Fault Lines of Revolution!
The Fourth Annual Conference in Critical Social Research
Friday, May 4th, 2012
Carleton University
Ottawa, ON

In the last year the world has witnessed many destabilizing movements against neoliberalism, austerity, and authoritarian regimes:
Popular movements from Tahrir Square to Zuccotti Park of Occupy Wall Street have revitalized the belief in the organizational capacities of peoples to challenge authority and transform relations of power. Postcolonial struggles from those of the Athivasis to the Tamils have echoed the subaltern voices of the world. Imperial wars from Afghanistan to the Somali territories have stimulated discussions on popular armed struggle and renewed criticisms of imperialism. Neoliberal challenges to organized labour, from the continued neglect of precarious working conditions to policies of austerity, have in some instances united workers in defiance and solidarity.
These movements are clearly challenging the status quo in different forms and diverse spaces. Yet it remains to be seen how these destabilizing forces will unfold, and whether they will provoke the fault lines of a much broader revolutionary shake-up.
In light of present global political economic context, we intend to re-visit theoretical and practical issues concerning these ‘revolutionary’ moments and spaces by asking critical questions:

What can be learned from (un)finished revolutions of the past?
How should the revolutionary moments of the present be unpacked theoretically?
What are the ideological inspirations (if any) of these revolutionary attempts?
What do today’s social movements have to say about relations of race, class, and gender?
How do feminist approaches to politics respond to these movements?
What are the implications of contemporary revolutionary movements?
Where does revolutionary philosophy stand with regard to the present moment of dissent?
What does the future hold in store given present environmental and ecological crises?

The Critical Social Research Collaborative (CSRC) is inviting academics, researchers, graduate students and activists to submit proposals for panels and individual presentations that explore the ‘fault lines of revolution’ from diverse theoretical and methodological orientations in historical and/or contemporary contexts.
Please send your proposal, including an abstract of no more than 250 words, title, your name and a brief biography to the conference organizing committee at csrcproject@live.ca by February 20, 2012. Decisions on proposals will be communicated in mid-March. Accepted submissions may be solicited for publication.
The CSRC is dedicated to organizing inclusive events; there will be no registration fee.

Keynote Address by Professor Emeritus Michael Lebowitz, Simon Fraser University

The Critical Social Research Collaborative (www.csrcproject.ca) is an interdisciplinary research collective consisting of students, faculty, trade union and community activists based at Carleton University. We aim to promote, support and create a platform for the sharing and dissemination of critical perspectives and research conducted on the defining social issues of our time.