News

In this video clip, Engin Isin exposes his research that concentrates on politics - how do people imagine, or fail to imagine, themselves as citizens.

What does it mean to be a European citizen? The rapidly changing politics of citizenship in the face of migration, diversity, heightened concerns about security, and financial and economic crises, has left European citizenship as one of the major political and social challenges to European integration.

Videos from the Event 'Enacting Citizenship in times of Crisis', Brussels, 27th of March 2013.

Videos from the Event 'Enacting Citizenship in times of Crisis', Brussels, 27th of March 2013.

The Oecumene team organised an event in Brussels on the 27th of March: 'Enacting Citizenship in times of crisis'.

The Oecumene team organised an event held in Brussels on the 27th of March, 2013. This video features the afternoon session dedicated to a dialogue between academics and activists. 

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the April edition of Oecumene Dialogues our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Publication:'Queering the politics of global sexual rights?' by Leticia Sabsay
2. Blog: 'Mercury and Corporate Citizenship' by Brendan Donegan
3. Blog: 'Do we really know who can act as a European citizen?'by Michael Saward
4. News: Interviews with Rui Tavares, Rosi Braidotti, Anais Faure-Atger, Martin Wilhelm

Leticia Sabsay has published ‘Queering the politics of global sexual rights?', Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, 13:1, pp. 80-90.  

This interview with Martin Wilhelm (Citizen for Europe) was recorded the 27th of March 2013 at the EESC (Brussels).

It took place during an event the Oecumene team organised in Brussels on ‘Enacting Europe in time of crisis’.

This interview with Rosi Braidotti (Utrecht University) was recorded the 27th of March 2013 at the European Parliament (Brussels). It took place during an event the Oecumene team organised in Brussels on ‘Enacting Europe in time of crisis’.

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the March edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Event: Posthuman Citizens, Humanized Animals, Viral Politics - public lecture by Rosi Braidotti, 23 May 2013, London
2. Event: Edward Said Memorial Conference, 15-17 April 2013, Amsterdam
3. Publication: 'Cut 'N' Mix King Lear: Second Generation And Asian-British Identities' by Alessandra Marino
4. Blog: Hope and Despair by Raghda Butros
5. Blog: What Pussy Riot Know by Rosi Braidotti

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the February edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Event: Citizenship after Orientalism: enacting Europe in times of crisis, 27 March 2013, Brussels
2. Second Symposium video of interviews of speakers available
3. Publication: Questioning Diversity: Sexual Politics, Identity and Liberal Individuals by Leticia Sabsay
4. Blog: Mobility is changing the World? Just ask Obama by Iker Barbero

Today's Friday Thinker will be led by Engin Isin. Join the debate www.facebook.com/theopenuniversity.socialscience

This interview of Bela Bhatia (Tara Institute of Social Sciences) was undertaken during the Oecumene second symposium held in November 2012.

This interview of Saba Mahmood (University of Berkeley) was undertaken during the Oecumene second symposium held in November 2012.

We are very gl

Vivienne's presentation was part of the second Oecumene Symposium, held on the 12 and 13 November 2012. Vivienne participated in Panel III: "The Universal after orientalism"

Sudeep's presentation was part of the second Oecumene Symposium, held on the 12 and 13 November 2012. Sudeep participated in Panel III: "The Universal after orientalism"

Charles' presentation was part of the second Oecumene Symposium, held on the 12 and 13 November 2012. Charles participated in Panel II: "Democratizing politics, decolonizing citizenship"

Bela's presentation was part of the second Oecumene Symposium, held on the 12 and 13 November 2012. Bela participated in Panel II: "Democratizing politics, decolonizing citizenship"

Alessandra's presentation was part of the second Oecumene Symposium, held on the 12 and 13 November 2012. Alessandra participated in Panel I: "Orientalism, colonialism and citizenship"

This essay by Leticia Sabsay analyses the limits that the liberal imaginary of the subject impose on current reconfigurations of citizenship and democracy when they are defined in sexual terms.

This keynote was part of the Oecumene symposium held on the 12-13 November 2012.

Saba Mahmood (University of California, Berkeley) here explores the question of Religious Liberty, the Minority Problem and Geopolitics.

From a traditional perspective of Law, the production of legal rules is limited to State powers (legislative, executive and judiciary) as well as to some social agents legitimated through mechanisms of social participation foreseen in the legal system.

We are very pleased to send you the November/December edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Audio recording available: Symposium 'Deorientalizing citizenship?'
2. Blog: 'As a citizen of the world...'
3. Blog: 'Men as People'

Oecumene is running a special guest week on openDemocracy.net. Engin Isin is guest editor and presents a selection of Oecumene articles accompanied by a commentary starting 5 November 2012.

For more information please see http://www.opendemocracy.net/

'Citizens without frontiers', Engin Isin's inaugural lecture is featured on openDemocracy.net's front page on 17 October 2012.

Read the inaugural lecture by Engin Isin on http://www.opendemocracy.net/engin-isin/citizens-without-frontiers

The Oecumene Project are pleased to announce their first collective publication, a double Special Issue of Citizenship Studies entitled, ‘Citizenship After Orientalism: An Unfinished Project.’  Published half way through our project, this is its first statement on how citizenship has been understood as a narrowly western concept and what techniques researchers can use to write about citizenship after orientalism. Nine of the eighteen articles are written by members of the Oecumene team.

