Welcome to The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch

Punk Pedagogies

Posted: March 26th, 2019 | Filed under: Calls for Papers | Comments Off on Punk Pedagogies

We will be hosting a 1-2 day symposium at Mansions of the Future in Lincoln (UK) on the 4th and 5th of July 2019* on the subject of punk pedagogies as part of the Punk Scholars’ Network’s series of themed symposiums.

Since 1997 saw the publication of “Never Mind the Tagmemics, Where’s the Sex Pistols” (CCC 48.1 pp 9 -29) there has been an increasing interest in the way in which the ethics, attitudes and people of punk rock can inform, shape, critique and revolutionise teaching pedagogies. In part this is due to the rising number of punkademics and punk teachers, but it is so much more than that. It is also because of the value for education in approaches that centre on philosophies such as Do-It-Yourself, creativity and resistance; a framework of enquiry and a toolkit that potentially helps take cynicism to critique. In short, punk can offer pedagogical tools for interrogating the world around us. However it is a two way street, and punk can learn much from newly emerging pedagogical ideas and approaches within secondary, further and higher education. This 1-2 day symposium aims to provide a space to explore, in a supportive environment, those interactions and lessons. It seeks to ask questions such as what can be gained from using punk tools and approaches as a pedagogical approach within ‘the classroom’? What can experiences and innovations in ‘the classroom’ offer to the continuing development and learning of punks and the subculture of punk rock?

To examine punk pedagogies is to accept or even embrace a blurring of boundaries. It means to look at the margins of the subcultural and mainstream to look at the ways in which not just punk and pedagogy are located, but also at the commonality of underground pedagogical ideas and practices: and how punk had either influenced those choices or how those ideas informed punk.  In response to this, we therefore welcome papers, innovative presentations and workshops on, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Punk educators
  • Punk as innovation
  • Marginalised (punk) identities in ‘the classroom’
  • Punk and/in secondary education/further education/higher education
  • Punk pedagogies outside the classroom
  • Punks learning from other pedagogies

You can submit the abstract in any style, format or medium you want up to 400 words or its equivalent by emailing the organisers. The deadline for submitting these: Friday 5th April 2019 by 5pm

[email protected]  and [email protected]

*Whether this symposium runs for 1 or 2 days will be decided by levels of participation interest generated from this CfP.

Please note: we value all voices, experiences and personages regardless of their academic standing, educational level, gender or non-gender, ethnicity, class, (dis)abilities, or employment status. You are valued and wanted at this conference. In particular we want to encourage nursing parents and parents returning to work to attend and take part to whatever extent they can. We will work to support your needs and the needs of your children and family. If you want a separate room or space for breastfeeding we can provide that but please know that breastfeeding is also welcome in the room during sessions. Currently we are unable to provide childcare facilities, but children are welcome to attend the conference under the supervision and responsibility of their parent(s).