Wednesday, November 01, 2006
C-SAP Conference March 2005
I attended this C-SAP (Sociology, Anthropology and Politics LTSN) conference with a colleague, Dr Paul Sutton. We both gave papers (mine is available on request). The theme was 'Teaching Social Theory', and the aim was to produce a monograph on different approaches, under the main editorship of Jon Cope (full-time C-SAP). I am to co-edit, with Dr J Canaan of UCE. Overseas delegates attended, from New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa and Russia.
A particular highlight was the paper on Russian universities and the obsession with getting credentials to get jobs, the clash with the old guard (not Communists, surprisingly but Russian nationalists), and growing 'McDonaldization'.
The main themes addressed included the unpromising context for teaching social theory (changing universities), and developments in pedagogy (from reflexive 'pedagogies of hope' to electronic teaching). The monograph should be appearing in November.
Dave Harris
