I'm currently preparing a paper for the AAH conference in Belfast, a
tentative 'first airing' of ideas towards a chapter of my current
book-in-progress 'Fabrics of Desire'. I'm conscious that I want to use the
paper as an opportunity to show new and established colleagues where I am
with a still-forming set of ideas, to further develop those through
discussion, and even through reflection on hearing my own voice tease out
their developing meanings, and to make links with any emergent research in
my area of interest.
Then, I'll take the paper-in-progress onwards to the Fashion in Fiction
conference at UTS, Sydney. It will have - like a living thing - grown and
altered, and the second opportunity to air it again is part of a rich and
effective method by which research, allowed the oxygen of publicity,
thrives.
As Ranulph notes, we can read research papers...and that can happen long
after the event. What I'm interested in - and it can be an exposing and
nerve-wracking experience - is the performativity at work in the conference
arena. Where paper presentations are not simply the reading out of what is
already available, but when papers are 'performed' and animated by their
authors and understood as progressing and developing, rather than set and
fixed. Then, a special and unique 'critical performance' between author and
audience can happen. And this is where, in my opinion, conferences are
invaluable arenas for researchers.
Best wishes to all
Catherine
On 25/2/07 08:37, "Ranulph Glanville" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I fear I agree with Terry.
>
> However, the point of conferences is rarely, in my experience, in the
> papers presented etc. I can read those, and most presentations are
> disgraceful. Further the format really isn't helpful.
>
> The point of conference is the chance both to network and to test
> ideas. These lead to new ideas and understandings. We have few places
> where we can meet like this, and that is what we risk losing.
>
> I believe we need to at least argue this point, which I don't believe
> is understood by our bean counters, or, on occasion, by ourselves and
> our colleagues. In a time of measurement and counting, we run the
> risk of running out of new material to measure and count. Conferences
> aren't indulgent therapy, it's the mechanism by which innovation
> prospers. Remember what happened when we rationalised away coffee
> corners in office design?
>
> Ranulph
>
>
> On 25 Feb 2007, at 03:31, Terence Love wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>> In Australia, we have received clear signals from the government that
>> conferences will become much less relevant in research quality
>> assessment.
>> Instead, the focus will be on citations of refereed papers in first-
>> rank
>> journals with high impact factors. (Design Issues is in the
>> citation list,
>> Design Studies is not).
>>
>> This impact directly on income for education institutions and cash
>> that is
>> made available to academics.
>> I gather this sea-change is a world-wide phenomenon.
>>
>> Some implications are:
>> * Funding for attendance to conferences will be significantly
>> restricted,
>> particularly for anyone under professorial rank who does not have
>> their own
>> research income stream.
>> * Conference viability will be reduced.
>> * Conferences will become less relevant to building the research field
>> * Conferences will have a biasing effect on the growth of the field
>> because
>> the networking will comprise a restricted subset of participants
>> that will
>> exclude many researchers in early/mid career
>> * Increased conservatism in the field (conferences only with existing
>> established professors).
>> * Increased emphasis on well-justified research outcomes rather than
>> contextual and philosophical discussions.
>>
>> This might be the time to think twice for those thinking of
>> planning future
>> design research conferences?
>>
>> Thoughts?
>>
>> Terry
>> ____________________
>> Dr. Terence Love
>> Curtin Research Fellow, FDRS, AMIMechE
>> Design-focused Research Group, Design Out Crime Research Group
>> Key Researcher, Centre for Extended Enterprise and Business
>> Intelligence
>> Research Associate, Planning and Transport Research Centre
>> Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth,
>> Western Australia 6845
>> Mob: 0434 975 848, Fax +61(0)8 9305 7629, [log in to unmask]
>> Visiting Professor, Member of Scientific Council
>> UNIDCOM/ IADE, Lisbon, Portugal.
>> Visiting Research Fellow,
>> Institute of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development,
>> Management School,
>>
>> Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK, [log in to unmask]
>> ____________________
Dr Catherine Harper
Reader in Textiles / Research Coordinator
Editor UK, Textile: The Journal of Cloth and Culture
University College for the Creative Arts at Epsom
Ashley Road
Epsom KT18 5BE
Tel. 0044 (0) 1372 202204
Email [log in to unmask]
Web www.ucreative.ac.uk
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