Presentation
Meaning, identity and power form a dynamic hub in the lively research field known as cultural studies. It focuses on the interplay between cultural forms, social practices and institutionalised structures of domination, in order to understand how texts, subjects and contexts interact to reinforce or challenge relations of meaning, identity and power. Cultural studies exist within all areas, not as a sharply delimited and exclusionary discipline but rather as a interdisciplinary field where new phenomena, methods and theories are tried out in the borderlands between established disciplines and traditions. What unites the field is the wish to investigate urgent issues of meaning, identity and power through contextualizing interpretations, transgressive dialogues and reflexive critiques.
ACSIS was established early in 2002 as an independent unit within Linköping University. The centre is administratively connected to the Department for Studies of Social Change and Culture (ISAK). Its linking, driving and quality rising tasks are realized through programmes for visiting scholars, research, publications, seminars, conferences, PhD courses and various forms of networking. The national character of ACSIS is guaranteed by a board with members chosen by all Swedish universities and a chair appointed by the rector of Linköping University. Activities are headed by a director and administrative staff.
NEWS:
- New PhD Course. This spring ACSIS will give a new PhD Course entitled Media & Popular Culture. It will be coordinated by Ann Werner and it starts on April 15. Read more under Courses.
- New thematic section of Culture Unbound out now! ACSIS' journal on cultural research, Culture Unbound, has just published its second thematic section entitled "City of Signs - Signs of the City". Guest editor is Geoff Stahl and he has gathered a couple of photo essays and a large number of articles that in different ways reflect on the city as an social and aesthetic phenomenon. You can read and download them at: http://www.cultureunbound.ep.liu.se/index.html.
- We recently published a number of papers from the conference "Kultur~Natur" that was held in Norrköping last spring. You can read and download them at Linköping University Electronic Press: http://www.ep.liu.se/ecp/040/.
ACSIS New Perspectives
Starting in the summer of 2009 different associates of ACSIS will write short reflections on subjects of special concern for ACSIS under the heading NEW Perspectives.
On November 23 the board of ACSIS held its autumn meeting. These meetings are not just occasions where the future of ACSIS is drawn up; they are also social and intellectual events where representatives from the most prominent Swedish institutes for cultural research can get together and exchange ideas and experiences. Consequently, ACSIS’ board meetings have gradually turned into forums where the role and conditions for cultural research today and in the future are discussed, providing a general overview over the development of cultural research in Sweden.
Since the birth of ACSIS in 2002, most Swedish universities have gone through large reorganisations and it looks like a growing academic centralisation has given cultural research a new and even more important role to play. As the disciplinary departments of old have merged into large scale multidisciplinary Institutions for Cultural Research, this concept has taken on a new meaning. This somewhat backwards institutionalisation of cultural research is obviously a great opportunity, but it also poses questions that might be crucial for the future development of cultural research as an academic field: is Cultural Research just a name that can encompass anything within the general sphere of humanities; does that run the risk of alienating the social and political sciences; do we really want cultural research to be institutionalised?
It is with those questions in mind that ACSIS enters the new decade and we hope and believe that we will be able to continue to work as a forum for cultural research in its widest and most progressive regard in the academic landscape of 2010.
Martin Fredriksson
Administrator
ACSIS
