[Commlist] CFP reminder EURovision 2020

CfP reminder: “EURovision 2020” - a conference exploring music, 
identity, media, and politics in light of the Eurovision Song Contest

Location: Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands

When: 6-7 May, 2020

In 2020, the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Rotterdam, the 
Netherlands, where it will continue its storied tradition as a media 
event, television show, and social happening. The event displays both 
the bridging and bonding capabilities of popular music and hence offers 
a unique opportunity to collectively explore the role popular music 
plays in the fast-changing landscape of contemporary culture.

This conference aims to bring together scholars from various countries, 
each with their own perspective, to engage in an international exchange 
of ideas and current research insights about music production and 
reception. We invite scholars to join us in Rotterdam 2020 for a two-day 
conference on popular music research and, more specifically (but not 
limited to), all that the Eurovision Song Contest places on the 
scholarly agenda. We welcome cases around Eurovision and more generally, 
on music fan cultures, festivals, performances, and (media/ television) 
events.

The staging of the ESC invites reflections on music festivals, media 
events, television’s past and present, fan activity and involvement, and 
potentially much more. As cities and nations increasingly look to brand 
themselves through music festivals and experiences, the ESC stands as 
one of the most prominent examples of the past, present, and future of 
such trends. While claiming to be “non-political,” the contest reflects 
wider political developments, raising questions about what it means to 
belong in this part of the world. Investigating Eurovision means 
exploring the in/exclusion of certain countries in popular media, their 
depictions on screen and stage, and the relation of politics and/or 
language to music and the music industry. The event also invites 
analyses on how music consumers and avid fans make sense of their (and 
others’) identity through music (e.g. diversity of the acts/audiences, 
queerness of performances, or discussions of LGBTQ-rights surrounding 
events). In essence, the ESC offers a unique opportunity to examine the 
changing media landscape, identity, nationality, and (geo)politics, not 
only when addressing the contest itself, but in looking at these issues 
throughout the contemporary and historical media environment.

We invite papers that address diverse themes around the ESC, but not 
limited to the contest itself, such as:

- history, traditions and policies

- reception of the event in Europe and other continents

- role of music in politics, society, nationality, diversity and/or identity

- question on inequalities, specifically class/status, race/ethnicity, 
gender, sexuality and disability

- the commercial music industry vis-a-vis DIY-practices

- analysis of sentiments, nostalgia, (anti-)fandom

- sexuality and queer viewing practices

- performances, costumes and staging

- related notions of camp, kitsch and drag

- ‘festivalization’, social media and liveness

- discussion on (ironic) viewership, television, second screens and 
streaming

- data analysis of tweets and other material, the social audience

To further stimulate academic debate on the topic of the ESC and music, 
identity, media and politics at large, the conference includes two 
keynotes by Dr. Dean Vuletic (University of Vienna) and Dr. Catherine 
Baker (University of Hull). More information about the conference can be 
found here: https://www.eur.nl/en/eshcc/research/eurovision-2020.

Please submit an abstract of max. 250 words (plus 3 key words to help 
classify your submission) and a short biography (including your name, 
email address, institutional affiliation and position) by December 20 
2019, to (eurovision /at/ eshcc.eur.nl) <mailto:(eurovision /at/ eshcc.eur.nl)>. 
Notifications of acceptance will be sent out before January 17. There is 
a fee of 80,00€, which covers participations costs (including lunch and 
refreshments). There will be an optional conference dinner. We encourage 
(research/master/PhD) students to apply: please indicate if you’re a 
student to ‘win’ a scholarship that waves the conference fee.

Any questions? Feel free to reach out to the organizing committee: 
Nicolle Lamerichs (Utrecht University of Applied Sciences), Abby 
Waysdorf (Utrecht University), Julian Schaap (Erasmus University 
Rotterdam), or Simone Driessen (Erasmus University Rotterdam) via 
(eurovision /at/ eshcc.eur.nl) <mailto:(eurovision /at/ eshcc.eur.nl)>.


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