SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Inaugural International Conference in Critical Geography
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. August 10-13, 1997.
CRITICAL: ' 1: Given to judging: esp. given to fault-finding, censorious,
carping; 2: Involving or exercising careful judgement or observation; 5: Of
the nature of, of constituting a crisis: of decisive importance in relation
to the issue; 7 (Math. or Physics) constituting or relating to a point at
which some action, property, or condition passes over into another' (Oxford
English Dictionary)
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This is the inaugural international conference of
critical geographers. The aim of this conference is to further international
linkages and to explore recent theoretically informed scholarship in
critical/radical geography in a convivial and innovative format.
THEMES: Rather than being pre-set, conference themes will evolve based on
participants' interests. However, possible themes could include the
following:
The limitations of critical geography
Electronic Democracy
Gendered cities
Trans-boundary formations
Critical Geography - The new hegemony
Spatial appropriations and inter-disciplinary research
Queer Space.
The activist academic and the new conservatism.
Critical enquiry and physical geography
The revival of class analysis
The politics of geography after globalization
Rural and Radical
Metaphor and materiality
Critical geopolitics and the Orders of the New World
Environmentalism: theory and activism
NAFTA/FTA and academic enquiry
Ethical geographies
Development and gender
Beyond discourse
Class and the history of geography
Indigenous peoples and the geographies of the state
Globalization as ideology
These are meant as purely suggestive topics. Sessions can and will focus on
many other issues.
FORMAT: Rather than the traditional 15/20 minute paper presentations, we aim
to provide flexible and varied formats. Brief paper presentations could be
combined with longer workshop discussions, reading circles, and informal
gatherings for the exchange of ideas. Some such exchanges might be initiated
prior to the start of the conference, by letter or by e-mail. We urge
potential participants to begin organizing NOW. The conference organisers
will be happy to try and establish connections between potential participants
if necessary. Again, we urge participants to be creative in their
presentations. For example, virtual discussions could provide a basis for a
field-trip, or an informal gathering in Vancouver, and then be continued more
formally later.
GRADUATE STUDENTS: Graduate students are directly involved in the planning
of the conference. We will do all we can to ensure that conference costs,
including accommodation, are kept to a minimum. We also wish to encourage
the creation of a supportive yet exacting forum for the work of new scholars.
LANGUAGE: Participants whose first language is not English are encouraged to
attend. While we do not expect to have the budget to provide simultaneous
translations, we would encourage participants to present in languages other
than English. Informal translations, where necessary, may enhance the kinds
of connections that the conference seeks to build.
CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS: A committee drawn from faculty and graduate students
at University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University will play the
leading organizing role.
Contacts: Geraldine Pratt ([log in to unmask])
Nick Blomley ([log in to unmask])
Nadine Schuurman ([log in to unmask])
Jeff Sommers ([log in to unmask])
Margaret Walton ([log in to unmask])
(The latter three contacts are graduate students who probably should not be
swamped with enquiries.)
We have also established a group of regional contacts who are prepared to
help to advertise the conference among people in their region and initiate
sessions at the conference:
Australia: Jane Jacobs ([log in to unmask])
Austria: Christian Rammer ([log in to unmask])
Denmark/: Eliza Steelwater ([log in to unmask])
Nordic Countries
Finland/: Jouni Hakli ([log in to unmask])
Nordic Countries
Italy: Claudio Minca
([log in to unmask])
Japan: Martin Brennan ([log in to unmask])
New Zealand: Lawrence Berg ([log in to unmask])
Southern Africa: Patrick Bond ([log in to unmask])
UK: Steve Pile ([log in to unmask])
US: Neil Smith ([log in to unmask])
If we have omitted anyone from this list or if you would like to act as a
regional contact, please contact Neil Smith.
MAILING LIST: We want to have the conference widely advertised throughout
the world in order to attract a diverse group of geographers. Neil Smith
([log in to unmask]) is coordinating initial publicity. Please direct
e-mail and paper addresses of other possible participants to him so that they
can be included in a comprehensive mailing (electronic and paper) list. We
especially need the names and addresses of possible participants beyond the
English-speaking world, and especially in the developing world.
COST: We estimate that the conference will cost about $100 for students,
$125 for faculty (in Canadian dollars). We are trying to keep costs low.
WHAT NOW?
a) PREREGISTRATION FEES. Send a cheque for C$20 (Faculty) or C$10
(Non-faculty) by SEPTEMBER 15 1996. This non-refundable pre registration
fee will be applied to the registration fee.
Cheques should be made out to IICCG (Inaugural International Conference of
Critical Geography) and should be sent to: IICCG, Geography Department,
University of British Columbia, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2.
If necessary, pre-registration fees can be paid in US$ or in major
convertible currencies. But bank fees in Canada are high so if you pre
register with a currency other than Canadian dollars, please make your
pre-registration fee equivalent to US$20. This money will ensure that we
have some seed money to get things going!
b) ACCOMMODATION: Hotels in Vancouver are expensive and need to be booked
well in advance. UBC Conference Housing will be available. The following
are 1996 prices before tax, and include the cost of some meals:
suites (3-4 people): C$105
double suites C$90
single w/ bath C$60
single (shared bath & kitchenette) C$35
When you send the preregistration fee, please indicate whether you wish to
stay in UBC conference housing and indicate your preferred type of unit. We
do NOT require payment for housing now, and statement of your preferences
does NOT commit you in any way. We simply want to get a sense of the demand
for UBC housing.
c) INTELLECTUAL SUBSTANCE: With your pre-registration fees and
accommodation choices, please indicate area of interest and ideas for
sessions. More formal submissions will be made later.
See you in Vancouver, August 10-13, 1997!
(Conference participants are also invited to attend the Canadian Association
of Geographers annual meeting, which will be held in St John's Newfoundland
on August 19-24, 1997. We aim to establish several sessions that will
connect the two meetings, and hope to have a strong showing of critical
geographers at St John's. Further information can be obtained at
www.mun.ca/geog/cag.html)
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