Thinking on the Move: the possibilities and risks of walking sociologically

Date: Thursday 5th – Friday 6th September, 2019
Location: Goldsmiths, London
The event will take place primarily outside in Southeast London

What are the risks and the opportunities of thinking on our move? This two-day conference explores what it means to walk sociologically. The event will provide an opportunity to examine the potentials of using walking within sociology including; walking as method, walking as theorising, walking as a way of knowing the city, walking as activism.

Rather than talking about this in a conference room we will do this on the move exploring the practice of walking and its significance for the production and communication of sociological knowledge.

The event draws on the success of the sociological walks and movement session at the Undisciplining Conference by interrogating and providing space for critical reflection on sociological walking practices. All walks will take place in the environs of Southeast London near the conference base of Goldsmiths.

Alongside a series of guided sociological walks, exploring topics including the histories of anti-racist struggle and sound system cultures and an exploration of the relationship between material infrastructures and the urban form, we are also open for proposals for different short walks.

Organisers are particularly keen for submissions of more experimental walks, for example, those that might involve, but are not limited to: situationist walking practices, taking a transect, walking as theorising, walks that follow a theme, sensory walking.

If you would like to submit a proposal to facilitate a walk, please submit a title, rationale, route (if known) and assessment of accessibility via the submission page.

Proposals for walks should take in the following into consideration:

• Walks will need to take place in the environs of Southeast London near the conference base of Goldsmiths.
• Walks should last two hours, including walking time from conference base (Goldsmiths) and back again. Please also consider mobility issues. If the route is known beforehand and involves hills or long staircases, please state this on the proposal form. We hope to run one accessible walk at all times and particularly wish to receive submissions which reflect this.
• Walks should not bypass into prohibited land and/or properties and should take place in public areas or venues that do not incur a charge to delegates.

Deadline for walk proposals is 30th April 2019, 17.00 BST. Decisions will be communicated in late May to early June 2019. Please note we cannot accept late proposals.

For any queries about walk proposals please email: Emma Jackson (e.jackson@gold.ac.uk) , Les Back (l.back@gold.ac.uk) and Mark Carrigan (mark@markcarrigan.net), copying in events manager Jenny Thatcher (events@thesociologicalreview.com) 

Bursaries 

As with all of our events, we are making a number of bursaries available on a competitive basis to facilitate the attendance of those who might otherwise struggle to meet the costs of attending.

Bursaries are available for unfunded postgraduate research students and early career research in precarious positions as well as others on the grounds of need. Bursary support available to apply for include: travel funds (limited to £100), two-night overnight accommodation (organised by TSRF), and support with childcare (£50 per day).

Application for bursaries for walk proposal applicants are available via the call for walk form. Deadline for bursary application is 30th April 2019, 17.00 BST. Decisions will be communicated in at the same time proposal decisions are.

Please note, applications for bursaries for attendees only will via the registration form to open in July.

For any queries about the bursaries events manager Jenny Thatcher (events@thesociologicalreview.com). 

Registration

Registration to this two-day conference will be free and there will be an option to attend one day only as well. For those interested in attending the conference, registration will open in late June.

At all times during the walking section of this conference one-walk (route) will be fully wheelchair accessible.

Source: Mark Carrigan