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Call for papers
Cultural Returns
Assessing the Place of
Culture in Social Thought
An international conference organised by the Pavis Centre for Social and
Cultural Research at the Open University
Dates: 18-20 September 2002
Venue: St. Hugh's College, Oxford
Confirmed speakers include: Arjun Appadurai, Tony Bennett, Richard Collins,
Anthony Elliott, Nancy Fraser, Richard Johnson, George McKay, Meaghan
Morris, Sasha Roseneil, David Saunders, Beverley Skeggs
This major international conference brings together leading figures in
cultural studies, cultural and political theory, cultural history, cultural
geography, sociology of culture and cultural anthropology to debate the
place of culture in social thought in the wake of 'cultural turns' in a
number of disciplines, and the place of culture in putatively 'culturalised'
societies and economies.
Culture is increasingly central in contemporary societies. It is an
important force in social and political change; a key economic sector in its
own right; and it permeates our everyday lives. Meanwhile, culture has
become increasingly central to social thought. In a range of academic
disciplines across the social sciences and humanities, including sociology,
anthropology, history, geography, psychology, media studies, education,
politics, gender studies, economics and cultural studies, unprecedented
attention has been paid to issues of meaning, symbol and communication. But
how fruitful have the various "cultural turns" been? What have they
contributed to our understanding of the relations between culture and
society?
It is time for an assessment of the role of culture in societies and in
social thought, and for serious thinking about the most important directions
for future work. This conference, organised by the Pavis Centre for Social
and Cultural Research at the Open University, and to be held in the
beautiful setting of St. Hugh's College, Oxford, will explore these issues
across the following key themes.
* Culture, diaspora and globalisation: the politics of international
and transnational cultural flows and cultural identities
* Cultural economy: changing conceptions of the relationship of
economies, markets and culture
* Culture and governance: rethinking the regulation of culture, and
the role of culture in social life
* Cultural industries: change and continuity in the production and
circulation of cultural products
* Culture and identity: subjectivity, self, personhood
* Culture and social movements: activism, citizenship and structures
of power
* Culture, class and gender: cultural shifts, new social relations
* Culture and media: media cultures and the mediation of culture
We invite abstracts of 200-400 words to be submitted by e-mail to David
Hesmondhalgh at [log in to unmask] by 5pm, Wednesday 17 April 2002. We
welcome papers which address the conference theme in general terms, but if
your paper is intended for a particular conference stream, please indicate
which one.
We also welcome panel proposals. Panels should consist of at least 3 people,
and your abstract should outline how the panel addresses the conference
themes, or particular strand themes, and should provide 200-400 word
abstracts of the papers making up the panel.
Please circulate this call for papers to any colleagues you think may be
interested in the conference theme(s).
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