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Editor in Chief: Ronald F. Abler - Associate Editor: Markku Löytönen - Editors: Giuliano Bellezza, Woo-ik Yu - Managing Editor Giuliano Bellezza - Publisher: Home of Geography This issue is circulated to more than 1100 individuals and bodies. Announcements, information, calls for participation in scientific events, programmes and projects, are welcome. Please send them to g,bellezza@homeofgeography.org Contents of this Issue
3.1) Message from Ishak Schnell, Chair of the Organising Committeee 3.2) MRP Project for Tel Aviv 3.3) Commission Gender and Geography, Pre Tel Aviv Conference 5.1) Languages and visions of Landscapes and Territories, Miraflores de la Sierra, 5-8 February 5.2) Contemporary Challenges for the Mediterraenan Basin, Rome, 24 February
1) PRESIDENT'S ABLER REMARKS
Dear Colleagues, The Second Circulars in English and French for the 12-16 July 2010 IGU Regional Conference in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel are now available. For details regarding the conference including accommodation options, commission meetings, and field excursion information visit the conference web site at http://www.igu2010.com. As promised in the May issue of the IGU E-Newsletter, this issue includes the draft minutes of the IGU Executive Committee meeting held in May in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. As noted in the minutes, the executive committee has largely achieved consensus on its priorities for the 2008-2012 period. The committee will meet again in late September in conjunction with the 20th Festival International de Géographie in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France. We would be most happy to have your thoughts regarding the priorities outlined in the minutes and especially additional suggestions regarding effective ways to achieve those priorities. Please address your comments to me at rabler@aag.org. Best wishes, Ron Abler, President
2) MINUTES OF THE IGU MEETING IN TEL AVIV, 4-5 MAY 2009, IGU Secretary General International Geographical Union Executive Committee Meeting Tel Aviv, 4-5 May 2009 Participating: Ronald F. Abler, President; Vladimir Kolossov, First Vice President; Woo-ik Yu, Secretary General and Treasurer; Vice Presidents Giuliano Bellezza, Ruth Fincher, Aharon Kellerman; Markku Löytönen, Michael Meadows, Dahe Qin, and Dietrich Soyez; and IGU Executive Assistant Sarah Kim; Excused: Vice President Irasema Alcántara-Ayala. Welcome and Meeting logistics Abler welcomed the members of the executive committee to Tel Aviv and thanked them for attending the meeting. He expressed particular appreciation to Kellerman and his colleagues for arranging the logistics for the meeting and for the hospitality the committee meeting schedule promised, and to Fincher for participating in the meeting via an internet audio-visual link despite the six hour time difference between Tel Aviv and Melbourne. The committee approved unanimously the agenda Abler had submitted to the committee. Minutes The committee reviewed the minutes of its October 2008 meeting in Seoul. Those minutes having been approved by the committee in January 2009, no further action was deemed necessary. Operations IGU Countries Membership Yu provided the members of the committee with an updated list of member countries, which the committee reviewed prior to a discussion of ways the executive committee could enlarge country membership in the IGU and encourage lapsed and observer members to re-affiliate and become active. Noting that he had attempted to make contact with the committee chairpersons in all the countries for which he was responsible, Soyez asked for guidance regarding the specific liaison responsibilities of members of the executive committee. The IGU Statutes offer little guidance regarding the liaison responsibilities of executive committee members. Meadows reviewed his experience and suggested that finding ways to bypass contacts who are no longer active or who have lost interest in IGU is necessary. In general, executive committee members should be active rather than reactive with respect to contacts with national committees, as well as with the IGU Commissions and Task Forces for which they are liaisons. In reviewing membership data, committee members made note of the discrepancies among countries in dues levels. Given the state of the IGU's finances, the committee agreed that each member would contact the countries for which she or he was responsible to encourage both the payment of dues and arrears and an increase in dues category if it seemed appropriate. Further discussion led to a decision to explore the possibility of setting standard rather than voluntary dues, as a number of international organizations, including the International Council for Science (ICSU) are now doing. A committee consisting of Fincher, Yu, and Abler was asked to prepare a proposal for standardized dues based on the ICSU model for review by the executive committee at its September 2009 meeting. IGU Financial Report and Projection Secretary General and Treasurer Yu provided financial reports for calendar year 2008 and for the first few months of 2009 for the committee to review. The IGU's financial condition is sustainable, though little discretionary money to support programs or ventures beyond basic operations is available. Income in 2008 was $ 127,423 and expenses were $144,422 for a loss of $16,999. IGU expenses normally exceed income in years in which an IGU Congress is held. Cash on hand at the end of 2008 was $102,185. CCHD/UNIY Initiative The committee reviewed the progress being made in implementing the Cultures and Civilizations for Human Development/United Nations International Year (CCHD/UNIY) initiative under the leadership of Benno Werlen of the University of Jena and chairperson of the IGU Commission on the Cultural Approach in Geography. After a productive meeting in Rome in June 2006, Werlen obtained funding from sources in Germany to underwrite the expenses of a project secretariat at Jena. Given the evolution of the project since its inception by Adalberto Vallega and Jean-Robert Pitte, renaming the project the United National International Year (of Global Understanding) is appropriate. The executive committee commended Werlen's effective leadership of the initiative, especially the steps he as taken to publicize the initiative to a number of organizations and in several countries. In response to Werlen's request for €20,000 for support for the UNIY Secretariat, the committee agreed that such an amount might be allocated over a period of several years, but that an immediate grant in that amount was not feasible. The committee asked Abler to convey the substance of its discussion and decision to Werlen after further consultation with Bellezza, Kellerman, and Kolossov, including the continuing need for representation from Africa, Asia, and Latin America on the project's steering committee. Kolossov will continue to serve as the primary point of contact between Werlen and the IGU Executive Committee. Commission and Task Force Momitoring and Review Abler reviewed the IGU's policy regarding the monitoring of commission and task force work and provided executive committee members with the letter that outlines the structure and content of the annual and four-year reports commission and task forces are required to submit to the executive committee and the general assembly, respectively. A