File spoon-archives/spoon-announcements.archive/spoon-announcements_2004/spoon-announcements.0411, message 4


Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2004 16:49:20 +1100
From: Melissa McMahon <melissa.mcmahon-AT-rihss.usyd.edu.au>
Subject: SPOON-ANN: Negri-Cavarero conference "Physiognomy of Origin" 5/5/05-7/5/05,


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PHYSIOGNOMY OF ORIGIN:
Multiplicities, Bodies and Radical Politics

A 3-day international conference at the University of Sydney, 5th ^Ö 7th 
May 2005

Keynote speakers: Antonio Negri, Adriana Cavarero

http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/departs/rihss/origin.html

This conference brings together two key figures in the contemporary 
reconsideration of the concept of origin. Radical theorist and activist, 
Antonio Negri has introduced a materialist perspective on the concept of 
origin through his investigations of constituent power and multitudes. 
Italian feminist philosopher, Adriana Cavarero has been engaged in 
reconceiving origin through the thought of sexual difference, an ethics 
of embodiment and more recently, the politics of vocal expression.

In conversation with Negri and Cavarero, this conference reflects on the 
question of the physiognomy of origin. What forms does the concept of 
origin take as it progresses and changes? How does its changing 
character affect the constitution of life? What are the historical and 
(bio)political conditions of the transformation of origin? What are the 
sites of precariousness and potentiality to which this progression gives 
rise? How does the materiality of the origin disclose its inner 
character? And how does the concept of origin inform a conception of the 
human, in both its material and normative modes? Does embodiment 
necessarily entail a return to origin, or does the genealogical focus on 
conditions of emergence allow for alternative ways of understanding 
embodiment? In what ways can a democratic politics configure the social 
body to allow for diversity to take shape and qualify the powers of origin?

Call for papers:

"Physiognomy of Origin" is an interdisciplinary conference and invites 
papers from perspectives such as political theory, philosophy, 
anthropology, cultural studies, geography, European (and Italian) 
studies, sociology, literature, art history and theory, communication 
and performance studies, political economy, and gender studies. The 
event is also open to non-academic participants whose practice (creative 
and/or political) relates to the broad themes of the conference.
Submission abstracts should be approximately 300 words long, clearly 
describing the topic and aims of the paper. If your abstract is directed 
toward one of the themed panels, please indicate this clearly with the 
title of the panel. Your abstract should also include a biographical 
note, indicating current institutional affiliation and research/practice 
interests. Please also indicate whether audio-visual equipment will be 
required.

Themes to be addressed may include:
^Õ biopolitics and potentiality
^Õ sovereignty and states of exception
^Õ constituent and constituted power
^Õ labour mobility, political movements, and exodus
^Õ creative labour and cognitive capitalism
^Õ democracy and forms of life
^Õ materiality and corporeality
^Õ the politics of the voice
^Õ biotechnology, genetics, and kinship
^Õ modernity, multiple modernities and temporality
^Õ metaphysics and post-metaphysical thought

In addition to open panels, submissions are also requested for two 
themed panels:
1. The first panel is entitled "Moods of Modernities", and is led by 
Andrew Benjamin. This panel addresses issues such as: temporalities of 
modernity, the time of bodies, times of lived experience, the time of 
moods.
2. The second panel is entitled "Spinoza and Politics", and is led by 
Genevieve Lloyd. This panel explores the bearing of Spinoza's philosophy 
on contemporary political issues, Australian and international. 
Potential topics include: changing attitudes to borders, refugees and 
asylum seekers, issues of "origin" and "belonging" in the relations 
between non-indigenous and indigenous peoples, and issues of rights, 
freedom and "security" after September 11.

The final date for the submission of abstracts is: 10th January 2005.

Please direct all submissions and enquiries to: 
timothy.rayner-AT-rihss.usyd.edu.au

Further information will be made available on the conference website: 
http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/departs/rihss/origin.html

Organising Committee:

Paolo Bartoloni (Italian Studies, University of Sydney)
Craig Browne (Sociology, University of Sydney)
Catherine Mills (Philosophy, University of New South Wales)
Brett Neilson (Centre for Cultural Research, University of Western Sydney)
Timothy Rayner (Philosophy, University of Sydney)
Robert Sinnerbrink (Philosophy, Macquarie University)


   

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