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Dear colleagues, Apologies for cross postings 2nd Call for Papers New Zealand Geographical Society Conference 2010, with the Institute of Australian Geographers, 5-8 July 2010, Rydges Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand http://www.nzgs2010.org.nz/. Session Title: Beyond the ‘OE’? Temporary Mobility or Temporary Migration? Session Convenor: Tara Duncan, University of Otago The ‘OE’ (Overseas Experience) can perhaps be seen as an iconic New Zealand practice. The OE, along with the Gap Year, backpacking and other similar and emerging terms are everyday terms and phrases in many places around the world. Yet, in becoming mainstream, so the terms seem to be losing meaning. Myths surrounding what the OE or Gap Year ‘is’ versus the reality of the experience are challenging notions of home and away, here and there, ‘us’ and ‘them’ as those who undertake these trips move through a succession of fluid social, cultural, local, regional, national and global formations. This session seeks papers that will critically examine what the OE is and if such an experience is still possible. As the literature grows on theoretical debates such as transnationalism and mobility, perhaps these types of longer term travel need to be challenged to illustrate the multiple belongings, fluid social and cultural worlds and changing senses of self (extending beyond the scope of ‘traditional’ (nation-based?) citizenship) that exist. The session would aim to attract papers that could include, but are not limited to issues such as: • both the immobility and mobility inherent in much longer term (budget?) travel, • the blurrings between temporary mobility and temporary migration, • the changing nature of such travel, spatially, temporally and demographically, • the embedded geographies of the corporeal mobilities of different individuals/groups, • where is home, where is away? And; • who is or becomes the other? Please send abstracts (of approx 250 words) to Tara Duncan [log in to unmask]) by Friday March 26th, 2010. Many thanks and kind regards Tara Dr Tara Duncan Lecturer Department of Tourism School of Business University of Otago P O Box 56 Dunedin New Zealand T: + 64 3 479 3486 F: + 64 3 479 9034 E: [log in to unmask] W: www.otago.ac.nz/tourism