Come to Gothenburg

This is a two-day gathering of researchers and research groups, both formal and informal, institutional and para-institutional within EARN and its affiliated networks of colleagues. We will address three different tasks in the gathering:

1. Conceptual: Explore the agenda “Sensing Dissensus”
2. Organisational: Updating the core international membership of each working group
3. Strategic: Developing research project collaborations for 2024-2026

Collective processes & sensing disagreements

To support this aspect of the programme we will circulate short informal discussion papers in advance of the gathering. Conceptually, the purpose of our meeting is sharing and critically reflecting on:

• different modes of collectivity in processes of artistic enquiry; and
• the interactions between processes of collaboration and processes of disagreement.

What movement might be possible from established paradigms of discursive disagreement – as epitomised in the figures of “debate” “controversy” and “knowledge conflict” – to practices of sensory dissensus, of sensing and worlding otherwise? What modes of collaboration and co-production enable alternative modes of disagreement, dissent and dis-sense?

• What are the modes of dissensus in processes of artistic enquiry?
• What is the role of disagreement in research communities, and what is the role of research community in disagreements?
• What are the existing and emergent forms of collaborative enquiry within the field of contemporary art research?
• How might artistic research collaborations enable non-dichotomous forms of disagreement and dissensus?
• In what ways are collaboration, association and collectivity in artistic research framed with respect to the nation-state, international regionalizations, (Sub-Saharan Africa; Asia; BRICs; etc.) and para-state structures?

The EARN gathering seeks also to include models of doctoral work that are jointly or multiply created in contrast to the ‘solo’ PhD model. However, the focus of the event is not on the doctoral level as such, but rather more on the post-doctoral and senior researcher level.

Blended encounters

• The event will be blended, combining face-to-face meetings and zoom. The reason for this is to enable colleagues who face institutional restrictions on air travel or prohibitive travel costs to be able to engage.

• There will be both public and closed moments in the schedule.

• In the closed workshop moments we will place the emphasis on the further development of the working groups that have limited or discontinuous membership; and setting an agenda of activity defined for the period 2024-2025.

• Gothenburg will fund the two keynotes, hospitality and public announcements. Members will cover their own costs of participation.

More information

Timetable will be posted in June 2023. Enquiries to mick.wilson(at)gu.se – Please use “EARN Sensing Dissensus” in your message header.