Royal Geographical Society-Institute of British Geographers Annual
Conference, July 3-5th 2012, Edinburgh
Call for Papers on a session entitled:
CLASS AND THE CITY
Sponsored by the RGS-IBG Urban Geography Research Group (UGRG)
Session Conveners:
Alex Law: Sociology, University of Abertay Dundee
Gerry Mooney, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University
Tom Slater, Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh
Description:
Class and the City are intertwined in many different ways: there are
arguably few aspects of city life that do not resonate in some sense
with issues and questions of class and class relations. However, with
few exceptions, class has in recent times rarely been central to the
exploration of the city, to changing cities, and to changing city forms.
This proposed stream provides an opportunity for critically informed
contributions to the study of class and the city: drawing on insights
not only from human geography, but from sociology, social policy,
criminology, economics and political science. Through such an inter- and
multi-disciplinary approach it is expected that some of the more recent
key issues and questions that are shaping the study of the city will be
illuminated.
These sessions aim to be wide-ranging but also topical: in the context
of a deep and far-reaching economic and financial crisis, and the
'austerity' measures adopted by different governments in response (in
contrast to the redistributive path of increasing taxation of the
wealthy and of corporations), the unequal class relations that drive
such policy responses are impacting on working class and disadvantaged
populations in many cities across the world. However, in the context of
a reinforced neoliberalism, state responses are not only negatively and
devastatingly impacting on the working class in the city – but are also
working to bolster the city of the rich, the city of capital. In this
respect, class inequality is supplemented by class antagonism. Following
Harvey, among others, neoliberalism and the policies to which it gives
rise are class projects, projecting and protecting particular class
interests and consolidating class power.
We would welcome abstracts that explore the following themes:
Class and the city of capital
Class and the city of labour
Class struggle and the city (urban ‘disorders’, protest camps; the right
to stay put, the right to protest are significant features of the
classed city).
Class-based practices of city regulation and management (especially
class-informed punitive policing, and other state responses to urban crises)
The classed underpinnings of urban ‘regeneration’ and housing programmes
(including analyses of gentrification, displacement and forced eviction).
Representations (in multiple forms) of urban inequalities, dereliction
and disadvantage.
Classed securities and insecurities in urban contexts.
The conveners welcome abstracts of approximately 250 words, and these
along with paper titles and the full contact details of all
participating authors, should be emailed by Monday 23rd January 2012 to:
Alex ([log in to unmask]) and
Gerry ([log in to unmask]) and
Tom ([log in to unmask])
--
Dr. Tom Slater
Senior Lecturer in Human Geography
http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/homes/tslater
Chair, RGS-IBG Urban Geography Research Group:
http://urban-geography.org.uk/
http://www.advancedurbanmarginality.net/
School of Geosciences,
University of Edinburgh
Drummond Street,
Edinburgh EH8 9XP, U.K.
Tel: +44 (0)131 650 9506
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
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