similar letter will be transmitted to the chairpersons of commissions and task forces in October requesting that their reports for 2009 be submitted by 31 December 2009. In response to a query regarding IGU policy regarding participation in commission and task force meetings by the vice president who serves as liaison with the executive committee, Abler noted that such visits are desirable but IGU funds to support them are extremely limited. IGU Bullettin Progress Abler reported limited progress on the delayed issues but he has identified a local printing firm that is willing to attempt the assembly of the diverse materials that are to be collated for some of the outstanding issues. Secretariat Executive Assistant Sarah Kim has begun assembling the 2007-2008 issue. Mediterranean Renaissance Program Kellerman summarized the written report submitted by MRP program Executive Secretary Maria Paradiso that reviews recent work, including the program's 24 February 2009 meeting in Rome and the MRP's plans for future work. The group's work is going well and it is developing plans to become self-sustaining financially. The program has no requests for the executive committee at this time. Geographical Journals Evaluation At the IGU General Assembly in Tunis in August 2008 Ton Dietz (Netherlands) suggested that the IGU undertake a project that would identify and assess geographical journals on a global basis in collaboration with national committees for the IGU in member countries. Several members of the executive committee are excited about the suggestion, noting that although similar listings exist in other disciplines, an inventory of geographical journals is desperately needed owing to the tyranny of the Institute of Scientific Information, which does not serve geography well. The committee reviewed a brief report prepared by Dietz in collaboration with Alcántara-Ayala, Kellerman, Meadows, Qin, and Soyez, and agreed that the proposed project should begin with an inventory that would help expose geographers to the variety of journals that exists and later move on to assessment only when a comprehensive journal inventory is in hand. The committee suggested that Abler contact Ton and offer to send a letter to the chairs of national committees asking them to collaborate with Dietz on the effort. Executive committee members Kellerman, Meadows, Qin, and Soyez will continue to work with Dietz on implementing the program. Corporate Membership The executive committee reviewed a proposal submitted by Ton Dietz (Netherlands) in response to a request from Abler that he follow up on his observation at the August 2008 general assembly in Tunis, the IGU has not yet enrolled a corporate member although the 2004 general assembly in Glasgow changed the IGU Statutes to authorize the admission of members in that category. The proposal outlines a series of specific steps that might be taken to attract and retain corporate members in various industries. The difficulties of raising funds in the current depressed economic situation notwithstanding, and with due attention to possible conflicts of interest that could arise between the IGU and its member countries in soliciting funds from the same potential donors, the committee agreed that the effort should proceed; the committee suggested that Abler should ask Dietz to prepare a more specific list of the industries to be recruited, and to suggest language that could be used in a letter from the president to national committees attempting to enlist them in fund raising on behalf of IGU. IGU Unit and Coordinator Terms Kellerman noted that the IGU Statutes contain no provisions regarding the duration and terms of office of such IGU units as the Mediterranean Renaissance Program and the Cultures and Civilizations for Human Development/United Nations International Year. The committee agreed that in the absence of formal guidelines the executive committee would follow the same procedures that are applied to commissions and task forces. Home of Geography Bellezza reported no change in the status of the Villa Celimontana-Home of Geography. After some lengthy transfer difficulties, the funds promised by IGU to Villa Celimontana in October have now been transferred. A planned May 2009 meeting of the joint International Geographical Union/Società Geografica Italiana (IGU/SGI) Villa Celimontana was cancelled owing to the inability of the SGI members to attend. The IGU archives have been moved from the space they formerly occupied but are still accessible and the meeting facilities of the SGI remain available for IGU use on a space-available basis. Co-operations and Outreach International Council for Sciences (ICSU) Abler represented the IGU at the 29th ICSU General Assembly held in Maputo, Mozambique in October 2008. In addition to the customary reports from ICSU officers, the meeting focused primarily on implementation of the new ICSU strategic plan and on reports of ongoing ICSU projects, including the initiatives devoted to Integrated Research on Disaster Risk, Ecosystem Change and Human Wellbeing, and Health and Well-being in the Changing Urban Environment. ICSU officers and visitors also reported on the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP), the World Climate Research Program (WCRP), the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP), and the International Polar Year (IPY). A discussion regarding the future of the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment was inconclusive, as was the discussion following a report on Enhancing the Involvement of Social Sciences in ICSU given by a member of ICSU's key Committee on Scientific Planning and Review. It is clear, however, that the current ICSU leadership would welcome greater participation in ICSU by major international social science unions. The IGU has designated Meadows, Qin, and Alcantara-Ayala its liaisons with ICSU's regional offices for Africa, Asia, and Latin America respectively. Abler will inform the appropriate ICSU regional office directors of the appointments. ICSU GeoUnions The ICSU GeoUnions, an informal consortium of earth science unions within ICSU, has met from time to time for some years to identify and act upon matters of common interest. The group met prior to the ICSU General Assembly in October. Discussion at the meeting was devoted largely to preparation for the ICSU General Assembly, with specific focus on GeoUnion participation in the activities of the ICSU regional offices, nominations of members for ICSU committees and for ICSU offices, the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) science program, and the IYPE and its future. International Social Science Council The ISSC held its 27th General Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa in November 2008. Abler represented the IGU at the proceedings. Attention at the meeting focused on the forthcoming May 2009 World Social Science Forum to be held in Bergen, Norway and on the planned World Social Science Report that is to be completed in 2010. Other ISSC initiatives reported upon included Social Science Capacity Development by the Committee on Developing and Transition Economies (CoDATE), the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) which ISSC sponsors jointly with ICSU, the Comparative Research Programme on Poverty (CROP), the Gender, Globalization and Democratisation (GGD) initiative, and the Research on Ethnic Conflict: Approaches to Peace (RECAP) program. Affiliation with the CPHS Abler will continue to pursue IGU affiliation with the Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies, which would be helpful in pursuing the goals of the CCHS/UNIY. Festival International de Géographie (FIG) The organizers of the International Festival of Geography in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France have enthusiastically accepted a suggestion that the IGU Executive Committee hold its Fall 2009 meeting in conjunction with the Festival. Oceans is the theme of the 2009 Festival, and the year's Pays d'honneur is Spain. In addition to holding the executive committee meeting prior to FIG itself, the members of the committee should try to participate as actively as possible in the many meetings and events that take place during the festival. Possible contributions by one or more members of the executive committee might focus on, among other topics:
