[URBANTH-L]CFP: Paradigmatic Cities?

[Angela Jancius]

Paradigmatic Cities?

A two-day conference organised by the RGS-IBG Urban Geography Research 
Group

Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th November 2006
Scottish Trade Union Congress, Glasgow, Scotland

Urban studies has a long history of identifying particular cities as 
emblematic of urbanism more generally. Through such processes certain 
cities have emerged as 'obligatory points of passage' within the urban 
studies literature: whether because apparently emblematic of particular 
'urbanisms' (for example, Paris as the birthplace of urban modernism, 
or Los Angeles as the eponymous 'post-metropolis') or of more specific 
processes (for example, 
revanchism = New York, diversity = Toronto).

Such tendencies have come in for sustained critique in recent years. 
Where some have launched what might be termed a 'thin critique' 
(challenging the paradigmatic status of one city, only to substitute 
that city for another), others have mounted a more serious challenge to 
the identification of 'paradigmatic' cities per se. Yet despite these 
critiques, tendencies remain in the urban studies literature to focus 
disproportionately on a small number of cities, as well as to identify 
newly paradigmatic places (witness the re-emergence of a 'Chicago 
School' at this year’s AAG).

This two-day event aims to provide a forum for discussion and debate 
around the epistemologies and politics of paradigmatic thinking in 
urban studies, policy and practice.

To help foster discussion the event will be organised around a 
combination of Key Note addresses, shorter position papers and group 
discussion.

Confirmed Key Note Speakers include:

Juliet Davis, Canterbury School of Architecture
Rob Imrie, King's College, London
Donald McNeill, King's College, London
Jenny Robinson, Open University

Registration:
£50 (Postgraduate/unwaged: £10)

Those interested in participating should complete and mail the attached 
registration form, with registration fee enclosed, to:

Urban Geography Research Group
C/O Jennie Middleton
Department of Geography
King's College London
Strand
London WC2R 2LS

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**Deadline for registration: 20 October 2006**
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Visit http://www.urban-geography.org.uk for:
(1) registration form; (2) conference flyer; and (3) directions to venue


Questions can be directed to any of the following:

Jennie Middleton, King's College London (jennie.middleton at kcl.ac.uk)
Jon May, Queen Mary, University of London (j.may at qmul.ac.uk)
Gesa Helms, University of Glasgow (g.helms at socsci.gla.ac.uk)
Scott Rodgers, King's College London (scott.rodgers at kcl.ac.uk)