SociologistEuropeanSociologis opeanEuropean Sociologist European Sociologist European Sociologist EuropeanSociologist Sociologist European Sociologist European Sociologist European ISSN 1385 478 x Bulletin of the European Sociological Association o Spring 2007 Issue Number 24 Conflict,Conflict, CitizenshipCitizenship andand CivilCivil SocietySociety 3rd-6th September 2007, Glasgow / Scotland Key dates: 15th April 2007: Decisions on acceptance of abstracts by RN coordinators and RS conveners relayed to paper-givers and conference organizer in Glasgow notified of abstracts that have been accepted. 31st May 2007: Earlybird conference registration closes 15th July 2007: Final date for registration by presenters of papers 3th - 6th September 2007: ESA Conference in Glasgow Contents The 8th ESA Conference / Glasgow 01 President’s Message 02 Full Program 03 Social Events Programme 05 Conference Information for Research Networks 06 Registration Deadline and Fees 06 ESA Contact Information 07 ESA Research Networks 07 The ESA Executive Committee Contact Information 08 Communicate with the ESA 08 The ESA Executive Committee 09 Committees (Members and Attributions) 09 Become a Member of the ESA 09 Conferences and Call for Papers 10 Workshops 10 Jobs and Open Positions 11 The Glasgow City Hall 1 Spring 2007 Issue 24 o Bulletin of the European Sociologist Association President's message The Work of ESA in promoting Sociology in Europe Dear ESA could we expand its presence European one and particularly members, within the European scientific qualitative data; we actually need community. Sixteen National to find new ways of storing Last December Associations of Sociology have qualitative knowledge, exchanging 2006 we held in taken part to our meeting, together them without loosing their context. Paris a meeting with Dimitri Corpakis, Head of the It is relevant to Sociology that more of the ESA Unit L1 at the DG Research, as our fundamental research is funded: Council of special guest. we face a situation where such National thing as a "European society" is still Associations at The meeting has been first of all a largely a fiction and many the initiative of chance for informing our Europeans still feel excluded from the President, of the Committee for colleagues of the current situation Europe-all issues that require external relations of the ESA ExeC of science policy instruments and fundamental research. and of the chair of the ESA Council. the place of Sociology within them. We had proposed also to our RNs Dagmar Kutsar on ESF and ESS, In the end, we decided about to come, but most of them did not Carlo Ruzza on ERA and FP, actions in order to advance on all react at all and others preferred to myself on ERC and ISE, we have these points; NA will send to ESA discuss separately from the reported on that situation and on lists of possible evaluators from National Associations. the efforts that ESA has set up for their countries, the ESA RN on fulfilling the task. Corpakis has Qualitative Methods will set up a Therefore we plan to devote to presented in details the FP7 and research project about storing these issues at least part of the discussed with us the means for a qualitative data, some participants newly established Council of ESA greater visibility of Sociology: in will work on the idea of an RNs in Glasgow. particular, he stressed the infrastructure devoted to the importance of the peer review exchange among sociology As I had already the chance to panels and encouraged us to play researchers (a sort of Center for explain, it is my personal conviction a role by proposing lists of Advanced Study), others have and of the ESA ExeC as a whole evaluators. He also stressed the engaged in studying a that ESA has an important role to importance of working in close questionnaire to circulate among play in promoting the role of relation with our representatives in all members of each NA in order to Sociology in Europe. For this the ERC (M. Castells and H. broaden the consultation process. purpose, our committee for Nowotny), of approaching external relations and myself are members of the FP committee at At the 8th ESA Conference in engaged in the Initiative for the national level, of activating a Glasgow, the meeting of the ESA Science in Europe (ISE) and work consultation of our scientific Council for National Associations together with representatives from community for defining our will resume this debate and all sciences in order to put on priorities for the future. hopefully advance toward building paper requests from the scientific up common views; I have already community for the development of Then, we had a general discussion invited Helga Novotny to science in Europe. The aim is to on the needs of sociology, with participate and hope she shall be put ESA on the position of special focus on issues such as able to come. expressing common views of the criteria applied in the EU science sociological community in Europe policy, training programmes, in relation to the core bodies of EU research infrastructures and peer Yours, science policy, namely the ERC, reviews panels. We raised Giovanna Procacci the FP and the DG Research. questions about compatibility of criteria such as "competitiveness" We have then proposed to all with sociological research, or about List of National Associations having National Associations of Sociology "excellence": is it in the social participated to the ESA meeting: in Europe to open a consultation, to sciences as in the hard sciences? Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, put on the table their views about Limitations due to a lack of France, Germany, Hungary, what is most needed for promoting available data have also been Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sociology, what are the brought in: we have more data at Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, perspectives of our discipline, how the national level than at the Swiss 2 Bulletin of the European Sociologist Association o Issue 24 Spring 2007 On the following pages you will find detailed information about the events at the 8th Conference of the ESA. You can read about the full program, the social events, the research networks and about booking and registration. Full Programme Monday, 3rd September: Tuesday, 4th September: 3 Spring 2007 Issue 24 o Bulletin of the European Sociologist Association Tuesday, 4th September: Wednesday, 5th September: 4 Bulletin of the European Sociologist Association o Issue 24 Spring 2007 Thursday, 6th September: Social Events Programme Drinks at the Royal Concert Hall evening of the (Monday 3rd September): conference. Requiring Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall is the venue for the participants (rather conference's opening plenary. A post-plenary drinks than observers) reception will be hosted at the Royal Concert Hall ceilidhs are set Scottish allowing delegates the opportunity to network and dances to traditional socialise. live Scottish music, but don't be alarmed, there Civic Reception - Glasgow Science Centre will be plenty of help for (Tuesday 4th September): beginners (and a few Glasgow's City Council will be hosting a Civic drinks to loosen you reception on the second evening of the conference at up). the Glasgow Science Centre. In addition to the Located on the banks of the River Clyde opposite the dancing there will be an SECC, Glasgow Science Centre offers a variety of opportunity to view The unusual and exhilarating venue experiences amidst People's Palace which is Glasgow's social history the height of contemporary cool. Officially branded a containing the story of the people and city of Glasgow 5-star venue by VisitScotland, hospitality is provided from 1750 to the present. You can see paintings, prints within 3 iconic buildings. and photographs displayed alongside a wealth of historic artefacts, film and computer interactives. The reception will take place within the main Science Mall which houses hundreds of interactive science Walking & Bus Tours (daily): exhibits and puzzles throughout four open plan floors. Throughout the conference walking and bus tours will be book-able during early evenings. The bus tours will Ceilidh give a guided tour of the Glasgow's most famous (Wednesday 6th September): landmarks, while the walking tours will focus on more A ceilidh will be held for up to 300 delegates at The sociological aspects of Glasgow's city centre. People's Palace and Winter Gardens on the third Additional details about the programme including more information about plenary speakers, information given by Research Networks can be found at the conference home page: http://www.esa8thconference.com/programmeinfo/index.php 5 Spring 2007 Issue 24 o Bulletin of the European Sociologist Association Conference-Information for Research Networks Sociology in Europe: history of social sciences. Research Networks: In the Glasgow Conference there will be As stated above, the Executive considers the first meeting of a new consultation Conference Abstracts: that the RN:s have an important role in the body, the Research Network Council at The ESA Glasgow Conference organising organisation of the ESA. They form the 2.00-3.30pm on Monday 3 September. committee has received 1800 abstracts by backbone of the whole organisation. This is an initiative by Giovanna Procacci, the submission deadline. Initially there Therefore it is important that we have up- the President, and the ESA executive were some worries, because there were to-date information about them. Committee. As the RN:s are central in the few early abstracts. However, on the day of Information about RN:s can be found in the life of the Association, it was considered the deadline the organisers received 1023 ESA website. However, this information important to have a regular forum not only abstracts. The RN:s coordinators have can be rather scant and it is not always up- with National Associations, but also with received the abstracts as well.