2011 Graduate Conference in Science and Technology Studies, York University

Apparatus 2011: Call for Abstracts.

Paper proposals are invited for the 1st annual graduate conference presented by the Science and Technology Studies program and the Institute for Science and Technology Studies, at York University: "Apparatuses; Matter; Materialities." The conference is to be held May 20-22, 2011.

The concept of the apparatus – both in the general sense of the term, and that employed by Foucault, Deleuze, and Agamben – is in many ways a useful one for considering the complex relationships between science, technology, and society. At the same time, careful study of the sciences may lead us to rethink abstract conceptualizations of apparatuses and what they do. We invite proposals on any topic related to this concept, from graduate students in all disciplines and at all levels. Some possible topics for exploration include:

- the genealogy of the apparatus in the history of science

- specific technical or social apparatuses of interest

- interactions between scientific and political apparatuses

- the effects of research in STS and related disciplines on philosophical conceptions of the apparatus

- the relationships between apparatus and thought, apparatus and discourse, or any other relevant concepts

Updates and a more detailed call for abstracts are available at the conference website. Proposals of 250-500 words, plus contact information and institutional affiliation, should be submitted by March 14, 2011, to amcmill@yorku.ca