International Year of Planet Earth Abler represented the IGU at a meeting of the IYPE Board of Directors in London in January. In addition to the usual organizational matters, the meeting focused primarily on what is to, or should become of the IYPE's programs after the official end of the United Nations IYPE in 2010. There was general and often enthusiastic agreement among the members of the board that IYPE was highly successful and that its accomplishments could provide a sound foundation for further education and research programs in the earth sciences. Further discussions will explore how the IYPE legacy might be built upon and where funds might be obtained to underwrite such efforts. International Cartographic Association (ICA) Prior to 1988, the ICA and the IGU held their congresses at the same time in the same venues. ICA recently broached the possibility of reinstituting that practice in the future, perhaps in Vancouver in 2020. Abler will continue discussions with ICA officers on that suggestion and on other kinds of collaboration on topics of mutual interest. HERODOT Bellezza has been in negotiations with HERODOT Director Karl Donert regarding the possibility of producing an edited collection of contributions on GIS and geographical education as a joint HERODOT-Home of Geography effort. The project is still under discussion. International Geographical Congresses and IGU Regional Conferences Tunis International Geographical Congress The committee reviewed the report on the August 2008 Tunis International Geographical Congress received a few days prior to the executive committee meeting. Income from registration fees, event and excursion charges, and subventions obtained by the local organizing committee totaled $563,340; expenses for all congress events and facilities, including a contribution to the IGU Promotion and Solidarity fund of $9,150 totaled $539,984, resulting in a net surplus for the Association of Tunisian Geographers of $23,356. The congress was held under the patronage of The President of Republic of Tunisia Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The main congress attracted 1,113 paid participants and an additional 274 attended IGU Commission meetings held in or near Tunis, for a total attendance of 1,387. Tunisians constituted the largest body of delegates (292), followed by Japan (69), the United States (68), and China (62), and Germany (50). The organizing committee made 20 grants to young scholars from developing countries to defray their costs of participating in the congress. Among the other dignitaries participating in the opening and closing sessions were IGU First Vice President José Palacio-Prieto; Professor Sergio Pastrana, representing the International Council for Science (ICSU); Professor Eduardo de Mulder, President of the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE); Professor Mongi Bousnina, General Secretary of the Arab League of Educational, Cultural, and Science Organiztion (ALECSO); and Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Technology Professor Lazhar Bou Ouni. The entire report on the congress will be published in the 2007-2008 issues of the IGU Bulletin. Abler will acknowledge receipt of the report and the appreciation of the IGU Executive Committee for the efforts of the IGU's Tunisian colleagues. Tel Aviv-Jaffa Regional conference 2010 The committee received a detailed rundown on the plans for the 2010 regional conference including an inspection of the hotel and conference facilities in which the conference will be held. The executive committee met and lodged in the Dan Panorama Hotel Tel Aviv which is situation on the Mediterranean a few city blocks north of Old Jaffa. The Dan Panorama and its adjacent conference center will be the main conference hotel and the venue for conference sessions. The executive committee also met with and received reports from the conference local organizing committee and Target Conferences, Ltd., the professional conference organizers who will handle registration and program development for the meeting. The University of Haifa will offer a graduate pre-conference course entitled "Mediterraneity," which will offer a wide exposure to Mediterranean dimensions, including numerous field trips. All aspects of conference planning are well ahead of schedule. The members of the executive committee offered congratulations and thanks to Kellerman and the members of the local organizing committee for their efforts on behalf of IGU 2010. The members of the local committee requested the assistance of the executive committee in identifying potential exhibitors for the conference. Executive committee members agreed to provide the committee with the names of agencies and firms in their respective countries who might be interested in exhibiting at the Tel Aviv-Jaffa conference. Santiago, Chile 2011 Regional Conference The conference is tentatively scheduled for November 2011, which may not be optimal for northern hemisphere delegates. Abler plans to attend the November 2009 International Cartographic Association meeting that will be held in the same venue and organized by the same committee that will host the 2011 IGU conference. He will explore the possibility of alternative dates by mail and then in person in November. Köln, Germany International Geographical Congress 2012 Vice President Soyez provided the committee with a comprehensive and detailed update on plans for the 2012 congress. German geographical organizations and the University of Cologne have made major commitments of financial and logistical support for the congress and the administrative structure for conference management has been established with Professors Frauke Kraas and Dietrich Soyez serving as coordinators of the local organization. The final dates for the conference are still being discussed with Köln University officials but a decision should be available by the end of July 2009. Among other features of the congress, the organizers will focus on broadening the appeal of the meeting beyond geographers and stress the value of geography in service to society. Soyez also raised the possibility of organizing several sessions devoted to the status of geography in specific countries that would be sponsored by the IGU Executive Committee. The organizing committee will make every effort to keep the cost of congress registration below that of recent congresses. Kyoto, Japan 2013 Regional Conference The executive committee did not request a report. Krakow, Poland 2014 Regional Conference The executive committee did not request a report. Moscow, Russia 2015 Regional Conference Vice President Vladimir Kolossov reported that the meeting will be held in the premises of Moscow State University during the last week of July 2015. Beijing, China International Geographical Congress, 2016 Vice President Dahe Qin reported that the congress local committee will be established in 2010. The congress will most likely be held in the month of August. The future of IGU Congresses and Conferences In light of the long-term secular decline in the number of delegates attending IGU meetings, the committee undertook a lengthy discussion of ways to make IGU conferences and congresses more attractive to more scholars and practitioners in geography and related disciplines. Among the specific suggestions that emerged from the discussion were:
IGU Congress and Conferences Memoranda of Agreement The occasional misunderstandings and disagreements that arise between the IGU Executive Committee and local conference and congress organizing committees often result from the long lag time (as much as eight years or even more) between the selection of a meeting location and the actual event; it is not unusual for those who sought and accepted the responsibility for a conference or congress to have died, moved, or retired by the time the event occurs, leaving the responsibility for the meeting in the hands of individuals who were not involved in tendering the invitation for the meeting, and who may be indifferent, or in the worst case were even opposed to soliciting the meeting. Such difficulties would not be totally resolved by written memoranda of agreement between the IGU and local organizers, but the basis for misunderstanding and disagreements would be clarified by such documents. Historically, the provisions governing IGU meetings have been contained in long series of letters and e-mail messages among multiple individuals on both sides that may not be available to all interested parties. Using the correspondence between former Secretary General Eckart Ehlers and members of the local organizing committee for the 2004 Glasgow Congress, Abler will prepare a draft memorandum of agreement to be concluded between future local organizers and the IGU Executive Committee for review by Kellerman, Meadows, and Soyez prior to further discussion at the executive committee's next meeting. Executive committee members suggested that the memorandum address the following items, among such others as may be appropriate:
IGU priorities for 2008-2012 The 2008-2012 executive committee resumed the priorities discussion undertaken at its first meeting in Seoul in October 2008 and in subsequent correspondence. Following from the earlier discussion regarding IGU meetings, the committee agreed on three interrelated priorities:
Soyez reported on inquiries made by colleagues in China-Beijing who would like to establish a commission devoted to research on the informal economic sector in various countries of the world. Additional information and perhaps a proposal will be forthcoming. Consideration of such a proposal will raise questions regarding possible overlap with existing commissions as well as whether the IGU needs a policy regarding commission proliferation. A Commission on Transportation Yves Boquet (France) has discussed with Abler the possibility of establishing an IGU Commission on Transportation. He will prepare a formal proposal for executive committee consideration at its next meeting in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges. Executive Committee Meeting Schedule The next meeting of the IGU Executive Committee will be held in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges in conjunction with the Festival International de Géographie. Executive committee members should arrive in Saint-Dié on 29 September 2009. The executive committee meeting will conclude on 1 October, but members are encouraged to remain in Saint-Dié through the conclusion of the festival on 4 October and to participate in the many sessions and events of interest. Honors and Awards IGU Planet and Humanity Medal The committee discussed possible recipients. A suitable prospect was identified and will be contacted prior the next executive committee meeting. Laureats d'honneur Nominations from national committees will be solicited in November 2009 for awards to be made at the Tel Aviv-Jaffa regional conference. IGU Honours Committee Nominations from national committees will be solicited in November 2009 for awards to be made at the Tel Aviv-Jaffa regional conference. Adjourn Having concluded its consideration of the items on the agenda, Abler adjourned the meeting with thanks to the members of the committee for their attention and contributions and to the Israeli colleagues for their kind and warm hospitality and excellent logistical support.
3) TEL AVIV REGIONAL CONFERENCE 2010 3.1) Message from Ishak Schnell, Chair of the Organising Committee IGU REGIONAL CONFERENCE 2010 Tel Aviv, Israel, July 10-16 2009 Bridging Diversity in a Globalizing World is the underlying theme of the IGU Regional Conference 2010, which will take placr in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 12-16 2010, Israel provides a highly suitable backdrop for this task. Physically situated at the focal intersection between the European, Asian and African continents and demographically, culturally, and politically rooted in each of them, no location better reflects the theme of 'bridging diversity'. Hosting the IGU regional conference in the city of Tel Aviv further highlights the conference theme. Tel Aviv reflects a level of social and cultural diversity unparalleled even in a society as heterogeneous as Israel. As the bustling economic core of the country, Tel Aviv, with its 2.5 million metropolitan inhabitants, provides the ideal venue for an inspired engagement with the challenges of bridging diversity. Several keynote speakers will be invited for the plenary sessions dedicated to the central conference theme. An opportunity for discussion on current geopolitical topics will also be provided.
Geographers are invited to present their research on any topic in Physical and Human Geography. Instructions for the submission of papers can be found in the Second Circular of the conference. Commissions are actively engaged in organizing their commission meetings to take place either prior or during the conference, and many field trips have been arranged for pre and post the conference. Commissions that have not yet decided on the format of their commissions events at the conference are encouraged to integrate their meetings within the general conference resulting in a saving of funds for the commission. The Second Circular, containing all updated information regarding the conference can be found on the conference website: www.igu2010.com and will be provided on request from the Conference Secretariat at geography@targetconf.com The Steering Committee takes great pleasure in inviting colleagues to the IGU Regional Conference and looks forward to welcoming you to Tel Aviv, the "city that never sleeps". Ishak Schnell 3.2) Mediterranean Renaissance Project for Tel Aviv Regional Conference is preparing Sessions, in collaboration with Commissions Preliminary ideas for sessions are as follows: Commission of Political Geography, sessions on the general theme: 'Mediterranean borders.' The co-organizers for the sessions (maybe more than one) will be Anton Gosar and David Newman, with help from Giuliano Bellezza (themes on borders: physical, human political, economic, cultural). Contacts have been taken by Theano Terkenli with the Commission on Tourism and Cultural Geography. Commission on Climate Change: Annick Douguédroit is taking care of contacts. Maria Paradiso (Uiversity of Sannio, email paradiso@unisannio.it) and Barney Warf (Kansas University, US, email bwarf@ku.edu) co-organize a session entitled 'Mediterranean information societies: Between traditional cultures and contemporary global communications' for the Commission of the Global Information Society. Papers investigating these issues from various perspectives (e.g. regional, urban, rural, gender, political, social, cultural) are welcome. 