Participatory Geographies Research Group Away Weekend, York, UK

Another non-traditional/creative/intriguing format.

Participatory Geographies Research Group Away Weekend
18-21 May 2012
York, UK

For 2012, we have decided to run the ever-popular away weekend, with its mix of academic study, chill-out time and frisbee-ing, in a more central location.

We will be based at York Youth Hostel, which is in a quiet location with large grounds, by the riverbank, a short walk from the city centre and east coast mainline train station:
http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/yorkshire-wold-moors-coast/hostels/York/index.aspx

Anyone who wants to learn more about participatory geographies and meet others is welcome to attend. You don’t have to know anything already. Please pass on this email, as we would like to encourage new members and postgraduates to come along. A bursary scheme to cover the cost of accommodation and dinner will be available for a number of postgrads and others who can’t afford to pay for the weekend.

Sessions are informal and their content is decided by those attending, so please send in your suggestions and offers to organise one. In past years we’ve focused on a range of theoretical issues, methods for research and activism, institutional and personal issues involved in doing participatory research, etc. If you’re interested in something but don’t want to run a session yourself we can often find someone to do it. Suggested themes will be circulated (with a reading to kickstart thinking/discussion) before the weekend, but we also normally revisit/plan the agenda on the Friday night according to what people want out of the weekend. Here is a provisional schedule:

Friday evening:
Arrive. Welcome drinks kindly being hosted by Friederike Ziegler who lives close to the youth hostel. Firming up the agenda for the weekend.

Saturday:
Session 1
Lunch
Outdoor activity/free time
Dinner
Session 2

Sunday:
Session 3
Lunch
Leave

Bed and breakfast is £25.35 for Friday night and £25.35 Saturday night, and dinner on Saturday is £7.95 (all diets catered for). The total for the weekend per person is £56.65. On top of that we will ask for contributions to a self-catering budget for Friday night snacks and Sat/Sun lunches, and you can bring your own alcohol or use the bar at the youth hostel.

Partners and children are also welcome – there are a range of single, twin and family rooms as well as 6- and 8-bed single-sex dormitories; the smaller rooms will need to be booked early.

Email Prof. Rachel Pain (Geography, University of Durham) if you’re interested in attending.