Next Journalism:
call for papers

Deadline: 30 June 2011

In continuation of the Literature in Northern Nigeria Conference tradition started in 1989 by Bayero University Kano, it has been resolved that henceforth future conferences will be jointly organized by Bayero University, Kano andKwara State University, Malete, and the venue shall be rotated between the two universities. This year’s edition being the 6th will be hosted by the Kwara State University, Malete. The collaboration is intended to:

a) Enhance the position of the conference as a major intellectual and scholarly destination in Nigeria
b) Aim at helping to achieve intellectual excellence through the high level academic standard of discourse.

This year’s theme shall be on the issue of women, gender, and sexuality and will form the basis of the academic scholarship for this year’s conference. Women as creative writers and as characters in northern Nigeria and their constraints as individuals within a religious and socially conservative society will also be examined in relation to the representations of women issues in the literature and films of contemporary Northern Nigeria. Critical evaluation is expected to be made of the choice of genres, and how writers have applied individual imaginative and instructive emphasis to the treatment of such chosen and selected creative genre by the women creative writers. Furthermore, the role of religion in gender groupings, in the identification of themes and the understanding of characterization in the creative works, will be subjects of discourse by interested scholars. “kannywood” (Kano) movie industry which is predominantly of Hausa content, context, and of northern Nigerian thematic preoccupation inline with the portrayal of women will also be examined. The presentation of women as symbols of the stories and characters or as ‘caricatures’ in the films within northern sociological norms will also be examined. Other themes in the works of the women writers, traditional singers and performers, themes in the works in which women are portrayed such assaranrhya, ‘victimhood in popular culture’, love themes and violence within domestic situations, women in rural communities, politics and women, rural women and global perspectives, women as ethnic, religious and cultural stereotypes and their acceptability by both the reading and viewing audience, will also be discussed.

Sub Themes:

• Women images in popular culture
• Psychology of gendered behaviours in literary works
• Language in northern Nigerian women literature
• Northern Nigerian women literature and political awareness
• Women writers and images of women
• The works of Zaynab Alkali
• Islam, women, literature and films in Northern Nigeria
• Portrayal of women in northern Nigerian Literature
• Imaging of women in northern Nigerian films
• Kannywood and representation of gender issues.
• Women as sexual symbols in northern Nigerian literature
• Women singers and performers
• Women film makers and actresses.
• Women, dance and music in northern Nigeria dramatic performance
• Women themes in traditional oral performances
• Women and religion in northern Nigerian films or literature
• The influence of Western Education on northern Nigerian literature

One page abstracts are invited from interested participants on any aspect of the conference theme and sub-themes, to reach the organizers immediately but not later than June 30th, 2011.

Hotel Reservation : October 10, 2011

Registration: Local Participants: N5,000; Conference Fees: N5,000

International Participants: $100 each.

Send abstract to:

ahmed.yerima@kwasu.edu.ng, sakah.mahmud@kwasu.edu.ng, samba.diop@kwasu.edu.ng, lit.northernnigeria@kwasu.edu.ng

CONVENER: Prof. Ahmed Yerima, Dept. of Performing and Visual Arts

CO-CONVENERS: Prof. Samba Diop., Dr. Sakah Mahmud.

DATE: NOVEMBER 29TH- DECEMBER 2ND, 2011.

VENUE: KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY,MALETE, NIGERIA.

THEME: Women in Literature and Films in Northern Nigeria

Contact Information:

For inquiries: ahmed.yerima@kwasu.edu.ng

For submissions: ahmed.yerima@kwasu.edu.ng, sakah.mahmud@kwasu.edu.ng, samba.diop@kwasu.edu.ng, lit.northernnigeria@kwasu.edu.ng

Deadline: 14 March 2011

CAIRO UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE MARCH 30-31, 2011

CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Rebuilding Egyptian Media for a Democratic Future

Reforming the media is an urgent part of the democratisation called for by Egypt’s 25 January revolution. Cairo University’s Faculty of Mass Communication has therefore made it a priority to assess different options for a democratic system of media and communication in Egypt. In order to develop a model that enables a free flow of information and opinions in and out of Egypt and among all sectors of Egyptian society, the Faculty has taken the initiative of organising a consultation event in Cairo in collaboration with the University of Westminster’s Arab Media Centre, a research subgroup of the university’s Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI).

