|
Chair: Gary Pollock (GP) GP: First I give floor to the current coordinator of the board, Carsten Yndigegn. Carsten Yndigegn (CY): Thank you. The network was established in 1995, but until 2005 it was rather private. Four years ago at business meeting in Torun (Poland) we agreed upon some statutes – elected a coordinator and a board, consisting of 5 members. They have been responsible for running the network and organizing the conferences. Due to the statutes the members of board take post maximum up to four years. Since 2005 we have had two mid-term conferences – one in Smolenice (Slovakia) in 2007, the other in Roosta (Estonia) in 2009. Small mid-term conferences have been really intimate and good. It has been a way to recruit participants to our network. The current conference is by large the biggest in the research network’s history. We have been extending our network continuously. The aim of this meeting is to discuss some things – to evaluate the work of the current board and discuss if there is something that needs to be changed. You are most welcome to criticize if something has bothered you. Some additional remarks: This conference has been organized somewhat differently – the selection of the chair of the session is different – one of the presentors is the chair at the same time. We have an e-mail list at jiscmail. All the information and news about the activity should be available there. Everybody should be able to send things there directly, if you have news about some conferences or any other possible information that is useful for network members. We have a web-page: www.youthandgeneration.org . From now on the ESA policy is different – they support only their own main web-page, so each network has to find their own means and servers to support theirs. The aim of the board is to inform and support the cooperation between different organisations. Could be good if the board could find finances to different new projects, too. So far, however, the main task of the board has been organizing conferences. What about the future? ESA is an umbrella organisation and at the moment there are 33 networks under it. Ours used to be the biggest, but this year sociology of culture and sociology of ageing are bigger. Until recently, the conference fee used to be a member fee as well. Since last conference in Glasgow they split the two things up. However, they promised to regain to the old system soon, to increase the number of the members. You can be simultaneously a member of many networks, paying 10€ fee for one network. Does anyone have any comments about the last years of this network or about this conference? Ladislav Macháček (LM): It is good to meet you again. I would like to thank Carsten, he is a good and responsible man. I would also like to say something about our webpage. It is two years old. You have a possibility to publish your work there. The webpage will be available at least for the next two years to come. GP: Thank you. Now lets move to the next agenda, which is choosing a new coordinator and board members. Raili Nugin (RN): I have a suggestion. According to statutes, the member of a board can take a post for two terms. How about a coordinator? Could he, in the interests of continuity, remain a member of a board, to ensure a smooth takeover of things? GP: He could be an informal or formal advisory to the board. LM: In ISA (International Sociological Association) the former coordinator will automatically be a member of the next board. GP: What is your opinion, Carsten? I think this is something the new board has to decide and think about. Tracy Shildrick (TS): I think there could be an advisory board, and it could be even more extensive than just one person. CY: I think the network should not develop into some kind of clique phenomenon. I think it is vital that it would be possible for young researchers to come in and decide things, take part in the network building. And the less old people there are in the board, the more dynamics is maintained. This would set out the course for the future. Serdar Degirmencioglu (SD): I think that the advisory board is a good idea. The new board should keep in touch with the old coordinator. As for Carsten’s fears – my experience shows that in this case, there doesn’t seem to be the threat or any inclination to maintain power by the ‘old’ or the marginalisation of the ‘young’. There doesn’t seem to be such concern. CY: We could have advisory board with representatives of several countries. GP: Let’s move on to elections now. There are suggestions made by the current board. Is there anyone who wants to put themselves forward, in addition to the suggestions on the board (Tracy Shildrick, Ladislav Macháček, Pau Serracant, Ewa Krzaklewska, Aurelie Marie)? Or, is there anyone besides Tracy who would like to become a coordinator? No? Let’s vote then. Congradulations, Tracy. Is there anyone who would like to be a board member besides those people? David Cairns. CY: Are there any objections to choose 5 board members? GP: No objections. CY: I would like to thank the former board members, we have had a good cooperation. LM: One more member should be elected in terms of balance, if we start voting… Regional aspect is also important. GP: The task of a new board is to decide two things: 1) the existence of the advisory board; and 2) the necessity of an additional board member. Now, I would like to say a few words about the next mid-term conference. It will be held in September next year in Disley. It is close to Manchester, UK. The main organisers will be me and Hilary Pilkington and the title will be “Youth – Economy – Society”. The model of the conference will be the same as in Slovakia and Estonia. Location is deliberately not a city centre, but a village, to keep the people together. Now I will give a floor to a new co-ordinator. TS: Thank you very much. I would like to say that Carsten has done an excellent job in coordinating the network. I hope the network is still growing and my main task will be to continue building the network and start new projects. I am open to any new ideas. Thank you. GP closed the meeting.
|
