finding futures for waterways (CFP)
Call for Papers: RGS-IBG Annual Conference, 29th August - 1 September 2017, London.
Session Title: Finding futures for waterways
Convenors: Dr Hannah Pitt, Sustainable Places Research Institute Cardiff University & Dr Paul Gilchrist, University of Brighton
Blue networks of waterways and canals, once the superhighways of the industrial revolution (McMillan 2016), have suffered rapid decline and mass neglect, then latterly been celebrated by communities of enthusiasts and investors in urban regeneration. As a result “our canals now lead a double life”, acting both as “wet skips” hidden behind derelict industrial buildings, and as tranquil, semi-natural leisure places (Farley and Symmons Roberts 2011). Their defining characteristics make canals unique but hard to place, offering an escape from hectic city life whilst a focus for urban revival, associated with both calm repose and nefarious activity.
“So stark is this double life that you wonder what their future might look like”(Farley and Symmons Roberts 2011: 118).
Connecting urban and rural, combining land and water, acting as route and destination, the double lives of contemporary waterways offer rich geographic territory. Human geographers’ recent moves to reflect the watery nature of place and mobility (Merriman 2016), is dominated by offshore and coastal concerns, to the neglect of inland waterways. In the UK the recent handing of the nation’s waterway assets to a charitable body might be considered to encapsulate neoliberal roll-back of state responsibility. Their future depends on being able to demonstrate public value worthy of investment in the form of community action and government investment.
This session will bring together researchers and practitioners working to identify a future for waterways and canals, providing a focus for discussion of the unique qualities and challenges of inland blue-green spaces.
We welcome proposals for empirical and theoretical papers considering the future for waterways, with possible themes including:
Abstracts of 200 words should be sent to [email protected] by 3 February 2017.
Conference website: http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/ConferencesAndSeminars/Annual+International+Conference/Annual+international+conference.htm
References:
Farley, P. Symmons Roberts, M. 2011 Edgelands
McMillan, I. 2016 Superslowway www.superslowway.org.uk
Merriman, P. 2015 ‘Mobilities II: Cruising’ Progress in Human Geography 40(4) p555-564
Session Title: Finding futures for waterways
Convenors: Dr Hannah Pitt, Sustainable Places Research Institute Cardiff University & Dr Paul Gilchrist, University of Brighton
Blue networks of waterways and canals, once the superhighways of the industrial revolution (McMillan 2016), have suffered rapid decline and mass neglect, then latterly been celebrated by communities of enthusiasts and investors in urban regeneration. As a result “our canals now lead a double life”, acting both as “wet skips” hidden behind derelict industrial buildings, and as tranquil, semi-natural leisure places (Farley and Symmons Roberts 2011). Their defining characteristics make canals unique but hard to place, offering an escape from hectic city life whilst a focus for urban revival, associated with both calm repose and nefarious activity.
“So stark is this double life that you wonder what their future might look like”(Farley and Symmons Roberts 2011: 118).
Connecting urban and rural, combining land and water, acting as route and destination, the double lives of contemporary waterways offer rich geographic territory. Human geographers’ recent moves to reflect the watery nature of place and mobility (Merriman 2016), is dominated by offshore and coastal concerns, to the neglect of inland waterways. In the UK the recent handing of the nation’s waterway assets to a charitable body might be considered to encapsulate neoliberal roll-back of state responsibility. Their future depends on being able to demonstrate public value worthy of investment in the form of community action and government investment.
This session will bring together researchers and practitioners working to identify a future for waterways and canals, providing a focus for discussion of the unique qualities and challenges of inland blue-green spaces.
We welcome proposals for empirical and theoretical papers considering the future for waterways, with possible themes including:
- canal heritage as resource for leisure, tourism and education,
- waterfront regeneration fuelling economic development or gentrification,
- waterways for the wellbeing of people and nature,
- networks for digital superhighways and low carbon futures,
- blue-green corridors as linear parks,
- community action for shared public assets, and
- art, artists and artistic research practice taking to the water.
Abstracts of 200 words should be sent to [email protected] by 3 February 2017.
Conference website: http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/ConferencesAndSeminars/Annual+International+Conference/Annual+international+conference.htm
References:
Farley, P. Symmons Roberts, M. 2011 Edgelands
McMillan, I. 2016 Superslowway www.superslowway.org.uk
Merriman, P. 2015 ‘Mobilities II: Cruising’ Progress in Human Geography 40(4) p555-564