3.3) Gender and Geography for Tel Aviv Regional Conference July, 8-10, 2010, Pre - Conference Meeting on: Bridging Gendered Diversity in a Globalizing World The IGU Commission on Gender and Geography will organize a pre-conference meeting which will take place at Notre Dame de Sion Monastery in Ein Karem, Jerusalem , just before the main event, from 8-10 July, 2010. In addition, we are planning to have several sessions of the Gender and Geography Commission at the main conference, some jointly with other Commissions (possible collaborations with Commission on Political Geography, Commission on Local Development, Commission on Indigenous People Knowledge and Peoples' Rights - all joint sessions need to be confirmed). Interested participants can see all the details in www.homeofgeography.org/commission-eArchive/fromTunistoKoln/C08.10 We look forward to meet you in Ein Karem, Jerusalem Shalom, Tovi, Orna and Chen
4) KÖLN IGU INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS The following appeal, published in the newsletter of the German geographical community (Rundbrief, no. 216, January 2009), testifies to the organisers' will to broaden the base for IGC Cologne 2012. The international geographical community is also cordially invited to keep in touch with the Cologne team. We look forward to receiving your suggestions Frauke KRAAS AND Dietrich SOYEZ a) English text IGC Cologne 2012: Concept, organisation, core team - and a cordial invitation to help Dear Colleagues, The International Geographical Congress (IGC) in Cologne in August 2012 will focus on the essentials, as the play on words in its motto "Down to Earth" already signalises: The contents will address central scientific core topics and give IGC Cologne 2012 a recognisable profile. At the same time, the congress will be down to earth, i.e.: We want to hold a cost-effective congress in Cologne without expensive representation, in which challenging scientific exchange in a stimulating and friendly atmosphere can take place. With this back to basics philosophy, it will be possible to keep down the costs of this congress in Cologne, in comparison to the previous congresses, and thus attract considerably more participants from developing and newly industrialising countries as well as young researchers. In addition, the congress will also appeal to students and pupils; the latter will be included through a School Olympics organised by the Association of German School Geographers (Verband Deutscher Schulgeographen/VDSG). Furthermore, we want to lead the congress back to the university, away from expensive conference centres - with all the advantages and disadvantages that are connected with a large university such as the University of Cologne. As pinpointed at the last IGC in Tunis 2008, Down to Earth means:
Since the IGC Tunis 2008, the Cologne core team has developed the basic organisational structure for the IGC Cologne 2012, which is illustrated in the following figures: The first figure shows that in addition to the core team that operates in Cologne, the cooperation of the colleagues from German or rather German-speaking geographers is envisioned and emphatically desired! Please integrate your expertise, your creativity and your commitment into the organisation of the congress in Cologne, as well as your connections to international and interdisciplinary colleagues. Feel free to contact us anytime with your ideas and fields of interest in which you would like to help! The second figure summarises the individual organisation areas: While the areas of finances, infrastructure, logistics and technology as well as communication will be based in Cologne, we hope to obtain your cooperative help, especially in filling in the content areas of the congress, i.e. the fields in the top "rows". The core team in Cologne is comprised of the voluntary members Frauke KRAAS, Dietrich SOYEZ, Wolfgang SCHMIEDECKEN, Dorothea WIKTORIN and Ursula DÖRKEN as well as two scientists who were recruited specifically for the congress, Carsten BUTSCH and Holger KRETSCHMER. In addition, during the next two years, two more part-time positions for the congress will be funded by the University of Cologne. Let us be very clear and direct: Even though the IGC 2012 will be held in Cologne and hosted there by the Geographical Institute, which will contribute considerably to the organisation and contextual arrangement, the IGC Cologne 2012 should be understood as a congress, which the German geography community will support - along with the help of our foreign colleagues! The tasks ahead require close collaboration and active support. We hope that you will not view the IGC Cologne 2012 as a burden or additional stress, but as recognition by the international geography community as well as an excellent opportunity to enhance our discipline within the German scientific and education community. Let us use the IGC Cologne 2012 to enhance the image of geography in society! We look forward to a continuing cooperation with you! Kind regards, The Organizing Committee of the IGC Cologne 2012
b) Texte Français CIG Cologne 2012: Concept, organisation, équipe du congrès - et une cordiale invitation à apporter votre contribution au congrès Chères et chers collègues! Le Congrès International de Géographie (CIG) de Cologne en août 2012 se concentrera sur l'essentiel, comme le laisse déjà entendre sa devise avec son double sens voulu : placer au cœur du CIG Cologne 2012 des thèmes scientifiques centraux permettra de lui donner un profil qui s'affiche clairement. Dans le même temps, le congrès devra "garder les pieds sur terre" : nous voulons réaliser à Cologne un congrès aux coûts limités, sans représentation onéreuse et mettant au premier plan l'échange scientifique de haut niveau ainsi qu'une atmosphère stimulante et hospitalière. Cette philosophie du congrès a pour but de permettre, grâce à des coûts nettement moins élevés que lors des précédents congrès, d'attirer bien davantage de participants venant de pays en voie de développement ou d'émergence ainsi que des jeunes scientifiques. Il s'agit également de cibler ouvertement les étudiants ainsi que les élèves des collèges et lycées, ces derniers pouvant participer à une olympiade organisée par l'association des enseignants de géographie allemands en collège et lycée (VDSG/Verband deutscher Schulgeographen). Par ailleurs, nous voulons "rapatrier" le CIG des palais des congrès onéreux vers l'université - avec tous les avantages et les inconvénients que cela comporte dans le cas d'une université de grande taille comme celle de Cologne. La devise "Down to Earth", telle qu'en a été définie la quintessence lors du dernier CIG à Tunis en 2008, se résume ainsi:
