Special Online Workshop:

“How can social theory make sense of living in this time of crisis”

Presented by TASA Social Theory Thematic Group in conjunction with Thesis Eleven

Friday 27 November 2020

We are currently living in time marked by unprecedented social, economic and political challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our social landscapes have changed dramatically, and we are in largely unknown territory for the foreseeable future. Many of the consequences of and responses to the pandemic include issues that relate heavily to social theoretical terrain – justice, inequality, disparity, risks, vulnerability, crisis, political and social change and democracy. In this workshop, we aim to make sense of these issues by considering how, and the extent to which, contemporary and classical social theory can help us understand our current crisis.

It is with the above in mind that the Social Theory Thematic Group has proposed to collaborate with Thesis Eleven in hosting an online workshop. We invite attendees to think about the relationship between social theory and crisis in two ways.

1. How can social theory be utilised to unpack what is happening in the world today?

2. Do social theorists offer legitimate ways of understanding and responding to this crisis? And if so, how can they engage a public audience?

This workshop coincides with the publication of a special online issue of Thesis Eleven, ‘Living and Thinking Crisis’, co-edited by Peter Vale, Craig Calhoun, Peter Beilharz, Andrew Gilbert, Sian Supski and Timothy Andrews.

Keynote Speakers:

Professor Deborah Lupton (UNSW), Professor Craig Calhoun (Arizona State), Professor Peter Vale (Pretoria) and Professor Peter Beilharz (Sichuan)

In conjunction with the event, we are pleased to offer two bursaries for TASA members: 1 x $500 HDR bursary and 1 x $500 ECR bursary (must be unwaged/casual).

Bursaries will be awarded on the basis of merit and all TASA members are eligible to apply. Recipients will be offered the opportunity for mentorship to develop their paper into a full article for publication in Thesis Eleven.

Extended abstracts of 500 words should be submitted by Wednesday 15 July via the contact form below. Please also include a short CV if applying for an HDR/ECR bursary.