March 19-20, 2020
University of Bern
Bernisches Historisches Museum
www.materialcultureintransit.c
organisers@materialcultureintr
Call for Papers
Artefacts are subject to, and actors of, change. What exactly is it that
changes along the way of an object`s movement? Material objects of cultural
and historical value encounter a history of drafting, production, use,
dislocation, documentation and interpretation. All these dimensions of an
object`s biography are access points to different understandings – and even
epistemologies – regarding the question “what is transformed, when objects travel?” We
call for an interdisciplinary brainstorming to allow for an exchange of
perceptions on the narratives of an object’s biography structured by
wide-ranging and somewhat indefinite categories such as “meaning and
memory”, “space and time”, “causalities and contingencies”. On that note,
researchers from Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, and History
are encouraged to submit object-centered contributions. Which spaces has an object
traversed, and what kind of transformations has it undergone or instigated
through its voyage? How do different types of spaces interact with objects,
given that the idea of “spaces” might address different realms of human
life and knowledge production? Abstracts anchored to the categories
mentioned above may include (but are not limited to):
Material Culture and Religion
We focus on the materiality of religion and the modes in which religious
objectives and beliefs have been communicated through, and sustained by,
material practice. We pay attention to material culture as a crucial
feature of religion following cross-cultural and parochial examples. These
may signify physical structures, apparel, ritual artefacts drawing broadly
from research topics from different disciplinary perspectives.
Museology and Representation
Museums have institutional power over transformations of meaning and
memory, and play a critical role in the “politics of display”; this role
calls for critical exploration of the responsibilities of the museum and
the archive in creating narratives and establishing an object`s history.
Here, the role of the curator seems to be critical, although the function
of the curator might not only be limited to the museum curator but to all
persons that fulfil the role of an artefact’s interpreter, be it on a
subjective day-to-day basis or under scientific scrutiny.
Urban Transformations
Urbanization is understood as an agent of transformation of inhabited
spaces of culture and identity. When it comes to the investigation of the
histories of material culture, urban spaces pose additional challenges and
feature specific characteristics. How are the transformation processes
invented and expressed through the lens of urban morphology? Furthermore,
serial and mass products seem to rid themselves of singularity and
uniqueness, while in heritage studies and practice, these qualities seemed
to be essential for the definition of an object’s cultural, social, or
historical significance. Material culture and heritage in urban spaces
therefore require particular attention.
Abstract submission
Proposals for contribution can be submitted via e-mail to
organisers@materialcultureintr
with “Abstract Submission” as subject.
In case your contribution is accepted, we expect to receive completed
papers until the end of 2019.
– Submission deadline: September, 15th
– Notification of acceptance: October, 15th
Submission requirements:
• Paper title
• Abstract (300 words or less)
• Keywords (1–5)
• CV (No more than 3 pages)
Organisers:
*Zainabu Jallo*
Department of Social Anthropology
University of Bern.
Lerchenweg 36
Postfach 999
CH-3012
Department of Anthropology
USP – Universidade de São Paulo
Rua do Lago,
717 – CEP 05508-080
São Paulo SP, Brazil.
zainabu.jallo@cgs.unibe.ch
*Samuel Bachmann*
Bernisches Historisches Museum,
Collection Department
Scientific Assistant
Africa and Americas
Helvetiaplatz 5
Postfach 149
CH-3000 Bern 6
Telefon +41 31 350 77 46
Fax +41 31 350 77 99
Samuel.bachmann@bhm.ch
*Conference supported by*
Bernisches Historisches Museum
University of Bern
Swiss National Science Foundation
Burgergemeinde Bern