Invitation: INURA-Conference, Berlin: June 22 - 29, 2003:

»Border City/Divided City«

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he next conference is going to take place in Berlin. From 1961 to 1989, Berlin was a divided city. While the Western part of the city was an outpost and 'shop window' of the Western world, East Berlin was the capital of the GDR. However, both parts were highly subsidized Cold War 'frontier cities'.

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ince the end of systemic confrontation, Berlin had to face a tremendous economic and political transformation. Politically, there has been a shift towards neoliberal ideas conceptualizing cities as entrepreneurs in a globalized world economy. Economically, the vision of a post-fordist service metropolis has never realized. Berlin's failure in the global inter-urban/inter-regional competition is to be explained by both the relative de-industrialization of West Berlin due to the cold war situation and by the de-industrialization of East Berlin's industrial core since unification. Without any significant industrial base or post-industrial service economy, unemployment and welfare rates have skyrocket in all parts of the unevenly developed city. Moreover, the weak economic base and limited tax income, combined with large-scale political corruption and severe mismanagement (Bankenskandal), have left the city in a state of heavy financial crisis.

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t the same time, Berlin is said to be the German city of alternative groups. In particular, the city has a long history and well established tradition of squatter-movements, and it also has a tremendous 'off-culture'. We want to show you both: some of the most important problems the city and its citizens have to face, and some of the various related paths people try to find to deal with these challenges. Thus, we will focus on economic, social, political and cultural issues in Berlin: truly a border and still a divided city.

Yours, INURA team Berlin