2nd CFP - Apologies for cross-posting


RGS-IBG Annual Meeting: Tuesday 3rd July - Thursday 5th July 2012,
University of Edinburgh

**Call for papers - Energy and Communities**

Sponsored by the Energy Geographies Working Group (EGWG) and the
Participatory Geographies Research Group (PyGyRG)

Organisers: Sarah Marie Hall (Keele University and Marches Energy Agency)
and Sarah Hards (Keele University)
Chair: Andrew Dobson (Keele University)

This session aims to bring together papers that address, connect and
expand geographical research in two significant topics: energy and
communities. There are a growing number of research projects that deal
with energy and communities, and interest in this area was confirmed by
the RCUK's recent funding of seven Energy and Communities projects, along
with other new research projects in this field.

Energy and communities has a distinctly geographical theme, touching on
issues such as place, scale, sustainability and resource use.  Energy
geographies are an emerging and expanding area of geographical interest,
such as with the establishment of the Energy Geographies Working Group in
2011. In addition, the community scale and conceptualisations of community
have for a long time been of interest to geographers (see Smith 1999).
Community has also become increasingly topical with the current
Government's move towards collective community responsibility in the guise
of the 'Big Society'.

The session speaks to the conference theme of Security of
Geography/Geography of Security in three ways. Firstly, we consider the
role of energy security, vulnerability and resistance in the context of
communities as an increasingly important issue in sustainable development.
Secondly, the session will also address issues of social security in terms
of the sustainability and cohesion of communities, by encouraging papers
that look at issues of justice and equity in energy and communities.
Thirdly, the session acts to further geographical research into energy at
the community scale, as an important and timely area of study.  In this
way, discussions around this topic help to ensure the continuing relevance
and impact of Geography as a discipline.

We welcome papers that address energy and communities issues, including:

- Energy consumption, conservation, efficiency, generation and reduction
- Engagement and participation in energy-related initiatives
- Innovative methodological approaches to energy
- Security, vulnerability and resistance
- Justice and equity
- Fuel poverty
- Sustainability and sustainable development
- New theoretical approaches to energy
- The Big Society and the role of communities in current energy policy
- The Green Deal


References
Smith D M, 1999, 'Geography, community, and morality', Environment and
Planning A, 31(1), 19-35
www.energygeographiesworkinggroup.wordpress.com


If you are interested in submitting a paper to this session, please email
either Sarah Marie Hall ([log in to unmask]) or Sarah Hards
([log in to unmask]) with an abstract of no more than 200 words. The
deadline for submission of abstracts to this session is Tuesday 17th
January 2012.


When submitting your 200 word abstract, please include the following
information:
1) Name of authors/presenters
2) Institutional affiliation
3) Contact email
4) Title of proposed paper
5) Technical requirements (i.e., video, data projector, sound)


Many thanks,

Sarah Marie Hall and Sarah Hards