(CFP) Our Bodies, Our Spaces, Our Geographies

(re)thinking (auto)biographies in geographies of sexualities

(proposed session to the II  European Geographies of Sexualities Conference, Lisbon, September 5th-7th)

Convened by: Paulo Jorge Vieira (Center for Geographical Studies, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon)

ABSTRACT:

Anecdotal remarks on research about geographies of sexualities simplify the personal interests, desires and identities of the researcher and the themes that they study. Are all who study lesbian and gay geographies actually lesbian/gay? Do only lesbian (or bisexual) women do lesbian geographies? Is the “self-identified sexual orientation” of the researcher important in this research?

Different trends of critical geography (feminist, post-colonial, queer, etc) have been crucial in highlighting the importance of reflecting critically upon the multiple positionalities of the researcher, and at the same time, thinking through the ways in which various identities, practices and desires may influence and shape research encounters, processes and outcomes.

In this regard, this workshop will be questioning how “our body” is present in the different stages of research. Not just in a few paragraphs at the beginning of the paper or dissertation, but also on methodological choices, on the writing process, and on evaluation and devolution that we subsequently do at the end of the research process.

This workshop intends to reinforce a discussion in these “post times” when different theoretical threads, such as “queer theory”, “affect theory”, “actor-network theory”, “non-representational theory” are questioning and deconstructing our way of “doing science”, and “identity”. What, then, remains of positionality and of self-embodiment in research?

Workshop Proposal: Our proposal for this session is based on a small group address (5 to 7 min) of a diverse group of researchers discussing these different elements. So, if you want to be one of the active participants in this workshop send an email to pjovieira@gmail.com<mailto:pjovieira@gmail.com> with a small biography (100 words) and a small paragraph (100 words) explaining your interest in these issues.

Output: this proposal intends to after the conference develop a collaborative writing process that will end in a publication (a single paper, or a group of papers)

Deadline for declarations of interest is 18th April 2013 to the email pjovieira@gmail.com<mailto:pjovieira@gmail.com>

For more details about the conference, please visit the website: http://egsc2013.pt.to/