IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EDGE | Call for Papers

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EDGE

Questioning the centre-periphery dichotomy in the arts and culture

20–21 November 2025, Locarno and Avegno (Ticino, Switzerland)

Photo by Maxim Berg on Unsplash

CALL FOR PAPERS

International conference organised by the Research Committee of Sociology of Arts and Culture (RC-SAC / Foko-KUKUSO) of the SSA (Swiss Sociological Association),in collaboration with the Accademia Dimitri and the Dipartimento Formazione e Apprendimento DFA/SUPSI.

Cultural and artistic fields are often structured around the centre-periphery dichotomy, generating complex dynamics of recognition, access to resources, and public visibility. The conference seeks to explore this ambivalent relationship through both theoretical and empirical perspectives, considering the impacts of the pandemic, digital transformation, and the geographic and linguistic dimension of cultural production.

Empirical research papers are invited on the centre-periphery relationship across all forms of artistic and cultural expression, including production, distribution, and reception.

Submissions (in English, French, German, or Italian, with an English abstract and slides) should include a 500-word abstract (excluding references), outlining the paper’s aim, theoretical and methodological approach, data and key findings, and 3 to 5 keywords.

Deadline for submission: 30 April 2025

Submission address: culture@sgs-sss.ch

Notification of acceptance: by end of June 2025

The conference language will be English.