Appel: (Self-)Representations. Romani Music and Culture in Diaspora

A conference at New York University as part of several events organized by the Initiative for Romani Music in conjunction with the Center for Traditional Music and Dance, April 25-27, 2013. The conference will take place on April 26-27.

Proposals for 30-minute papers will be accepted in the fields of musicology, anthropology, Romani studies and related disciplines. Papers can be on any subject related to the representation of Romani (Gypsy) people by themselves and/or others. Through presentations and informal discussions, the meeting will encourage dialogue between performers, activists and scholars.

The meeting will address a range of questions, including but not limited to the following:

  • In terms of self-representation, what are the constraints placed on Romani performers by record producers, festival organizers, and other economically influential agents?
  • How and to what ends do Romani artists engage in self-essentializing, both within their communities and in public settings?
  • What avenues have academics taken in representing Romani people, and what effect does this have on interethnic relations?
  • What are the forms and results of Romani engagement in media spheres and other fora? How might Romani speakers, authors and performers attain a greater voice in the public sphere?
  • How is the Romani language deployed in musical and other settings?  What forms and types of code-switching are employed, and to what extent is Romanes a lingua franca for Romani scholars, activists and performers? Which other language choices do people employ, and why?

Please send a 500-word abstract to irm.nyu@gmail.com by December 15, including your name, affiliation (if any), and best way to reach you.

For more information, please visit the website of the Initiative for Romani Music at New York University (www.romanimusic.net), which links directly to the conference website (https://sites.google.com/site/romanirepresentations/).

Société française d'ethnomusicologie