The event will begin on March 30th 2011 with a one-day open conference. Contributions are invited, at very short notice, from scholars and practitioners who wish to take part by drawing on their existing research or experience to make short presentations on topics related to the following themes:

* Lessons of previous democratisations
* Enabling the environment for free, independent, pluralistic, decentralized and responsible media
* Legal frameworks for the media
* Establishing and sustaining public service media
* Transformation of state-owned media into democratic media in Egypt
* Telecoms, Internet services and citizen empowerment
* Social, economic and cultural requirements for democratic media

Speakers at the conference on March 30th will then be invited to join a discussion workshop on March 31st at which international experts recruited by the two universities, Cairo and Westminster, will focus on specific issues relating to the themes listed above.

Please send a 150-word outline of your proposed presentation, together with your name, affiliation, email and postal address and brief biographical note to Professor Basyouni Hamada at Cairo University (basyouni_hamada@yahoo.com) and Professor Naomi Sakr at the University of Westminster (sakrn@wmin.ac.uk), to reach them by March 14th 2011 at the latest. Selected participants will be notified by March 17th. There is no registration fee for this event but, because of the short notice, there is also no outside funding. It is hoped that, in the circumstances, individual participants will be funded by their own institutions as a signal of support to Egypt’s democratisation.

Deadline: 15 April 2011

Mobile phones, blogs, online social networks, wikis, user-generated news, and a plethora of ubiquitous digital media have facilitated access to information; allowed people from around the globe to connect; offered enormous potential for communication about, from, and among civil society groups, democracy advocates, and political activists; and presented vast possibilities for national development projects.

But the potential of digital media diffusion cannot be realized if people lack the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media content. Increasingly, digital literacy and media literacy are viewed as agents for the acquisition of such skills and knowledge, and as essential components for all levels of education and every member of society.

Integrating digital media literacy into educational curricula and public agendas will ensure that citizens, groups, and institutions are equipped with the essential analytical and communications skills required for success in the 21st century.

The AUSACE 2011 conference theme brings together these critical two concepts of digital literacy and media literacy. Participants are encouraged to interpret this theme broadly, and include issues as diverse as: new directions for media education, for national development, for democracy, for civil society, and for global engagement. Research papers, panels, and poster presentations submitted to the conference may include but are not limited to the role of digital and media literacy in:

* Changing media education curricula at the school and university levels.
* Empowering civil society, advocacy groups, and political and social activism.
* Strengthening democracy and citizenship, and changing political processes.
* Supporting national development projects.
* Bridging the digital divide, empowering economically disadvantaged populations, and creating new jobs and markets.
* Evolving journalism and media professions, including mainstream and citizen journalism, traditional and new forms of journalism.
* Innovating in the marketing, advertising, public relations, and political communications professions.
* Mediating the effects of globalization.
* Promoting government, media, and business accountability and transparency.
* Resolving or exacerbating conflict, war, and political turmoil, and promoting awareness of and offering potential solutions to global issues, such as global warming, poverty, diseases, etc.
* Empowering women, minorities, and disadvantaged and disaffected groups in society.
* Addressing and solving the problems of sectarianism and religious fundamentalism.
* Media, communication, and mass communication theories and concepts.

Directions and deadlines for submissions:

All Submissions: Researchers, scholars, experts, and advanced graduate students interested in presenting at AUSACE 2011 are required to first submit an abstract of their research, panel, or poster presentation by emailing the proper form to:

ausace2011@aub.edu.lb by the deadline of April 15, 2011.

Research Papers: To present a research paper, please submit an abstract of your research using the following Research Abstract Form by April 15, 2011. Research Abstracts should be no longer than 500 words and include a brief explanation about: the topic under study, its scope and context, its significance, the methods used, its main findings, and its relationship to the conference theme: Digital and media literacy. Those submitting research papers and wish their submission to be considered for the various conference awards and for publication in Arab Media and Society are required to submit a full paper by the deadline of July 15, 2011. Full papers should be scholarly in nature, original, and innovative, and may employ quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. Papers should be no longer than 8,000 words, including tables, figures, references, and notes.

Panels: To suggest a panel, please submit the following Panel Abstract Form by April 15, 2011. Members of your panel presenting scholarly research papers and wish their full papers to be considered for the various conference awards and for publication in Arab Media and Society, are required to submit a full paper by the deadline of July 15, 2011. Panels should include no less than three and no more than four presenters. Conference organizers may add additional members to the suggested panel.

