Dear Colleague,
I trust this message finds you well.
On behalf of the Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology CAA 2013 Conference ‘Across Space and Time’, which will be held at the University Club of Western Australia in Perth, Australia on 25-28 March 2013, I would like to invite you
to consider submitting an abstract for the Session: “Studying the Built Environment Across Space and Time: conceptualisation and spatial analysis of morphological and topological structure and development” that I will be chairing. (Extended abstract
included below.)
I think this session may be of interest to members of this mailing list as the themes and topics covered at the conference session relate to the areas of academic research (geographical, archaeological, historical, and architectonic) represented here.
Title: Studying the Built Environment across Space and Time: conceptualisation and spatial analysis of morphological and topological structure and development
This focus session is aimed at bringing together the widespread, but often isolated, research interests in studying the built environment, its spatial structure and its transformational development. Although such research tends to share
the common purpose of interpreting analytical outcomes in case specific contexts, this session will concentrate on the methodological challenges involved from the bottom-up. Its point of departure is formed by the theoretical premises and conceptualisations
that require the designation of appropriate analytical units which determine the (re)organisation and preparation of spatio-temporal datasets leading to suitable analytical techniques. Within developing analytical techniques, the conceptualisations restrict
the scope for interpretation of built-up space. Questions to ask are: how is the technique pertinent to the interpretation of selected aspects of the built environment and what can be learnt from it?
It is hoped the structure of the session will reveal and steer the structural connections between theoretical concepts, methodological and data driven challenges, and analytical techniques devised for interpreting and understanding the broad
notion of the built environment complex and its development. By focusing on the research aims, concepts and process an emphasis on the comparative potential of various approaches is stimulated. Considering the focus on structure and transformation the built
environment theme here refers particularly, though not exclusively, to processes of settling and urbanisation.
It is requested that presentations taking a case study perspective will highlight their contribution towards the wider bearings of their concepts and research methods used instead of focusing on time-space specific findings. This intends
to stimulate debate on our conduct and applied techniques, revealing common interests that make an approach appropriate for a broad diversity of spatial contexts. Therefore contributions and attendants are welcomed who share this field, ranging from abstraction
to data preparation and computational analyses pursuing interpretive outcomes. In this way, the extent of the potential of a disentanglement of research premises and processes from time-space contingencies (e.g. cultural and historical specificities) will be
explored as an undercurrent.
Since theory and methodology are notoriously demanding to present, this session will employ a ‘focus’ format (as proposed by the CAA2013 organisers). The focus session format will be used to establish the common tenets between researchers
working on their own approaches or significant improvements to existing methodologies for studying built environment structure and transformation. The brief bullet point presentations stimulate each presenter to capture the core aims or challenges, purposively
devised concepts and (technological) operationalisation in a few sharp statements on their work. This will pave the way for an extensive structured debate on emerging themes in which the participation of attendees is encouraged. It is expected that recognition
of shared challenges will maximise productivity during the free networking and discussion time that follows. Here people get the opportunity to demonstrate and/or distribute some research information (handouts/posters) amongst attendees and participants. All
attendees are urged to come prepared for this exchange of ideas.
I look forward to hearing whether you will be able to participate in my Session, and thank you for taking the time to read this message.
Kind regards,
Benjamin N. Vis
PhD candidate
School of Geography
University of Leeds
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CAA 2013 Perth - Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology
25-28 March 2013, Perth, Western Australia
