Jan 2021
Paul Boyce <P.Boyce@sussex.ac.uk>
Mon, Jan 25, 3:41 PM
to me, Annette
Hi Both
This is good news Annette; that's great. Thanks a lot for doing this.
I see that the Viral Relationalities call is up on the 4S site now
I will circulate. So, thinking about people to approach who we know, do you know Frank G. Karioris; he had a panel at the viral masculinities conference that we had planned to go to? I know him, will send. Dhiren Borisa might also be interested - he presented at the same conference; I know him too. akshay too could be interested.
Also, Niharika, Rohit and I are forging on with our 'Covid 19 Assemblages' book - I will circulate among the contributing authors.
Do you recall Alvaro from 'After PrEP'? We are working together right now to develop a symposium on 'prefigurative biopolitics'; you may be interested in that, but I suspect that Alvaro will also be interested in this panel. We can send it out through the old 'After PrEP' links too. I've also sent to my Sussex colleague Beth Mills and my old friend Debanuj Dasgupta.
I will also reach out to Ying Ying Huang - not sure if you know her, we co-edited that book on Researching Sex and Sexuality. By the way, did I mention (immodestly) about our book 'Queering Knowledge' winning a prize - the Ruth Bendict Prize (which I'd never heard of) There are some ideas in that book that connect to our panel I think - particularly about knowledge as partial and relational; I will revisit those for a paper proposal I think; am musing on the viral as a domain/entity - non-domain/non-entity that can only exist relationally (parasitically) and hence as always being partial (necessarily part of other things). I wonder what happens if we imagine viral relations in those terms.
Anyway
All Best
Paul
Annette van der Zaag (Staff)
Jan 26, 2021, 5:47 AM
to Paul, me
Hi both
Sure thing - I'm glad it's sorted and we have a few extra months!
That all sounds very exciting Paul - it would be great to have colleagues/collaborators on board! I like your idea too of thinking the viral as relationality and non-entity. It would be great to talk some more about that when we meet next week.
And going back to your email Rory, of using our abstracts to flesh out our different 'disciplinary' points of entry - I like that idea too, I think that will be a productive thing to do. And writing our abstracts will make those differences and resonances visible in any case, which will be helpful I think when envisioning the larger research project.
I remember 4S fees being pretty steep - around 100 pounds? But I'm not sure what they're doing with fees for virtual attendance. Although it is after our Wellcome extension, we can also think about funnelling some grant money.
Yes there are riots all over the Netherlands. Mostly kids losing their shit. It's quiet on the NDSM and Amsterdam North is quiet too, rioting in Amsterdam happened around museum square in the centre of town. In other cities such as the Hague it's kicking off in traditionally poorer neighbourhoods. It's an interesting mix of protests escalating such as in Amsterdam, and general rage against authority such as in the Hague. I am really curious to hear what youth workers in these cities have to say.
Foxes! I remember just moving to Walthamstow in London where foxes are really dominating the neighbourhood - first time I heard a fox I thought a child was being murdered
All best
A.
Paul Boyce
Jan 26, 2021, 6:01 AM
to Annette, me
Yes, the sounds of foxes are chilling. This particular cry woke me from my dream in a fright.
And yes, the abstract idea I was sketching out in my prior email was meant to contribute toward your idea Rory, of seeking to explore our positions. I am not sure if I was clear about that. So, with those ideas I would also want to think too about the relationship between abstraction and action - e.g. theorizing the viral and living with/intervening into it. I am thinking too about how viral thinking might draw us into the domain of fantasy - living in the presence of something both ethereal and deeply tangible.
It would be good to cover the 4S fees if possible. And as we noted previously, we could always hold our own symposium if we get good submissions - and that could be free.
I'd be really interested to know more about the riots too. I was chatting with Kevin yesterday as he was listening to distant rioting from his roof top - the sound of viral rebellion.
Warmly,
Paul
Rory Crath
Tue, Jan 26, 8:54 AM
to Paul, Annette
Hello to you both,
Fox cries are indeed chilling - what a way to start your day Paul!, I do appreciate their tenacious refusal to be anything but full participants of urban life. Toronto is home to a vibrant, thriving and cunning racoon population, who every few years manage to figure out how to open the latest round of carefully engineered "critter proof" rubish bins.
