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Call: Annual Conference of the Canadian Association of African Studies (16-19 May 2019)
CAAS
Theme: Thinking World-Africa: Originality and Innovative Practices
Location: University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada
Conference Date: May 16 to May 19*, 2019
From an open and multidisciplinary perspective, the 2019 CAAS conference invites reflection on the question of originality and innovation, in relation to Africa's relationship with the rest of the world. This call is for panel, paper, roundtable and poster proposals that question the Africa-World relationship by considering the concepts of originality and innovation. Invention, Originality, and Innovation have historically marked Africa's past and present relationship with the rest of the world, especially the Western world. They have served to divide the world into two big groups: those who "invented everything", and "those who never invented anything" (Césaire, 1947).
As always, the conference welcomes papers on all topics, but for those reflecting on the dynamics of invention and originality, we suggest the following axes to orient contributions in a multidisciplinary and global perspective:
1. The design and functioning of the paradigms of originality, invention, and creativity both inside and outside the continent.
2. The dynamics surpassing the original-copy dichotomy conveyed by the notion of originality: concepts of recycling, hybridity, transculturality, adaptation, decentering, mutation, migration, etc.
3. The particular cases illustrate the original or innovative nature of practices in specific disciplinary and/or cultural arenas.
Panel/Paper/Roundtable Proposal Submission
Deadline for proposal submission: December 1st, 2018. This year, CAAS is adopting tailor-made software to facilitate the organization of our annual conference and associational records. This transition is now underway: We therefore ask you to not submit your proposals before 5 November 2018. We will send instructions prior to that date on where and how to upload your proposals to our newly designed website.
In the mean time, please prepare your submissions in the following manner: Each panel proposal or roundtable proposal should include a panel title and brief description (300-600 words), the name of the panel organizer(s) and of panel participants. Please provide the email addresses of all participants along with their institutional affiliations and paper titles and abstracts of 200 words. Panels should consist of no more than four papers.
The paper proposal should include the name(s) and the email address(es) of the (co)author(s), the institutional affiliation(s), the title of the proposed presentation, and an abstract of 200 words. In the event of a co-authored paper, please kindly indicate which of the authors will be attending the conference,
Diversity statement:
CAAS is committed to equity and diversity and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Africa-based scholars, scholars at all ranks and career stage, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. CAAS is enriched intellectually, socially and culturally by the presence and participation of people from diverse backgrounds.
In conjunction with CAAS, the Canadian Journal of African Studiesis actively seeking to further diversify the journal’s content and operations, both to reflect CAAS’s membership and to engage more closely with knowledge production from the continent that is the journal’s focus. The journal remains committed to its mandate to publish scholarship in both English and French.
* The university residences will be accessible from May 14th, 2019.
Link: https://caas-acea.org/
