RN13 - Sociology of Families and Intimate Lives
Coordinator
Giovanna Rossi (University of Milan)
E-mail: giovanna.rossi[at]unicatt.it
Vice-Coordinator
Karin Wall (Vice-coordinator)
Board members
Ulla Bjonberg
Julia Brannen
Vida Cesnuitytė
Isabella Crespi (secretary)
Detlev Lueck
Gerardo Meil
Eric Widmer
Click here to read the biennial report 2009-2011 of RN13
European Sociological Association 11th Conference
TORINO, 28-31 August 2013
Call for Papers
Instructions
Authors are invited to submit their abstract either to the general session (open) or any specific session. Please submit each abstract only to one session. After abstract evaluation, coordinators will have the chance to transfer papers between sessions where applicable.
Abstracts should not exceed 1750 characters (including spaces, approximately 250 words). Each paper session will have the duration of 1.5 hours. Normally sessions will include 4 papers.
Abstracts can only be submitted online no later than 1st of February 2013 to the submission platform at: www.esa11thconference.eu. Abstracts sent by email cannot be accepted.
The information requested during abstract submission include: 1) name(s), affiliation(s) and email of all the author(s); 2) contact details of presenting author (postal address, and telephone in addition to email); 3) title of proposed presentation; 4) up to 4 keywords (optional).
Submitting authors will receive an email of acknowledgement of successful submission receipt. Abstracts will be peer-reviewed and selected for presentation by the relevant Research Network or Research Stream; the letter of notification will be sent by the conference software system in early April 2013. Each author cannot submit more than two abstracts (as first author).
Abstract submission deadline: 1st February 2013
Abstract submission platform: http://www.esa11thconference.eu
If you have further questions on the conference, please visit the conference website.
For information on the Research Networks, visit: http://www.europeansociology.org/
RN13 - Sociology of families and intimate lives
Coordinator: Giovanna Rossi < This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. >
Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Our RN invites submissions of papers on current new findings in family research and current new theoretical and methodological approaches to explore family and intimate lives.
Taking up the categories “critique” and “change” as a heuristic-theoretical frame, scholars are invited to explore whether and how family studies relate with the multiple meanings of the crisis (economic, social, cultural, definitional…) which is affecting – as a distinctive feature of our times – family, intimate and social life (in terms of definitions, cultures, values, configurations, resources, and so on) and/or sociology itself and the way we “do sociology” and sociological research.
The reflection on the sociological understandings of families everyday lives and family relations - considering resources, challenges and the balance among these aspects -, gives the chance to focus on theoretical reflections as well as methodological and practical solutions.
The RN13 committee would like to propose a few sub-topics of interest that may help develop the main theme. They include but are not restricted to:
01RN13. New findings in family research and current new theoretical/ methodological approaches to explore family and intimate lives
02RN13. Fertility and reproduction: the meaning of parenthood
03RN13. New family forms in the European context
04RN13. Processes of family dissolution and reconstruction
05RN13. Social policies and family interventions
06RN13. Methods and research techniques to study families and intimate lives
07RN13. Family survival strategies and network solidarity in the context of crisis
08RN13. Balancing family, working lives and job mobility
09RN13. Conflict and violence in the family
10RN13. Families, migration, care and the effects on family relationships
11RN13. The challenges of family transitions in times of crisis
12RN13. Family and gender roles
13RN13. The value of the family and family values in Europe
14RN13. Sociology of families and intimate lives (open)
05JS13. RN13 Joint session with RN05 Sociology of Consumption
Family, consumption and markets
(Chairs: Bente Halkier & tbc, see RN web-page)
This joint session explores the relationships between families, intimate relationships, consumption and markets. Papers, which address these themes in relation to life course, generations and genders are welcome. We are also interested in papers that reflect upon the ways in which "crisis" (in the broad sense and enveloping economic, social, familial, markets ...) comes into focus. How is this connected with "critique" (e.g. through resistance in/through consumption) and change?
05JS28. RN5 Joint session with RN28 Society and Sports
The Commercialization of Sport and Fitness Practices
(Chairs: Roberta Sassatelli & Fabio Lo Verde)
Understood as a suggestive manifestation of consumer culture, the fitness boom is larger than fitness activities and has tapped into sport in innovative ways. The mixing of physical, sportive activities and popular culture has been envisioned through extreme rhetorical cliché, either celebration or comdenation. This often corresponds to disciplinary specialisations: physical education and medical practice have typically played the celebratory tune in contrast to sociology, history and gender studies. This session aims at going beyond such readings to take a proper sociological look at the sport, fitness and physical activities practices which are organized through commercial institutions and relations (of various sorts).
Marrying the sociology of sport and leisure with the sociology of consumption, the session will address critical questions such as: which institutional settings favour participation in sport and fitness activities? What are the advantages and shortcomings of commercial provision vis a vis public provision in the case of physical activities? Which kinds of relations are favoured in commercial fitness premises? Which values are promoted through sport and fitness practices as organized by commercial premises? How do trainers and trainees perceive and cope with commercialism? Which varieties of commercial relations can we discover in the field of fitness and sport activities, how do they differ and how do they compare with other commercial services? How does differentiation within the field respond to social boundaries (gender, class, ethnicity) without it? To what extent the “law of the market” explains the cultural dynamic in the fitness and sport activities? Papers should ideally address key relevant theoretical issues through empirical research.
