Spring 2009 Conference Themes

Gentrification & Urban Renewal:

The 21st Century so far, has been colored with very passionate and critical debates regarding the nature and impact of Gentrification/ Urban Renewal. This debate has ensued across various social settings to include academic communities, corporate offices, activist circles, and residential enclaves. Resulting from this debate is a greater awareness of the assymetrical structures between those who champion urban renewal versus those who suffer from this practice. On the other hand, conferences that give attention to this issue often allow space for intellectual exchange among those who study the victims. However, this conference theme aims to allow voice for those who study the victim, those who are the victim, and those who study and/or are the corporate/private interests pushing urban renewal along. Equally and of great importance are the various means neighborhood participants use to shape community and space, as well as negotiate and resist.

Sexual Identity & Citizenship:

Whose "Sexual Freedom"? Interrogating Sexual Identity, Neoliberalism & Citizenship

Metrosexuals, the flourishing of omnisexual bars, domestic partnership protection and marriage-like rights for gay and lesbian families, the unionized protection of exotic dancers, etc. are phenomena that mark 21st century American cities. These urban regions are increasingly understood using Richard Florida's idea of "creative class." Creative class regions are marked by a welcoming of various sexual identities and practices, accompany strong technological/economic creativity and growth, and nurture artistic and cultural creativity. These areas also boast of their ethnic and racial diversity.

At the same time that such "sexual freedom" has supposedly been flourishing in these cities, large scale gentrification and "urban renewal" projects have priced-out or displaced many poor, urban dwellers. How do we understand "sexual freedom" in these circumstances? Whose sexual freedom is it? Which groups (sexual, racial, gendered, etc.) are being simultaneously mined and indexed for their style, cuisine, entertainment forms, etc. while being eradicated from urban landscapes? How do sexual citizenship and civil rights claims interact with such gentrification moves? In what ways can we understand such sexual phenomena by looking at the intersections of urban, neoliberal economic restructuring and the commodification of sexual identities? Are such sexual identities used as a way to market certain areas and products by "safely" containing sexual desires for consumption and use? Does this mean that the rural, suburbs and ex-burbs areas are now being tasked with absorbing displaced populations who are more radically queer, are poor gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and/or are single parents/nontraditional family units? In what ways have citizens successfully used government and industry to speak back to the gentrification of sexually liberated spaces?

This panel welcomes papers that address these sorts of questions from various disciplines, such as: anthropology, urban studies, critical geography, political science, sociology, economics, urban planning, sexuality studies, gay and lesbian studies, ethnic and black studies, cultural studies, American studies, etc. Presenters are urged to make tangible recommendations for affected communities and for the policymakers and advocates working with those faced with such displacement and silencing.

Public and Private Partnership in Governance:

Public Private partnerships represents the late modern turn in local governance particularly as it relates to federal, state and local policies towards cities and development. Public administrators, city officials and private corporations have describe this policy orientation as laudable. On the other hand, city residents argue that this has led to a privileging of big development or rather a transition from social welfare to corporate welfare. What are the implications of this logic to modernize government? Moreover, How do these neoliberal discourses of public private partnerships affect the lived experiences of marginal groups, such as the poor, minority, and women? What are the very implications of citizenship under the new logic of public private partnerships?

We welcome interdisciplinary participation in the form of paper abstracts, posters and panel proposals that examine governance, neoliberal constructions of citizenship, and new emergent forms of governmental discourse by January 29th 2009.

Public Health and Environmental Justice:

Since its birth in the early 1980's during the controversy over the Warren County's
PCB landfill, the topic of environmental justice has spawned numerous and varied partnerships, coalitions, social and environmental movements, and EPA involvement in the form of grants, research, and the formation of the Office of Environmental Justice. Environmental justice is concerned with the unfair environmental burden borne by poor and/or marginalized communities, such as racial minorities, women, or members of developing nations as a result of serious public health issues, including but not limited to air pollution, toxic waste and biochemical disposal, and nuclear testing, extracting, and production. Often the high cost of public health for those who live in major American cities have been blamed, culturally and behaviorally, for their poor health.

Ostensibly, this blame has characterized American policies toward the poor while no mention is made of environmental racism, the cost of institutional racism, corporate malpractice or negligent industries. In addition what does it mean to create inclusive environmental justice movements.

The Public Health and Environmental Justice panel welcomes, papers, posters and panel suggestions that explore the impact of environmentally irresponsibility, racisms, and corporate culpability, as well as the effects on public health, especially concerning the vulnerability of poor and/or marginalized communities. Recommendations for alternative actions and solutions are more than welcome and encouraged.