Call for papers: Oppositional Energies: Social justice, Protest and Oppositional Politics
Oppositional Energies: Social justice, Protest and Oppositional Politics: 26 May 2016, in association with Middlesex University, Hendon Campus, London
London is a city of oppositional energies. From anti-war marches to the unstoppable march of gentrification, from Occupy movements to the City’s international capital flows and elitist segregation, stagnant institutional injustices are under near-perpetual attack in a city calling for justice. This one-day conference explores the local and global landscape of social justice movements, grassroots activism and oppositional politics. With London at its heart, but not confined geographically in scope and subject matter, ‘Oppositional Energies’ seeks to draw together the work of academics, activists and artists who are researching, documenting and living various responses to inequality, oppression and injustice in all its forms.
Bringing together these voices, the conference aims to explore the political and social frameworks, origins, impact and struggles of collective movements that address areas such as: social welfare and protection, anti-austerity, gender, race and class inequalities, environmentalism, LGBTI rights, reparations, workers’ rights, social policy, education, human rights and migration.
Possible areas for proposals include (but are not limited to) the following:
- The relationship between mass movements and state power
- The affective dimensions of protest
- Global and local movements
- New media and protest
- Political collectives
- The possibilities of post-oppositional politics
- Spaces of protest
- Intersections of inequality
- Citizenship and belonging
- Exclusions within social justice movements
This interdisciplinary conference is open to artists, activists and academics with an interest in the conference themes of social justice, grassroots activism and oppositional politics. In addition to traditional 20-minute presentations, we are interested in receiving proposals for alternative and artistic exhibitions, presentations and performance.
Conference registration is free. Organised by Rachel Seoighe, Santiago Amietta and Carly Guest form the Centre for Social and Criminological Research, Middlesex University.
Please submit a proposal of 350 words to oppositionalenergies@yahoo.co.uk by Monday 14 March 2016.
Conference papers will be considered for inclusion in an edited collection.