imaginations is a productive approach to understanding processes of space-making as part of such globalizations. The construction of new or alternative spaces, struggles for dominant modes of spatial formatting, spatial ordering and spatial bordering, or the construction of collectives and communities as well as of exclusions and otherness are all expressed – and become observable – through spatial imaginations and the people who produce them. Imaginations are basic dimensions and relevant drivers of spatial constructions, and these activities include the perception, reflection and imagination of different spaces like e.g. landscapes, environments, sceneries, terrae, or lands. Imaginations on the one hand reflect practices and experiences of re-spatialization, on the other hand they can also be part of efforts to produce and claim spatial formats, by imagining what has not yet become a dominant re-spatialization (and maybe never will be), or by re-invoking spatial formats that have already disappeared. The Summer School will focus on practices, methods, modes and forms of imaginations which are developed, applied and/ or challenged by actors in different times and places, investigating dynamics in different world regions in comparative and transregional perspectives: How is space produced through the perceptions, reflections, imaginations of actors under the global condition? How are these spatial imaginations driving and legitimating different globalization projects? Which actors are involved in these dynamics, which modes and forms of spatial imaginations emerge, are challenged, or become pluralized? Imagination plays a role in all sectors of society – evidently not just in culture and the arts. Different notions that are in use – such as geographic imagination or sociological imagination or political imagination – point to the diversity of fields in which the power of imagination has become a topic of research. Imaginations are expressed in language and texts, images or maps, in performance and architecture amongst others, and thus often also have a material dimension. They circulate across spaces, or are confined and bound to territories. We invite contributions that present case studies and/or integrate them into a comparative discussion of imaginations of spatialization under the global condition.

Sequence of Events of the Summer School The Summer School is organized into panels of 3–5 presentations each. Additionally, invited keynote speakers will introduce main aspects of the general theme. At the end of the Summer School, a round table with reports from the panels will bring the major findings together and integrate them into a final conclusion. Panels will be organized by young researchers who are invited herewith to submit applications containing a 1-page description (300 words) of the panel's main goals and its relevance to the overall topic of the Summer School, plus a list of possible speakers with an indication if they have already agreed or have to be contacted after the acceptance of the panel. The selection of the panel will be undertaken by a committee of the Graduate School where supervisors as well as PhD candidates and postdocs are represented. Individual time slots will be assigned by the organizers of the Summer School, but preferences of participants will be taken into consideration. In addition, active participation in the discussions of the Summer School is expected. Keynotes and panel presentations can be conducted in English or German. The discussions are generally held in both languages.

Application Young researchers interested in the topic are cordially invited to submit either a proposal for a panel or an individual paper by application to the Summer School. The application should include: - Personal details, as well as academic status, including relevant academic affiliation. - An abstract of 300 to 500 words, together with an explanation of its connection to the ongoing dissertation as well as its relevance to the overall topic of the Summer School.

via post and via e-mail to: Leipzig University, Graduate School Global and Area Studies Dr. Martina Keilbach Emil-Fuchs-Str. 1 04105 Leipzig E-mail: phd@uni-leipzig.de

Registration and application deadline: 30 April 2018 Authors of accepted papers will be informed no later than 10 May 2018. A maximum of 25 papers will be selected. In order to prepare for academic commentary, submission of the actual paper (10 pages) is expected by 31 May 2018. The paper will be pre-circulated and should fit within a presentation between15–20 minutes.

Participation fee The participation fee is 50 Euro. This fee covers all costs for conference material (including a reader of relevant publications that are discussed at the Summer School by keynote speakers), refreshments during the breaks, lunch meals, as well as participation in the welcome reception and the cultural events that will be held during the Summer School. Upon request, reasonably priced accommodations in Leipzig will be arranged by the conference office. With successful participation in the Summer School, it will be possible to receive a certificate from the Graduate Centre Humanities and Social Sciences. Further information can be found under: www.uni-leipzig.de/ral/gchuman ECTS: You can also earn ECTS credits for the Summer School. You can earn 3 ECTS for the continuous participation in the Summer School. The acceptance of credits is the responsibility of your home university.

Childcare For all events, childcare will be provided. Registration is requested (by 31 May 2018) at the above-mentioned address.