Depuis le CIG Tunis 2008, l'équipe du congrès de Cologne (voir ci-dessous) a mis en place les structures de base de l'organisation du CIG Cologne 2012, exposées dans les deux illustrations suivantes. La première veut clairement montrer que, partant d'une équipe opérative centrale (en allemand la Kernteam) à Cologne, la coopération des collègues de la géographie allemande et germanophone est prévue et même expressément souhaitée! Merci de contribuer au congrès de Cologne en apportant vos compétences, votre créativité, votre implication ainsi que vos relations avec des collègues à l'étranger et dans un cadre interdisciplinaire. N'hésitez pas à nous faire part à tout moment des champs thématiques et des domaines dans lesquels vous envisagez une telle collaboration! Le second diagramme présente les différents ressorts: tandis que les domaines "formels" tels que finances, infrastructure, logistique, technique et communication seront essentiellement du ressort de Cologne, nous espérons votre collaboration surtout en ce qui concerne les contenus du congrès, ce qui correspond à la partie supérieure du diagramme. L'équipe de Cologne est composée de membres bénévoles: Frauke KRAAS, Dietrich SOYEZ, Wolfgang SCHMIEDECKEN, Dorothea WIKTORIN et Ursula DÖRKEN ainsi que de deux collaborateurs engagés spécialement pour le congrès, Carsten BUTSCH et Holger KRETSCHMER. De plus, pour les deux années précédant directement le congrès, deux postes à mi-temps supplémentaires seront financés par l'Université de Cologne. Permettez-nous de souligner clairement ceci: même si le CIG 2012 aura lieu à Cologne et si c'est à notre institut qu'il incombera d'apporter une importante contribution à l'organisation et à la conception thématique, le IGC Cologne 2012 se veut expressément un congrès porté par notre communauté allemande de géographes avec l'aide de collègues étrangères et étrangers. Nous ne pourrons relever ce défi que tous ensembles! Nous souhaitons que le CIG Cologne 2012 ne vous apparaisse pas seulement comme un fardeau ou une charge supplémentaire de travail, mais que vous voyiez en lui aussi, et surtout, la reconnaissance par la communauté internationale des géographes ainsi que la formidable chance de renforcer notre discipline également au sein du paysage scientifique et de l'enseignement. Saisissons l'occasion qu'offre le CIG Cologne 2012 de fortifier la réputation de la géographie dans la société! Nous nous réjouissons d'avance de poursuivre notre collaboration avec vous! Cordialement, L'équipe opérative centrale du CIG Cologne 2012
5) INTERESTING TOOL FOR GEOGRAPHY TEACHERS GEOcube for you to explore
The world of geography at your fingertips and just one mouseclick away! GEOcube is an attractive online resource on geography covering almost every discipline of geography. GEOcube is based on the principle of Rubik's cube with 6 faces and 54 entrees to fields of geography. The GEOcube is a virtual and easy accessible feature and free online available. You can move GEOcube around with your mouse which enables you to choose one of the six subject-areas. After clicking on one side nine windows will unfold which enable you to go in deeper levels of the subject of your choice. Photos, texts, clips and links into deeper level enable you to explore geography the fullest. This European initiative by HERODOT*, the network for European Geographers in Higher Education is available to anyone who is interested in Geography. In order to have this project available in all European languages we invite translators, preferably with a geography background to join our project to translate in the mother tongue. The webmaster will take care of the follow up after the deliverance of translation. Please contact our editor in chief if you want to contribute. Translation activities but also any contribution to elaborate GEOcube are welcome. URL: www.geo-cube.eu and www.herodot.net
5) REPORTS FROM CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS 5.1) Festa da Geografia, 21-23 May, Mirandela (Portugal) Mirandela is a small town in northern Portugal, whose Camara Municipal (Municipality) decided since 2006 to organize a Festa da Geografia. The Mayor asked the co.operation of the Centro de Estudios Geograficos of the Univesidade de Lisboa, the most important centre of geographical researches of Portugal, in order to organize the scientific sector of the Festa. Consequently, the following year the first Festa da Geografia took place. In events like these important issues of geographical interest, global, european, regional or portoguese, are debated in a joyful environment (a Festa!), with the participation of personalities important not only from the geographical world, together with the public. The Festa da Geografia 2009 took place on 21-23 May, contemporary to the REGINORDE, the special Fair where dozens of exhibitors compete show all the results of their productive activity, local and regional. All the the population the town get involved in the Festa. Antoine Bailly, who participated in the Festas since the very beginning, and strong of his experience as one of the founders of the Festival de la Géographie in Saint Dié des Vosges, was elected to chair this edition; guest of honour was Professor Vitorino Magalhães Godinho, Portuguese Academician and well known European Historian.
Jardins Nòmadas: streets full of kids, flowers and students of the Music School
For the second following year, the Festa was inaugurated by the Portoguese Nacional Secretary for Territorial Planning and Urbanization, Academician and Geographer João Ferrão. A large number of Geography students of the University of Lisboa (in a field trip in the region) had the possibility to attend musical shows, the spectacular initiative named "Jardins Nómadas", exhibition on geographical themes, the presentation of the book "Viagem em Geografia" of Antoine Bailly, Renato Scariati and José Manuel Simões, and an interesting round table on "Globalisation and Localisation" between relevant European Geographer such as Antoine Bailly, Paul Claval, Bodo Freund, Horácio Capel e Jorge Gaspar. The problem of building an institutional network of Festival of Geography was discussed by the Camara Municipal, many attendants and Giuliano Bellezza, Vice President of the International Geographical Union, who will continue discussing the issue in the forthcoming Festival de la Géographie. In this Portuguese region, at the same time interior and peripheral, where geographers met and worry about how to promote a harmonious and balanced development of all territories, the Festa da Geografia is continuously confirming as an alternative space of discussion, in the mean time making public opinion aware of Geography and its actors.
5.2) POST SOCIALISM, NEO LIBERALISM - OLD AND NEW GENDERED SOCIETIES AND POLICIES May 22-24, 2009, Szeged, Hungary and Timi?oara, Romania Approximately 50 delegates from 13 countries attended the IGU Gender and Geography Commission conference 'Post-socialism, neo-liberalism - old and new gendered societies and policies' in Szeged, Hungary and Timi?oara, Romania. The conference, organized by Judit Timár (Centre for Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences) and Sorina Voiculescu (West University of Timi?oara), aimed to evaluate post-socialism and neo-liberalism from a feminist geographical perspective and was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the East Central European political changes of 1989.
