Multiples Modes of Knowledge and their empirical applications: a sociological perspective

DoC

Midterm Workshop of the ESA Research Stream Sociology of Knowledge (RS05)

Date: 24th-25th August 2020, Poznań (Poland)
Conference organizers: Faculty of Sociology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań; The Poznań
Society for the Advancement of Arts and Sciences, Commission of Sociology
Conference venue: The Poznań Society for the Advancement of Arts and Sciences, 27/29
Mielżyńskiego Street

Call for papers

There is a long tradition in the social sciences and the sociology of knowledge to distinguish various types of knowledge, to scrutinize its dichotomous and complex divisions. As examples, one can mention the distinctions between: ‘knowing how’ and ‘knowing that’ (Ryle 1949), propositional and non-propositional knowledge, embodied, practical, and discursive knowledge (Archer, 2000), knowing and knowledge (Polanyi, 1962). Having their place in the social sciences, they have also been discussed and questioned over the years by numerous authors. At the same time, scientists have focused their work on a selected type of knowledge, such as, e.g., ‘tacit knowledge’ (Polanyi 1962), Berger and Luckmann’s focus on the relations of scientific and everyday knowledge, the distinction between lay and professional knowledge, knowledge-making claims and their forms legitimizations, and finally also Michel Foucault’s important theoretical concept of power/knowledge-regimes that constitute realities and subjectivities. Additionally, after the several turns observed in the sociology and other social sciences at the turn of 20th and 21st centuries, ‘new’ types of knowledge has started to be analysed, such as e.g. embodied or sensory knowledge. Especially in today's world, the role of knowledge cannot be overestimated when we analyse, for example, the impact of technology on social relations or the ongoing political changes on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Social changes depend on the state of knowledge and are conditioned by it at every stage of the process. The same applies to economic changes, which are rooted in and dependent on the state of knowledge (knowledge-based economy, international trade, the competitiveness of economies). Different knowledge-making claims are also in the centre of contemporary social and political conflicts as various collective actors are contesting each other’s worldviews, ideologies, identities and scientific knowledge-making practices, as for instance patient organizations challenge medical knowledge or governments still are denying or playing down climate
change although there are hardly any scientists left that legitimize their positions. During the conference, we would like to discuss the definition of knowledge itself, already existing
distinctions of different kinds of knowledge, consider if some new types of knowledge should be distinguished nowadays, and debate on methodological challenges related to the exploration of knowledge in different fields.
This call aims at contributions that relate to the following issues:

definition of knowledge, definitions of different kinds of knowledge
discussion with the theoretical concepts that distinguish different kinds of knowledge
new kind(s) of knowledge
the empirical analysis of different kinds of knowledge
the challenges in empirical research on different kinds of knowledge
sociopolitical and socioeconomic connotations of knowledge
the technological and ICT dimension of knowledge
sociolinguistic and discursive conditions of knowledge

Proposing a scientific conference in Poznań (Poland), we want to invite everybody interested in these questions and research topics. We also would like to continue a tradition of the annual meetings of the Research Stream “Sociology of knowledge” of the European Sociological Association. The midterm conferences provide a unique opportunity to present and discuss current research projects,
theoretical considerations, and ideas for further scientific plans. The limited number of participants and the absence of parallel sessions allow us to attend all presentations and leave time for discussions.
We welcome all interested researchers and our affiliated social scientists from different disciplines in Europe and beyond.

Feel free to write us (esaknowledge2020@gmail.com) if you have any questions.
Deadline: please submit your abstract (max. 500 words, including first and last name, current institutional affiliation)

by 15th of March 2020,

e-mail: esaknowledge2020@gmail.com

Notification of abstract acceptance: 31st of March 2020
No conference fee

Scientific Committee
Honorata Jakubowska (Adam Mickiewicz University)
Mariusz Baranowski (Adam Mickiewicz University)
Saša Bosančić (University of Augsburg)
René Tuma (Technical University Berlin)

Organising Committee (Adam Mickiewicz University)
Honorata Jakubowska
Mariusz Baranowski
Kacper Madej
Mateusz Włodarek