[ecrea] Conference CFP: Public Ethnography

*Conference CFP: Public Ethnography: Connecting New Genres, New Media,
New Audiences*

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

June 1-2, 2012

Abstract submission deadline: October 15, 2011

Registration deadline: April 15, 2012

Organizer: Phillip Vannini, (Communication & Culture, Royal Roads
University)

Advisory committee: Claudio Aporta (Sociology & Anthropology, Carleton
University, Canada); Mike Evans (Arts and Social Sciences, Southern
Cross University, Australia); Kip Jones (Media, Bournemouth University,
UK); Monica Prendergast (Theatre, University of Victoria, Canada); David
Redmon (Sociology, Harvard University, USA); Alisse Waterston
(Anthropology, City University of New York, USA).

How can ethnographers make their voices better heard? How can
ethnographic research become more popular? How can different
ethnographic genres and new and traditional communication media
facilitate the popularization of ethnographic research? As several
commentators have outlined, ethnography is uniquely positioned to appeal
to the general public yet it is still distinctly absent in popular media
such as television, radio, and digital platforms such as iTunes. When
carried out with the information and entertainment needs and wants of
the public in mind, ethnographic research has the potential to reach
beyond the confines of academic discourse and can position social
scientific knowledge at the nexus of public debate, current affairs, and
popular culture. A fully public ethnography can better engage multiple
stakeholders and can play a key role in the critical pedagogy of the
general public. But how can this be achieved in practice? And at what
costs and risk?

Ethnography—understood broadly as the qualitative, in-depth, emic study
of people’s ways of life—is undergoing a significant shift towards
reflexive, embodied, sensuous, performative, narrative, arts-informed,
more-than-representational, and multimodal characteristics. These trends
are pushing ethnography away from an exclusively academic and
print-based domain into the public sphere. Ethnographers now
increasingly realize they can thrive in a public domain craving
documentary knowledge inspired and informed by diverse popular media,
genres, arts, and communication modes.

The conference is intended to be an intimate gathering of
ethnographers—both faculty and students—across all social scientific
fields and disciplines. The organizers welcome presentation proposals
(both individual submissions and panels) that /show/ examples of public
ethnography, or that /reflect /on the value and agenda of public
ethnography. /Examples /of public ethnographic research in progress or
completed will draw from fieldwork projects that have reached beyond
academic audiences by directly addressing members of the general public,
or by drawing significant attention from news media. /Reflections /on
public ethnography will instead focus on taking stock of the
methodological, epistemological, ethical, or practical challenges and
opportunities faced by public ethnographers.

A peer-reviewed journal special issue on the theme of the conference
will be developed. Presenters will also be able to submit their work for
consideration for publication in the Routledge Innovative Ethnographies
book series (www.innovativeethnographies.net
<https://legacy.royalroads.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.innovativeethnographies.net/>). 



To submit a presentation proposal please email a 150 word abstract,
title, five keywords, and short bio(s) of the presenter(s) attending to
(emac /at/ royalroads.ca) <mailto:(emac /at/ royalroads.ca)>. Make sure to clearly
identify the type of presentation proposed (example or reflection) in a
separate note, which should also contain any information about special
audio/visual and other technical equipment needs you may have.

Registration fee: CAD$250 (faculty) CAD$150 (students). Includes two
lunches, two breakfasts.

Conference site: The Inn at Laurel Point, Victoria BC
(www.laurelpoint.com
<https://legacy.royalroads.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.laurelpoint.com/>). 

Conference delegates’ rates starting from CAD$119 + taxes.

For constantly updated information, please visit
www.publicethnography.net
<https://legacy.royalroads.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.publicethnography.net/> 



Phillip Vannini
Professor and Canada Research Chair
(Innovative Learning and Public Ethnography)
www.publicethnography.net <http://www.publicethnography.net/>
School of Communication and Culture
Royal Roads University
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