Second photo, Delegates at the introductory plenary session, Szeged The program opened with warm welcomes from the organizers and local sponsors, and also from Robyn Longhurst, Commission Chair, György Enyedi, former IGU Vice President and Laureate of Honour who supported the Commission from its beginnings, and Zoltán Kovács, Head, Department of Economic and Social Geography, University of Szeged. Júlia Szalai then set the scene by presenting a lecture on 'The domestication of neo-liberalism: issues of class, gender and ethnicity in contemporary post-socialist societies.' The remainder of the first day was filled with three interesting sessions on the topics: gendered understandings; representing gender; and, the production and use of gendered space, in relation to post-socialism and neo-liberalism. Late afternoon approximately 25 delegates undertook a walking tour guided by Lajos Boros and Gábor Heged?s from the University of Szeged who introduced us to their city. The walk was by followed by an evening reception of excellent Hungarian food and conversation. On the second day, four sessions were devoted to the topics of labour markets, political-economic processes, socio-economic changes, and policy participation and social networks. Two posters were also displayed: one offering insights on demographic changes of gender in post-communist Romania; the other, a gendered view on higher education services in a Hungarian region. On the third morning of the conference, we rose early for a 7 a.m. bus departure to cross the Hungary-Romania border to Timisoara. At approximately 10 a.m. we were warmly greeted there by gender activists at the Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania (APoWeR). Our meeting with APoWeR focused on gender issues pertinent to Romanian post-socialist society and the experience of this NGO in coping with these issues. They explained how they worked with a team of five lawyers, prosecutors and judges to present a proposal for a law on domestic violence which was presented to the Romanian Parliament and enacted in 2003. Conference delegates were impressed with the breadth and depth of the work of this NGO and would like to thank those who took the time out of their busy day to speak to us.
Following the visit to APoWeR and a lunch at the West University of Timisoara, a final session, was devoted to a panel and audience discussion on teaching and publishing gender in different regions of the neo-liberal academic world. It was useful to be able to compare and contrast experiences. Most conference participants then returned on the bus to Szeged. A few of us, however, had the pleasure of staying and enjoying Timisoara for another night or two. Currently the central theme of the Commission on Gender and Geography is 'gendered perspectives: connecting across difference'. This conference explored this theme by prompting thinking about some of the gendered differences and similarities across regions. During the conference I heard a number of delegates comment that prior to their arrival in Hungary/Romania they knew little about Eastern Europe and the lived experiences of the men and women in the region since 1989. Therefore, the conference provided a useful window through which to view some of the complex gendered, spatial, social, economic and political relations that exist in Hungary, Romania and beyond. It was a resounding success on all fronts. All sessions were well attended and a number of new members jointed out listserve. I would like to thank all those, but especially Judit Timár and Sorina Voiculescu, who helped to make it such a resounding success. Robyn Longhurst Chair, IGU Gender and Geography Commission University of Waikato, New Zeala
Home of Geography Update In the minutes of the Tel Aviv Meeting a reference has been done to a volume to be published in the Home of Geography Series, in co-operation with HERODOT. The volume is edited by Karl Donert and dedicated to Using GIS in Europe Geography Education; the 19 chapters are now examined by the editorial board. After some mails exchange, on 27th July Prof. Fabrizio Speziale, of the University of Rome, came in the Home to gather and copy all the available material of the Commission on Medical Geography in the years 1956-1964, to send it to Prof. Rais Akhtar, of the University of Delhi. Chair of the Commissions in that time have been two great names pfd the European Geography: Maximilian Sorre and Hans Boesch. Home of Geography Publications Series: Sale A 10% discount will be applied when ordering 2 books, and 15% when ordering 3 books or more) Vol I - Human Mobility in a Borderless World (2002) and Vol II - Food and Environment - Geographies of Taste )2002): OUT OF PRINT Vol III - Rights to the City (EU: € 18 / non-EU: € 24) Vol IV - The New Geography of Human Mobility - Inequality Trends (EU: € 20 / non-EU: € 26) Vol V - Migrations in Europe - The Four Last Decades (EU: € 13 / non-EU: € 19) Vol VI - Gendered Cities: Identities, Activities, Networks - A Life-course Approach (EU: € 20 / non-EU: € 26) Vol VII - Managing Water Resources in a Changing Physical and Social Environment (EU: € 18 / non-EU: € 24) Vol VIII - Migration in a new Europe: Peoples, Borders and Trajectories (2007) Eds: T. van Naerssen and M. van der Velde.(EU: € 18 / non-EU: € 24) To obtain copies of the volumes, please contact Giuliano Bellezza at: g.bellezza@homeofgeography.org. Payment can be made directly by bank transfer, while to pay by Visa or Mastercard you should ask the IGU Secretary General and Treasurer. Brief presentation of the available books: Vol III - Rights to the City (2005) Eds: D Wastl-Water, L. Staeheli & L. Dowler The third volume in the Home of Geography Publication Series includes the presentations held at the "Rights to the City" conference of the IGU Commissions on Geography and Public Policy and Political Geography, which was held in Rome, from 29th May - 1st June, 2002. The 30 contributions of scholars from multiple disciplines interested in questions of governance, justice and rights in urban areas around the world discuss the following proposition: contemporary changes in economies and governance are creating increased inequality leading to a retrenchment of rights. Social groups within cities differentially experience the effects of these changes. The volume tentatively offers the following themes as foci of discussion: Evaluation of urban social, economic and political trends; Evaluation of competing theories and conceptualisations of justice and rights; Changing governance structures; New political movements, sites, and agents; Differential access to spaces of the city; New scalar linkages that change the relationships between cities, states and the international scale. Vol IV - The New Geography of Human Mobility - Inequality Trends (2003) Eds: Y. Ishikawa & A. Montanari In post-industrial society, mobility in the working and leisure related activities tends to take on subtle differences as far as place of work, free time, recreation, training and continuing education are concerned. Human mobility is sensitive to change in the organisational plan and logistics of a model which is mainly concerned with demand. The concentration of mobility flows occurs as a result of the devolution of production centres and the consumption of these products is the determining component of mobility, whereas in the past traditional political-administrative boundary trends were the factors which determined mobility. Inequality in human mobility is considered from the point of view of the divide between developed and developing countries, the unskilled/skilled perspective, and the relationships between internal and international flows. The fourth volume in the Home of Geography