[ecrea] CFP Creative practice, activism and place-identities. UWE/AHRC research seminar

Research Seminar: creative practice, activism and place-identities: exploring the spatialities of cultural activism
Date: 4 September 2012 (full day)
Location: Bristol, UK


Call for papers
Cultural activism is a form of political resistance that uses creative practice to challenge dominant ways of seeing and constructing the world (Routledge, 2011).  The concept has been described as a type of organising ‘where art, activism, performance and politics meet, mingle and interact’ (Verson, 2007: 172) and is characterised by a wide-range of practices and tactics such as culture-jamming, subvertising, performance, public art, graffiti, and rebel clowning (to name a few).

Inspired by an interest in the relationships between place, creative practice, and counter-hegemonic social and political action, we want to explore ideas about cultural activism and contribute to the study of the spatiality of contentious politics, social movements, and theories of community in the fields of human and cultural geography, cultural studies, urban studies, planning theory and policy.   Dr. Paul Routledge (University of Glasgow) will provide an introductory statement after which we will have three main sessions with a number of short papers followed by discussion.   We are encouraging speakers to consider any element (or combination of elements) of the overall workshop topic as well as the following themes:
•	Spatialities of activism
•	The nature and role of art and creative practice in place-based efforts of resistance and challenges to dominant systems of authority
•	‘Affective atmospheres’ (Anderson, 2009) of activism
•	Ways in which the tactics of cultural activism seek to challenge and modify the meanings and assumptions inscribed into the urban environment
•	Relationships between creative practice, activism and theories of community including implications for community cohesion, exclusion and conflict
•	In addition to these topics, we also welcome papers which explore themes around activism and neoliberal capitalism, anti-gentrification, trans-national resistances, organisational discourses of activism, methodological innovations, and other related concepts.

Abstracts (200-400 words) should be submitted by 1 May 2011, (toMichael.Buser /at/ uwe.ac.uk).  Notifications of acceptance will be made by 15 May 2012.

Keynote speaker: Dr. Paul Routledge, University of Glasgow

Organisers: Dr. Michael Buser and Professor Jane Arthurs, University of the West of England

Venue: The Watershed, 1 Cannon’s Road, Harbourside, Bristol, England, BS1 5TX (to be confirmed)

Sponsor: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)&  the University of the West of England, Bristol. The conference is supported by a grant from the AHRC’s Connected Communities programme.

Registration for seminar: send an email to Michael Buser,(Michael.Buser /at/ uwe.ac.uk)  by 1 July 2012. Please write “Cultural Activism” in subject line.

Seminar fees: the research seminar is free of charge.

Michael Buser

            ----with Jane Arthurs

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Dr. Michael Buser
Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments
Department of Planning and Architecture
University of the West of England
Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane
Bristol BS16 1QY
Tel +44 (0) 11732 83075
(E-mailMichael.Buser /at/ uwe.ac.uk)


Professor Jane Arthurs
Director of Research
Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education
University of the West of England
(E-mailJane.Arthurs /at/ uwe.ac.uk)

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