Concordia University
Sociology-Anthropology Department
Canadian Anthropology Society

Conference on Human Nature/Human Identities
Hall building
1455 de Maisoneuve W.
Montreal (Quebec) H3G 1M8
May 9-14, 2006
sca2006/EN/program.htm
note: sessions are open to the community
the published abstracts/ programme is only
available to conference registered participants

Friday May 12, 2006
afternoon.-
90) Symposium Session 1 of 2: The political nature of identity – La nature
politique de l’identite

Organizer/Organisation: Dr. Sima Aprahamian (Concordia University)

Symposium Abstract: The proposed session brings together papers that
examine the political nature of identity as linked to religion, gender,
class, and race. It starts with an examination of the current Genome
Project and its implications for minorities, and then examines historical
cases across cultures through time and space. The papers attempt to
address the issues raised by the conference sub-theme on the political
nature of identity whereby positioning in and by social discourses
determine the conditions of being.

Chair/ Karin Doerr (Concordia University)

a) Michiko Aramaki (Independent Researcher): SCIENCE, POLITICS, AND
IDENTITY: THE HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH AND RACIALIZED GENES – SCIENCE,
POLITIQUE ET IDENTIT: LA RECHERCHE SUR LE GNOME HUMAIN ET LES GNES
RACIALISS

b) Anna Rosmus (Independent Researcher): TURNING THE MASSES INTO ETHNIC
WARRIORS – TRANSFORMER LES MASSES EN GUERRIERS ETHNIQUES

c) Arlene Voski Avakian (University of Massachusetts): SHISH KEBAB
ARMENIANS? FOOD AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ETHNIC AND GENDER
IDENTITIES AMONG ARMENIAN AMERICAN FEMINISTS – DES SHISH KEBABS ARMNIENS?
LA NOURRITURE ET LA CONSTRUCTION ET MAINTENANCE DES IDENTITS ETHNIQUES ET
SEXUELLES CHEZ DES FMINISTES ARMNIENNES AMRICAINES

d) Sima Aprahamian (Concordia University): POLITICS OF IDENTITY IN THE
OTTOMAN EMPIRE – LES POLITIQUES DE L’IDENTIT DANS L’EMPIRE OTTOMAN

e) Karin Doerr (Independent Researcher): A POLITICIZED IDENTITY: MEANING
AND MEMORY OF JUDE (JEW) – UNE IDENTIT POLITISE: SIGNIFICATION ET SOUVENIR
DE `JUDE’ (JUIF)

100) Symposium Session 2 of 2: The political nature of identity – La
nature politique de l’identit

Organizer/Organisation:Dr.Sima Aprahamian (Concordia University)

a) Lynn Kutch (Lehigh University): POLITICS OF IDENTITY: LANGUAGE AND
NATIONALISM IN GERMANY POLITIQUE DE L’IDENTIT: LANGUE ET NATIONALISME EN
ALLEMAGNE

b) John A. Harries (University of Edinburgh): FRAGILE SUBSTANCE: BEOTHUK
BLOOD AND POSTCOLONIAL IDENTITIES IN NEWFOUNDLAND – FRAGILE SUBSTANCE:
SANG BOTHUK ET IDENTITS POST-COLONIALES TERRE-NEUVE

c) Aditya Kumar Dewan (Concordia University and Dawson College): THE
SELF-IMAGE AND IDENTITY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE CHITTAGONG – L’IMAGE
DE SOI ET L’IDENTIT DES POPULATIONS INDIGNES DU CHITTAGONG

d) Dena Khamesh (Independent Researcher): MEDIA REPRESENTATION AND
IDENTITY POLITICS: CANADIAN NEWS COVERAGE OF MIDDLE EASTERN ISSUES AND ITS
IMPACT ON TORONTO’S COMMUNITIES

e) Arun Chaudhuri (York University): Bollywood vs. the Cowboy: identity
politics duel at high noon – Bollywood contre le Cowboy: duel de
politiques d’identit sous le soleil de midi

f) Suncem Kocer (Indiana University): Politics of Kurdish Identity during
the Era of Turkey’s European Union Accession – Politiques d’identit kurde
l’re de l’accession de la Turquie l’Union Europenne