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Please could you pass this conference call for papers on to anyone you think might be interested? Sorry if you've already received this message on other e-mail lists. 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 Culture is increasingly central in contemporary societies. It is an important force in social and political change; a central dimension of economic processes; 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, psychology, media studies, 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 at St. Hugh's College Oxford, will explore these issues across the following key themes. * Culture, class and gender: cultural shifts, new social relations * 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 * Culture and identity: subjectivity, self, personhood * Culture and social movements: activism, citizenship and power Confirmed speakers include: Arjun Appadurai Tony Bennett George McKay Meaghan Morris Sasha Roseneil David Saunders Beverley Skeggs More speakers to be announced in due course. We invite abstracts of 250 words to be submitted by e-mail to [log in to unmask] by 31 March 2002. We welcome papers which address the conference theme in general terms, but please indicate which provisional stream, if any, you think your paper might be most comfortably placed within. Updated details of the conference can be found on www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/pavis Conference committee: David Hesmondhalgh, Pam Walker, Paul du Gay, Marie Gillespie, Linda Janes, Liz McFall, Tim Jordan, Peter Redman