Peace in Geography and Politics:
Critiques and Narratives of Peace
15 November 2011, 09:30-16:00
Great North Museum: Hancock
Conference Overview | Registration / Payment | Programme | Map
Organised by Prof. Hartmut Behr and Dr. Nick Megoran
School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University
In both disciplines of Geography and Politics the study and production of ‘their’ respective realities is
dominated by the categories such as ‘conflict’, ‘war’, ‘security’.
The purpose of this workshop is to emphasize a counterpoint and bring together scholars from both
disciplines to assess the state of peace and peace research in each and to discuss the question of related
normative agendas. By working across the disciplines, the value of peace scholarship and the needs of
political engagement working towards peace will become visible.
This workshop brings together leading scholars from both disciplines to ‘compare notes’, by assessing
the state of peace research in each and by discussing the question of normative agendas
Conference Programme
INTRODUCTION
Hartmut Behr and Nick Megoran
MORNING SESSION: STATE-OF-THE-DISCIPLINE REVIEWS
Oliver
Richmond,
St
Andrews:
Simon Dalby, Carleton, Ottawa: Peace in Geopolitics
Coffee break
Peace
in
International
Relations
Fiona McConnell, Cambridge: Peace in Geography
Hartmut Behr, Newcastle: A Phenomenological Approach to Peace
LUNCH (provided)
NAMING THE DEAD CEREMONY
A simple and solemn naming ceremony beside the war memorial plaque in Newcastle University’s Old
Quad for those participants in the symposium who feel comfortable with participation. To mark the tenth
anniversary of the start of the war, names and details of 50 UK servicemen and women killed in action in
Afghanistan, and 50 Afghan civilians killed by the NATO forces will be read out, with a bell tolled for each
one. In so doing we (1) grieve all the dead of this conflict, and mark our desire to pursue a just and
peaceful solution to it, and (2) through a collective public statement begin to move the day’s discussion
from ‘critique’ to ‘narrative’.
AFTERNOON SESSION: Critiques and Narratives of Peace
The morning session identified the terrains of conceptual, theoretical, and empirical work on ‘peace’ in
geography and politics: this roundtable now proceeds in asking: ‘Can the study of peace be merely
deconstructive, or do we need a normative narrative and agenda?’ Four speakers will be asked to
provide reflections providing their thoughts on this question, to open a broader discussion.
Panellists:
Georgio Shani, Christian University Tokyo
Kevin Mason, Aberystwyth/Welsh Peace Institute
Philippa Williams, Cambridge
Greville Bibby, Commander 15 (North East) Brigade
For
help
with
registering
contact
Sinead
For more information about the conference, contact Hartmut Behr or Nick Megoran
Devlin