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Apologies for cross-posting. Please see below a CFP for the AAG2016 in San Francisco. "Mobilising and claiming citizenship in constrained public spheres: Technology, engagement, practice" Session organisers: Lucy Jackson (University of Liverpool) and Daniel Hammett (University of Sheffield). Citizenship remains a contested concept, one that is at the heart of policies, practices and everyday experiences of nation- and state-building (Grugel 2003). The importance of citizenship is evident in the multiple and shifting theorisations of this concept, reflecting evolving historical contexts as well as multiple scales, foci and contextual experiences (Isin and Turner 2007). The emergence of new technologies, allied to the processes of globalisation, have shifted the terrains of citizenship, leading to predictions of a 'post-citizenship' of limited rights and fragmented attachments (Isin and Turner 2007). However, citizenship remains a 'site of political struggle' (Osler and Starkey 2005: 9), witnessed in ongoing struggles over the meaning, and realisation of, citizenship as status, rights and practices - from civil rights protests in the US, to student and civil society movements in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East mobilising for greater democratisation, delivery of socio-economic rights, and against exclusionary imaginings and policing of citizenship. Similarly, growing interest in cosmopolitan and global citizenship feed into calls for non-state-centred understandings of citizenship. The continued negotiation of the meanings, practices, identities and expectations of citizenship are increasingly implicated by shifting terrains of experience resulting from new and expanding sites of interaction and influence (Staeheli 2011). Further developments surrounding discursive constructions of and claims made to (democratic) citizenship have exposed the continued everyday struggles of civil society and others to challenge and rework notions of statehood and citizenship (cf. Chabal and Daloz 1999). These forms of political participation and citizen engagement often fall outside Western expectations of the 'civility' of civil society, demonstrating the power of 'uncivil society' particularly in contexts marked by the problematic (non)realisation of citizenship rights and curtailed public sphere (Robins et al 2008). Amidst these developments is a growing role for - and interest in - the ways in which civil society organisations, communities and citizens (including those denied this status but seeking to claim this and acting as citizens) discuss, mobilise, enact and claim citizenship in various guises both within and beyond state-sanctioned arenas of participation. These mobilisations and claims/practices occur across both concrete and virtual worlds, often drawing upon numerous media forms and communication channels to provoke discussions and disseminate idea(l)s. Forms of mass communication can provide important spaces for the promotion of both progressive and regressive understandings of citizenship, arenas to support or challenge state ideals and act a tool for both civic connection and disconnection (Coleman 2001: 112). Addressing the challenges raised above, this CFP invites contributors to think about the practice and performance of citizenship, including heightened mobility, information and technological challenges and (new) directions, shifting notions of civil and civic society engagement, and the very notions and expectations of citizenship with regards to responsibilities, rights and practices. Discussing the various incarnations of citizenship these sessions will explore citizenly ties, acts, actions, responsibilities, right and 'contracts' away from state incarnations. This session will thus invite presenters to explore how claims to citizenship are made within partially/flawed democratic political contexts and the ways in which challenges to/for citizenship are made in constrained public spheres and the 'alternative' citizenship(s) are developed and enacted. Key questions we hope to address in this session may include (but are not limited to): * How do citizens and (non) citizens engage in citizen-ly activities in constrained environments * What is the role of new media technologies in the interaction between state, non-state and citizen actors * How are concepts such as civil and civic mindedness embedded in different citizenry and how do non-governmental organisations play a role in developing concepts of community, responsibility and togetherness? * What role do NGOs and the non state sector play in the development of citizenship in a constrained public sphere? * How are notions of civil and civic mindedness conceptualised and enacted? * How might non-state actors engage in politics for (or enabled by) individual citizens in a constrained environment? * How are new social media utilised to promote citizen-state engagements and the development of progressive and regressive citizenship? * How/ are individuals forming 'online citizenships' and what is the nature of this allegiance? * How is citizenship participation encouraged/ facilitated and by whom? Topics of interest for this session: Civil society, civil and civic engagement, the politics of engagement, NGOs, Governmentality, Policing the public sphere, the use of technology in citizen mobilisation, Democratic values, citizenship participation If you would like to participate, please send a title and abstract (maximum 250 words) to Lucy Jackson ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) and Dan Hammett ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) no later than 2nd October 2016. We aim to respond promptly after this deadline to ensure potential authors have enough time to meet the AAG registration deadline. For more details on the 2016 AAG Annual Meeting including registration costs, please see: http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting References: * Chabal, P. and Daloz, J-P. 1999: Africa works: disorder as political instrument. Oxford: James Currey. * Coleman, S. 2001: The transformation of citizenship? In Axford, B. and Huggins, R., editors New media and politics. London: Sage, 109-126 * Grugel, J. 2003: Democratization studies: citizenship, globalization and governance. Government and Opposition 38, 238 - 264. * Isin, E. and Turner, B. 2007: Investigating citizenship: an agenda for citizenship studies. Citizenship Studies 11, 5-17. * Osler, A. and Starkey, H. 2005: Changing citizenship: democracy and inclusion in education Oxford: Oxford University Press. * Robins, S., Cornwall, A. and von Lieres, B. 2008: Rethinking 'citizenship' in the postcolony. Third World Quarterly 29, 1069-1086. * Staeheli, L. 2011: Political geography: where's citizenship? Progress in Human Geography 35, 393-400. Dr Lucy Jackson Lecturer in Human Geography Department of Geography and Planning Room 512, 5th floor, Roxby Building, University of Liverpool L69 7ZT Tel: +44 (0)151 794 2846