Call for Papers – Contested Political Spaces: Urban, Land and Other Struggles, Thursday 27-Friday 28 November 2014, held at the University of Warwick, Coventry (UK). This Warwick Graduate Conference in Political Geography is organised by Warwick’s Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS). The closing date for submitting a paper is Saturday 25 October 2014.

Over recent years we have seen political struggles erupt around the world – the Arab spring, Occupy, los indignados, or more recent cases in Venezuela and Ukraine. Though diverse, these struggles have certain commonalities. At their centre has been space – both as a material and symbolic resource. This conference aims to reflect on the renewed appearance of space as subject of political contest.

What is the role of space in political contestation? How do contestations change the political meaning of space? How are concepts such as territory or public space challenged? What role do technologies play in spatial struggles? What are the conditions for contestation in atypical spatial dimensions such as air. nature, water and outer space? What roles do transnational actors play in struggles over space? How do competing forces interact with each other while contesting political spaces?

Three travel grants of up to £250 each for non-UK attendees are available by Warwick’s politics department. All potential participants should submit a title, abstract (of no more than 300 words), and evidence of institutional affiliation by 25 October, 2014 to the organisers: Antonio Ferraz de Oliveira and Mara Duer (politicalgeographywarwick@gmail.com).