FIRST CALL OF PAPERS AND DOCUMENTARIES

The visual presentation of self in situations and interactions

Workshop convened by the Nordic Network for Visual Studies

University of Iceland, Reykjavik - Iceland, November 25-27  2009

We seek papers and documentary films that address various aspects of self,
situations and interactions with presentations in visual media. In
particular, we seek papers and filmic works that critically engage with
the earlier works of Ervin Goffman. We seek works that advance social
theorizing in this area while adding to the empirical stock of knowledge.
Special screenings of films will be arranged in relation to the workshop.
Specially invited filmmakers and scholars will discuss their films at the
event. All costs related to the workshop, including travel, accomodation
and meals for the participants, will be met by funds from NordForsk.

The workshop will take its point of departure in Ervin Goffmans
influential theories, presented inter alia in his book The Presentation of
Self in Everyday Life (1956). Later, Goffman developed his theories in
relation to visual imagery in Gender Advertisements (1976). Goffman´s The
Presentation of Self in Everyday Life has profoundly influenced work
within the social sciences. His work is a key reference for the study of
identity, identity management and how relations develops within groups. It
is also a major work when it comes to methodological approaches to the
study of continuity and change in social relations. Throughout, Goffman
argued for the importance of gestures and facial expressions as well as
other visual cues in social interaction, in the management of social
situations and in the ordering of social life. Other writers have
approached this subject from their own perspectives, from Pierre
Bourdieu´s book on photography to Howard Becker´s longstanding interest in
the subject, expressed in numerous publications. Thus, both the visual
analysis of social situations and the study of how they are expressed in
visual images have a long history but this perspective can and should be
updated and developed further.

Presentation of self and social interaction is accomplished with the aid
of visual technologies like photographs and videos, and often through the
web or other internet applications. Self-presentation is about much more
than just the management of appearances. Tokens of specific group
identities, tangible cultures and the material manifestations of social
institutions can all be analysed as "visual artefacts of the self." While
navigating social worlds we create and learn of distinctions of
appearances, fashions, tastes, accessories, "body language", institutions
and mobilities. This leads on to the study of things, lands, homes,
workplaces, and consumption which are, in addition to their technical
functionalities, multiple presentations of self(s). Thus, several thriving
fields in contemporary social studies can benefit from a more systematic
discussion of interactive visuality and the visualizing of sociality.


The meeting will begin in the evening on the 24th of November and be
concluded in the evening of the 26th. The meeting is scheduled in
accordance with Icelandair flights.

Submission of Papers
Deadline of abstracts of papers is September 15th 2009. Notification of
acceptance will be sent out by October 1st. Papers for presentation have
to be submitted to the organising committee  by November 10th and will be
made available to workshop participants through the workshop´s website.

Papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication in
an anthology or special issue of a suitable journal.

Please, send your abstract of papers by September 15th to Sigurjon Baldur
Hafsteinsson at [log in to unmask]

Submission of documentary films
Deadline of synopsis of films is September 15th 2009. Notification of
acceptance will be sent out by October 1st. Documentary films for
presentation have to be submitted to the organising committe by November
10th. Films can be in different stages either finished, rough cuts or
other presentable stages.

Please, send your synopsis of film by September 15th to Tinna
Grétarsdóttir at [log in to unmask]

Organizing committee:
Árni Sverrisson, PhD. University of Stockholm.
[log in to unmask]
Sigurjón Baldur Hafsteinsson, PhD. University of Iceland. [log in to unmask]
Tinna Grétarsdóttir, ABD. Temple Unversity. [log in to unmask]
Örn D. Jónsson, PhD. University of Iceland. [log in to unmask]
Trond Waage, PhD. University of Tromsö. [log in to unmask]


Documentary film screening co-ordinators:
Tinna Grétarsdóttir, ABD. Temple Unversity. [log in to unmask]
Áslaug Einarsdóttir, University of Iceland. [log in to unmask]

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