Apologies for any cross posting.

FINAL CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

CONFERENCE:  KNOWING THE SOCIAL WORLD

The deadline has been extended to February 14th 2000 in order that 
the Call can appear in the next issue of Network.

An Interdisciplinary Conference on social theory, methodology and
method. Joint organised by the Institute for Social Research,
University of Salford and the Department of Sociology, University of
Plymouth.

Dates:  July 5th-7th 2000, University of Salford, Greater Manchester.

Call for Round Table Contributions

For many, social theorists, methodologists and those engaged in the
practice of social research often talk past each other unaware of the
beneficial insights that each offers the other.  This
interdisciplinary conference aims to bring together social theorists,
philosophers, sociologists, psychologists and geographers to consider
problems of theory and method in social science.

The conference will be distinct in that its emphasis will be upon
dialogue aimed at the clarification of issues within an
inter-disciplinary framework. It is intended that the emphasis upon
clarification and dialogue will provide a valuable learning experience
for all, including postgraduates and those early in their careers. For
this reason we particularly welcome contributions from members of
these groups and each of the roundtable sessions will be chaired with
this ethos in mind.  The sessions will comprise four papers of
approximately 10 minutes duration, the aim of which is to enable
constructive dialogue within a supportive atmosphere.  This also
enables most of those attending the conference to present a paper so
it is as participatory as possible.

In addition to five roundtable sessions, the conference will include
three plenary sessions where each of the speakers will consider issues
raised in philosophy, social theory and methodology, respectively.
These talks will be given by Rom Harre (Oxford and Georgetown), John
Holmwood (Sussex) and Mary Maynard (York).

If you would like to contribute to a paper to one of the roundtable
discussions, please send a typed abstract of around 100 words to
Malcolm Williams by February 14th 2000.  His e-mail address is:
[log in to unmask]  E mail is a preferred method of
submission, although his postal address is Malcolm Williams,
Department of Sociology, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus,
Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA.

Contributors should address issues of method and theory and how one
might inform the other, or indeed where the limitations may lie. This,
of course, may include reference to the author's own experiences in
conducting research.  Presentation of these contributions will be
informal, but participants should make copies of their paper available
to participants. Selected papers will be published in either a
conference volume, or a special edition of a leading journal.

The suggested themes for the roundtable sessions are the following:

Issues in generalisation and explanation;
Lay and professional interactions, reflexivity and the validation of
knowledge; Policy, evaluation and the relevance of research; Social
constructionism and realism; Empowerment and ethics; Discourse
analysis; Power, statistics and social transformation; Teaching
research and the role of theory; Feminist research and theory; The
place of the material and the social in knowing the world; Complexity
and networks; New interpretations in the relations between science and
social science.


Malcolm Williams,
Department of Sociology,
University of Plymouth,
Drake Circus,
Plymouth,
Devon
PL4 8AA
UK

Tel: (0)1752 233283 (Direct) (0)1752 233217 (Department) FAX: (0)1752
233201
Malcolm Williams,
Department of Sociology,
University of Plymouth,
Drake Circus,
Plymouth,
Devon
PL4 8AA
UK

Tel: (0)1752 233283 (Direct) (0)1752 233217 (Department) FAX: (0)1752 233201


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%