TASA Conference Day 2

The adventure continues...

In the first of the "real" sessions of the conference, I have now experienced a large lecture theatre. The day started with the presidential address by Prof. Jo Lindsay who gave a bit of an overview of the 50 year history of TASA. I found it very informative and interesting and it also provided some insights for the future direction of sociology in Australia that includes inter-disciplinary work and work with business. 

The next session was a keynote address from Prof. John Holmwood (University of Nottingham) who gave a somewhat depressing view of higher education in England where universities no longer serve the public interest but perhaps serve the interests of the market through benefits to individuals rather than the collective society - fascinating stuff though.

After a quick break for morning tea, it was then on to the first concurrent session where I agonised over which group to join but eventually decided to go with "Neo-liberalism: Australia & the world". We had 4 speakers - all excellent - talking on a range of topics including Neo-liberalism in Chile, redistribution of wealth from core nations (eg US) to periphery nations (eg China), growing inequality in housing in Australia, and Rudd's stimulus spending and what it said about the state. I really enjoyed the session!

After a break for lunch where I had a chat with a sociologist from New Zealand (I do occasionally chat with people!), it was back into another concurrent session and I was so happy with my first choice that I stuck with the economic theme. This time the 4 speakers - also excellent - spoke about the mining tax revolt, the wage form after the GFC, sovereign monetary spaces (think Euro), and mobile money in Kenya. The last one about mobile money was particularly interesting - 70% of all Kenyans use this form of money transfer via mobile phones that bypasses banking...sort of like a cashless society.

It was time to eat again - they are certainly keeping us well fed and watered! A pretty good effort with about 430 delegates at the conference.

I must admit the afternoon keynote speech went a bit over my head. It was by another UK sociologist - Prof. Celia Lury - who spoke of inventive methods. I got most of it but at times it was a bit obscure for me! I may not have been the only one as at one stage those sitting around me started smiling as we realised the weird noise emanating from the row in front was one of the more senior delegates snoring as he had dropped off to sleep!

All in all another really successful day. I have a free night tonight so I think I might see if there are any shops open and give the old credit card a work out. When in Melbourne...