Publication series assembles the research carried out by the IGU Commission on Global Change and Human Mobility during meetings organised in three locations that are particularly significant for human mobility: California, where the metaphor "melting pot" has been replaced by the term "cauldron"; South Africa, during an IGU Regional Conference, whose position enabled the participation of many geographers from developing countries; and Mongolia, where migratory flows have until today continued to modify the ethnic and cultural map of the region. Vol V - Migrations in Europe - The Four Last Decades (2004) Eds: C. Vandermotten, G. Van Hamme, P. Medina Lockhart & B. Wayens The fifth volume of the Home of Geography Publication Series summarises the results of a European research project, founded by the European Commission, on interregional migrations in Europe (MIRE). Starting from the Sixties, the study focuses on the changing causes and the new patterns of interregional migrations, paying special attention to the new waves of migrations and the new trends of the Nineties. The research crosses the geographical patterns with different logics of present-day mobility: ethnic and East European migration to the metropolitan areas, gentrification and migrations of executives, periurbanisation, rurbanisation, weak mobility of the early manufacturing areas, retirement migrations, etc. A specific chapter is devoted to the migratory balances in the Central-Eastern European countries. Vol VI - Gendered Cities: Identities, Activities, Networks - A Life-course Approach (2004) G. Cortesi, F. Cristaldi & J. Droogleever Fortuijn This volume assembles a selection of papers presented at a conference organised by the IGU Commission on Gender and Geography held in Rome at the end of May 2003. The gendered character of urban life and urban structures and the heterogeneous mix of people to be found in cities around the world have always fascinated feminist geographers. Today, the emphasis has shifted towards issues of identities, feelings and experiences. Women are now not primarily seen as "women", but rather as persons with multiple identities in terms of ethnicity, nationality, age, sexual orientation, and ability. The most important achievement of the seminar was the blurring of the boundaries between "first" and "third" world geography, between theory and empiricism, between identity and activity-focused research, and between quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The papers highlight the problems, inequalities and contradictions of women's life in cities. They also clarify at the same time the improvements in the living conditions of women in many cities in terms of visibility, identity, activity, safety and network formation. Cities are highly gendered, but their gendered nature does not always imply subordination, exclusion, deprivation and sadness. Feminist activism and feminist urban research have resulted in some improvements in urban structures, urban life and urban policy from a feminist perspective. Vol VII - Managing Water Resources in a Changing Physical and Social Environment (2007) Eds: P. J. Robinson, J. A. A. Jones & M-K. Woo The seventh volume of the Home of Geography Publication Series refers to water sustainability and water resource issues. Geographers are involved in all aspects of water sustainability and water resource issues, and in an immense variety of ways. The present volume provides only a sampling of the work of geographers and closely allied professionals, but is designed to indicate the range of research activities going on under the general heading of managing water resources in a changing physical and social environment. The geographical scope is wide, and the spatial scales range from individual lakes and reservoirs to whole nations. Topics run the gamut from the ethical underpinning of the work we do through explorations of the physical and chemical processes involved in water moving below, on, and above the surface of the earth, to studies of the roles of individuals and societies in using, mis-using or restoring that water. Approaches adopted range from qualitative discussions through standard statistical and mathematical analysis to complex process modelling. In short, it is a cross section of the kind of work geographers and environmental scientists do when involved with water. The IGU Commission on Water Sustainability is a prime forum for the development and interchange of ideas and information about water, water resources, water sustainability, and related issues. Over the years it has organized a variety of meetings in a diverse number of places, many with specific themes, and from them has come a variety of publications. This book continues that tradition, but in a very different context. Rather than highlight and treat in depth a single issue, this volume celebrates the vast range of activities undertaken by Commission members and associates in addressing the many issues involved in providing safe and sustainable water to societies around the world. Most papers are based on information which was first presented at one of the Commission meetings. Often the objective of the original presentation was to stimulate discussion and to develop strategies for dealing with particular issues. Here we present the results of some of these efforts. Vol VIII - Migrations in a New Europe: Peoples, Borders, Trajectories The enlargement process of the European Union has raised a considerable number of academic, political and public debates about a wide variety of related issues. Perhaps the most controversial debate in this respect concerns the issue of east-west migration after enlargement, equally feared and desired in and by the old EU 15 member states. In the majority of the old EU countries, the enlargement of May 2004 led to a diversity of adaptations and responses to the new situation, in particular temporary restrictions on labour migration from Central and East European countries. It was within this context that a workshop was organised in June 2004 which focused on east-west migration issues as part of the research programme 'Governance and Places' (GaP) of Radboud University Nijmegen. Among the participants who were quantitatively oriented, the focus was on 'positivist' forecasting and impact studies - estimating either flows of migration or their influence on labour markets and/or social welfare systems. Others, positioned within a more qualitative tradition, made use of 'social constructionist' approaches in order to scrutinise the de- and re-bordering of the European Union with regard to migration and mobility. In addition, the workshop highlighted from an academic perspective the problem of borders with respect to migration in the framework of an enlarged European Union. The success of the workshop provided the impetus to revise the core papers and publish them in a book. Four other contributions have been added to the collection of core papers from the aforementioned workshop, among others on Roma migration and sex trafficking. The first 'Global Migration in the Middle East and Eurasia: Security and Human Rights Challenges to Europe' (GLOMIG) workshop, held at the Radboud University in September 2006, provided further insights into migration and borders, leading to the elaboration of a geographical model of migration, borders and trajectories in the final chapter. Finally, the further expansion of the EU in January 2007 and restrictions imposed by EU countries on labour migration from Bulgaria and Romania added urgency to the publication of this book. NEW: Volume IX dedicated to Geographical Education should appear by the end of 2009. To download the Newsletter # 17 in .doc format | or in .pdf format |
