Dear all

Following my suggestion at the SCS conference about regional meetings, I've
talked to a few people about the idea of establishing something in the North
of England/ Scotland. (So far I've talked mostly to David Howard and Mimi
Sheller, but also have had positive feedback and suggestions from several
other people.) We propose setting up an ongoing multidisciplinary seminar:
the Caribbean Research Seminar in the North.  We would suggest, at least for
a first meeting, that we meet for an afternoon, hearing three papers in
three separate sessions lasting about 50 minutes, with breaks between them
(about 25 minutes paper and 25 minutes discussion per session). The idea
would be to have a range of papers at each meeting: in terms of the
different parts of the Caribbean, and in terms of disciplinary backgrounds
of the speakers.  We will encourage speakers to tailor their talks to an
audience of people from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds.  Time would
be set aside at the first meeting to discuss what participants want to do
with the seminar in the future.  After the seminar, people who wanted to
could go for an early dinner at an inexpensive restaurant and stay over if
they wanted to (we will provide info about B&Bs later).  The idea would be
to generate informal contacts and discussion as well as to discuss the
formal papers.

In order to get things started, we're suggesting that the first meeting
takes place on January 26th (a Friday), at Lancaster University, from about
2pm to 5.30pm.  Mimi Sheller has agreed to be one of the speakers, and will
talk about her new project, Consuming the Caribbean.  We have a few ideas
for other people who might speak, but would also welcome suggestions.
Future meetings could be held at Edinburgh University and Newcastle
University--and elsewhere if people based elsewhere can suggest places.

In order to make this viable, we need to know that there are people out
there who are interested and would attend.  If you would be interested,
PLEASE respond to this message, preferably to me, off list
([log in to unmask]). Please respond by e-mail now, even if you
have previously expressed interest to me. Please let us know:

Would you be interested in participating in the Caribbean Research Seminar
in the North?

Will you be able to attend the first seminar, on 26 January?

Who would you like us to invite to speak? (Please give location and e-mail
address, if possible.)

Would you be prepared to speak yourself, either at this or future seminars?
(If so, give an indication of the topic you would speak on.)

Who else do you know who might be interested in participating?  Please give
e-mail addresses if possible.  (This is probably the most important thing:
if we don't know who is around we can't notify them.  Please tell us in
particular about post-graduate students and people who aren't affiliated
with universities, as they don't tend to be listed on institutional
websites.)

Would you be prepared to help organize the seminar, either now or in the
future?  If so, how? (Eg, applying for funding, contacting speakers,
organizing an event at your institution, distributing publicity.)

Do you have any other suggestions?

Looking forward to hearing from lots of people!

Diana




Diana Paton
The Queen's College
Oxford
OX1 4AW

[log in to unmask]
Phone: (44) 01865 279132
Fax: (44) 01865 790819

>From 1 September:
Department of History
Armstrong Building
University of Newcastle
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
NE1 7RU



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