Montecatini Terme (Tuscany), Italy, 21-27 July 2024
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
This annual Training School is organised and hosted by the International Urban Symposium-IUS in collaboration with an international interdisciplinary group of senior scholars from leading universities from Canada, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Poland, the UK, the USA.
The School is aimed at postgraduate students, postdoctoral scholars and practitioners who are interested in research in urban settings and in empirically-grounded analysis.
This 7-day Field Training School offers an interactive learning environment and opportunities to discuss the rationale and practices of traditional and new research methods and mainstream debates.
The primary aim is to train participants in the ‘art’ of conducting ethnographic fieldwork, develop the link between ethnographically-based analysis and social theory and bring out the relevance of such analysis to the broader society.
The School will address key contemporary urban issues, including governance; legitimacy and processes of legitimation; application and challenges of new technologies; urban diversity; stereotype and stigma; informality; sport and health; mega events and security; crisis, emergency and conflict; rituals; public space, vernacular landscape, heritage.
Participants will become part of an international network, establishing long-lasting connections with both other participants and the teaching staff.
Social events will also take place taking advantage of the centrality of the location within easy reach of Tuscany’s world-renowned iconic places.
PROGRAMME
Teaching and seminar discussions will be in English. The School will include:
- Teaching Seminars led by senior scholars, who will use a wide range of ethnographic, methodological and theoretical expertise to address topical issues. Participants are expected to complete the selected readings provided before the start of the School and actively engage in discussion.
- Targeted Observational Fieldtrips will supplement the in-class work. During structured city walks and observational fieldtrips, participants will be asked to take notes in view of producing brief reports on their observations, to be discussed by the group.
- Research Seminars. With a view to honing and developing junior scholars’ skills as future professionals, the research seminar will give participants the opportunity to present their work, engage in academic debate and benefit from expert feedback from the teaching staff. Feedback on how to revise oral presentations for publication will be provided to seminar papers at an advanced stage. It is anticipated that expanded and revised versions of select Seminar papers will be published in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal Urbanities-Journal of Urban Ethnography.
APPLICATION
To apply, please download the Application Form here and return the completed Form to the School Convenors: Prof. Italo Pardo at: i.pardo@kent.ac.uk and Prof. Giuliana B. Prato at: g.b.prato@kent.ac.uk
In the Application Form please provide:
• A brief description of research interests;
• A 300-word abstract of a proposed paper to be presented during the Research Seminar.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: Applications will be accepted until Monday 18th March 2024.
For Details on Registration Fees, Accommodation and Travel visit: https://www.internationalurbansymposium.com/events/2024-field-training-school/