----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Upchurch" <M.Upchurch@MDX.AC.UK>
To: <CAPITAL-AND-CLASS@JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 12:05 PM
Subject: critical labour studies workshop
> Critical Labour Studies Workshop:
>
> The Future of Labour and Employment
>
> First meeting – 2nd and 3rd November 2005:
>
> Location: The University of Leeds, Continuing & Adult Education
>
> It is clear to researchers and activists, both in the trade unions and
> universities, that a powerful neo-liberal and global capitalism is
> increasingly shaping the worlds of work and employment. The imposition of
> this neo-liberal orthodoxy, often referred to as the Washington consensus,
> has many profound implications. As the global exploitation of workers has
> intensified, states seek both to de-legitimise their opposition and to
> marginalise their organisations. However, just as capitalism has embraced
> neo-liberal strategies there has emerged a new politics of resistance that
> is varied and diverse, embracing trade union and socialist organisations,
> green and ecological protest movements, peace activists, feminists, human
> rights campaigners and NGOs. It is against this background that this
> colloquium aims to bring together researchers and activists to discuss key
> features of work and employment from a radical and labour focused
> perspective. We recognise that, while academic researchers on the left
> participate in the usual round of mainstream academic conferences, the
> scope for concerted and focused radical debate around these themes, is
> actually quite limited. The aim, therefore, will be to consider the
> establishment of an open working group and discussion forum that raises
> some of the challenges to researchers and trade unionists within the
> current environment of work and employment. It has become increasingly
> clear to many researchers and activists, both in trade unions and
> universities, that there is a significant demand for our knowledge and
> research capability.
>
>
>
> However, by ‘labour’, we anticipate, in the traditions of radical
> researchers over the ages, a broad understanding of myriad social,
> economic and political agendas. Themes will include historical and
> biographical work on labour, gender and ethnicity, ranging from research
> into collectivist-individualist memory of immigrants to Britain in the
> post war period to contemporary tensions over conceptions of
> union-management partnership agendas in the employment relationship. The
> list of themes and questions that concern us will of course develop over
> time, and the intention will be to reflect this annually in the
> colloquium. Moreover, this discussion will be reflected both in an Annual
> Papers and, eventually, in an electronic journal/website. An ancillary
> objective will be to engage in genuinely critical debate, rescuing this
> term from its cooption by mainstream discourses. Each stream will be
> open, with speakers, discussants and broad discussion based on a
> theme/issue. The aim is to invite a structured and open discussion, which
> is not based solely on specific papers or interventions. It is envisaged
> that the colloquium will be held at different venue each year. Colleagues
> at Bradford, Bristol, Leeds, Northumbria, Stirling and Warwick have
> expressed initial commitment.
>
>
>
> Initial Organizers: Jo McBride & Miguel Martinez Lucio (Bradford
> University), Valeria Pulignano (Warwick University), John Stirling
> (Northumbria University), Ian Greenwood and Mark Stuart (Leeds
> University), Steve Jefferys (London Metropolitan University) Paul Stewart
> (University of the West of England), Phil Taylor (Stirling University)
>
>
>
> Cost: £50.00 – includes attendance at conference, coffee and tea, and
> lunch for Saturday (accommodation is not included)
>
>
>
> Accommodation in Leeds and Bradford:
>
> www.leedsonly.co.uk/hotels.html www.bed-n-breakfast.co.uk/leeds.html
>
> http://www.bradford-hotels.co.uk/ http://www.leeds-hotels-uk.com/
>
> Information on Leeds: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/
>
>
>
> Conference Location: School of Continuing Education, Continuing Education
> Building, Springfield Mount, Leeds LS2 9JT
>
> More details will be available soon and places will be limited due to
> space.
>
> Please contact: Ian Greenwood to reserve a place
> I.Greenwood@lubs.leeds.ac.uk - space is limited so please confirm by
> email or send a letter to I. Greenwood, Leeds University Business School,
> Leeds LS2 9JT
>
>
>
>
> Sponsored by Capital and Class
>
>
>
> The sessions aim to:
> a) Illustrate the dynamics and challenges of working on such issues
> in a more engaged context that involves academics alongside trade
> unionists.
> b) Present an opportunity to discuss some of the dynamics and
> developments in terms of pursuing independent and critical research
> through a discussion of examples of current high profile projects.
> c) To discuss the policy and strategy aspects of the projects and how
> they have developed in relation to union revitalisation and the
> establishment of an independent, critical and creative identity.
> d) Provide time and space for a discussion about how conferences,
> networks and forms of dissemination could emerge around a Critical Labour
> Studies approach that is unique, critically informed, committed to change,
> relevant and socially engaged.
> Approach of the sessions:
> The sessions are designed to illustrate and identify points of engagement
> between research and practice. To that end, the key aims of the sessions
> are to pose challenges and questions and to stimulate dialogue and debate.
> Each session will involve short presentations from contributors (of about
> 20-30 minutes) followed by an open forum for questions, discussion and
> debate.
> FRIDAY
> 4.30-5.30 Registration and Coffee
> 5.30 – 6.00 Conference Welcome and Overview
> 6.00 – 7.15 Globalisation, Capital Mobility and Labour
> Contributions:
> The case of off-shoring and the politics of jobs – Phil Taylor (Stirling)
> and Peter Bain (Strathclyde) and Union contributions
> A union perspective on off-shoring – Cathy Tinston (Unifi/Amicus)
> Chair: Ian Greenwood
> 8.30: Conference Dinner
> SATURDAY
> 9.30 Globalisation, Production Politics and Labour Networks
> Contributions: Valeria Pulignano (Warwick), Paul Stewart (UWE), TGWU
> Chair: Phil Taylor
> 10.30 – 11.00 Coffee and Tea
> 11.00 'Institutions or Actions: Solidarity or Privilege – The European
> dimension'
> Contributions: John Stirling (Northumbria) and ETUC
> Chair: Valeria Pulignano
> 12.00-1.00 Lunch – provided
> 1.00 Identity, Ethnicity and Labour
> Contributions: Steve Jefferies (London Met) and Unison
> Chair: Paul Stewart
> 2.00 Learning to Labour and the New Politics of Training
> Contributions: Mark Stuart, Ian Greenwood, GMB and AMICUS
> Chair: Jo McBride
> 3.00-3.30 Coffees
> 3.30-5.00 Open Discussion (Chair: Mark Stuart, John Stirling and Paul
> Stewart)
> · What are the challenges of working critically on international
> labour co-ordination?
> · Critical Labour Studies as a forum, network and annual
> conference?
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Professor Martin Upchurch
> Middlesex University Business School
> The Burroughs
> London NW4 4BT
>
>
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