International Social Theory Consortium

2015 conference meeting

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We are pleased to announce the 14th Annual Conference of the International Social Theory Consortium to be held at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, June 17-19, 2015.

The theme of this year's meeting is 'Reconstructing Social Theory, History and Practice' dedicated to interrogating the contributions and limits of 'deconstruction' and the possibilities of a return of history.

In addition we continue the ISTC's tradition of encouraging discussion across the entire range of topics under the general heading of social theory.

Reconstucting Social Theory, History and Practice

With regard to developments in social theory, the past 30 years can be characterized as an Age of Deconstruction. Inspired by post-structuralism, postmodernism, critical theory, and science studies, as well as combinations of related approaches, theorists have endeavored to shatter historical meta-narratives and struggled to include previously excluded standpoints in social thought. This important trend no doubt has informed our understanding of the role of discourse, difference and expertise in determining relations of power and inequality. 

The central theme of the 2015 annual meeting of the International Social Theory Consortium (ISTC) will be “Reconstruction”, dedicated to taking account of and interrogating the possibility of picking up the pieces. Are there limits to the deconstruction project, and have these limits been reached? What are the possibilities for the ‘reconstruction’ of narratives of long-term historical change?  Is it possible to include and integrate the insights and contribution of various critiques of knowledge, while at the same time developing new forms of knowledge?  Can we submit the project of deconstruction itself to deconstruction? 

Essential to such a project of “deconstructing deconstruction” would be a return to history—acknowledging its continuing importance as a social-theoretical category and frame, considering its persistent utility after decades of sobering realizations, and accepting the fact that, by most accounts, history has not reached its end. 

How would social science disciplines – e.g. economics – benefit from new perspectives on understanding long-term change?  What might, could and should a new philosophy of history – subsequent to so many ‘turns’ – look like?  What are the possibilities for practice in addressing social justice and democracy, with the benefit or in the absence of long-term historical consciousness? 

 

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