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Cultural Geographies of 'Native' and ‘Non-native' Natures Call for Papers: RGS/IBG Conference: 3oth August – 1st September 2005 London Session Organisers: Divya Tolia-Kelly (Durham) and Kezia Barker (UCL) Supported by the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group In recent research in cultural geography (e.g. Ecos vol 23, 2002 and Clarke, 2003) new debates on the categorisation and normalisation of ‘native’ and ‘alien’ species have erupted. These debates are occurring in the context of tightening legislation on global biosecurity, as countries seek to protect their natural and agricultural systems from the perceived threat of alien invasives. These legislative moves could be seen to stand in conflict with arguments for a new cosmopolitanism, and a call within cultural studies for non-essential approaches to cultural, biological and material citizenship. Others may argue that as the second leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide (according to the Convention on Biological Diversity), this academic sensibility towards invasive alien species is taking the ‘hype of hybridity’ (Mitchell, 1997) too far. This session seeks to address the debate that denotes ‘alien’ and ‘native’ nature as cultural categories, but will also attempt to move beyond more established ideas of ‘national natures’. This would include an investigation of the concept of ecological citizenship, and the inflection of these debates in scientific, policy-related, and public environmental practices. We welcome papers that are tackling social and cultural constructions of natures within the literatures of citizenship, belonging, and notions of natural ‘dwelling’ and territorial ethics. Papers may reflect current research on:- Cosmopolitan natures; Biosecurity and Citizenship; Natural Citizenship; Cultures of race, belonging and borders; Moral geographies of the native; Ecological racism. Cultural geographies of the ‘non-native’ For more information or to submit an abstract (200 words), please contact either Kezia Barker [log in to unmask] or Divya Tolia-Kelly [log in to unmask] Deadline for abstracts: Wednesday 25th January 2006.