The background of 9th International Conference on Social Representations

Starting with a meeting in Ravello, Italy, in 1992, the conference succeeded in bringing together researchers, professors and academics from the social psychological and other fields who have come see the importance of this theory to integrate different disciplines in the social sciences, this scientific meeting has grown into a biannual academic tradition.

Europe, as the intellectual origin of Social Representations theory, still plays the dominant role in this development. And incontestably the history of this theory’s development in Europe also takes its core from an academic tradition developed in the European Laboratory of Social Psychology in Paris, directed by Professor Serge Moscovici himself, the founder of the theory.

This tradition was followed by the expansion of this theory into South America. Speaking of South America, undeniably we will see the clear footprints left by Professor Denise Jodelet when she opened this area in the ethnographic tradition she had developed and which has since given Social Representations an anthropological flavour. The development of the theory in South America during these last twenty years, will not be possible to be separated from Denise Jodelet's work. Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, are among the countries in this zone where this theory has been widely accepted.

Europe and South America then became fertile ground for the growth of Social Representations theory. And in these two regions the Social Representation theory has also succeeded in attracting the interest of many academics, researchers and practitioners who see that this theory contributes not only to the discipline of Social Psychology itself, but also to social sciences in general. That is why the conference had always taken place alternatively in Europe or South America.

Eight previous 8 conferences :

1992, Ravello, Italy (Europe)

1994, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (South America)

1996, Aix en Provence, France (Europe)

1998, Mexico City, Mexico (South America)

2002, Montreal, Canada (America)

2002, Stirling, England (Europe)

2004, Guadalajara, Mexico (South America)

2006, Rome, Italy (Europe)

The number of participants at every conference has continued to grow. In the last conference in Rome there were 409 participants from 39 countries representing various regions of Europe, South America, Canada and North America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Even in the previous conference, the 7th International Conference on Social Representations in Guadalajara, Mexico-2004, there were 1,200 participants from all over the world attending this scientific meeting. This conference is accordingly not just an academic meeting, neither is it just an intellectual exchange activity. More, a quality is present that has become its character, which is the encounter of many cultures with enormous backgrounds. The diversity in the participants’ backgrounds is also marked by the plural official languages that have been used in the meeting: English, French and Spanish.

This is the first time that this conference moves from Europe and South America to Asia. In many respects, Social Representations theory constitutes a new approach for Asian researchers and academic communities. There are several academics in India, Japan, South Korea, China, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand who are known to have started working on this theory.

The growth in interest in Asia-Australia-New Zealand may not be comparable to the development in South America or Europe. But obviously the diversity of cultural and historical resources of Asia will be very valuable for the development of Social Representations theory, which basically gives an important measure to cultural and historical dimension. Therefore, when it was decided that the 9th International Conference on Social Representations was to be held in Indonesia, Asia was not only to become a host, but also to open itself to a possibility of dialogue and intellectual exchange with colleagues from other parts of the world.

Certainly this conference expect scientific collaboration and cooperation between European - Latin America - Asian - Australian countries that will enable the emergence of new perspectives, fresh challenges, and even innovative concepts which will enrich not only this theory, but also the whole understanding of social sciences, whether on the level of theory, methodology, or application.

Dialogue and exchange can only happen if there is a linguistic tool that unites all participants. Asia is not an area where the French & Spanish language is widely spoken. To facilitate the dialogue and exchange with colleagues from Asia, this up coming conference will give more emphasis on the use of English. .

We welcome presentations in the French or Spanish language, but all abstracts and material for presentation must be written in English.

By maintaining the character of Social Representations theory which embraces many different field of knowledge, the committee of the organization for the 9th International Conference on Social Representations also reflects the same character. University of Indonesia, which is represented by the Faculty of Humanity, Department of Literature, will coordinate the organization of the 9th International Conference on Social Representation, in cooperation with:

Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Jakarta

Faculty of Psychology, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta

Sociology Post Graduate Department, Faculty of Social & Political Studies, University of Indonesia, Jakarta

Rumah Ganeca Foundation, Jakarta

Centre of Social Representation Studies, Jakarta

French Embassy in Jakarta

European PHD on European Ph.D. on Social Representations and Communication and the Social Representations and Communication THEmatic NETwork (So.Re.Com.THEmatic NETwork) co-ordinated by Sapienza University of Rome - Italy

Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris

Mailing Address:
Departemen Susastra
Fakultas Ilmu Pengetahuan Budaya - Universitas Indonesia
Gedung III Lt.1 Kampus UI - Depok 16424, Indonesia

Phone:
62 21 7863528/29
Faximile:
62 21 7590 6380
email
info@9icsr-Indonesia.net