Poster Presentations: Posters are the format of choice for research that is still at an early stage of development or for presentation of multimedia tools, portfolios, and classroom instruments. Acceptance of a poster for presentation holds the same status as any other panel or paper presentation. Presenters who elect this form of presentation will have more time for displaying there work and a greater opportunity for interaction and discussion between the author and interested attendees visiting their poster stands. When preparing the poster submission, please indicate the equipment needed for display. In most cases, authors should plan to present their work in tabular or graphic form on an poster board. If special tools are needed (computer, TV, DVD player, speakers...), it is the presenter's responsibility to acquire and set-up the equipment. We will do our best to assist in setup. Please submit the following Poster Submission Form by April 15, 2011.

Authors will be notified of acceptance starting February 15, 2011.

Regulations and Guidlines for presenting:

1. At least one author of an any accepted presentation should be in attendance at the conference to present the paper. Papers whose authors do not show up will be canceled and not included in the conference proceedings. No substitute presenter will be permitted.
2. Time limits of each presetation will be strictly enforced. In most cases, you will only get 12-15 minutes or less (poster presenters get around 45 minutes to display and discuss their work). Presenters and panelists are encouraged to allocate most the presentation time to the original findings and results, as well as the methods used.
3. Prenesters are required to pay their registration and other dues before presenting. Participants may present in English or Arabic.

Deadline: 22 April 2011

THE ACCRA CONFERENCE 17th -19th AUGUST 2011: The Africa Media & Democracy Conference invites papers for its annual Africa Media and Democracy Conference, to be held from 17th -19th August 2011, Accra – Ghana. The theme for the Conference is: “Media & Democracy towards sustainable stability”.

BACKGROUND: Africa’s emerging democracies in the last two decades have had to co-exist with a vibrant media contestation. The media has relatively emerged as a formidable constituent as it vie for legitimacy in representing the broad masses. This contestation provides the framework for critical examination on how the media impacts on the democratic process. The Conference therefore aims to address and examine various issues of media in the practise of democratic governance in Africa. The event is open to academics, media industry professionals, government agencies, policymakers, regulators, UN agencies, donors, civil society organisations, independent consultants and research groups and students.

Papers are also invited on the following sub-themes listed below; submissions could be made from a range of issues in relation to democracy & media practices in Africa. It must address specific media practices in the context of democracy in Africa, such as the role of radio commercials as political communication tool in electioneering, the corrosive effects of partisan media practices in popular democracy or the role of the media in the concept of popular democracy etc.

Sub-Theme

• Media, language and democracy
• Media, language and symbolic power
• Media, political rhetoric’s and political violence
• Media and political communication
• Media, democracy and traditional governance
• Media, national institutions and democracy
• Media and the conception of national agenda
• Media, democracy and governance
• Media, ethnic identity and democracy
• Media, religious conflict and political stability
• Media, conflict and crises management
• Media ownership, democracy and governance
• Media, concept citizenry and democracy
• Media and the concept ‘good of governance’
• Media and coupe d’états
• Media reportage and democracy
• Media, democracy and political education
• Media, political activism and governance
• Media, democracy and aid
• Media law and regulation
• Media, gender and democratization
• Media, democracy and human rights
• Community media and democracy
• Media and Ethics
• Media and African centeredness
• Media and cultural politics
• New Media and democracy
• New Media and the renewal of local democracy
• New media, democratic theory and public sphere
• Digital media and the renewal of local democracy
• Development democracy and the media
• Media, African centeredness and democracy

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:

ABSTRACTS & PAPERS: Please email abstracts (maximum one page) along with contact information and a 500-word bio to: info@amdmc.org.

All Abstracts must be in English, full papers may be submitted in either English or French.

• Deadline for receipt of abstracts: 22nd April 2011
• Notice of acceptance of abstracts: 22nd May 2011
• Deadline for receipt of full papers: 22nd June 2011
• Notification of Acceptance of Paper/Panel/Workshop: 30th July 2011

For further information and other enquiries please contact Conference Team.

ENQUIRIES HOTLINE 24HRS: MOBILE: + 233 200723197

Deadline: 14 February 2011

With much that has already been written around the topic of the training regimen, specially of the Western dancer/ athlete, little theory exists of his/ her presence in the performance context and even less from the viewpoint of the African dancer/-athlete.

In re-viewing/ re-searching the notion of being 'in the zone' or at the pinnacle of performance what are some of the issues that surface within the ever changing and intersecting contexts of Culture, Gender and understandings of Health (mental, physical, social, spiritual and emotional). As South Africa's interaction with the world continues to reflect simultaneous images of poverty and wealth - AIDS orphans and glistening five-star hotels -- what are the multiple roles for dance educators, administrators, pedagogues, teachers, arts critics, sports coaches, hysiotherapists; biokineticists, master class coaches, Pilates instructors et al for the range of bodies with whom we interact and the multiple needs of these dancers and athletes as end users?

