Responding to the Riots - A Sociological Dialogue
Evening Workshop: Room 142 Richard Hoggart Building Goldsmiths University of London New Cross SE14 6NW, Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMTThis provided a space to reflect on the events of this past summer. CUCR and Goldsmiths Sociology Society hosted an evening workshop to promote dialogue between young people and sociologists.
See Comments by the Organisers post this event on Riots
This summer English cities experienced social unrest at a scale that has not been seen for many decades. With buildings burning and shops being looted, the mass media were quick to label the events as 'riots', and they have now been subject to numerous readings from police, journalists, politicians, academics, and other 'experts'. Some of these have become familiar comments about deprivation, deviance, anti-social behaviour, hyper-consumerism, alienation, disenfranchisement, and so on. Blame has been placed on 'feral' youth and 'problem families'. Other commentators have questioned whether the actions would be better understood as social uprising. How can we make sense of the competing readings and representations of the riots/uprisings? How have young Londoners themselves undersood the events and their consequences?
Providing a space to reflect on the events of this past summer, the Centre for Urban and Community Research and Goldsmiths Sociology Society are hosting an evening workshop to promote dialogue between young people and sociologists. The discussion will focus on different understandings of the summer's events, both the responses that have already appeared in the media and those that could arise out of critical engagement with the interplay of social, economic, political and cultural issues that surround the events. Focusing on themes of youth media and representation, the youth organisation Reprezent and the Art Assassins, The South London Gallery's young people's forum, will discuss their views and experiences, with social researchers responding. Inverting the common academic hierarchy, the young participants' knowledge and experience will serve as a point of departure for understanding the riots/uprisings from which critical responses can develop.
Speakers include: Caroline Knowles, Les Back, Vic Seidler, Hannah Jones, Emma Jackson, and Alison Rooke.
Attendance is free and open to all, but places are limited. Please register by emailing cucr@gold.ac.uk and write RIOTS DIALOGUE BOOKING in the subject line. For directions to Goldsmiths see www.gold.ac.uk/find us and for further information email hannah.jones@gold.ac.uk.