[SSC] SSC Digest, Vol 9, Issue 14

Fri Sep 23 00:21:20 UTC 2011

Thanks for opening up this discussion Richard and for adding to it Sarah.
I really appreciate this opening up as it helps us think through more
aspects of what it is that we are doing.

Like Sarah, I think it is of utmost importance that we discuss if/how we
research our developing practice. My intention in offering this suggestion
initially
was, as I noted in my first email, to begin to capture some of the
excitement of this collaborative venture for our greater understanding of
what it is that we are creating and for us to utilise to understand what
is missing from the hellish state of university life that so many of us
are working in. I think that the energy and possibility that the SSC is
already providing is of considerable significance, as it offers us the
possibility to build an alternative higher educaiton system--and as we
modify it how to negotiate challenges as they arise (like this one of
potentially standing in the camp of researchers of practices w are engaged
in)--and to develop strategies for  beginning to offer alternatives to the
system that exists. How often is it that those of us who are against the
system in its current form are accused of not having an alternative.
Like Sarah I think that the suggestion of discussing it through articles
from  the Autnomous Geographies website is a great idea.  However, for the
next few weeks I won't be able to do so, preparing for the beginning of
term and for a presentation.

I just wanted, at this point, to thank you for your intervention as it is
one we can think further with. I think that researching our practice and
the feelings that are emergent from it is significant so if we can do this
in a way that deals with the very thorny issues that the Autonomous
Geographies' articles raise, that would be really helpful.

I look forward to contributing to our discussion when things get easier
here!

Joyce

On 21/09/2011 13:30, "Amsler, Sarah" <S.S.AMSLER at aston.ac.uk> wrote:

