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Conferences and seminars

Critical care: advancing an ethic of care in theory and practice


A conference hosted by the care, health and well-being research group, School of Applied Social Science
University of Brighton
Thursday 13 and Friday 14 September 2012

Confirmed plenary speakers

Joan Tronto, Professor of Political Science, University of Minnesota, Author of Moral Boundaries

Ingunn Moser, Professor of Sociology and Dean in the Department of Nursing and Health Care, Diakonhjemmet University College, Oslo. Joint editor of Care in Practice

Marian Barnes, Professor of Social Policy, University of Brighton. Author of Caring and Social Justice

Care has been and remains a contested concept. The notion of 'critical care' reflects the way in which:

  • Ethics of care scholars and practitioners have highlighted the critical place of care in ensuring survival, well-being and social justice.
  • Care has been subject to critique for being oppressive, paternalistic and at odds with disabled people's struggle for citizenship.
  • Care is a political as well as personal issue.
  • There are examples of what are nominally 'care services' being revealed to be anything but caring. Criticisms of what is called 'care' reveal the necessity for a critical analysis of how and why poor practice and abuse continues.

The pursuit of a positively critical approach to both the theory and practice of an ethic of care is timely. This conference is designed to stimulate and develop a growing body of scholarship and practice wisdom challenging the dominance of neo-liberal thinking that has relegated care values to a marginal position. It reflects enduring evidence of the importance of care in people's everyday lives and in policy making.

The conference is designed to bring together those whose starting points may be very different, but who share an interest in developing work that can promote critical thinking about care.

Completed forms should be emailed to sassconferences@brighton.ac.uk

Or sent by post to:

Social Science Policy and Research Centre
University of Brighton
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9PH

There will be differential fees for attendance for those giving papers. Fees will be £100 for lead authors/lead presenters (one eligible per paper) and £130 for other attenders; £50 for students.

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