Centre for Advanced Studies

Utopia Against the World: Spatial Resistance, Spatial Alternatives

Date(s)
Wednesday 26th March 2014 (13:30-18:00)
Contact
Please email david.bell@nottingham.ac.uk to register for all/part of the day (free of charge).
Description
CAS-CSSGJ-Geog-Utopia

A workshop sponsored by the Centre for Advanced Studies, the Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice and the School of Geography at Nottingham: 

1.30 Introduction: 'Utopia Against the World?' David Bell, University of Nottingham
1.45 Panel (2x papers and Q+A): (Science) Fiction, Utopia and Terror

Emma Segar, Edge Hill University - 'Trouble in Paradise: the problems with writing utopian fiction'
Judie Newman, University of Nottingham - “Utopia and Guantánamo:  Amy Waldman “Freedom”."
To read 'Freedom', head here: Boston Review July/August 2009: 39-42: http://bostonreview.net/freedom-amy-waldman
 2.45 Tea & Coffee (provided)

Reading materials on relevant topics will be available. These will be drawn from the archives of the Sparrows Nest Centre for Anarchist Culture and Education, Nottingham. There will also be a display of photographs of squats, abandoned buildings and alternative communities by Lisa Furness.
 3.00 Round Table Q+A: Spaces of Resistance, Spaces of Hope With Alex Vasudevan, Lucy Sargisson, Claire Taylor, Michael Craven and Hongwei Bao
This round-table will explore how different spatial practices (including squatting, intentional communities, Beijing Queer Film Festival and a local anarchist library and archive) operate and engage with issues of organisation, struggle and hope. We will discuss how theory and practice merge (or, perhaps, don't!) and what these spatial practices can offer those looking to create a better world
 4.30 Tea & Coffee  More time to read and explore Lisa's photographs
 4.45pm Keynote talk: Dan Hancox - 'Marinaleda: Spain's Communist Utopia' Drawing on his recently published book The Village Against the World (Verso), this talk will explore life in the Spanish village of Marinaleda - the self-declared 'communist utopia' which has had extraordinary success in beating the crisis of capitalism and offering an alternative vision of how we might organise our lives

Centre for Advanced Studies

Highfield House
University Park Nottingham, NG7 2RD

email: CAS-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk