CFP: Mapping Black Europe: Monuments, Markers, Memories, eds. Natasha Kelly (BRD) and Olive Vassell (UK) Abstracts due March 31

Mapping Black Europe: Monuments, Markers, Memories edited by Natasha A. Kelly (BRD) and Olive Vassell (UK) CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS

Deadline: March 31, 2021

Introduction

Across Europe Black communities have been challenging dominant societies for centuries. They have seldom been honored for their contributions to social and cultural life, which have shaped each country respectively. The number of sites of public memory, e. g. monuments or statues, street names or city plaques, which all can be considered political representations of Black people in Europe and their histories, are limited. This book aims to record sites of public memory, markers and monuments throughout Europe that represent past events as associated with the values and narratives as well as the biases specific to Black people living in Europe today.

Objective

In Europe, Black Studies has not yet been institutionalized, instead the contributions of Black intellectuals are often missing or marginalized although they have been working in several fields with direct insight and expertise, for decades. And, even when Black contribution is present, it most often comes from outside the lived experiences of Black Europeans, disallowing Black European activist and academic voices to be part of their own debate. Understanding how a country celebrates its Black people and their experiences, which monuments are erected and which organizations are funded indicates how questions of integration and migration are dealt with on their behalf, which political measures are in place and which challenges are faced.

Target Audience

In producing Black knowledge not only academic works have been important, but also the contributions of activists, journalists and authors who have helped shape Black European identities for centuries. This publication seeks expert contributions that are structured along the lines of urban landmarks which can be viewed as a map of Black Europe. Our aim is to facilitate conversation between academia, activists and the wider public on issues of history and memory and to foster dialogue and critical understanding of the contributions of Black people to European experiences.

Required contributions/qualifications

Authors must be native to the following cities:

• Amsterdam • Andorra La Vella • Athens • Belgrade • Bern • Bratislava • Bucharest • Budapest • Cardiff • Chisinau • Copenhagen • Dublin • Edinburgh • Helsinki • Kiev • Madrid • Minsk • Monaco City • Moscow • Oslo • Lisbon • Ljubljana • Luxembourg • Paris • Podgorica • Prague • San Marino Citta • Sarajevo • Skopje • Sofia • Stockholm • Reykjavik • Riga • Tallinn • Tirana • Vaduz • Valletta • Vienna • Vilnius • Zagreb

Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit a chapter proposal of max. 500 words on or before March 31, 2021 focusing on the following subsections:

1. An urban landscape/municipale area/ public space, which includes markers such as plaques, street names, buildings etc.

2. A philosophy/ideology (past or present) that influenced Black activism/identity in the respected city or country

3. A Black community/political organization active in each city.

Authors will be notified by April 15, 2021 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by August 1, 2021.

Note: There are no submission or acceptance fees for manuscripts submitted to this book publication.

All proposals should be submitted to 12blackbeans@gmail.com

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published by Transcript Verlag, an international academic publisher in Spring 2022.

Important Dates March 31, 2021: Proposal Submission Deadline

April 15, 2021: Notification of Acceptance

August 1, 2021: Full Chapter Submission

October 1, 2021: Final draft

Inquiries can be forwarded to Natasha A. Kelly & Olive Vassell: 12blackbeans@gmail.com