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] ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).