SUSPLACE Final Event: Call for papers, panels and practice sessions!

The SUSPLACE Final Event ‘Exploring places & practices through transformative methods’ will take place in Tampere, Finland from May 7 to 10, 2019. You are invited to contribute!

Which innovative, unconventional methods are being experimented with to disrupt the established norms in place-based research? How to effectively engage people in place-based research, including marginalised voices? How can researchers’ and practitioners’ reflexivity guide fruitful experimentation and learning, while acknowledging their normative orientations and ethical underpinnings? What are the future prospects of research for transformative change?

These are some of the burning issues currently facing sustainability transformation research, and some of the question that will be addressed in the Final Event of SUSPLACE, a Marie Skłodowska Curie Innovative Training Network on Sustainable Place-Shaping. DRIFT’s senior researcher and advisor Julia Wittmayer is part of the scientific committee for this final conference and will be consulted regarding session formats, key note speakers and other relevant content.

The Event is inspired by the desire to explore new ways of engaging with communities by means of experimental and unconventional research methods and approaches, to shape places towards desired futures.

We aim to gather a dynamic community of researchers, practitioners, artists, and policy makers to engage in fruitful dialogue and cross-pollination of experiences. The Final Event focuses on the following three themes; Disruptive and creative methods, Engaging people, and Ethical doings. We welcome contributions in a variety of formats, following the three themes of the Conference.

Formats:

• Interactive Parallel Sessions: these sessions will provide the space for researchers to present their work. The presentations will last maximum 15 minutes and will be followed by an interactive discussion. These sessions will be moderated using different formats, such as Pecha Kucha, walking, World Cafe’ etc.
• Practice Sessions: open for submissions for practical, hands-on laboratories and workshops where you can demonstrate or test your methods or practice. We welcome a variety of formats, for example involving serious games, role play, art-based techniques, design thinking, storytelling workshops, etc. You will have a 1,5 hours time slot, which you can use as you wish.
• Open Stage: a space to demonstrate unconventional forms of research and practice, including arts and performances but also posters that present your work for example in the form of storytelling. We also welcome panel discussions where different themes can be brought to the arena to support dialogue and shared learning.
• Dilemma Sessions: proponents can submit a “dilemma”, a burning question they might be facing in their work, with the intent of gathering the collective intelligence of participants. You will have 1,5 hours, and you will be given support in organizing the session (a detailed set of instructions, or a facilitator upon request).

Do you want to contribute?
Here you can find more details on the different themes and formats. Submit your abstract here by October 31st, 2018!

Do you want to visit the conference?
The SUSPLACE Final Event will take place on May 7-10 in Tampere, Finland. Visit the event website for more information on the program and applications.