Hi,

 

I know today is the last day, but I would like to propose another session for the IBG.

 

Citizens influencing science and policy

 

Convenor: Frances Harris, Kingston University

 

We live in a society where the pace of scientific change is faster than society’s ability to grapple with the potential consequences of scientific development. This is particularly true in areas such as biotechnology (genetic modification), nanotechnology, and health (e.g. human embryology and fertilisation techniques) where scientific developments also have social, ethical and political impacts. Public trust in science has been eroded through sequential high profile problems, such as BSE, FMD, and MMR (Select Committee on Science and Society, 2000). The developing concept of post-normal science (Ravetz, 1999) focuses specifically on issues where “facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent”.

 

This session will draw on examples to identify ways to ensure stakeholder engagement in scientific debate, examine the issues surrounding participation and involvement of stakeholders in knowledge production, and consider how lay voices shape how scientific research is prioritised and evaluated as policy decisions are made. Papers are invited which consider the following topics:

• Involving research users: combining scientific and lay knowledge
• Participation from marginalised groups
• Role of pressure groups in influencing science and policy
• Engaging the public in debate

 

Key words:

Post-normal science, lay knowledge, citizen science

 

If anyone would like to be involved / co-convene, please contact me.

 

Best wishes,

 

Frances

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone

The deadline for RGS-IBG Conference 2007 sessions is rapidly approaching (details at the bottom of the email).  So far I believe the following sessions/ideas have been mentioned as potentially being sponsored by PyGyWG (with their suggestant in brackets!):

 

• The role of Shell in the IBG-RGS (Paul Chatterton)
• Walking and the everyday - (Duncan Fuller)
• 'Giving back' research skills to local communities - (Nadia Abu Zahra)
• 'Acting emotionally? Emotions, activism and emotional sustainability' - (Jenny Pickerill and Gavin Brown)
• Open mike - (Kye Askins)
• Participation and the Internet - (Duncan Fuller)

 

Are there any more?  Are there any of these where the original proposer no longer wants to go ahead with them?  Does anyone fancy volunteering as (co-)convenor on any of these (ie I don't want to organise two?!!)  We'll need the following for each of our 5 sessions that are accepted by the PYGYWG committee via the session submission forms available in the conference part of the RGS website:

Session title:

Is this linked to a themed day?

1) Sustainable Cities

2) Landscape Design

3) Development and Environment

Research Group(s) affiliation

if applicable

Convenors:               1  

                                   2

E-mail address:        1  

                                   2

Number of sessions required:

Note: one session =  1 hour 40 minutes so max. 5 x 20 minutes papers

Format of session: keynote speaker, poster, panel discussion, etc.

For each session below please complete a 200 word abstract which will be used to advertise your session on the web when we issue the call for papers

 

Organising a session

Sessions can be proposed by convenors until the deadline of close of business on Wednesday 15 November 2006.

Each Research Group can have a maximum of 5 sessions (single and joint). Convenors can be a) from Research Groups or b) independent convenors and must fill in the session submission form (see right)

Research Group session convenors can only  fill in the session submission form with the approval of the Research Group Chair.

We will let all session convenors know if their sessions have been accepted  by Friday 1 December 2006. Sessions (with full abstract) will be posted onto the web as approved.

Sessions can take the form of contributed papers, poster sessions, panel discussions, practitioner forums, key note presentations and other. There will be four sessions each day (two in the morning ; two in the afternoon) each 1 hour and 40 minutes in length.

We are encouraging the use of 20 minute blocks to allow delegates to transfer sessions should they so wish. This means that 5 papers can be presented within one of the 1 hour 40 minute sessions.

We are also encouraging session convenors to link their session into the conference theme for each of the days:

·                         sustainable cities

·                         landscape design

·                         development and environment

 

 

----------------------------------

Dr Duncan Fuller

Senior Lecturer/Programme Leader, BA Geography

Division of Geography

Ellison Building D Block

Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 8ST

Direct Tel - 0191 2273753

Fax - 0191 2273519

Divisional Office - 0191 2273428

 

PEANuT (Participatory Evaluation and Appraisal in Newcastle upon Tyne) - http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/peanut

 

Mapping Tranquillity - http://northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/sas/sas_research/pa/consultres/map_tranquil/?view=Standard

 

Exploring solutions to 'graffiti' in Newcastle upon Tyne - http://northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/sas/sas_research/pa/consultres/graffiti/

 

'Local to me': Advancing Financial Inclusion in Newcastle upon Tyne - http://northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/sas/sas_research/pa/consultres/local/?view=Standard

 

Participatory Geographies Working Group of the RGS/IBG (PyGyWG)- http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/research/pygywebsite/

http://www.pygywg.org

 

Geo-publishing.org - http://www.may.ie/nirsa/geo-pub/geo-pub.html

 

Radical Theory/Critical Praxis: Making a Difference Beyond the Academy?

http://www.praxis-epress.org/ahttp://www.praxis-epress.org/availablebooks/radicaltheorycriticalpraxis.html

 

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