School of Social & Political Sciences

Upcoming events

All upcoming events on campus have been cancelled due to the current coronavirus situation. 

Glasgow Anthropology Network Webinar 

Friday 29 May, 2pm

Speaker: Katrien Pype (University of Louvain)

Abstract: On interference: Ethnographic reflections on undesired connectivity in Kinshasa

In this talk, I provide an ethnographic description of social life in and around phonie (high frequency radio) houses in Kinshasa. I analyse the management of phonie conversations, which usually take place in the presence of the operator and customers, who themselves often participate actively in the radio conversations. The material provides a deeper insight into how Kinois (Kinshasa's) residents literally live with the village. Affects of frustration, anger, fear and pressure characterize this relationship. Attention to the experience and management of this strained connectivity leads me to explore various “agents of interference” in Kinshasa’s social landscape. These are social roles that build a bridge between different worlds, but often embody risk and danger. As a result, the emphasis in the analysis is primarily on interference, a technical and social experience familiar to many, not only in Kinshasa, but wherever long-range connectivity is lived. The material allows us to embark on new ways of theorizing social life.

To join this session please contact DiegoMaria.Malara@glasgow.ac.uk. 

Urban Studies Seminar Series

Tuesday 26 May at 3pm

Speaker: Dr Darja Reuschke:

Abstract: Entrepreneurial Creativity in the City

Creativity, diversity, openness and buzz in cities have increasingly be regarded as important to city economic development. I will present two new approaches to understanding economic creativity in the city addressing first is the notion that a sense of bohemia is important to attract creative workers and entrepreneurs and second the notion of clustering of economic creativity. Findings from a small business study and tweet locations from creative entrepreneurs stress the importance of a diversity of neighbourhood types for creativity in the city. Practices of economic creativity are less spatially clustered in central parts of the city and more spatially distributed across the city according to tweet locations of creative entrepreneurs than studies that used business register data or cluster approaches suggested. Residential areas and home locations have a high incident of creative activities besides urban amenities and coworking spaces. Entrepreneurs are attracted to bohemian neighbourhoods both as places to live and to work.

To join this session please contact adrianamihaela.soaita@glasgow.ac.uk