A conference sponsored by the RGS-IBG Space, Sexualities and Queer Working Group
Zeit und Ort: September 3-4 2007, Loughborough University, UK
Deadline: 01.05.2007
Keynote papers by Prof Diane Richardson (author of Rethinking Sexuality) and Michael Brown (author of Closet Space)

It is now evident that queer theory and praxis has played a key role in reshaping our rights as sexual citizens. Yet our focus on sexual politics should not be limited to questions of citizenship given there are other ways of thinking the political – not least in terms of the sexual dimensions of life itself. These have important implications for the way we explore the connections between space, sexuality and subjectivity, allowing us to identify new possibilities for queering the heteronormative. Rather than suggesting topics, we are seeking papers that could explore questions of rethinking politics in/through sexualities in the broadest sense. Questions of interest include:
* How has the assimilation of some non-heternormative practices and identities into the ‚heterosexual matrix‘ transformed the sexual landscape?
* To what extent does our sexuality, subjectivity and desire impinge on our political existence in different spaces?
* What implications does the renewed interest in questions of biopolitics and questions of ‚life-itself‘ have for geographies of sexualities‘?
* How does queer politics and theory encourage us to do politics (and sex) differently in different places?We hence welcome papers from geographers, sociologists, historians and those in cognate disciplines which explore the intersection of sex/life/politics through discussion of the spaces of sexuality (past or present, urban or rural, North or South).Please send abstracts to P.J.Hubbard@lboro.ac.uk by 1 MayRegistration: £40 waged; £20 postgraduates and unwaged (includes lunch, refreshments and wine reception). Contact P.J.Hubbard@lboro.ac.uk for further details

Dr. Kath Browne,
Senior Lecturer,
School of the Environment,
Cockcroft Building,
Lewes Road,
Brighton,
BN2 4GJ,
England.
Tel: +44 1273 642377
Email: K.a.browne@brighton.ac.uk