Posted on Feb. 12: Conferences explore cities’ futures and globalization

Two conferences exploring the multi-layered character of the contemporary city begin this week at McMaster.

The first, “What is the future of Your City?” is a two-part conference initiated by the Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH), with the first session, “Future Cities and Globalization” scheduled for Feb. 12 to 13.

That event will be followed by the Canadian Association of Cultural Studies (CACS) second annual conference, “Culturepoles: City Spaces, Urban Politics & Metropolitan Theory,” from Feb. 13 to 15.

Imre Szeman, director of the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, is working with organizers of both conferences, located at the Downtown Centre.

“I believe the conference themes will complement each other,” says Szeman. He expects close to 200 attendees at the CACS conference, which boasts 100 presenters over two days and will have representation from every discipline in humanities and social sciences at every Canadian University.

These conferences are produced in conjunction with the exhibition project titled Future Cities organized by the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Officially opening on April 15, 2004, Future Cities explores the multi-layered character of the contemporary city and how urban space can be used through the work of more than 30 artists from Canada and other parts of the world. This exhibition, on view in public spaces throughout downtown Hamilton, brings together artists, architects and urban planners to discuss urbanization, renewal and the idea of “future cities” through their work.

Both conferences will take place at the McMaster University Downtown Centre, Rm. 216.

For more information on the conferences visit http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~global/foyc.htm