Some of the questions one could consider include:

· How do dancing bodies that are not normative stereotypes shift a body aesthetic? Who determines how these bodies should look like or move like?
· Is cultural specificity a useful indicator in assessing Dance in the post-colonial performance arena?
· When does an aesthetic shift occur and by whom is it initiated or dissolved? What lurks behind the positioning of the 'African Venus' in the concert hall or stadium?
· How should we as a dance community respond to issues surrounding performance altering drugs?
· Is there a space for a range of human experience, or to share the diversity of human stories (compare Buckroyd)?
· How might the relationship of food and the [non]use of food supplements help us understand gendered identities in the student dancer?
· What are the intersections of eating disorders, wealth and class?
· How is physicality embodied through competitions and festivals (compare Merleau-Ponty)?
· Which parallels or divergences exist for the [e]motional preparation of the peak performance by the dancer and/ or athlete?

We invite the submission of proposals with an abstract (max 250 words) and rationale that includes your name, institutional affiliation, email address and contact details. Your proposal should outline whether you intend to make a joint presentation (max. 30 mins) or individual paper (max. 20 mins). As far as possible individual papers will not run concurrently in the conference programme. You may also wish to offer a performative experience and/or workshop (max.1hour). All proposals will be reviewed by the Programme Committee.

Please send your submission(s) as email attachments in MS Word to Gerard.samuel@uct.ac.za.

Deadline for submissions 14 February 2011.

Deadline: 8 September 2011
Contact: whaugh@stlawu.edu

CALL FOR PAPERS

The tenth North Eastern Workshop on Southern Africa (NEWSA) will take place on Oct 21-23, 2011 at the Bishop Booth Center in Burlington, Vermont, USA.

Northeast Workshop on Southern Africa 2011 Call for Papers

This is the first call for papers and discussants for the tenth North Eastern Workshop on Southern Africa (NEWSA). We encourage scholars from all disciplines who are currently working on southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to submit proposals. The meeting will be held at the Bishop Booth Conference Center in Burlington, Vermont (USA), October 21 through 23, 2011. Located on 130 acres of forest with its own secluded beach, the center is an ideal location for scholarly conversation.

The NEWSA conference is organized around intensive discussion of pre-circulated papers. There are also many opportunities for informal conversation about work in progress. Drawing on the successful precedents of the former Southern African Research Program at Yale and the Canadian Research Consortium on Southern Africa, this program is designed to give southern Africanists the opportunity for close and intensive discussion of work across a wide variety of scholarly fields. We aim to prioritize scholarship, regardless of discipline or topic, that is evidence-based and grounded in analysis of African discourses and concepts, and which elucidates local worldviews and experience.

We encourage the presentation of previously unpublished work, and submissions from graduate students and junior faculty in particular. We especially encourage participation from professionals, scholars and graduate students in Africa, as well as those located in Europe, Canada, and the United States.

There are multiple ways to participate in the NEWSA conference. Participants may:

a) present a paper
b) propose a panel of three papers
c) serve as a discussant

Because of the high demand for participation relative to the size of the conference facility, and our desire to maintain the workshop atmosphere, we can only allow attendees who are presenting papers or serving as discussants.

If you wish to give a paper, your proposal should include your name, academic affiliation and status, paper title, and abstract. Your abstract should explain the argument you intend to make, the source of your evidence (e.g., archival, fieldwork, survey), and the contribution your paper makes to understanding significant problems in southern Africa, to furthering conceptual debates, and/or to producing new knowledge in Southern African Studies. The maximum length for the abstract is 500 words.

If you wish to organize your own three-paper panel, your proposal should include all the authors’ names, titles and abstracts for all three papers, as well as a brief rationale for how the papers complement each other. The organizers will be happy to negotiate alternative panel formats (such as open discussions of a current issue).

If you wish to serve as a discussant, your proposal should indicate the areas of southern African studies on which you are most prepared to comment. Once the conference participants are selected and organized into panels, each panel will be assigned a discussant. Discussants read the pre-circulated papers by the participants in their session, and at the conference give a 10-15 minute constructive criticism/comment on the papers individually and collectively. Discussants also coordinate discussion of the papers amongst those attending the panel.

