Introduction
The BSA Families and Relationships Study Group aims to facilitate interchange between all those working in the broad area of families, households, and relationships. While family sociology may be said to exist in its own right, the group seeks to include connections with gender, sexuality and relationships research more widely and to promote dialogue across the broad range of possible substantive and theoretical concerns of contemporary sociology. The Study Group complements the work of University based research centres by providing a national network and forum for discussion.
In April 2009, Jacqui Gabb and Elizabeth Silva took over the coordination of the BSA Family Study Group. Their first intervention was to propose that the group be renamed, to reflect the scope and concerns of contemporary research and the agendas of research centres around the UK. This was agreed and the group is now called the BSA Families and Relationships Study Group. Over the next two years, during their time as co-convenors they aimed to raise the profile of the Study Group through a series of day schools, workshops and the BSA annual conference.
The objectives of these events were twofold: firstly, to forge links between senior and junior researchers, providing an opportunity for networking and the development of collaborative research across the fields of study; secondly, to interrogate the key concepts and theoretical frameworks that are deployed in sociological analyses of families and relationships.
Annual Report
The Family Study Group Annual Report is now available.
3 February 2012
BSA Families and Relationships Study Group Day Conference: Intersecting Family Lives, Locales and Labours
London South Bank University, UK
Costs: BSA Member - £35; Non-member - £50. BOOK NOW!
Day School and Conference Sub-plenary
The day school and conference sub-plenary will encourage critical dialogue on key concepts, notably 'families', 'intimacies' and 'personal relationships', exploring the usefulness of these concepts in making sense of contemporary practices. The day school will feature presentations from leading scholars and structured group discussion. The number of participants will be limited to approximately 40 people with places being allocated through abstracts that demonstrate critical engagement with the key concepts. The conference sub-plenary will pool ideas generated in the day school and workshops and will open out debate to a wider audience.
Workshops
The workshops will provide a dialogic environment where current and proposed research ideas can be presented. They will aim to build up connections between established and 'next generation' researchers. Workshops will be jointly coordinated with University based research centres around the UK.
BSA Annual Conference
The BSA Annual Conference has been reformatted and is now structured around a substantive conference theme and concurrent Study Group strands. We are proposing that we coordinate a strand entitled: Families, Relationships, Lifecourse. We will be responsible for the selection of conference abstracts, including diversity in research across the fields of study. We will convene a Families and Relationships Study Group meeting at the conference that will extend the membership of the group and allow us to reflect on our scheduled programme of activities.
Past Activities
Click here to see this study group's past events.
Convenors
Offers of help, venues or ideas for future events are always welcome.
New members, including students, are very welcome to join the Group. To put your name on the Families and Relationships Study Group mailing list please contact Jacqui Gabb.
Contact the Convenors:
Val Gillies
London South Bank University
Send an email.
Yvette Taylor
Newcastle University
Send an email.
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