Past Events:

November, 2017

Symposium: TASA Youth Symposium – ‘Research Methods in Youth Studies: Doing ‘Difference Differently’.  The TASA Sociology of Youth Thematic Group, in partnership with the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, hosted a youth symposium entitled ‘Research Methods in Youth Studies: Doing ‘Difference Differently’. Held at University of Melbourne’s Youth Research Centre, the symposium brought together over 50 eminent and emergent youth studies scholars to explore how youth research can better access ‘difference’ and ‘different’ stories/data in our research.

The goal of the symposium was to engage in discussions of difference, and begin a conversation about the methodological perspectives we have, and the knowledge that certain methods produce, which impact on our thinking about youth and difference. The symposium clearly highlighted the willingness of youth scholars to address, and recognise ‘difference’ in youth research work. If youth studies is concerned with social justice, this is a crucial focus moving forward.  This event was organised by Dr Amy Dobson, Dr Rose Butler and Mr Benjamin Hanckel. For more information: https://tasayouth.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/tasa-youth-symposium-research-methods-in-youth-studies-doing-difference-differently/

November, 2015

Symposium: Digital Intimate Publics: Identities, relationships, and value in social media cultures. Organised by Dr Amy Dobson, Dr Brady Robards, and Dr Nicholas Carah, this two-day invitational symposium was held at the University of Queensland in November 2015. The aims were to: a) map forms of intimacy being played out, recorded, commoditized, and constituted through social media; b) explore the political implications of potentially new, ‘public’ forms of intimacy through engagement with theories of ‘counter-publics’ (Fraser, 1992; Warner, 2002) and ‘intimate publics’ (Berlant, 2008). The event was very successful.

July, 2015

Symposium: Theories and Concepts in Youth Studies. At this event run by the Newcastle Youth Studies Research Group, members of the Consortium met in Newcastle to discuss their latest work, including Prof Bennett’s work on subculture and aging, Dr Coffey’s work on the body and affect, Dr Threadgold’s work on class, affect and emotions, Prof Harris’ work on theorising girls around a second edition of her 2004 book Future Girl, Dr Farrugia’s work on rural youth, and Dr Woodman’s work on time, transitions, and cultural practices.

May, 2015

Symposium: Digital Frictions: Learning, Dwelling and Imagining in Youth Lives. At this event run by the Griffith Centre for Cultural Research and the Griffith Institute for Educational Research, members of the Consortium met in Brisbane to discuss their work, including Prof Wyn’s work on the relevance of belonging for leaning, dwelling, and imagining in young people’s lives, Prof Harris’ work on social, political, and civic belonging in a mobile world, and Dr Robards’ work on discourses of ambivalence and distrust towards Facebook amongst young users.

December, 2014

Conference: Interactive Futures: Young People’s Mediated Lives in the Asia Pacific and Beyond. In December 2014 the Consortium held a highly successful conference on young people and new media as a partnership between Monash University and Griffith University. For more information, and to watch the keynote presentations by Neil Selwyn, Sun Sun Lim and Paul Hodkinson, go to http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/ifc2014/our-keynote-speakers/