I still feel that whether or not to resign from the RGS-IBG should be a
personal decision, as there is clearly no consensus amongst 'critical
geographers' and thus any attempt to move en masse would be mistaken.
However, there is the quite seperate matter of whether to set up an
independent Critical Geography organisation, raised again by Sara McKain. I
have found the discussion about this prospect on the net over the past 2
weeks quite depressing because we seem to be stuck in the same rut having
the same arguments that we have been having for the last 2 years.
Perhaps therefore it is timely to remember that the 'critical geography'
meeting at Strathclyde last year voted in favour of setting up some kind of
formal Critical Geography organisation, and that from the same meeting a
group of 9 volunteers were mandated to draw up a draft set of aims and
constitution. These were circulated on the net by Joe Painter back in March,
and I reprint them below.
There is perhaps an argument that this discussion was superseded by the
advent of the Vancouver conference, but my concern is that Vancouver should
not be used by geographers in Britain as an excuse for doing nothing now.
Rather I think that we should meet at Exeter to officially establish a
'local' group on the model suggested below, which could connect up with
whatever form of international organisation comes out of Vancouver later in
the year.
Mike Woods
DRAFT CONSTITUTION AND STATEMENT OF AIMS FOR A CRITICAL GEOGRAPHY FORUM
(First posted by Joe Painter, 5 March 1996).
1. The name of the association shall be 'The Critical Geography Forum'.
2. The group shall have the following aims:
The CGF is an international network of geographers and others which
seeks to promote:
a) the development and dissemination of critical and radical
perspectives in geography.
b) critical and radical research, publication and educational
activities undertaken by geographers.
c) links between academic geographers and radical political
activists and activities;
d) equality of opportunity
by, among other things,
i) enabling communication and debate between geographers in all
kinds of educational and research institutions, between geographers and
others in related disciplines, and between academics and the wider community.
ii) supporting the work of marginalised and under-represented groups
in geography
iii) campaigning for reform in educational and academic institutions
iv) emphasising work which improves understanding of, and seeks to
combat, unequal and oppressive power relations;
v) highlighting ethical and political issues in the practice of
geographical research and education.
3) Membership shall be open to all those who support the aims of the
association and who pay a (voluntary?) subscription at the relevant rate.
4) Members shall form such local, regional and national groups as they may
decide. These groups shall be responsible for the conduct of their own
affairs, including the setting and collecting of subscriptions, if any.
5) The association and the groups shall undertake such activities as the
members shall from time to time decide in order to further the aims.
6) There shall be an international committee, elected by, and accountable
to, the members of the association. The committee shall consist of of a
Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and such other members as the membership
shall elect.
7) The committee shall be responsible for organising the association's
activities. The committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members
to assist in its tasks.
8) The local, regional and national groups shall be responsible for
organising local, regional and national activities as appropriate.
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Michael Woods
Institute of Earth Studies
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DB.
Tel: 01970 622589
Fax: 01970 622659
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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