Call For Papers
Royal Geographical Society – Institute of British Geographers
Annual Conference, London; 26th- 29th August 2014
Historical Geographies of Co-operative Praxis
This session aims to explore the complex historical geographies of co-operation in a broad perspective, seeking to problematize a singular story of co-operative development that can be traced from the foundation of the Rochdale Pioneers. Thus, while much attention tends to be paid to the Rochdale-led enterprise, elements of co-operative practice can also be traced through much earlier craft Guilds and utopian movements (e.g. the Diggers, or the Owenites). Similarly, as well as forming a binding principle for many consumer movements, an ethos of co-operation also appears at the heart of numerous producer business organizational practices, especially within the spheres of agriculture and small scale worker collectives. Hence while some elements of co-operation appear to be accommodating to the emerging development of capitalism, others aim to provide a critical alternative to it. In this sense, the broad co-operative movement can be seen as both a business model and a way of life through which communities and individuals socialized.
This session examines historical geographies of co-operatives and co-operation from a range of perspectives, seeking to instigate a collaborative conversation about the nature of co-operative praxis more broadly. Thus, we welcome papers that explore any element of co-operative practice in the UK or beyond. Papers might engage with historical geographies of the British co-operative movement and its forebears. Alternatively, contributors may choose to engage more generally with co-operative organization circulating at different times and in different places. We are also interested in papers that engage with the activities and practices of those who drew on a co-operative ethos, even if not formally involved in modes of co-operative organization; and in different modes of co-op (across producer, consumer, and into other modes). We would like to explore the range and depth of co-operative scholarship within historical geography.
Our aim in this session is to allow space for full paper length pieces which reflect on the historical geographies of co-operative praxis alongside ‘shards’ of evidence of co-operativism, including those that have emerged within your own research practice. This maybe something you do not wish to pursue in any great detail but opens out the ubiquitous way in which elements of mutualism spread across spheres of social exchange. We are therefore able to make space for alternative presentation formats (e.g. 5 minute portraits, posters, discussion cameos) for stories that you would like to share in this session, but which you do not feel able to make a full paper. We would like to use these sessions to explore establishing a co-operative historical geographies network to develop a publication from the papers, cameos and discussion.
Potential contributors are asked to send proposed titles and abstracts (250 words) to [log in to unmask]
The deadline for submitting abstracts is Friday 14th February 2014.
Organisers: Dr Nicola Thomas (University of Exeter); Dr Briony McDonagh (University of Hull); Dr David Harvey (University of Exeter)
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