>Hello all,
>
>Thanks, Joyce and Richard. I think this is an important discussion that
>we could perhaps take up when we next meet, or arrange to otherwise do
>so. It raises real qusetions about the relationships that we each might
>have to the Social Science Centre and to universities, and the
>relationship or not between these institutions (and ways of life). On the
>one hand, I find it difficult to imagine how I might personally separate
>them neatly, and wouldn't want to; it raises questions about the values
>of participatory research from within the academy (as there are still
>some strong and I think defensible traditions of this), co-research,
>militant research, popular eduation, border crossings, complex
>subjectivities, and etc. On the other hand there are pressing concerns
>about the possibility of simply conflating these spaces/roles/projects
>into the dominant form, which is also often the most comfortable one.
>
>The writing that came out of the Autonomous Geographies project would be
>an absolutely excellent place to start to discuss this, in my view -- it
>deals with precisely these questions, deeply, and might give us something
>to talk around that is at enough distance to allow for dialogue and play.
>
>Best,
>Sarah
>________________________________________
>From: ssc-bounces at lists.aktivix.org [ssc-bounces at lists.aktivix.org] on
>behalf of ssc-request at lists.aktivix.org [ssc-request at lists.aktivix.org]
>Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 1:00 PM
>To: ssc at lists.aktivix.org
>Subject: SSC Digest, Vol 9, Issue 14
>
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>Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Re: some thoughts (Richard Hall)
>   2. really Open University  - The Space Project (Andre Pusey)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:08:27 +0100
>From: "Richard Hall" <RHall1 at dmu.ac.uk>
>To: <ssc at lists.aktivix.org>
>Subject: Re: [SSC] some thoughts
>Message-ID:
>        
><290C0FAF9352E54EB483CBA4ED12133C05A10439 at artemis.LEC-ADMIN.dmu.ac.uk>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>I've been thinking long and hard about this one, Joyce.
>
>
>
>I am happy for my contributions to add to a process that aids others and
>helps us celebrate/develop our position - in that it is for us/those who
>associate with us, and in that it is against the enclosed University.
>
>
>
>However, I would be more concerned if this was used by anyone as part of
>their formal, funded role, for their own research agenda within the
>academy. I read this tension being recognised and discussed in some of
>the work of the Autonomous Geographies project:
>http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-000-23-0957/read
>
>
>
>I am not saying that this is what you want, Joyce. I do not read your
>context below in that way. I just wish to be up-front about this issue.
>
>
>
>In solidarity.
>
>
>
>R.
>
>
>
>From: ssc-bounces at lists.aktivix.org
>[mailto:ssc-bounces at lists.aktivix.org] On Behalf Of Joss Winn
>Sent: 14 September 2011 14:56
>To: ssc at lists.aktivix.org
>Subject: Re: [SSC] some thoughts
>
>
>
>One possibility for the 'reflexive journals' is that people use the SSC
>website blog for that purpose. It's available if you wish to publish
>from it.
>
>
>
>If you wish to be added as an author, please let me know
>(joss at josswinn.org)
>
>
>
>Joss
>
>
>
>On 14 Sep 2011, at 14:18, Joyce Canaan wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>Hi all,
>
>I am hoping to add to the document we so constructively discussed last
>Saturday within the next few days.  One minor point from the email that
>Joss sent:  can we start at 11am until 4pm as some people can't get
>there until 11?
>
>
>
>I have some additional thoughts I wanted us to discuss.I mentioned at
>the meeting on Saturday that I would love to start researching the
>process by which we are working (and would be keen to do so with
>others).  To this end, can I suggest that we discuss the possibility of
>voice recording our meetings so that it might be possible to analyse the
>processes by which we are working together-and dealing with challenges
>as and when they arrive--so that we can develop these processes more
>effectively in future and share our insights with others trying to set
>up similar projects? This would of course need consent from all. Second,
>whether or not people feel comfortable with voice recordings,  might
>some of us begin to create reflexive journals on the process itself and
>its impact on other aspects of our lives? I ask this because I am
>beginning to see that the thinking that we are doing together is helping
>me realise how limiting the current HE system is and how my contribution
>to the SSC stems from the strategies that I have been developing to cope
>with and seek to transform this system.  My pleasure with our work comes
>partly from recognising that we are  engaged in a process of creating
>powerful alternative ontologies and epistemologies of and for all
>aspects of the university as a process.  Thus our re-imagining and
>reconstructing (or as Mike said elsewhere), 'reinventing' the social
>sciences through thinking collectively, collaboratively, respectfully,
>and learning from and with others who are at least in some ways
>likeminded, fills me with pleasure, delight and energy.  I think it
>would be interesting to explore what we are bringing to and getting from
>this process as these factors are crucial to understanding what we are
>engaged in creating.
>
>
>
>Joyce
>
>
>
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>Message: 2
>Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:23:51 +0100
>From: Andre Pusey <gyap at leeds.ac.uk>
>To: "ssc at lists.aktivix.org" <ssc at lists.aktivix.org>
>Subject: [SSC] really Open University  - The Space Project
>Message-ID:
>        
><03FEE575BFE70B4AA3BB5014DC59648B01888B80DB94 at HERMES8.ds.leeds.ac.uk>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>Dear all,
>
>Was sorry not to be able to make the SSC meeting in Lincoln, a few of us
>in Leeds involved with the ROU had hoped to come down.
>
>Below are details of a new Really Open University initiative we are
>working on. It aims to find some space between social centres and
>projects such as the Social Science Centre.
>
>Hope to make it to the next SSC meeting.
>
>Best,
>Andre
>
>http://reallyopenuniversity.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/the-space-project/
>
>The Space Project
>
>We would like to invite you to an open meeting to help us shape a new
>vibrant venue for discussions, film showings, seminars, talks, workshops,
>reading groups, archives, enquiries and other creative projects.
>
>The space will be close to Leeds City Centre hosting events that explore
>social change (broadly defined) in an engaged and participatory way.
>Facilitated by the Really Open University, we're seeking other groups and
>individuals who would like to contribute to the life of the space by
>hosting events and contributing to building a non-commercial,
>self-managed space in Leeds.
>
>Do you have something you think you would like to do? Come along to our
>open meeting or please get in touch with us at
>wearethespaceproject at gmail.com<mailto:wearethespaceproject at gmail.com>
>
>Where: The Space Project, 37-38 Mabgate green, Leeds
>When: Tuesday October 4th 7:30pm
>Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123462997754485
>
>The 'space project' will be run as a not-for-profit venture, with no paid
>staff and events being free or donations-only.
>
>
>
>Andre Pusey
>School of Geography
>University of Leeds
>(0113) 343 6757
>gyap at leeds.ac.uk
>
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