CFP: Social and Cultural Geographies of Impact

Call for Statements: RGS-IBG Annual Conference 2012, University of Edinburgh, 3-5 July

Social and Cultural Geographies of Impact

Sponsored by the Social and Cultural Geography Research Group (SCGRG)

What is ‘impact’?  How do we evidence ‘impact’?  What makes ‘impactful’ research? How do those outside the academy understand ‘impact’?  What are the stakes of ‘impact’ for postgraduates and academia?

This session will explore the emerging social and cultural geographies of ‘impact’.  Whilst currently understood (or conceived) in terms of the Research Excellence Framework (REF), this session aims to unpack and expand understandings and conceptualizations of impact, generating discussion and debate through two innovative sessions.  Overall, this session seeks to generate a critical forum for discussing, debating, supporting and listening to ideas about ‘impact’ as we navigate through the current landscape of geography in higher education and research institutions.

Whilst the first session will take the form of postcard-based small group discussions, in the second session we will be hosting short, critical ‘impact statements’ (short papers or think pieces) from a range of academic and non-academic participants at AC2012.  We would like to hear about ‘impact’ from a range of different viewpoints (critical, creative, within and beyond the academy) and from researchers at all stages of their career.

If you would like to present a short paper (or ‘impact statement’) of no more than 5 minutes, please send titles and short abstracts (max. 150 words) to Sarah Mills (sm599@le.ac.uk), Amanda Rogers (A.Rogers@rhul.ac.uk) and Mia Hunt (Maria.Hunt.2010@live.rhul.ac.uk) by Friday, 20th January 2012.

Please note that this session is likely to take place in an alternative and informal space at the conference with NO AV support.  We hope this will create an inclusive and engaging environment and go ‘beyond powerpoint’…