Birmingham CCCS conference

Jo Littler was recently a speaker at the fabulous ‘CCCS conference: Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies 50 years on’. Marking the launch of an archive of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham, this conference  reflected on the influence and legacies of the CCCS, both inside the academy and beyond. Following Richard Hoggart’s pioneering decision to embark on the research of popular culture, and the subsequent appointment of Stuart Hall, the Centre became one of the biggest influences on the development of cultural and media studies around the world. The aim of the conference was to bring together former members of staff with all those interested in its work and influence, both inside and outside universities. It examined the global reach of the Centre, the teaching and research methods that were employed and the lessons the Centre might provide in the current political and cultural contexts.  Speakers and contributors included John Clarke, Angela McRobbie, Paul Gilroy, Jackie Stacey, Lawrence Grossberg, Dorothy Hobson, Dick Hebdidge, Ros Brunt, David Morley, Ann Gray, Geoff Eley, and Issac Julien. There are lots of resources including more information about the event, CCCS stencilled papers, reports and interviews on the website at  http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/historycultures/departments/history/research/projects/cccs/conference.aspx