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the September edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Second Symposium 'Deorientalizing citizenship?', 12-13 November 2012
2. First collective publication: Special Issue on Citizenship After Orientalism
3. Book launch: 'Princely India Re-Imagined' and 'The Guru in South Asia'
4. News: New team members Tara Atluri and Andrea Mura
5. News: Iker Barbero received University of the Basque Country PhD Award 2012 

Engin Isin was interviewed on 'Citizens Without Frontiers' (Continuum, forthcoming September 2012) and his inaugural lecture at The Open University for the alumni magazine OpenMin

Leticia Sabsay published a news article in Soy, the Gay & Lesbian Supplement of Pagina 12, the Argentine national newspaper. 'Coming out of where?' reflects on the 'Coming Out' narratives and the exclusions they entrenched in.

Alessandra Marino's article on 'Occupy Movement in India' is featured on the OpenLearn platform:

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the May edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Registration now open: 2nd Symposium 'Deorientalizing citizenship?'
2. Blog on 'Reflections on the Arab Citizen'
3. Blog on 'Activism and Academia: 'We Are Not Border Agents''
4. Related events and calls

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the April edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. News 'Job opportunity: Postdoctoral Research Associate to join Oecumene team'
2. Blog on 'Europe, 'Kill Bill' Style'
3. Blog on 'Religion and Citizenship Workshop'

4. Podcast 'Engin Isin on Citizens Without Frontiers'

Aya Ikegame speaks to Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed from The Hindu on her research interests and her soon to be published book Princely India Re-imagined. She explains that her book 'challenges the idea that British colonialism destroyed princely states leaving them only with their pomp and splendour'.

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the March edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Event 'The Second Symposium: Deorientalizing Citizenship', 12-13 November 2012, London
2. Blog on 'Performance and Political Subjectivity Workshop'
3. Blog on 'Sexual Democracy, Imperialism and Cultural Translation Workshop'
4. Discussion 'Second-class citizenship in Bosnia'

Deena Dajani speaks to Salwa Abdel Tawab from Russia Today Arabic about Arabic story telling, politics and coffee shops.

Professor Ranabir Samaddar, member of the Oecumene Advisory Board, will visit the Oecumene project as Senior Visiting Fellow from 5 - 9 March 2012.

Engin Isin spoke to Laurie Taylor about Citizens Without Frontiers. They discussed the new politics of citizenship and explored the ways in which people embrace acts and causes which transcend national boundaries.

On 2 February 2012 Engin Isin has been interviewed about the idea of being a global citizen on BBC Radio 3 Night Waves. He talked about the definition of global citizenship and said that many people are living as global citizens, through the exchange of ideas and interest in what happens elsewhere.

Leticia Sabsay writes about the dark zones that continue to thrive in spite of the democratic impulse towards the recognition of non-normative genders and sexualities. Even in times of supposed diversity, Buenos Aires city contains geographical sites of enforced exile where trans sex work is secluded.

Página/12 SOY Supplement
Leticia Sabsay on 'Crossing the Border'

During the summer of 2011, Florencia de la V, a transsexual icon of the Argentine mainstream show-business industry accomplished “her dream of becoming a mother”. This immediately caught the attention of the media, who celebrated the event and, with perverse curiosity, followed the story of Florencia and her partner, who were attempting to return to Argentina with two babies that had been surrogated in the US.

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the November edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Blog 'What is 'illegality'?'
2. Publication 'Topological 'Border' Walls in Indian Visual Art'
3. Event 'Citizenship and the new Orientalism'

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the October edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Registration now open: Conference 'Opening the Boundaries of Citizenship'
2. Blog on Women and Citizenship in the MENA
3. Event on Gurus' Rule: Hindu Monasteries in Liberalizing India

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the August edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Call for papers closes 12 September
2. Blog on #Spanishrevolution
3. Jack Harrington appointed as Publications and Publicity Manager

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the July edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. PhD School, 8 February 2012
2. Blog post on Copts' Civil Rights in Egypt
3. Tidita Fshazi joins our activist network

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the June edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. First Symposium: Citizenship after Orientalism, 6-11 February 2012
2. Recent blogs on South Sudan and on statelessness
3. 1st Visiting Fellow: Elena Ostanel

Dear Oecumene friends and colleagues,

We are very pleased to send you the May edition of Oecumene Dialogues, our monthly newsletter.

Summary of items covered in this issue:

1. Recent blogs by team members
2. Dates set for the 1st Oecumene Symposium 2012
3. Lead Activist Consultant appointed
4. Oecumene on Facebook and Twitter
5. Events

On 23 March 2011 The Times OU Supplement ‘Open Mind’ published an article on the Oecumene project. Under the heading of ‘East or West - We are more alike than we think’ Alan Copps of The Times interviewed Engin Isin and Lisa Pilgram about the reasons for starting this project and why Oecumene is so important, also right now in light of recent developments in the Arab world.

We are delighted to announce that we have appointed three stellar PhD students whose work will be related to the Oecumene project. The three PhD students are Zaki Nahaboo (full-time), Lisa Pilgram (part-time) who is also the Senior Project Manager for Oecumene, and Dana Rubin (full-time).

Lisa Pilgram joined Oecumene as Senior Project Manager in July 2010. In October she started her PhD at The Open University which will be closely linked to the research agenda of the project and which will be supervised by Prof Engin Isin and Prof Michael Saward.