• Contestation surrounding EU or member-state regulations governing migration and refugee status, including external pressure on EU member-states to accept refugees
• Conflicts at borders and challenges faced by both migrants and receiving member-states
• Policies or beliefs (real or mistaken) that make certain member-states more desirable destinations than other EU member-states for migrants
• Investigation of geographic tropes, discourse(s) and global imaginaries that contribute to perceptions of this surge of migrants as a “crisis”
• Motivating factors that are driving many of these migrants out of their homeland

Title: Geopolitical representation, culture, and territoriality

Linkages between geopolitical representations, culture, and territoriality are powerful and complex entities that are manifested across a variety of socio-spatial scales. While these dramatic and dynamic elements often result in contested perceptions of place and belonging, they still hold great power and meaning. The aim of this session is to critically examine these geopolitical and/or cultural representations and spaces across a variety of scales. We are interested in investigating a variety of factors surrounding these forces and assemblages through a full range of theoretical and methodological approaches. Papers may focus on, but are not limited to:

-Contested geopolitical representations of place and belonging
-Engagement of issues of territoriality, power, and governance
-Critical analysis of folklore festivals or commemorative acts
-Employment of architecture and urban design as a medium for shaping political discourses

This session is sponsored by the Political Geography, Cultural Geography, and European Specialty Groups. Please send proposed titles and abstracts of no more than 250 words to Kara Dempsey (dempseyke@appstate.edu) by Monday, October 19th 2015.

Call for Papers

AAG 2016: Sanitation inadequacy: Beyond poverty and preferences

Organizer: Richa Dhanju, Texas A&M University

Sanitation inadequacy, defined as lack of access to hygienic and safe human waste disposal infrastructure, affects more than 2.6 million people worldwide. Despite the size and global nature of the problem, and the advantages of geographic approaches for its study (Jewitt, 2011), few geographers do research on this topic. The extent and impact of sanitation inadequacy is rooted in social, economic, political and ecological realities that are particularly complex in the global south. It is crosscut by gender norms, cultural beliefs, and income poverty. It is also about soil type, water availability and poor governance.

Current sanitation policy asserts that sanitation inadequacy stems from household income poverty coupled with individual preferences and beliefs. It is assumed that the poor will be the least likely to afford or access adequate sanitation, and that inadequate sanitation produces negative health and ensuing economic conditions that keep the poor in poverty. However, sanitation scholarship has not attended to the structural and relational issues that produce sanitation inadequacy. The session aims to question the conventional viewpoint that sanitation inadequacy affects only the poor and is a product of their income poverty or preferences.

This session invites papers to examine sanitation inadequacy through the interconnected nature of power and privilege between citizens (caste, class, gender, religious identity, assets), and, between citizens and governments (citizen participation, social capital, development investments). We invite scholars to share their sanitation research from urban or rural parts of the world that challenges individualized framings of sanitation inadequacy to instead highlight its relational and structural causes.

Papers can address the following broad areas:

• poverty and sanitation policies
• the role of political will of governments and NGOs in addressing sanitation inadequacy
• stress and violence experienced by women and girls due to sanitation inadequacy
• impact of livelihoods, land use, and environmental changes on beliefs and practices around sanitation
• key geographic concepts and theories used to understand the current sanitation situation
• analysis of political changes wrought by sanitation interventions or their absence
• rethinking sanitation inadequacy through the application or critique of the relational poverty framework.

Abstract submission:

Please send your paper title and abstract to Richa at rdhanju@tamu.edu by October 20, 2015. Please also email if you would like to be a discussant for this session.

Once you submit abstract for this particular session, you will also need to register and submit an abstract on the AAG website. The AAG abstract deadline is 29 October 2015: http://www.aag.org/cs/http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting/how_to_submit_an_abstract

Reference:

Jewitt, S. (2011). Poo Gurus? Researching the threats and opportunities presented by human waste. Applied Geography, 31 (2), 761–769.

Dear PG and EG SGers,

We are looking for a few more papers to round out a second session. We’ve already seen abstracts on energy democracy in Berlin, the hydro-social cycle in Oregon, and mining in Mongolia. Great stuff – keep ‘em comin’!

-Carlo

***

The Geography of Infrastructure: States, Nature, and Capital

Sponsored by the Political geog., Economic geog., and Cultural and Political Ecology specialty groups

Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting,

San Francisco March 29-April 2, 2016

The aim of this session is to explore how state theory can inform ongoing conversations within political ecology. Interest has been expressed for a higher-order explanation for environment-state relations that answers how and why resistance to accumulation by dispossession fails. Antonio Ioris has challenged political ecologists to ‘craft a political ecological framework for the state’ by focusing less on nebulous, dispersed models of power and more on the ‘organization, motivations and rationality, and limitations of the state’ (2015). The survival of many humans, and other non-human species, is increasingly precarious, and yet states respond with little else than the marketization of “everything under the sun” (Whitehead et al., 2007). We contend that to know the range of options and determining factors for what is possible under a neoliberal environmental state, scholars need to situate the state-capital relation within the broader capitalist system.

To ground this discussion empirically, we seek submissions for papers (in any stage of development) on the topic of the geography of infrastructure, i.e., the hardware, software, and organizational capacities that facilitate nature-society metabolism and social reproduction. The one-two punch of austerity-led neoliberalism and the Anthropocene are aggravating natural and socionatural pressures on energy, water, transportation, EMS, and waste-management infrastructures. We seek a greater understanding of the relations between political economies, ecologies and the function of the state in provisioning access to services in moments of systemic crisis, resolution, and relative stability. We are particularly interested in approaches to these topics that follow the dialectical tacking back-and-forth in the movement of the capitalist mode of production between class struggles and the compulsion of the state to reproduce capitalism. Also, we find the capitalist environmental state to be an exciting and promising frontier of research for early-career scholars and we especially welcome grad student submissions. Please consider submitting an abstract on any of the following areas within geography:

• State theory, Regulation theory, Crisis theory
• Infrastructures: Water, Waste, EMS, Transportation, Energy, Ideological State Apparatuses

Please email your abstracts before 10/30 to the organizer: cesica@syr.edu.

Antonio Ioris will be joining the session and will serve as discussant for the papers.

Sources:

Ioris, Antonio 2015 “Theorizing state-environment relationships: Antinomies of flexibility and legitimacy.” Progress in Human Geography 39 (2) 167-84

Whitehead, Mark, Rhys Jones, and Martin Jones 2007 The nature of the state: excavating the political ecologies of the modern state Oxford: Oxford UP

 ‘The emerging geographies of infrastructure: regulation, distributed decisions and innovation in governance’

Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting,

San Francisco March 29-April 2, 2016

The aim of this session is to explore the emergence of new approaches and innovation in regulation, business models, and the diverse locations of decision-making in the governance of infrastructure delivery and maintenance at multiple scales (micro-scales like buildings, neighbourhoods; local, national, regional, EU and/or global scales).

Technology advancements enabled by the rapid growth of ICT in infrastructure delivery and maintenance, and the pinch on public resources brought on by austerity measures and the economic crisis, are opening spaces for the introduction of innovative and non-traditional models for creating and capturing value, within companies, society and the market. Innovations are occurring in terms of product, actors and process. Business model innovations can accompany other innovations or occur independently, and are strictly related to the way value is created and captured internally. Changes in business models can alter the development paths of even the most ancient and high-momentum infrastructure systems, potentially leading to new uses and utility. Companies typically only capture a small amount of the value they create, while the value that is created is not always economic (such as learning) but particularly important in infrastructure settings, which are often regulated to ensure these non-economic values are provided to society. Social innovations can create more value and capture public benefits which would otherwise be marginalised or lost through complex governance arrangements. These can take place through local initiatives, e.g. by volunteers as in the case of energy community projects; or in the form of public-private collaborations for funding and operating infrastructures (as in the case of shared information infrastructure).

The fragmented, complex, and disconnected nature of arrangements within and between infrastructure sectors, along with increasing interdependence between sectors, is reshaping business models of infrastructure based services, prompting the emergence of new approaches to regulation and governance. The increasingly interconnected nature of infrastructure sectors is also profoundly reshaping the decision-making process, opening up new sites of political intervention and influence, that pose questions related to the democratic potential (or not) of these new spaces of engagement that go beyond existing institutional arrangements. As such the evolving nature of infrastructure draws attention to a wider range of actors, sites, and technologies through which the direction of governance is influenced.

While regulatory changes are gradually pushing the boundaries of existing arrangements and playing catch up with normative concepts and policy, infrastructure governance has seen more extensive changes through the introduction of more and non-traditional actors, and platforms and means for coordination between (public and private) actors. Across sectors, there are opportunities and requirements for closer, more open and responsive relationships between infrastructure providers and regulators, which challenge existing regulatory practices and the way value is created and captured within infrastructure systems.

We seek submissions for papers on the following topics:

• Network infrastructures (especially transport, railways, ICT, electricity and water)
• Smart cities, smart grids, intelligent infrastructure and infrastructure interdependencies
• Social innovation in infrastructure, innovation in business models, non-traditional business models for infrastructure delivery and maintenance
• New sights of political and democratic engagement with the delivery and maintenance of cross-sectoral infrastructure developments.
• Changes in infrastructure delivery associated with a shift from asset-focused to service-focused delivery; increased cross-sector interaction and changing relationships with(in) supply chains

Deadline for submitting abstracts: Wednesday 21st October 2015

Please email abstracts of 300 words max to the organisers by Wednesday 21st of October 2015. Successful applicants will be contacted by the 23rd of October 2015 and will be expected to pay the registration fee and submit their abstracts online at the AAG website by October 29th 2015.

Organisers:

Ralitsa Hiteva, SPRU, University of Sussex R.Hiteva@sussex.ac.uk
Katherine Lovell, SPRU, University of Sussex K.Lovell@sussex.ac.uk
Phil Johnstone, SPRU, University of Sussex, P.Johnstone@sussex.ac.uk

Session Title: Geographies of conflict, contestation, and coalescence

Organizers:

Sarah Heck, PhD student, Department of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University

Peter Wood, PhD candidate, Department of Geography, Florida State University

Sponsoring specialty groups:

Political Geography, Latin America, Development Geographies, Geographic Perspectives on Women

Description:

This session aims to draw attention to the geographic circumstances under which conflict and cooperation occur at various scales. The reasons for conflict, both contemporarily and historically, can vary greatly. With this session we aim to bring together a diverse collection of scholarship analyzing contexts in which social conflict shapes and is shaped by geographic factors. We are interested in work that examines spatial dimensions of conflict, contestation, and coalescence, including the roles of place, space, (im)mobility, networks, scale, borders, and territory as well as the roles of social categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, ability, and religion. The proposed session intends to address the roles of both state actors and grassroots mobilizations in the genesis and continuity of regimes of conflict. We are also interested in how unexpected coalitions and forms of cooperation happen in the context of conflict and contestation along lines of difference.

Within geography the topics of conflict and cooperation take many forms and are inspired by many theoretical backgrounds. Past examples have focused on socioeconomic equality–within a territory (Merrifield and Swyngedouw 1997) or between countries/regions (Landes 1998)–war (Flint 2005), social movements (Bosco 2004), and other related topics. A goal of this session is to bring together a multitude of perspectives in order to explore the many ways in which conflict arises, is sustained, is contested, or is resolved. Examples appropriate for submission include, but are not limited to:

Geographies of difference

Geographies of displacement

Gentrification

The production of space and the right to the city

Feminist approaches to understanding violence and conflict

Immigration policy and practice

Geographies of microaggressions

Dispossession of living and working spaces

Unlikely geopolitical partnerships

Histories of ethnoreligious turmoil

Urban grassroots mobilizations and protest spaces

Urban versus rural labor economies

Street gang rivalries and alliances

Perceptions and misperceptions of regional identity

Both empirical and theoretical contributions are welcome. If you have any questions or concerns regarding a paper idea, please feel free to contact the session organizers.

Instructions for submissions:

Interested participants should send a 250 word abstract and conference PIN to Sarah Heck (sarah.heck@temple.edu) and Peter Wood (pwood@fsu.edu) by October 16^th, 2015.

Assistant/Associate Professor of Energy Policy

Department of Social Sciences

Michigan Technological University

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Department of Social Sciences at Michigan Technological University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor of Energy Policy position. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: We seek a colleague whose research interests center on US energy policy to collaborate with an interdisciplinary group of social scientists.  Specific areas of expertise should include one or more of the following: policy analysis; policy evaluation; climate change policy; or international energy policy. Applicants shall demonstrate how their research and teaching interests articulate with and strengthen our graduate program (MS and PhD) in Environmental and Energy Policy.

The candidate must have: a Ph.D. in a relevant social science field at the time of appointment; the ability to teach a graduate/undergraduate class surveying United States energy policies; and a strong research record, including high potential for securing external funding.  Preferred qualifications include: experience teaching undergraduate and graduate courses; successful development of competitive externally funded grants; and experience or background in working in interdisciplinary scientific research teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  1) Develop a strong research program at Michigan Tech that includes external funding; 2) supervise and foster graduate student development; 3) collaborate with Michigan Tech’s social, natural, and engineering scientists conducting cutting edge environmental sustainability research; 4) teach two courses each in fall and spring semesters, including energy policy, environmental policy, and one general education undergraduate social science class; 5) participate in university and department committees as well as external professional service.

DEPARTMENT AND UNIVERSITY: The Department of Social Sciences is comprised of faculty with diverse social science disciplinary backgrounds, including a large group of environmental social scientists. It offers undergraduate degree programs in anthropology, history, and social science and M.S. and Ph.D. programs in in Environmental and Energy Policy and Industrial Heritage and Archaeology.

Established in 1885, Michigan Tech is a research university, enrolls 7200 students, and is a leader in science and engineering education. Faculty members engage in extensive interdisciplinary, international environmental sustainability research. The university has a number of key centers and institutes through which Social Sciences faculty members collaborate with faculty from across campus, including: Sustainable Futures Institute; Great Lakes Research Center; Center for Water and Society; and Ecosystem Science Center. Michigan Tech also hosts the largest Peace Corps Master’s International Program (combining Peace Corps service abroad with an MS degree) in the country.

