Mobility is considered to be a crucial driving force in social, cultural, and political dynamics. In recent years, the notion of mobility has established itself as a multifaceted and complex subject across various academic fields and disciplines. Ever since the so-called mobility turn (Sheller/ Urry 2006), the term stands for a paradigm shift in theory and research practice, aiming to leave behind static and dichotomous ascriptions, categories and frames of analysis, such as deterritorialization vs. sedentariness.

Though matters of and conflicts about mobility appear at first glance to be ubiquitous, scholarship faces the challenge of grasping the manifold and antagonistic conditions of mobility. New approaches still need to be found for exploring the contested territory of being and becoming mobile or immobile, as well as the hybrid forms that result from the interplay between these processes.

This graduate conference views topics of mobility in the social sciences and the humanities through the lens of big and little resistances. Through interdisciplinary exchange, it aims to develop an increased awareness of fragile and contradictory moments in systems of mobility and related research.

Whenever resistance is put up or met, it is structured by a fundamental ambivalence: it constrains mobility and channels opposing forces, but also mobilizes, brakes and even breaks, laying bare conflicting moments and movements. As soon as forces determining im/mobility become manifest, details and (little) formations of the resistant provide instructive insights for describing and questioning concepts, theories, phenomena and scopes of mobile action.

“Move on!” reflects the need to move further, transform, transfigure, develop, and maybe even leave behind academic commonplaces. But the title of the conference also puts the constellations of power that generate, enforce and presuppose mobility up for discussion.

Contributions to the conference may include contemporary and historical case studies about phenomena of mobility, as well as conceptual or methodological considerations.
The guiding themes for the conference include but are not limited to the following questions:

- Where, when and how can the relation between resistances and mobilities become visible, be experienced and understood?

- What role do subjects, objects, and (social, cultural, literary, religious, gender...) practices play in processes of mobilization and immobilization?

- How do regimes, discourses, ideas and ideologies enhance or constrain access to mobility?

- Which forms of resistance initiate unexpected and neglected movements?

- How do dissident and ‘minoritarian’ movements challenge the established concepts and orders of mobility?

- Where and how are concepts and questions of mobility studies putting up resistance in the field of social and cultural studies? Where do they meet resistances themselves?

The organizing committee, comprised of graduate students associated with the research platform “Mobile Cultures & Societies”, is pleased to welcome abstracts submitted by graduates from all over the world, working in all disciplines, and at all stages of study, relating to the thematic spectrum outlined above.

Students interested in presenting a 15-20 minute paper should submit a max. 500-word abstract and a biographical note with current contact details by June 30, 2015 to mobilecultures@univie.ac.at .

Notifications will be sent by mid-August.

We are looking forward to a diverse, committed, productive and open-minded exchange and discussion!
Conference website:
http://mobilecultures.univie.ac.at/graduate-conference-2015/

Best regards,

the "Move On!" Organizing Committee
(Alev Cakir, Katharina Fritsch, Syntia Hasenöhrl, Roman Kabelik, Barbara Maly, Viktoria Metschl, Carsten Schäfer, Joachim Schätz, Marianne Windsperger)