The material expression of the human life-world is constructed by establishing patterns oriented through, and by, the earth-sky relation. Human socio-cultural praxes manifest spatially through establishing the fundamental spatiality, “a level”—an equilibrium that is formed through the collusion of the upright posture of the lived-body and the earthly horizon, marking the measure of the earth-sky relation and human experience.

Presentations may address any aspect of spatial production as long as the aspect of “builtness” is taken into consideration. In other words socio-cultural events are patterns that are always interlocked with materially expressed spatial patterns. The phenomena that we want to address in this conference concern our built environments. What is it to build? What is a building, or buildings? How do we build? How does building open a world, limit a world, destroy a world, protect a world, or enliven a world? What are the many forms of human dwelling about which building must address? How can we build a better world? Who builds and why? What do certain forms of building do for us, or to us?

Suggested Sub-topics: (these topics are not exhaustive; they are meant only to spark your own thinking)

Indigenous Dwellings and Spatial Constructions
Sacred Sites
The Genius Loci of Built Places
Architectural Design and Urban Planning
Megalopolis, Sprawl, Smart Growth
Neighborhood Bar, Playgrounds, Plazas, Lawns
The Politics of Built Space
Developers and Development
Zoning Laws
Instant Worlds
Le Corbusier, Venturi, Bauhaus
Building in the Margins

Vernacular Building
Intimate Spacings
Unique Places
Suburbs, Ruburbs
New Urbanism
Dance Floors, Sidewalks, Stadiums
The Sociology of Built Space
Superstores
Environmental Protection
Main Street
Ruskin, Vitruvius, Lynch
Preservation and Renewal

IAESP will hold its Third Annual Conference at the Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. IASESP seeks to foster interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary conversations. Presentations should not exceed 25 minutes. Please consider audience diversity while preparing your presentation. Accepted papers may be submitted for possible publication. See our website: www.towson.edu/iasesp

Abstracts Deadline: January 20, 2007

Send abstracts to:

Steve Sandbank
ssandban@verizon.net

On-site information:

Daniel J. Martino
Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
martino@duq.edu

_____________________________

Call for Abstracts
Globalization: Reconfigurings of World Space

The International Association for the Study of Environment, Space, and Place will hold its Second Annual Conference at Towson University, Towson, Maryland, on April 28-30, 2006. The Conference seeks to foster an interdisciplinary/ transdisciplinary conversation on the present, past, and future global reconfigurings of World Space. It will examine the presuppositions, implications, and consequences of the geographical reconfigurings of the world. Abstracts are invited from any academic discipline as well as non-academic professionals and activists.

Possible topics: Spatial Reconfigurings of . . .

Environment/Ecology: wild/domestic; environmental impact of globalism; genetic modification

Political: private/public; northern/southern hemisphere political tensions; power distributions in developed, developing, undeveloped regions and nations

Economics: new distributional patterns of wealth; global economies; globalizing markets, forms of economic organization, globalizing corporations

Cultural Arts: architecture, art, theatre, and music in a globalized world

Anthropological: the impact of globalization on peoples and cultural identities

Religion: religious tensions in the globalized world, new religious forms, religious sites

Sociology: new roles, stratifications, mobilities in the globalized world, new forms of association

Law: global law; legal boundaries; global justice

Communication: the role of new technologies, new forms of communication

Philosophy: competing paradigms of globalization; the sense of globalism

The above topics are meant as examples, other pertinent sub-themes are welcome. The main criterion is that presentations must consider the spatial aspect of globalization. Those who are interested in organizing panels are also invited. Persons interested in chairing sessions should contact Professor Backhaus.

Papers or presentations should not exceed 25 minutes. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the conference, speakers are requested to consider the audience diversity as they prepare their presentations. Accepted papers may be submitted for possible publication.

Send abstracts of approximately 200 words by February 10, 2006 to:

Professor Troy Paddock
Southern Connecticut State University
Department of History
501 Crescent Street
New Haven, CT 06515
E-mail: paddockt1@southernct.edu

For further information contact:
John Murungi, Conference Co-organizer
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Towson University, Towson, Maryland, 21252
Tel: 410-704-2750 Fax: 410-704-4398
jmurungi@towson.edu

Towson University is located at Towson, Maryland, which is approximately 4 miles north of downtown Baltimore, Maryland

Call for Abstracts

The International Association for the Study of Environment, Space, and Place will hold it's Inaugural Annual Conference at Towson University, Towson, Maryland April 29 - May 1, 2005. Our theme is Symbolic Meanings of Spaces/Places. Abstracts are invited from all those who are interested in the theme of the Conference.