COMMUNITY: Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, MI in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Houghton was rated as the “15^th Greatest Place to Live in America” by Outside Magazine in 2014. Situated on the hills bordering the beautiful Portage Waterway and only minutes from several Lake Superior beaches, the area offers a bounty of cultural and recreational opportunities. It is a major summer travel destination, one of the Top 10 outdoor adventure spots in the country for mountain biking, and is well known for its Olympic-caliber cross country ski trails, Lake Superior shoreline, and numerous inland lakes and rivers.

The historic downtown waterfront provides unique shopping, dining, and cultural opportunities in addition to serving as the mainland headquarters for Isle Royale National Park. Local schools are known for their high quality and commitment to being one of the top five districts for student performance in the state of Michigan. The cost of living is low and United Airlines flies directly from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to Hancock Airport ten minutes from campus.  This environment, combined with a competitive compensation package, results in an excellent quality of life.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Applicants will apply on line at here. Upload a cover letter, curriculum vita, a brief statement of research interests and experience in securing research support, a brief statement of teaching philosophy, and one or more published or under review publications.  Applicants will be asked for the contact information for three reference providers.  Questions can be addressed to Search Committee Chair Kathy Halvorsen at kehalvor@mtu.edu.

Review of applications will begin November 1^st, 2015 and will continue until an appropriate candidate is chosen.

Michigan Tech acknowledges the importance of supporting dual career partners in attracting and retaining a quality workforce. See the university’s Dual Career Program’s website for additional information.

Michigan Tech is an ADVANCE institution, one of a limited number of universities in receipt of NSF funds in support of our commitment to increase diversity and the participation and advancement of women in STEM.  Michigan Tech is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disability. Applications from women and minorities are highly encouraged by both the department and the institution.

*Call for Papers: AAG Annual Meeting 2016, 29 March – 2 April, San Francisco*

New Discourses of the Old Nation-State: Territories, Identities, Practices

Session convenor: Ingrid A. Medby (Durham University, UK), Berit Kristoffersen (UiT – The Arctic University of Norway)

Sponsored by the Political Geography Specialty Group.

In a time of ever accelerating global interconnectedness, mobility, migration, and climate change, the state has frequently been relegated to political anachronisms in academic analysis. Despite decades of heralding the state as obsolete, however, it tenaciously persists as the primary unit of territorial, political, and bio-political organisation. Moreover, while congruence of borders, authority, and community may never have been more than an illusion, the Westphalian idea(l) of the culturally legitimate “nation-state” likewise persists, reifying state authority as this undergoes profound transformation. Thus, rather than seeing the state as a static, separate, monolithic and de-humanised entity in its own right, critical political geographers are increasingly attuned to its “peopled” (Jones, 2007) and prosaic (Painter, 2006) nature. As an idea and construct (Abrams, 1988), the state materialises as an effect of a range of practices (Mitchell 1993) and is actively transformed through socio-political struggles at various geographical scales (Brenner 2004).

This session aims to interrogate how the state, the nation, or indeed the “nation-state” is re-negotiated, re-imagined, and re-interpreted in today’s world. Papers are invited that foster discussion of how territories and identities are formed and transformed in practice and through political imaginaries. The session thus aims to provide fresh perspectives on the meaning of statehood as performance and narrative.

The session’s theme is designed to be broad in order to attract a wide range of perspectives with the aim of fostering dialogue on the state that goes beyond traditional state theory. Researchers are encouraged to submit abstracts that relate to topics broadly engaging with the above, and may include (but are not limited to):

The state/statehood as:

• Practices, performances, or ceremonies.
• Identity, nationalism, or citizenship.
• Borders, territories, or territoriality.
• Multiscaled, nested, or fragmented.
• Everyday, mundane, or banal.
• Discourses, ideas, or narratives.

Please email your abstract of no more than 250 words (or any questions you may have) to Ingrid A. Medby (i.a.medby@durham.ac.uk) by Monday 19^th October 2015. Please include affiliation, contact details, etc.

Successful applicants will be notified by 23^rd October, and will have to pay the registration fee and submit their abstracts online at the AAG website before 29^th October 2015.

Unfortunately no financial support towards travel/accommodation/registration can be provided by the session convenor.

References:

Abrams, P., 1988. Notes on the Difficulty of Studying the State [1977]. Journal of Historical Sociology 1, 58–89.

Brenner, N., 2004. New state spaces: Urban governance and rescaling of statehood. Oxford University Press, New York.

Jones, R., 2007. People/States/Territories: The Political Geographies of British State Transformation, RGS-IBG book series. Blackwell, Oxford.

Mitchell, T., 1991. The Limits of the State: Beyond Statist Approaches and Their Critics. The American Political Science Review 85(1), 77-96.

Painter, J., 2006. Prosaic geographies of stateness. Political Geography 25, 752–774.