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SOCIOLOGICAL SEMINAR AT SANDBJERG ESTATE

The attendance of the sociological seminar at Sandbjerg Estate on February 24-25 will be considerable. More than 50 researchers among CESAU’s members have signed up. The key note speaker will be Professor John Urry of Lancaster University. Urry has moved within a variety of social scientific fields within the past 25 years, including the study of regionalism, spatiality, and recent tendencies within Western capitalist economy. His talk at Sandbjerg has the title ”Small technologies and big systems”. Besides Urry’s talk, research groups have signed in nine panels that reflect the diverse sociological environment at Aarhus University. The panels are:

• Cross disciplinarity and Cross-Over

• Research in many contexts

• Authority and Making Responsible

• The Forms of the Social

• Psychoanalysis and Theories of the Social

• Organisations, Work and Legitimatization

• Research in “structural couplings” – a cross disciplinary research based on Niklas Luhmann’s system theory

• Materiality in sociology

• Social Interaction

• Medialization and citizenship – the new interfaces of publicity.

It is still possible to subscribe to the seminar at Stine Thidemann Faber: stf@cesau.au.dk. See conference web site with more information and papers here.

PH.D.-COURSE: “INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGICAL METHODS”

In the spring of 2011, CESAU invites to a Ph.D.-course with the title: “Introduction to Sociological Methods”, divided in four course sessions. The aim of the course is to give the participants a theoretical and practical understanding of a number of sociological methods and tools. The course is primarily aimed at participants with only a limited knowledge of sociological methods and tools. The four sessions are

• Qualitative research interviews by Stine Thidemann Faber (May 11-12)

• Quantitative methods by Anders Holm (May 16-17)

• Text- and discourse analysis by Jan Ifversen and NN (May 25-26)

• Field studies by Laura Gilliam (May 31-June 1).

The courses are designed so that they can be attended one by one. Read more here.

NEW RESEARCH GROUP WITH A FOCUS ON SOCIAL INTERACTION

A new research group has joined CESAU. The group “Social Interaction Research at Aarhus University – SIRAU” focuses on social interaction and on how members of society produce and sustain social order. The research group will take an empirical approach, e.g. by analyzing recordings of conversations in organisations and at work places. The group will also host a series of study groups, where current themes in interactionist research will be discussed. You can read more in CESAU’s web site and enlist here.

CESAU’S STUDENT FORUM HOSTS JOB SEMINAR

CESAUs student forum is arranging a job seminar on February 23 from 3-6.30 pm, Building 1330, Room 024 (IFSK). During the seminar, four speakers will talk about the ways in which they make use of sociology in their work. The seminar is open for all and aimed broadly at students with an interest in sociology, who seek inspiration for a sociological perspective to their studies. See the program of the seminar here and read more about the activities within the student forum here.

NEW FACES IN CESAU

CESAU has two new affilates. Henrik Reintoft Christensen, employed at the Department of the Study of Religion at the Faculty of Arts, will work with coordination of educational activities and the activities of the research groups. Kristoffer Stegeager is employed as academic staff in the period 1.2.2011 – 31.7.2011, where he, among other things, will coordinate the preparation of the Danish Congress of Sociology 2012, which will be arranged by CESAU. Further, Jacob Linaa has been appointed as new coordinator of the research group Media sociology and communication, Peter Danholt is new co-coordinator of the group Science-Technology-Studies, Christina Fiig is new contact person at the Section for European Studies, and Carsten Stage has taken the same position at the Scandinavian Institute.

FOLLOW AND CONTRIBUTE TO CESAU’S BLOG

CESAU’s blog offers an opportunity to discuss sociological issues with other interested parties. Two contributions since the last newsletter: Chris Kjeldsen on “University Pedagogics and cartoons”, and Gorm Harste on the newly held congress of sociology in Aalborg. You find the blog here.

STUDENT ASSISTANT WANTED FOR COMMUNICATION

CESAU is looking for a student, who is interested in working with the communcation of CESAU activities to members of the centre and other interested. The work includes editing of newsletter, writing texts for the newsletter and homepage, information in relation to conferences and other events, editing of blog contributions, contact to media, layout and production of articles and interviews. The work is paid according to current norms. Good language skills and an interest in communication are required. Applications for the position are addressed to Carsten Bagge Laustsen at cbl@ps.au.dk, no later than March 1, 2011. Further conditions (work hours, when to start, etc.) will be agreed during the job interview.

CALENDAR