The general theme of the ICSA 2001 Conference is "Communal Living on the Threshold of a New Millennium: Lessons and Perspectives". "Communal living" is used in the broadest sense to include communes, kibbutzim, intentional communities, cohousing groups, ecovillages, housing co-operatives, religious communities, etc. Some of these are in urban areas while others are in remote rural areas. Some groups are organised along religious/spiritual lines while others are more secular; some have more obviously political dimensions while others are very environmentally-oriented. "Communal living" also includes the ideas which underpin these alternative and more social lifestyles, including the ideas and literature of utopianism. "Lessons and Perspectives" refers to ICSA´s interest in the long and colourful history of these alternative forms of communal living - and to our interest in the future of this vital and crucial social movement. All communal ventures are aimed at creating a better future, so ICSA looks to the future by learning from history. This conference of the International Communal Studies Association will take a broad look at what we have learned from the survival (and collapse) of communal ventures, and how this vital movement can and will develop in the new Millennium.
The three day conference will begin early afternoon, Monday, June 25, 2001 and conclude with a formal dinner on the evening of Wednesday, June 27. There will be keynote addresses by senior researchers in Communal Studies, and by experienced communards. There will be parallel sessions covering a broad range of issues relevant to the theme: "Communal Living on the Threshold of a New Millennium: Lessons and Perspectives".The conference will also include music and dance from communal groups, and there will be ample opportunity to explore ZEGG community and learn from its members - and to enjoy ourselves. For current information please see www.antenna.nl/icsa .
June 25
Prof. Fritz Vilmar, Germany
Communal Living in Germany
Prof. Hans Luft, Germany
Development and Future of the Agricultural Co-operatives in Germany
June 26
Dr Tim Miller, USA
Out to Save the World: Why Communal Studies Matter for the 21st Century
June 27
Dr Graham Meltzer, Australia
Cohousing: Bringing Communalism to the Mainstream
Lucilla Borio, Italy
Ecovillages: Intentional Communities of the Future
Dr Peter Forster, Fiji
Virtual Communes: The Future of Communal Living?
Experimental Living Arrangements as Human Development Strategies, Dr Richard
Coon, USA
The Kibbutz Awakening from Utopia, Daniel Gavron, Israel
Visions of Utopia: Experiments in Sustainable Culture, Geoff Kozeny,
USA
Communal Living: An Alternative to the Crisis of Contemporary Civilisation,
Dr Saulo Xavier Batista, Brazil
Communal Values: Shaping the Way of Doing Business in Industrial Districts,
Dr Claudia Andreoli Galvão, Brazil
The Need for Sufficiency - not Efficiency: Is Communal Living the Answer? Horace
Herring, UK
Couples and Communes, Dr Deborah Altus, USA
Community Sustainability: The Challenge of Intergenerational Change, Dr Peter
Cock, Australia
Women and Intentional Community, Leila Dregger, Germany
Communal Education: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice, Prof. Yuval
Dror, Israel
After a day of rest and recreation in ZEGG (June 28) a tour is being planned
to German communities (additional fee; see registration form).
June 29 Berlin sight-seeing tour Ufa-Fabrik, Berlin (a long-term urban community)
June 30 Kommune Niederkaufungen (commune in the middle of a little town, shared
economy)
July 1 Ökodorf Sieben Linden (a new ecovillage)
Following the ICSA 2001 Conference and Post Conference Tour, delegates are welcome to stay for the 4th International Community Meeting (ICM) at ZEGG. At this annual meeting, members of communal groups from around the globe gather at ZEGG to build up a network based on friendship and cooperation and to establish concrete projects (youth education and exchange e.g.). This will require an additional fee. Contact ZEGG for details.
ZEGG community is in Belzig, Germany, about one hour by train south-west of Berlin, the nearest international airport. If flying into Berlin (Schönefeld Airport), go by train to Bergholz, and change to a train to Belzig. If flying into Berlin (Tegel Airport), go by bus to Berlin-Charlottenburg, and change to a train to Belzig. There are trains almost every hour (from 5 a.m. to midnight). If notified in advance, conference delegates can be picked up at Belzig train station. Otherwise, just catch a taxi or bus. ZEGG is about three kilometres from the Belzig train station. ZEGG has a number of single, double & triple bedrooms, plus dormitory style accommodation available for guests. No ZEGG rooms have private bathroom facilities. There are also several hotels within walking distance, and transport will be arranged for those who need it.
