Affect, subjectivity and social order/disorder
The fourth conference of the Psychosocial Studies Network
Friday 10 and Saturday 11 June 2011
School of Applied Social Science, University of Brighton
The 4th Annual Conference of the Psychosocial Studies Network Conference was hosted at the School of Applied Social Science, University of Brighton, on 10 and 11 of June, 2011. The theme of the conference was transdisciplinary in nature: affect, subjectivity and social order / disorder. Nearly 100 people from various disciplinary backgrounds attended the event, with delegates from at least 11 countries including Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Greece, Chile, Mexico, the USA and Australia.
Introductions by Professors David Taylor (Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Science) and Paul Stenner (Professor of Psychosocial Studies at SASS) were followed by over 50 papers tackling different aspects of the conference theme. For example, papers evaluated the relevance of several theoretical approaches (e.g. the approaches of Judith Butler, Alfred Lorenzer, Deleuze and Guattari, discursive psychology, etc), explored topical issues (civil unrest in Greece, affective labour, the emotional economy of organ donation, etc), developed methodologies (affective activism through visual methods, group analysis, schizoanalytic cartography, etc) and addressed practical and applied concerns (ecological psychotherapy, self-management of chronic conditions, changing educational practice, etc).
Keynotes were given by Julian Henriques (who offered a rich repertoire of sonic metaphors drawn from the Jamaican Dance Hall scene that are useful for grasping affective transmission and reception), Lynn Froggett (who explored the relationships between different modes of governance and the affective dynamics they engender), and Valerie Hey (who provided a critical decoding of the affective economy of austerity of / in contemporary higher education).
Feedback from evaluation forms indicated that the conference was much enjoyed, with most delegates rating it as excellent overall, and with special praise being lavished on the Friday evening psychosocial event (for which we thank Asbo Derek and The Doctors).
Archive of previously published conference details
Keynote papers will be given by:
Professor Valerie Hey (University of Sussex) Notes Towards Decoding The Affective Economy of Austerity in Higher Education
Professor Lynn Froggett (University of Central Lancashire) Reparative conservatism: the fourth way?
Dr Julian Henriques (Goldsmiths, University of London) Rhythms, vibrations and affect: a case study of the Jamaican Dance Hall Scene
Conference rationale
Attention to the affective dimensions of social dynamics and social order has been a core characteristic of recent psychosocial research in a number of disciplines. This 'turn to affect' amongst critical scholars reflects a growing societal preoccupation with emotion, feeling, sentiment, passion and affection. Happiness, for example, is now a prominent policy concern and an established feature of 'human resources' management, whilst health systems are eager to take account of 'subjective wellbeing'. Educational and business practices alike are concerned with 'emotional intelligence' whilst lawyers consider 'emotional harm' as a factor in judicial decisions and advertisers specialise in 'emotional branding'. Whether such social developments are grasped in relation to ‘emotionalisation’, ‘psychologisation’, ‘informalisation’, ‘de-traditionalisation’ or some other theoretical orientation, it is clear that there is a need for modes of thought and research practice capable of grasping the manifold ways in which affectivity and sociality combine and interpenetrate. We thus invite submissions of individual papers, workshops, practical sessions and symposia that deal with this issue. Core themes might include:
- Evaluating different theoretical approaches (e.g. psychoanalytical, constructivist, feminist, queer theory, systems theoretical, ANT)
- Empirical studies of affect in specific fields such as social welfare, criminal justice, education, politics, media, management, human resources, health and medicine, consumption, violence and human rights.
- Methodological issues in the social scientific study of affect and emotion.
- Comparing the ways affect and emotion are approached in different social science disciplines (e.g. cultural studies, geography, social psychology, sociology, anthropology, history)
- Explorations of the subjective embodied and experiential aspects of socially ordered affect.
These are merely suggestions, however, and all relevant proposals will be considered by the conference committee.
Proposals for papers, symposia or workshops are to be submitted - by 15 February 2011 - in the form of an abstract (or number of abstracts including introduction for a symposium) not exceeding 250 words as an email attachment to S.A.O.Weber@brighton.ac.uk. You will be informed of the outcome on the 1st April 2011.
Conference timetable
Download the full timetable of conference sessions (pdf 55Kb)
Conference fee
For those who register before 1 March 2011:
£100 full conference (includes lunch and refreshments on Friday and Saturday, and buffet and entertainment on Friday evening)
£50 concessionary rate for students and the unwaged (applies to full conference only)
£67.50 day rate for Friday 10 June 2011
£50 day rate for Saturday 11 June 2011
Late bird registrations after 1 March 2011 will be:
£150 full conference (includes lunch and refreshments on Friday and Saturday, and buffet and entertainment on Friday evening)
£75 concessionary rate for students and the unwaged (applies to full conference only)
£100 day rate for Friday 10 June 2011
£50 day rate for Saturday 11 June 2011
Registration will close on Monday 2 May 2011
Registration
The register, please download, complete and return our booking form:
Conference booking form (pdf 30Kb)
Conference booking form (Word 72Kb)
Forms can be returned by email to SASSconferences@brighton.ac.uk or by post to:
School of Applied Social Science
University of Brighton
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9PH
See a list of recommended hotels in central Brighton (pdf 71Kb)
Cancellation policy
Cancellations will only be accepted in writing or by email. A refund, less an administration charge of £25, will be given to all cancellations received before 10 May 2011. Thereafter the full fee is payable, regardless of whether the delegate attends or not. Substitutions can be made at any time. The organisers reserve the right to change the speakers as required.
About the Psychosocial Studies Network
The Psychosocial Studies Network is a network of researchers, teachers, students and practitioners interested in the relationship between the psychic and the social. More information on the network can be found at http://psychosocial-studies-network.blogspot.com. The network is not exclusive, and we encourage paper proposals from all interested parties.
The conference is organised by the University of Brighton Psychosocial Research Group