Some possible topics:

Symbolism in human landscapes (forest, river, mountain, sky, rock, cloud, animal, beach, ocean, wilderness, earth, cave, etc.)

Symbolism in human landscapes (nation, mall, skyscraper, restaurant, garden, hell, heaven, stadium, school, cemetery, prison, temple, pyramid, television).

Papers or presentations should not exceed 25 minutes. Because this is an interdisciplinary conference, speakers are requested to consider the audience diversity as they prepare their presentations. Accepted papers may be submitted for possible publication. Send abstracts of approximately 200 words by February 25, 2005.

Send all abstracts by e-mail to:

Gary Backhaus, Program Coordinator
E-mail: sparks.gbackhaus@prodigy.net

For further information contact:

John Murungi, Chairperson
Dept. of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Towson University
Towson, MD 21252
Telephone: 410-704-2755
Fax: 410-704-4398
E-mail: jmurungi@towson.edu

Persons who are interested in serving as session Chairs should contact Gary Backhaus.

Towson University is located at Towson, Maryland, which is approximately 4 miles North of downtown Baltimore, Maryland.

Call for Abstracts

Conference Theme: “Ecoscapes”

The Geophilia Society will hold its Sixth Annual International Conference at Towson University, Towson, Maryland, April 30—May 2, 2004.

The conference organizers have coined the word, ecoscapes, to refer specifically to the geographical moment of ecology, or, to state it another way, the spatial relations comprising environments. J. B. Jackson remarks that the suffix, ‘scape,’ is essentially the same as ‘shape.’ ‘Scape’ also indicates something like an organization or system. ‘Eco’ has to do with habitat or environment. So, ecoscapes concerns the geographical shape of environmental relations and interrelations.

Papers are to address the spatial configurations of the relations that form particular landscapes. Spatial relations are constitutive of a geographical matrix that includes human-natural-artifactual-virtual components. Any combination from the matrix is possible: e.g. human to human; human to natural; human to artifactual; human to virtual; natural to artifactual; natural to virtual; artifactual to virtual. The many other combinations of relations from the above matrix are also available for exploration. Geographical case studies of the spatiality of specific types of relations in specific locales are encouraged. Whatever your research concerns, please make thematic the geographical moment of relations and your work will be appropriate to the theme of the conference.

We also accept presentations on any themes that are germane to philosophy and geography.

Papers should not exceed 25 minutes. Panels and special media presentations will be allotted more time. Because this is an interdisciplinary conference, speakers are requested to consider audience diversity as they prepare their presentations. Accepted papers may be submitted for publication in the edited volumes or in the Society’s journal.

We invite scholars from any academic discipline as well as from non-academic researchers. Send abstracts of approximately 200 words by February 1, 2004 to the following e-mail address: philosophy@towson.edu

See conference website: http://www.towson.edu/spg

Notification of acceptance: February 21, 2004

John Murungi
Dept. of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Towson University
Towson, MD 21252
USA

Call for Abstracts
Society for Philosophy and Geography
Fifth Annual International Conference

The Society for Philosophy and Geography will hold its Fifth Annual International Conference at Towson University, Towson, Maryland, April 25-27, 2003. Abstracts are invited from any academic discipline. We also invite abstracts from non-academic presenters.

Theme:

Topographies

Possible topics include: mountains, beaches, rivers, coasts, sacred groves, brothels, post offices, banks, saloons, springs, canyons, kivas, cemeteries, prisons, churches, restrooms, barios, favelas, temples, quilombos, sweat lodges, army camps, ritual grounds, agoras, malls, tropics, huts, savanahs, suburbs, hades, zen gardens, fast food restaurants, highways, prairies, zoos, hospitals, deserts, paradise, game
reserves, atlantis, caves, political borders, crematoria, acropolis, theaters, campuses, skies, cathedrals, valleys, hell.

Papers should not exceed 25 minutes. Panels and special media presentations will be allotted more time. Because this is an interdisciplinary conference, speakers are requested to consider audience diversity as they prepare their presentations. Accepted
papers may be submitted for publication in the edited book volumes or the Society’s journal.

Send abstracts of approximately 200 words by February 1, 2003 to the following e-mail address: philosophy@towson.edu
Notification of acceptance: February 21, 2003

For futher information contact:
John Murungi, Chair
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Towson University, Towson, MD 21252
Tel. 410-704-2750
Fax 410-704-4398