Few doubt, today, that we face a series of connected global challenges: the dangers of climate change and environmental degradation; a crisis of international finance and global capitalism; an ever-increasing logic of minoritization, which threatens to fragment communities and societies; greater social and economic inequalities, both nationally and globally; the intensification of various forms of religious belief, including fundamentalism, alongside a growing secularization of communities and societies; securitization of society, and a palpable disillusionment with politics and politicians. There is little doubt that those who wish to go beyond the contradictions and failures of our contemporary condition find it difficult to elaborate plausible interim visions that can point us away from the current malaise. This year’s theme connects these global challenges to the exploration and articulation new imaginaries for the future.
‘Global Challenges, New Imaginaries’ takes up the challenge of rethinking different aspects of global capitalism, religion, the place of minorities, and the environment, focusing on the alternative visions being proposed, the role of new media in these processes, and related themes. The conference also seeks to problematize and explore the role of theory in the academy and in relation to the pressing issues we confront. Our invited speakers shall deliver keynote addresses to the conference that will shape the discussions with their distinctive voices and perspectives. Each of the speakers will address one or more of the themes announced in the title.
The 11th Essex Conference in Critical Political Theory at the University of Essex provides a space to address and engage with these issues. The conference has achieved a renowned reputation for the quality of the papers presented and the large number of international participants. Previous guest speakers have included Stephen White, Romand Coles, Diana Coole, Bill Connolly, Michael Hardt, Wendy Brown, Judith Squires, Quentin Skinner, Joan Copjec, James Tully, Jane Bennett, Fred Dallmayr, Bonnie Honig, David Owen, David Campbell, Simon Critchley, Ernesto Laclau, and Chantal Mouffe, amongst others. This year the conference is hosted by the Centre for Theoretical Studies, the Department of Government at the University of Essex and IDAWorld.
The conference provides an important opportunity to engage with the contemporary challenges and possibilities of social and political theory and to exchange views on ongoing research. We welcome proposals for papers as well as for panels from all scholars, including postdoctoral researchers, and early career scholars from a wide variety of backgrounds in the field of social and political theory. But as is customary with the Essex conference, the themes are in part shaped by the thought and writings of our invited guests, and this year is no exception.
Broad Themes Include
* Imagination in Politics
* Global Political
Imaginaries
* Transitional Justice
* Rethinking Community and Citizenship
* Identity, Security and New Technologies
* Critical Political Economy
* Discourse & the New Media
* Ecology and Capitalism
* Politics and Technology
* Latin American Politics
* Universalism and Particularism
* Democracy and Representation
* Capitalism, Multiculturalism, Globalization
* Identity Politics and Mobilization
* Subjectivity and Psychoanalysis
* Religion, Faith and Pluralism
* Discourse and Affect
* Fundamentalisms
* New Ecologies
* Philosophies of Nature
* Discourse, Governance & Public Policy
* Culture and Political Economy
* The Politics of Space, Time and Territoriality
* Reworking Identity/Difference
Proposals for Papers, Panels and Roundtables
The conference organizers welcome proposals for individual papers; full panels (with papers); and roundtables (focused on discussion of a common theme rather than the formal presentation of papers). Paper, panel, and roundtable proposals (short abstracts) should be sent to polcon@essex.ac.uk no later than 25th March 2011. Inquiries may also be sent to that address.
Decisions on proposals will be made on a rolling basis. Inquiries may also be sent to that address. Final papers will be posted on the conference website.