[URBANTH-L]Second CFP: The Anthropology of Freecycling
Angela Jancius
jancius3022 at comcast.net
Sat Mar 21 13:33:15 EDT 2009
Dear Colleagues,
In order to build a double session, we hope to recruit two additional papers for our Anthropology of Freecycling panel. Please see the call for papers announcement listed below and contact me as soon as possible if you are interested.
best,
Angela
CALL FOR PAPERS
for the American Anthropological Association's annual conference
at the Philadelphia Marriott, December 2-6, 2009
THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF FREECYCLING (Draft)
Angela Jancius, Chair/Organizer
Freecycling is the act of giving away usable but unwanted items rather than
hoarding or disposing of them. It is related to other scavenging and
sharing trends of late capitalism - from dumpster diving (an activity
performed by "freegans"), to open source and creative commons software and
publications, to guerrilla gardening (i.e. taking over abandoned properties
to grow vegetables and flowers). While turning discarded materials into
usable goods has long been commonplace at the economic peripheries of
capitalism, it has not been a usual practice in wealthy, heavily
industrialized centers - perhaps, that is, until now. Following four
decades of large industry's disappearance, capped off by an escalating
fiscal crisis, the capital value of goods and labor in the wealthiest G8
countries is visibly in decline. It should be of no surprise, perhaps, that
sharing and gleaning, as a way of life, is gaining popularity. Drawing from
ethnographic comparisons, and defining freecycling in the broadest sense,
this panel seeks to explore: How should "freecycling" be defined? Who
engages in freecycling? Why do people freecycle? What impact does
freecycling have on formal modes of production and economic exchange? How
does it relate to other social and economic developments of late capitalism?
Is it a subversive activity? How does freecycling compare in rural and
urban areas, and in global contexts?
Ethnographic and theoretical papers are sought that treat these and related
themes. Following the AAA conference, we will explore the possibility of
publishing the papers as an edited volume.
If you are interested in participating in this panel, please contact Angela Jancius
(jancius3022 at comcast.net) with an initial email conveying your interest and
send an your 250-word abstract no later than March 28, 2009.
More information about the URBANTH-L
mailing list