In Eliasian fields

The International conference on global interdependencies, on the work of Norbert Elias, is as I write taking place in Brussels. Emilia and I did our presentation in the opening parallel papers slot on Wednesday afternoon. This was to incomprehension on the part of at least some our audience! Why were we talking about South Africa in the 1870s? Why look at this diary and letters? Why analyse them in the way we did? But at least the written version is now nearly ready to send to a journal, we have enjoyed doing it, and there were some people present who appreciated the task we had set ourselves, which was great. And there will be a book presentation session this evening, Thursday, at which I’ll get a chance to say something about The Racialising Process and the prospective special issue of a journal on Elias as a travelling theorist that I’ll be editing. A PS will be added to this blog once the conference is finished, on Friday evening, if there’s anything else notable to report.

PS. The Book Presentation event on Thursday just before the conference gala dinner was a bit weird. Asked to go first, I briefly presented The Racialising Process and spoke a bit about the special issue on Elias as a travellling theorist. But the other 7 or 8 authors seem to have seen a 5 minute slot, which I dutifully adhered to, as an opportunity for a 20 minute lecture each. So on they went, and on… However, the best papers I heard at the conference were both given in the Friday afternoon session I chaired, on ‘Civilising Emotions’. One was on the Peloppenesian Wars, the other on the treatment of animals, in relation to civilizing. Diverse topics but good presentations. An excellent end to an interesting and very well organised conference.

Last updated:  6 December 2018, 8 December 2018