>Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 11:41:58 -0100
>
>Dear All,
>
>I have recently been approached by members of the new Northern Ireland
>Assembly and community activists who have asked me to arrange an
>International Workshop based upon an examination of issues regarding
>labour market and social exclusion.Although these members are acutely
>aware of issues of religious discrimination in N. Ireland they wish to
>learn more about the economic exclusion of groups because of race, gender,
>disability and social class within other spatial arenas.
I have proposed to hold such a workshop entitled 'Economies of Conflict and
Exclusion'to be held on August the 19th and 20th 1999.This event willbe
held at the School of Geography Queen's University Belfast.
Papers will be published in a special series of books by Pluto Press.
>
The themes are very general so as to encourage participation and
alternative ideas:
>
>1) Measuring Exclusion: This session will be based upon providing examples
>of the modes of measurement which can be used to detect the economic
>exclusion of groups and communities. Participants may wish to participate
>in this session in order to provide data based examples of exclusion or to
>challenge the types of conventionalist measurments that are utilised when
>measuring, for example, labour market activity and deprivation.
>
2) Sensing Exclusion: Undoubtedly a body of work has grown up recently
which visibly indicates the sense of social fatalism felt by those who are
excluded from the economy via active and social discrimination. This
session should pay particular attention to work which employs qualitiative
methods. Methods which indicate the discourses and everyday realities of
exclusion and fatalism.
>
3) Identity Politics, Place and Exclusion: Given the growth in the
literature on the theme of resistance and domination this session will
locate those communities which have challenged their exclusion via
processes of politicisation or the promotion of alternative lifestyles of
consumption and production. This section could also focus on how
communities dominate socio-economic conditions and resource competion
through political, ethnic and military control.
>
>4) Challenging Governance and Institutional Capacity. It seems that the
>notion of social partnership and/or the Third Way may provide little for
>those who are actively disempowered by masculinised labour markets, low
>wages, educational background, gender, disability and race. Participants
>in this section may wish to focus upon the inability of macro, meso and
>micro modes of development which do little to encourage the social
>participation of the excluded.
>
>5) Alternative Scenarios: Participants in this section may wish to promote
>alternative forms of governance and practice which will challenge the
>extent of discrimination and exclusion. In particular attention could be
>paid to alternative forms of governance, income redistribution, work and
>democratic accountability. Papers could also focus upon the possible
>impact of the 3rd sector and agencies dedicated to removing
>discrimination.
>
For our part here in Belfast we will provide presentations by several of
the political parties in N. Ireland in relation to experiences of
discrimination and the active reconstruction of a society condemned by 30
years of ethno-sectarian conflict. In relation to the latter point
information will be provided on how the 3rd sector has become vitally
important in the restructuring of Northern Irish society.
>
>Those interested in presenting a paper can send brief abstracts to me via
>email or at the address below.If this is all very confusing you can also
>phone. If possible could all abstracts arrive no later that the 18th of
>December 1998.
>
>Given that this is our first communique I am not sure about cost but we
>will try to keep these down. There is a possibility of funding from
>government and other agencies.However, we are aware that funds will be
>provided in order to co-ordinate visits to the socially deprived
>communities of west and east Belfast.
>
******************************************************************************
Visit SARU's website
http://www.qub.ac.uk/saru/
******************************************************************************
Dr Pete Shirlow
School of Geography
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast
BT 7 1NN
N. Ireland
United Kingdom
Office. +44 (0) 1232 273363
Fax. +44 (0) 1232 321280
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|