The Spaces of Democracy and Democracy of Space: Reflections upon the Vision for the Network, 12th March, 2008, Essex University

The Spaces of Democracy and Democracy of Space:

Reflections upon the Vision for the Network, 12th March, 2008, Essex University

The Seminar will take place in Room 5S.4.11 at the University of Essex between 2-4pm. Further details can be obtained from Noreen Harburt (Noreen@essex.ac.uk).

In recent decades there has been an intense focus upon how we can, and should, understand the ‘space of democracy and the democracy of space’. Of course this question is not new, but what could be called the ‘spatial turn’ in academia, shows that globalisation brings spatial interconnections and flows to the fore, whilst throwing open the idea of fixed boundaries and borders. We have moved away from the assumption that space can be regarded as a pre-given background or even container of political life. Today, emphasis is placed upon the spatial circulation of people, passions, new social movements, technosciences, media and information; and how these contribute to situated political action in given, empirical contexts. But this spatial turn also throws up thorny tensions as to what will count and work as democratic practice today. Given that spatial flows and interconnections are now foregrounded in debate, how should we understand some of the central tensions which characterise democracy today; between ‘territorial and post-territorial politics’, ‘citizenship as everyday practice and the reassertion of statism’, ‘representation and participation’ and ‘being affected by an issue and the right to participate in it’?

The emerging "Space of Democracy and the Democracy of Space" network explores such questions. It involves around 400 academics globally, working across the disciplines of political philosophy, politics, planning, geography, anthropology, science and technology studies, sociology and development studies. We are presently concentrating upon establishing institutional sites, in different geographical locations, for the network to operate through. Once established, these will eventually take conversations through the different disciplines via academic workshops, academic journals, public debates, the general media and website interfaces, for example.

This will take place under the direction of Jonathan Pugh. We would also like to acknowledge the significant assistance of the special advisors, Noortje Marres, Chantal Mouffe, David Howarth, Liza Griffin, Doreen Massey, Mo O’Toole, Miles Irving, and Oliver Moss. Some of those who have actively signed up to take part in events and/or publications so far include Tony Benn, David Chandler, Tom Bentley, Swapna Banerjee-Guha, Sheila Jasanoff, Michael Watts, Bernard Crick, Andy Dobson, Catherine Fieschi, David Boyle, David Harvey, Clare Short, Paul Kingsnorth, David Featherstone, John Forester, Nick Cohen, Saskia Sassen, Frank Furedi, Ed Soja, Maarten Hajer, David Howarth, Patsy Healey, Will Hutton, Tim Ingold, Uma Kothari, Scott Lash, Nina Laurie, Oliver Marchart, Phil McNaghton, Chantal Mouffe, Susan Owens, Jonathan Pugh, Steve Rayner, Jenny Robinson, Richard Sennett, AbdouMaliq Simone, Joe Smith, Yannis Stavrakakis, Deborah Thien, Nigel Thrift, Francoise Verges, Hilary Wainwright, Sarah Whatmore, Steve Hinchliffe, Clive Barnett, Liza Griffin, Jim Martin, David Oswell, Oren Yiftachel, Daniela Korbas Magal, Andrew Barry, Jane Bennett, Matthew Fuller, David Oswell, Albena Yaneva, Terrell Carver, and Sandra Halperin. We also operate through a long-term public debating forum, The Great Debate; putting on debates involving college students and members of the general public in the North East of England in particular.

The Spaces of Democracy and Democracy of Space:

reflections upon our vision for the network, 12th March, 2008, Essex University

It is extremely important to the network that we develop an "early career" strand. This will be directed by Liza Griffin of the Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster. It will seek to include early career academics in all aspects of the networks development in coming years.

And so, on the 12th March, 2008, at Essex University, a panel of those involved in the network will be discussing its vision and planned activities with early career academics. If you are an early career academic, we would very much like you to come along to this event.

There will also be discussions of some key works which will be shaping the network in years to come, and an evening event around a panel discussion of Aletta Norval’s new book: Aversive Democracy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). This Seminar will also take place in Room 5S.4.11 at the University of Essex between 5-7pm. For further information in this regard, see http://www.essex.ac.uk/centres/TheoStud/

If you are interested in the network, please contact Jonathan.Pugh@ncl.ac.uk.