New Urbanscapes:
Theoretical and Methodological Approaches

International Sociological Association invites applications from Ph.D. students in sociology or interdisciplinary programs to attend the ISA International Laboratory in Sociology to be held in Coimbra, Portugal, September 6-12, 2004.

The theme of the workshop is New Urbanscapes: Theoretical and Methodological Approaches.

The workshop will focus on theoretical and methodological issues of Ph.D. dissertations in progress dealing with topics such as:

• Trends on world urbanization and metropoles
• Megacities, world cities, global cities
• Urban environment and sustainability
• Social policies in contemporary urban areas
• The urban divide and the disputed city
• The city and social exclusions and inequalities
• City cultures, memories and identities
• City representations, uses of culture and creativity
• The informational city, city networking and competitiveness
• Cities governance and citizenship
• Sociology and the city: theoretical legacies and challenges
• Urban (in)justice, conflicts and violence

The laboratory will be conducted by a group of scholars invited by ISA. The working language of the workshop will be English. Participants in the workshop should be able to understand and speak English.

Interested candidates are requested to submit the following documentation:

1. A letter of application specifying the topic of their research (in English).
2. A two-page abstract of their research project including information about the theoretical approach(es) used (in English).
3. A two-page curriculum vitae (in English).
4. Two letters of recommendation (in French, English, Spanish or Portuguese)
   (a) one from the student's dissertation adviser or a dissertation committee member that comments on the research project, particularly the stage of research and the theoretical and/or methodological approach(es) and anticipated accomplishment, and
   (b) the other from the Department Chair or another professor on academic merits in comparison with other students in the same programme and on the candidate's potential leadership in the social sciences. Email addresses of the referees should be included in the student's letter of application.
5. A list of university courses completed and, if available, the grades.

Applications shall be received by regular mail (documents sent by e-mail or fax will not be accepted) not later than 15 June 2004 at:

International Sociological Association
Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology
University Complutense, Campus de Somosaguas
28223 Madrid, Spain
tel: 34-91 352 7650

Late applications will be considered if places remain available.

Selection criteria include: excellence of research, diversity of theoretical approaches, gender and geographical diversity of the candidates. Selection results will be announced on 15 July 2004.

Travel and lodging expenses of the selected participants will be covered by the International Sociological Association supported by a grant received from the UNESCO International Social Science Council and the University of Coimbra (Faculty of Economics).

Programme