[csaa-forum] CFP, IGU - IAG - NZGS 2006 conference, Brisbane - geographies of rural youth

[Chris Gibson]

Hi all,

The following may be of interest to cultural studies/CSAA-list folk. There
are a bunch of other 'cultural' sessions being mounted there too. Check out
ww.igu20006.org.

Cheers
Chris

Dr Chris Gibson
Human Geography
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Wollongong
Wollongong NSW 2522
Ph: + 61 2 4221 3448
Fax: + 61 2 4221 4250
Email: cgibson at uow.edu.au

_____________________________________________


CFP: Geographies of rural youth, Brisbane 2006 joint conference of the
Institute of Australian Geographers, New Zealand Geographical Society and
International Geographical Union

Session co-sponsored by the Cultural and Rural Study Groups of the Institute
of Australian Geographers

Session description:
The voices of young people are often absent in discussions of the future of
rural areas. This session seeks to bring researchers together who are
interested in remedying this absence. Young people are often marginalised in
rural communities, despite their importance to the sustainability, diversity
and viability of non-metropolitan places. We know that young people often
migrate to cities, but we know little about why, about what this means for
young people and their life courses, or what geographies of mobility, and
social and familial networks this produces. Similarly, we know that
unemployment rates remain much higher for young people than for other age
groups, a situation exacerbated by the rural context - but we know little
about how this affects the lives of young people and their perceptions of
their future as rural residents. At the same time, for many young people in
rural areas their socio-cultural identities are fluid and contested. Youth
are often demonised by local media because of perceptions of 'anti-social
behaviour' or because of their social and cultural differences from
normative identities and expectations of rurality. The particularities of
how young people negotiate these identities and enact agency require further
analysis. With this in mind, papers are welcome on a range themes that
crossover the usual sub-disciplinary divisions in geography and the social
sciences, including:

- Demography of young people in rural spaces
- Youth actor-networks in rural areas
- Gender, sexuality and rurality
- Young people and perceptions of the future of rural places
- Youth mobility to/from/within/across rural and urban areas
- Media constructions of 'youth' in rural areas
- Participatory/action research and rural young people
- Youth employment/unemployment: statistical analysis, ethnographic
interpretation, cultural meanings
- Home, homelessness and belonging for rural young people
- Life-course transitions for young people

Please contact session organisers to express an interest, and/or email send
abstracts before February 16. Abstracts are formally due to the conference
organisers by February 24 (see www.igu2006.org).

Session organisers:
 
Dr Chris Gibson
Human Geography
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Wollongong
Wollongong NSW 2522
Ph: + 61 2 4221 3448
Fax: + 61 2 4221 4250
Email: cgibson at uow.edu.au

and

Dr Neil Argent
Division of Geography and Planning
School of Human and Environmental Studies
University of New England
Armidale NSW 2351
Ph: (02) 6773 2803
Fax: (02) 6773 3030
email: nargent at une.edu.au