The DuBois--Nkrumah--Dunham Annual Conference "Africa and Its Diaspora: Interrogating Cultural Identities and Performance" Call For Papers - Inaugural Meeting University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA April 2-3, 2004 <<back The theme of the inaugural meeting, "Africa and Its Diaspora: Interrogating Cultural Identities and Performance," highlights the central role of culture in the works of these founding figures in the development of what has become the discipline of Africana Studies. From DuBois' concerns with the cultural equality of the "American Negro," to Nkrumah's liberating project of cultural nationalism, to Dunham's recuperative work with dance as a cultural symbol, varying conceptions of culture serve as a catalyst in diverse fields of intellectual and artistic production. In choosing this theme we hope to foster contributions that explore the concept of culture in varying and transforming ways, representing various disciplinary and inter-disciplinary approaches. We welcome contributions that examine the formation and transformation of cultural identities at individual, group, national, and transnational levels--both within and across the various locations of Africa and its Diaspora; presentations that focus on performance itself as a means of producing and reproducing cultural traditions, both old and new, in Africa and its Diaspora; and contributions that explore culture as a force for change in the Africana world in various arenas of human endeavor, including: politics; aesthetic production; family and kinship systems; health; economy; and religion. Submissions from graduate students and community activists are welcome. Sample panels (but not limited to): Memory and the construction of history Race, gender, and identity Transformations in social and cultural Institutions The politics of culture and the culture of politics Political economy of Africa and its Diaspora Africa and the global polity Critical theory and comparative literatures Diaspora, nation, and post-modernity Popular culture Performance and cinematic representations Science and indigenous knowledge systems Pan-Africanism Submissions: All submissions, whether for panels, roundtables, or individual presentations, must be based on original research and reflect material not previously published. Deadline for submissions: February 15, 2004 All proposals must contain: 1) a title page that includes the title of the proposed paper along with the speaker's name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address if available; and 2) the abstract itself, containing only the title of the paper and a 250 word abstract. The speaker's name should not appear on the abstract. Conference Location: All conference sessions will be held on the main campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Information about nearby hotel accommodations (offering special conference rates) and conference travel (directions by air, car, etc.) will be forthcoming. Contact Information: Prof. Kwame Botwe-Asamoah, conference co-chair kwb3@pitt.edu or Prof. Paula J. Davis, conference co-chair pjd11@pitt.edu Department of Africana Studies University of Pittsburgh 4C02 Wesley W. Posvar Hall 230 S. Bouquet Street Pittsburgh, PA 15260 Tel: 412-648-7540 <<back