Bill Metcalf, Griffith University, Australia (chair)
Graham Meltzer, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Helen Best, Queensland Board of Secondary School Studies, Australia
Christa Falkenstein, ZEGG Community, Germany
March 31, 2001 Deadline early registration
June 25 - 27, 2001 ICSA 2001 Conference
June 28, 2001 Rest & Recreation day
June 29 - July 1, 2001 Post Conference Tour
July 2 - 6, 2001 International Gathering of Communities
The International Communal Studies Association was founded in 1985 through collaboration between the Communal Studies Association, of USA, and the Kibbutz Studies Centres, of Israel. ICSA seeks and promotes the world-wide study of communal groups of all kinds, including communes, kibbutzim, religious groups, ecovillages, collective settlements, cohousing groups, housing co-operatives, etc. ICSA also promotes the exchange of information between communal scholars and communards. ICSA functions as a clearing house for research projects, encourages comparative studies, and maintains a list of communal organisations and individuals active in communal research. ICSA publishes a twice-yearly Bulletin which is posted to all members. The ICSA website is: www.ic.org/icsa The ICSA has its headquarters at Yad Tabenkin Kibbutz Research Centre, Ramat Efal, 52960, Israel (e-mail: yadtab@inter.net.il).The Executive Director of ICSA is Professor Yaacov Oved, of Yad Tabenkin, Israel. The ICSA needs the support of interested and active members. Therefore, we hope and expect most participants and all presenters at the conference to join the ISCA. An exception may be made for students and people from intentional communities who are "financially-challenged". Membership is (US)$25 per year for individuals, and (US)$40 per year for institutions. To join ICSA, write to Yad Tabenkin, Kibbutz Research Centre, Ramat Efal, 52960, Israel, or e-mail: yadtab@inter.net.il
The ICSA-Conference 2001 is held
in cooperation with Stiftung MITARBEIT, Bonn, Germany
supported by Stiftung SYNANON, Berlin, Germany
supported by Griffith University, Australia
subsidized by Brandenburgische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung
and Stichting Onderzoek en Advies Groepshuisvesting (STOA), Rotterdam
If you wish to participate in this conference, please send in the application
form which is enclosed with this brochure. Address all correspondence concerning
registration and accommodation preferably by e-mail to: icsa@zegg.de
For your questions and registration contact:
ICSA congress office at ZEGG
Christa Falkenstein, Christiane Mrozek
Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 89, D-14806 Belzig
Tel: +49 - (0)33841 - 59510
Fax: +49 - (0)33841 - 59512
E-Mail:icsa@zegg.de
ZEGG roughly translates as the Centre for Experimental Cultural Design. ZEGG has 70 adult members and about 20 children, and is located on the edge of the small town of Belzig, Germany, about one hour south-west of Berlin. They have been on this site for about ten years but had lived together elsewhere as a communal group for an additional ten years. They have a compact site with many buildings, and several lecture, seminar and meeting rooms. There is an excellent vegetarian kitchen and dining room, and wine and drinks will be available with meals. They have two pubs on site, plus a swimming pool. ZEGG comprises a very mature and enlightened group of dedicated communards. They are very open to sharing their communal world with those attending ICSA2001. ZEGG is one of the most interesting communal groups in the world today. Most ZEGG members speak some English and several are very fluent. ZEGG´s website is: http://www.zegg.de. There are numerous intentional communities in this part of Germany, and many of them will be attending and sharing information about their diverse communities. ZEGG members and those from other German intentional communities will provide musical entertainment during the ICSA2001 conference. A short article that gives more information and honest opinions about ZEGG can be seen in Communities Magazine (#101, 1999, pp. 62-4), with the title "Community Living Worldwide: ZEGG: Free Love in Germany".