#CFP: Reimagining Social #Bodies: #Self, #Institutions and #Societies. British Sociological Association #BSA invites submissions to its Annual Conference; Aston University, Birmingham, UK; 21–23 April 2020

 

 

The British Sociological Association invites submissions to its Annual Conference. Participants can present on any sociological research topic.   Reimagining Social Bodies: Self, Institutions and Societies   The body has an interesting and contested role in sociological thinking and research. At times it has been seen as irrelevant to understanding key issues of structure and social positioning; while at other times framed as central to thinking about dynamics of interaction, identity formation and practices of regulation and control. In contrast, in contemporary examinations of the body a core agenda is to bring together questions of the everyday, with understanding key societal issues around how citizenship, entitlement, boundaries, marginalisation and exclusion operate. Therefore, 'the body' is currently examined in a multitude of ways and is itself pluralised to engage with the importance of thinking about varied types and understandings of what constitutes and distinguishes diverse bodies. Bodies are being explored in order to think about many aspects of the impact of inequalities, institutions, cultural practices, social values and norms, and discriminatory dynamics on individuals and groups.   Contemporary explorations of bodies generate a broad range of potential thematic questions for the conference in 2020. These include, but are not restricted to: What role are bodies playing in current disputes over who is a citizen in different global locations and who has the right to cross state boundaries? Does the concept of the 'social body' retain validity in contexts of fragmented identities and fractured ties to the state? Looking at issues such as disability and age, how important are bodies as vehicles for citizenship rights and welfare entitlement? What do contemporary disputes over gender and the body say about the intersection of medical, scientific and political classifications in establishing legitimate bodies'? In what ways do bodies play into intersectional dynamics of inequality and marginalisation? How important are bodies in understanding some of the costs of long-term austerity?   The call for papers for our 2020 Annual Conference asks for contributions across our varied study groups that engage with these questions and many others that speak to the overall conference title. We encourage proposals to engage with these questions, and other related ones, in innovative formats and which challenge usual modes of delivery. Abstract submission deadline:  Friday, 11 October 2019 Please note: In order to submit an abstract, you will be required to create an account on the BSA website first.  You do not have to hold BSA membership in order to submit an abstract.  If you already have an existing account on the BSA website, please use those credentials to login. Please contact the BSA Membership Team if you experience any difficulties.

 

 

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