Transition.Crisis.Change.Hu / Call for papers

The preparation of the annual conference of the Hungarian Sociological Association takes place in time of profound global social and economic crisis. If symptoms of crisis were like airplane catastrophes, it would be easy to predict the consequences: we would be shocked by the obvious mistakes and omissions that had been made, as well as we would commemorate the victims; nevertheless business would go on.

It is a common opinion that we were not consistent enough with complying with the already made recipes for success. In addition it is more likely that nowadays crisis seems to be not an isolated, but a permanent phenomenon. The goal of sociological analysis cannot be reduced to diagnosis, it must include prognosis as well. We consider responsibility immanent part of sociology: we should be retrospective and find possible explanations of being uncertain in our predictions and giving future views.

It was a demanding and hardly fulfilled promise of sociology to be able to provide an up-to-date and accurate diagnosis of ages. Even Karl Mannheim, who launched this program, scarcely managed to put it into practice. The reason of his inability to fulfill his own program was his belief that the crisis of his own time would facilitate the solution on its own. He considered the crisis a huge observatory, which reveals the hidden structure of the world. It did not last long for him to realize how wrong he was.

Sociology cannot wait. We are far from being united in thought. Let us exchange our ideas and think together at this annual conference of the Association! The crisis is reluctant to present itself, but inspires us to explore its wilderness. Let us exploit this opportunity!

Dénes Némedi

president

The conference will be organized covering the following main topics:

1. Crisis and renewal
2. Social memory, history and media
3. Social movements
4. Economy and society in the times of crisis
5. Ligature and option
6. The crisis of education and the change of education. Diagnosis and ideology
7. Ethnic cooperation, co-existence and confrontation in the last two decades in Hungary
8. Identities in Central-Europe
9. Sustainable urban areas
10. Critical social science after the transition to political pluralism and market economy
11. Revolution in social sciences
12. Prediction and predictability in complex systems
13. Other topics

Language of the conference is Hungarian and English.

Application

In order to lecture at the conference, it is required to fulfill the following conditions:

• Submit an abstract
• Submit the Registration Form
• Transfer the registration fee.

One lecturer is allowed to submit maximum two abstracts.

Scientific Committee

The submitted abstracts will be evaluated by the Scientific Committee. During the evaluation the anonymity of the authors will be guaranteed by the Organizing Committee, as well as the anonymity of the committee, until October 15^th. Evaluation criteria below.

Abstracts

Abstracts are invited on the topics outlined within the scope of the meeting.

• Minimum 1500, maximum 2500 character.
• Document in .doc. Times New Roman letters, size 12. Margins: 2.5 cm. No formatting!
• Indicate the followings after the author(s) and title:

If PhD student and employee at the same time: indicate both! E.g.:

• In case of co-author(s), underline the name of the lecturer.

Evaluation criteria:

• Relevance of the topic (topicality, hypotheses)
• Methodology
• Perspectives drawn from the results or potential results
• General quality of the abstract (structure, use of technical terminology, etc.)

The Scientific Committee has the possibility to reschedule the presentations in another session. Even if your research does not fit in any of the sessions, we strongly advise you to submit an abstract: the Scientific Committee will evaluate your proposal and suggest which session would be best or eventually create a new session for the proposals.

The notification for abstracts receipt will be sent to applicants by e-mail until October 4^th last date. The notification of acceptance / refusal will be sent applicants by e-mail on October 15^th. The abstracts will be published on the website of the Association.

Registration Form

Each lecturer should register for the conference. Please find the Registration Form:

• attached to our e-mail, or
• on the website of the Association: https://szociologia.hu/

Registration fees for lecturers

• In case of acceptance of abstract(s) a registration fee should be paid.
• Registration fee for each lecturer: 1500 HUF

(Registration fee for audience will be: adult 3000 HUF, student and pensioner 1500 HUF)

• Please transfer the fee:
  Name: Hungarian Sociological Association
  Bank: ERSTE Bank 11991102-02102940-00000000
  Remark: your family name + 2008 conference
• If you cannot transfer HUF, you can pay by cash (HUF) on the spot (this option is only available to foreign lecturers).

The registration fee includes:

• Opportunity of lecturing based on the evaluated abstract(s)
• Usage of technical background and service
• Publication(s) of full papers
• Admission to all sessions
• Abstract booklet
• Buffet lunch and refreshments at the venue during the conference days
• Admission to reception on the first conference evening
• Admission to the opening and closing ceremonies

Deadlines

• Abstracts and registration forms should be sent by e-mail to mszt@socio.mta at the same time. Deadline: September 30^th, 2009.
• Deadline for transfer payment of registration fee: October 31^st, 2009.

Full papers

The studies will be published on the website of the Association, as the part of the conference. The Association applied for a grant in order to publish CD and printed versions as well. If the conference is awarded a grant, (of which the Association will inform the lecturers ASAP):

1) a Conference CD will be published and

2) selected studies will be accepted into the special issue of the Review of Sociology, the periodical of the Association.

Lectures

• The length of lectures depends on the total number of lectures in one session. Each session will last between 2 hours and 2 hours and half which therefore each lecture should be 20-25 minutes long. This is a temporary evaluation of the time given for lectures. It may change!
• Laptop and projector will be available in each session room. Further details will be sent by e-mail to lecturers after October 15^th.

Program

The draft program of the conference will be published in the middle of October, the final program after November 9^th.

Registration for audience

All attending conference participants must pay the registration fee. Registration fees for audience:

· Adult: 3000 HUF

· Student and pensioner: 1500 HUF

The fee should be paid on the spot.

If you would like to attend the reception on the first evening of the conference please notify your presence no later than November 5^th. (e-mail to mszt@socio.mta.hu)

The registration fee includes:

• Admission to all sessions
• Abstract handbook
• Buffet lunch and refreshments at the venue during the conference days
• Admission to reception on the first conference day
• Admission to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Travel, accommodation

Participants are solely responsible for their passage to Debrecen and for their hotel accommodation. After evaluation, each lecturer will be sent an informative form including timetables, accommodation information and prices.

Organizing Committee

• Éva HELESZTA, Head of Secretary, Hungarian Sociological Association
• István MURÁNYI, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Debrecen; Secretary, Section of the Great Hungarian Plain, Hungarian Sociological Association
• Veronika PAKSI, Scientific Secretary, Institute of Sociology of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• Ildikó SZABÓ, Head of Department, Department of Sociology, University of Debrecen; President, Section of the Great Hungarian Plain, Hungarian Sociological Association
• Tímea TIBORI, Secretary General, Hungarian Sociological Association
  

Important dates

Contact