MA/PhD Course

Practice theory:  A one week intensive course at Lancaster University (held online via MS Teams)
Wed 26th April – Tue 2nd May 2023

The course is taught by experts in theories of practice, including Stanley Blue, Ted Schatzki, and Elizabeth Shove.  Its aim is to introduce students to various theories of practice.   Among the topics we will examine are substantial theoretical ones such as change, power, time, connectivity, variation, materiality, and method as well as aspects of practice theories that have informed research in a number of substantive areas including management, education, health, and energy. To this end, the course blends preparatory work—recorded lectures, podcasts, reading, and various intellectual exercises (all released in March)— with a week of online activities, linked exercises, and cross-disciplinary group work.

Participants have a great opportunity not just to learn about theories of practices but to connect and work with researchers from around the world who use, or are interested in using, such theories in their work.  For evidence of the kind of fun we have, you can leaf through a scrapbook of postcards from 2022 and from 2021, produced by course participants. We ended with a capping off ceremony: Hats on, and then hats off to everyone!

To learn more about the content of the course and how it is organised, you can read the 2023 Practice Theory course handbook, available here.

The course is credit bearing: 20 Lancaster MA credits (transferable in the UK system), and the equivalent of 10 ECTS credits.

Cost

If you are not a student at Lancaster University, the cost of the course is £550.  The deadline for payment is 10th February 2023.

To apply

To apply, send a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a brief statement (no more than 1 page) about your interests and why you want to join the course to Stanley Blue, S.Blue@lancaster.ac.uk by 17:00 British time on Monday 9th January 2023.

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 17.00 Tuesday 17th January 2023

Dates to bear in mind:

Mon 7th November 2022: the call for participants goes out.

Mon 9th January 2023, 5pm: the deadline for all applicants.

Wed 18th January 2023: we send out decisions about which applicants we have selected.

Fri 10th February 2023, 5pm: deadline for payment.

Mon 27th February 2023, cancellations are non-refundable after this date.

Mon 13th March 2023: course materials available to those who have registered.

Mon 10th April 2023, 5pm: deadline for participants to submit blogs for sharing

Thu 13th April 2023, 4pm-5pm UK time: pre-course meeting online

Wed 26th April – Tue 2nd May 2023: the course itself.

Mon 5th June 2023: coursework deadlilne