"Deleuze and The Social"

An Edited Anthology, Call for Papers

As a popular field of study and an increasingly utilized tool for social
research, the work of Gilles Deleuze has perhaps come to fulfil
Foucault's prophecy that one day we would see a Deleuzian century.
However, the nature of this century which is becoming so Deleuzian is
arguably plagued by problematics surrounding what becoming 'Deleuzian'
might mean. Studies of Deleuze in relation to philosophy,
psychoanalysis, literary theory, moral reasoning and critical theory
offer insight into the work of this eminent scholar and place Deleuze's
writings in an historical academic context. Simultaneously,
sociological, cultural, architectural, artistic and educational studies
have, particularly over the past decade, become increasingly popularized
by references to Deleuze and his fantastic neologisms. Yet, the space
between these two trajectories; that is, the spaces between Deleuze's
conceptual philosophy, the ethics that underlie them, and everyday
community practices, politics and social relations, remain relatively
unmapped.What does it mean to read Deleuze in relation to the social? To retain
an ethical commitment both to Deleuze as a scholar, and to those
material social concerns which continually call us to action? In what
ways can we enable community practices and social politics to resonate
with Deleuze's work? Brian Massumi and Paul Patton have offered us some
fascinating work in this area — work which is, to date, the closest
example we have of reading Deleuze in relation to the social. This
anthology aims to build upon and extend the critical insight offered by
the work of these established scholars. Through reading social,
political and community concerns in relation to Deleuze we look to
inform social theory and Deleuzian scholarship in considered, original
ways. The anthology, 'Deleuze and The Social', will bridge a gap between
high-level Deleuzian theory and critique and popularizations of Deleuze;
trajectories which are often grounded in Deleuze's love for
reappropriating, reinventing and creatively bastardizing theory. The
anthology particularly seeks to explore how 'minority' bodies and
communities can be re-thought in relation to Deleuzian theory, and to
investigate the ethical implications of such an encounter.

Editors call for expressions of interest from authors to be submitted as
a 500 word abstract detailing a proposed book chapter and the ways in
which the chapter will address issues relating to Deleuze and the
social.Possible areas of contribution may include, but are not limited to:

* Activism, Deleuze and political change

* Gendered subjectivities

* Minoritarian ethics

* New technologies and virtual communities

* Illness and aesthetics

* Regional spaces and identity

* Bullying

* Vernacular creativity

* Behavioural disorders

* Performance art

* Classroom interfaces between policy, pedagogy and corporeality

* Sexual practices, politics and power

* Style and aesthetic communities

* Suicide

* Sonic communities

* Transgenderism

* Drug use

* Eating disorders

* Environmentalism

* Disability

* Graffiti and public space

* Bodily mutilation

* Activism

* Addiction

* Mental health

* Globalisation/Capitalism and bodies

* Refugee bodies

* Indigenous politics

* Gambling

* Delinquency, crime, and imprisonment.

Deadline for expressions of interest: 31 July 2004

Please email submissions to:


Anna Hickey-Moody and Peta Malins at:

deleuzeandthesocial@yahoo.com.au

Or send hardcopy submissions to:

Peta Malins

Department of Criminology

The University of Melbourne

Melbourne 3010

Australia

Phone +61 3 83449464

Fax +61 3 93494259