TransOceanik Links: Research Networks and the Space-Place of Colloquia

Abstract

Thinking through network theories (network science, actor-network theory, rhizomatics) and the phenomenology of space and place, this paper argues for the significance of academic research networks and their meeting spaces-places in the ‘public domain’ of colloquia.In the global neoliberal education landscape of university rankings, institutions wishing to become research rich need to provide the infrastructure, funding, time and recognition for their academics to build critical mass under strategic research themes, to develop international research networks, and to come together in the public domains of academic symposia, colloquia and conferences in order to incubate ideas and produce scholarly inspired, richly specific, and critically analysed publications.Adapting the practice of a multi-sited ethnographic approach with network mapping, this paper takes as its case study the Laboratoire International Associé (LIA) TransOceanik. It outlines the international networks of LIA TransOceanik and the series of symposia, colloquia and conferences that maintain its transoceanic links between researchers and ideas.