In recent years, social sciences such as geography and anthropology have witnessed an ‘infrastructural turn’, focusing on roads, electricity networks, sewage systems and so on to understand how these sociotechnical systems distribute people, resources and risks across space. Meanwhile, research in the humanities – specifically history and cultural studies – has similarly begun to study the uses and meanings of such architectures of circulation, engaging with infrastructure as an important lens for understanding urban life across different historical and cultural contexts.
Aims and Objectives
To bring together this variety of research and insights, we would like to invite scholars from the CUS, ACUH, ACHI and ASCA with an interest in urban infrastructures to participate in our ‘playshop’ on 15 October 2019. This informal workshop brings into conversation UvA scholars from different faculties and disciplines, working on different regions, and offers an opportunity to share ongoing work and to open it up to new methodological and analytical perspectives.
The proposed one-day event is a collegial conversation for the sake of conversation; it is aimed at sparking intellectual joy and inspiration through substantive scholarly exchange rather than at any direct “product” such as publications or proposals. We invite UvA scholars to share their work in progress, research ideas, questions, methods, concepts and dilemmas in informal presentations of 10-15 minutes, which will be followed by ample time for discussion. We especially encourage early career researchers to participate. The day will be concluded with drinks and dinner.
For more information, see website UvA