Fear. Conflict. Trauma: Negotiating Spaces

9^th Africana Studies 2017 Interdisciplinary Conference

James Madison University, Harrisonburg

October 19^th - 20^th, 2017

Africana Studies at James Madison University invites your participation at its 9^th interdisciplinary conference with the theme Fear. Conflict. Trauma: Negotiating Spaces. scheduled for October 19-20, 2017. We invite multidisciplinary viewpoints on these topics and their various manifestations across time and space. Debates may focus on what constitutes fear and its complexities. Deliberations could also be generated around key - old and new - triggers of fear (notably xenophobia, homophobia, and other hate crimes, state, police, and private aggressions, insurgencies) in the contemporary world. Ways of framing and considering policy, advocacy, activism and mediating the notion of fear are invited. Possible questions to engage: What are the interrelationships between climate of fear and political decisions that impact the local and the global, climate of fear and human health, food and health securities viz-a-viz political representations? How do arenas of congregation, engagement, entertainment constitute fear or interface with fear and identity politics? What challenges do anti-migrant, anti-diversity regimes and policies pose for polities and entities?

What are the threats to various identities (ethnic, religious, sexual, class) and how do these constitute climate of fear, conflict and trauma. How do various constituents of the society, scholars and students in the academic community respond to and deal with the climate of fear, and what do people fear about climate? What lessons can be derived from the archives, and what resolutions are foreseeable in the horizon? Other issues to problematize include the notions of inclusion and exclusion that scholars face in their disciplines and in the academy.

Submit proposals for paper presentations, roundtables, poster sessions, performance, poetry reading sessions, among others to Dr. Aderonke Adesanya, the Coordinator, Africana Studies adesanaa@jmu.edu; africanastudies@jmu.edu.

Sub-themes

Proposed Keynote Speaker: Dr. Maghan Keita, Professor of History, Villanova University.

Keynote Lecture: “Fear. Conflict. Trauma: Community – The Negotiated Space”

Submission Guidelines

Presentations may be proposed in any of the following formats.

Individual Proposal

• A 20-minute presentation (15 minutes for the presentation and 5 minutes for Q&A).

Abstract Format and Submission:

1. Abstract should be no more the 300 words and sent to africanastudies@jmu.edu for the attention of the Coordinator Africana Studies, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.
2. Presentation Title
3. Authors/Presenters – Last name in capital letters, mailing address, institutional affiliation, email addresses, phone numbers, and key words that best reflect the focus and theme of proposal.

Panel Proposal Criteria:

• A 60-minute panel or roundtable discussion, forum, workshop, or performance.

Abstract Format and Submission:

1. Abstract should be no more the 400 words and sent to africanastudies@jmu.edu for the attention of the Coordinator Africana Studies, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.
2. Title of panel presentation
3. Authors/Presenters – Last name in capital letters, mailing address, institutional affiliation, email addresses, phone numbers, and key words that best reflect the focus and theme of proposal. At least three panelists.
4. Scholars who propose panels should kindly constitute their panels and have the names and addresses/institutional affiliations of panelists included in their submissions. The organizers will not be undertaking that task. Also indicate whether it is a student panel or not.

Submission Details and Information

• Abstract submission will be accepted starting from July 31^st through August 31^st 2017
• Letters of acceptance will be sent beginning August 30^th through September 10^th 2017.
• Conference is scheduled for October 19^th – 20^th, 2017.

Please contact Dr. Aderonke Adesanya for any necessary information. Other details will be provided as the conference date draws near. Presenters’ registration fees help offset the costs of running the conference and include access to all presentations, performances, and other conference events. 

Presenters’ fees are as listed below, will be payable upon acceptance as a presenter, and are due no later than September 25^th 2017 to ensure that name(s) are included in the program. Kindly note that instructions on payment will be provided upon acceptance of proposal(s).

-   Non-JMU undergraduate and graduate student presenters: $50

-   All other presenters: $100