The theme of the conference is “Nomadism and Mobile Ways of Life in the Americas”. Considering recent global developments (e.g. flows of refugees from zones of uprising and war in Northern Africa and the Middle East, or the expulsion of Rom or of Irish Travelers by various European governments), we think that a thorough reflection on the historical and current situation in the Americas and the Atlantic World is urgently necessary.
“Nomads”, “nomadism” and “mobile ways of life”, in its broadest sense and taking into account the historical changes, will be the focus of the conference. Thus, the keynote speakers and presenters will visualize families, children, women, and men who belong to ethnic and religious (minority) groups (Native Americans, African Americans, Romani, Jews, Arabs, Afroindigenous), particular laborers and occupation groups (slaves, forced laborers, gauchos/ cowboys/vaque(i)ros/hua­sos/chinas, merchants, smugglers, pirates, bandits, ship crews, fugitive slave catchers, slave hunters, bandeirantes, scientists, explorers, diplomats, missionaries, gold prospectors/pork knockers, prostitutes, soldiers), marginal groups (displaced persons, vagabonds, squatters, landless) or to political outlaw groups (guerilleros/combatants, rebels, maroons).
How broadly the term nomadism has to be defined with regard to the Americas and the Atlantic World – we think about the fluent transition to displaced persons and migrants – will be pointed out in the course of the conference as well the importance of the Neolithic Revolution. Further core themes will include the analysis of interactions between nomads and resident populations, of experiments of social disciplining of (allegedly) nomadic autochthonous peoples that went as far as intentional genocide, as well as nomadism as a consequence of colonial power, slavery, violence and/or ecological catastrophes. This will ask for a discussion about the motives and “voluntariness” or “involuntariness” of mobile ways of life in an area of tension between state and capitalism and shall bring new insights for the research on nomadism.