Rest: An evolving topic in critical research

Vad är vila? Hur praktiseras vila, och vad är vilans betydelser i relation till arbete, tid, och produktivitet? / What is rest? How do people rest and what are the meanings of rest in contemporary society, in relation to work, time, and productivity?

The Centre for gender research at Karlstad university is happy to welcome researchers from all over Europe to an inaugural research symposium on rest:

Rest: An evolving topic in critical research 

Rest is a diffuse and scarcely researched topic in the social sciences. When seen in the context of work, busyness and stress, rest is undeniably political. It connects to negotiations about time use, work legislation and union struggles, mental and physical health, busyness ideals, technological development, and escalating production and consumption effecting exhaustion - not only among humans but on a planetary level. Rest is a skill, some argue, that has largely been forgotten; relatedly, resting, slowness, and work-life balance are popular topics in self-care and wellness discourse, where they are approached as solutions to several contemporary problems. Rest is also surfacing as an explicitly politicised topic in feminist, anti-racist, and disability activism, where it is viewed as a resistance against gendered and racialised demands of incessant productivity and able-bodiedness. So far mostly discussed in medical research, we hope for in-depth, interdisciplinary scholarly discussions about rest in its many aspects. 

Information

• Klara Goedecke
  Telefon/phone: +46(0)701495497
  E-mail: klara.goedecke@kau.se