Thank you so much for casting the call for abstract submissions across your rich networks Paul. Fingers crossed that we have a robust panel this go around.
I too am very curious about the anti-lockdown riots/rebellions (Maybe you can be our live reporter from the field Annette!). The Americas have had their versions - Pot banging by restaurateurs in Mexico city and aggressive back corridor lobbying by the restaurant Association in California, and then there were the armed resurrection and kidnapping schemes launched in Wisconsin. But this latest bout feels qualitatively different - I am imagining the phenomenon will indeed go viral as you predict Paul. The pandemic is madness.
More soon, R
Paul Boyce
Tue, Jan 26, 9:17 AM
to me, Annette
There is something uncanny in the cry of a fox, I reflected this morning. It's like being called to the untamed self; the sound echoes like a loss that is always deeply present but on the edge .
Racoons always remind me of Grey Gardens - having a family of them living in the spare room.
I am glad that Debanuj got in touch. Frank got in touch too and will send the call around and I hope will be in touch with you Rory; Frank is the most networked person on Earth!
These rebellions are so interesting; profound shifts and rifts are ongoing in the viral present. Incredible things are unfolding...
Warmly,
Paul
Annette van der Zaag (Staff)
Wed, Jan 27, 4:35 AM
to Paul, me
Hi both
That's so interesting - the sound is so uncanny! I like the idea of being called to the untamed self. You just don't have the same kind of urban 'wildlife' in Amsterdam, no foxes, or raccoons (!). But there is a group of cute tiny birds that visit my balcony every day - I am pretty sure my cat wants to eat them.
The riots are so interesting and spiralling in unforeseen and not so unforeseen ways. Most of the kids being interviewed and involved as far as I can see, are all kids of colour, which of course isn't mentioned as an issue. And then we have politicians calling them the scum of the earth. A peculiar consequence is that now football supporters have taken to the streets too to protect 'their city' - this includes snacks and beers and a jolly time as they eagerly await any fighting action.... Bonkers
But these are kids and without any proper support (and the government's call to the nuclear family and the parental role isn't going to cut it), so I'm feeling strangely protective of them. Of course bad to smash windows and burn down cars, but...
Warmly
A.
Rory Crath
Jan 27, 2021, 7:42 AM
to Annette, Paul
Good Morning,
I too like the idea of being called to the untamed self, Paul..And when I recall that precise sound, in one sense, I register it as allarming (blood curdling), but also it kickstarts a compulsion to respond to the screaming child as you said Annette).
Woa, most of the youth participating in the NL rebellions are youth of colour!!???? The news reporting that I have heard is shockingly (and not surprisingly) reactive and arroused.
Just out of curiosity, Annette, did Black lives matter protests register in Amsterdam , and if so, I am curious whether the (unheard/unregistered) demands about the quotidian experiences of containment (socially, politically, economically) and surveillance (by the state, via white vigilance/vigilantism) are finding expression here? The experience of not-belonging, being unseen and being denied a right to assemblage amongst people that regard you via lockdown practices all feels relevant here. Is anyone listening to what the sound of smashing glass is saying?
Hugs to you both...
Paul Boyce
Jan 27, 2021, 7:57 AM
to Annette, me
Hi Both
Variations of urban wildlife are intriguing. I was wondering when I was writing yesterday if either of you ever encounter foxes in Amsterdam and Toronto. I remember years ago Cheryl was in her kitchen and she suddenly called to Philip because there was a 'dingo' in the garden (it was actually a fox). Perhaps we carry these urban animal archetypes with us from childhood; uncanny co-travellers.
I had a long chat with Kumam (from Manipur) yesterday; it would be great to involve him in some future work. He may send an abstract too.
Otherwise, it's grim here; we passed 100 000 COVID-19 deaths yesterday; I feel pretty sure that we were looking at 100 000 deaths in the rear-view mirror a long tine back (estimates put the real figure at more like 120 000); Still the media has been full of heartbreaking stories of loss and grief today.
The Dutch government seems to be doing a very good job of alienating youth, what with the recent family support scandal too. What is going on there? Interesting what you observe Rory, about the shattering tensions of governance and civil liberty. And now we are mired in post-Brexit vaccine nationalism. How is this gonna play out I wonder
Warmly,
Paul