The deadline for paper and/or panel proposals, or to volunteer as a discussant, is March 31, 2011. Please send proposals to Wendi Haugh at whaugh@stlawu.edu.

Completed papers, not to exceed 8000 words, will be due September 8, 2011, so that the papers can be pre-circulated on this conference website ahead of the meeting. For more information, please visit other pages on this NEWSA web site.

Deadline: 15 June 2011
Contact: vdwaltb@unisa.ac.za

The Traveling of Stories: Children’s Literature and Reading in and of Africa

Call for Papers

1st Biennial IBBY Africa Conference

21-23 September 2011

Venue: Pigg’s Peak Hotel, Swaziland

Organised by the Children’s Literature Research Unit, University of South Africa on behalf of the IBBY Branches of Africa.

Abstracts of not more than 250 words that address particular issues regarding reading and children’s literature related to Africa and the developing world are welcomed.

The following topics serve as suggestions:

1. The travelling of stories across borders and cultures
2. Children’s literature in translation
3. Folktales and imagination
4. Writing in indigenous/colonial/minority languages
5. Colonialism and post-colonialism in children’s literature
6. Traditional folktales and the modern tale
7. Cultural relevance of children’s books
8. The distinction between African children’s and adult books
9. Oral narratives and literary research
10. Converting oral literature into written literature
11. Literature for didactic purposes
12. The African diaspora and children’s literature
13. Reading across cultures
14. Library services for children
15. Reading in the information age
16. Comparative research in children’s literature and reading
17. Depicting reality in children’s books
18. Reading preferences of African children
19. Teaching children’s literature
20. Storytelling for young people
21. Publishing for children in the 2rd World

Mail abstracts and direct enquiries to:

Prof Thomas van der Walt, CLRU, Department of Information Science, University of
South Africa, PO Box 392, 0003 Pretoria, South Africa

Fax: +27 12 4293792

e-mail: vdwaltb@unisa.ac.za

Deadline: 9 February 2011

Call for Papers: Migration, Gender and Diversity in Eastern Africa

An International Conference by invitation at Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan

3 to 5 May 2011

Background

Eastern Africa is strongly affected by internal displacements and forced migration. The region experienced various forms of migration, flight and refuge, historically as well as contemporary, including permanent, internal and external, documented and un-documented, conflict-induced and labour transitory migration. The Sudan in particular is strongly affected by internal displacement related to conflicts in Darfur and the long-lasting north/south divide of the country. In this regard, issues of political exclusion/citizenship, the incorporation of certain groups into a particular national entity and culturalisation of conflict are of outstanding importance.

Still – and although global interest in migration processes is rising – African migration processes are underrepresented in migration research and in the global migration discourse. Migration, despite its critical relevance to Africa’s development, is often hardly recognized in academic contexts. Theorizing migration and challenging predominant images of the migrant from African perspectives, by African scholars, is not yet prevalent.

Besides, apart from the humanitarian concern for women being the main victims of forced migration related to armed conflicts and natural disasters, the gender dimension of the issue is still unaccounted for. Gender relations and women’s rights are contested areas in contemporary societies and they are at the core of discourses on modernity and tradition. On an international and national level, the state of gender equality is closely linked to development and increasingly considered one of its key indicators.

Objective

The conference aims at contributing to further develop the agenda for research accounting for knowledge and capacity building in the field of African migration research and gender studies as intersecting areas. We especially welcome papers that focus on:

 Review of the development of theoretical and methodological approaches to African migration, including the gender dimension,
 The review of prevalent research paradigms and research findings on Migration in Africa,
 Population Mobility Dynamics and Impact,
 Gender and Migration,
 Challenges of Multiculturalism, Diversity and Nation/State Building

We are pleased to announce our Call for Papers, any original research on migration in sub-Saharan Africa will be considered, preference is given to contributions on Eastern Africa and contributions addressing gender issues.

This is the final in a series of three conferences on African Migration and Gender, organized by the EDULINK partnership IMMIS. The conference will take place in Omdurman, Sudan, from 3 to 5 May 2011. For more information on the project please visit www.regionalgenderinst.edu.sd or www.immis.org. We specifically encourage young and/or international academics to apply. Conference organizers try to subsidize travel costs, accommodation and meals.

Abstracts in English, measuring 300 – 500 words, should be accompanied by a short CV including contact details. Please send your files to abstracts@regionalgenderinst.edu.sd or abstracts@immis.org until 9 February 2011. Applicants will be notified in March, full papers are due 20 April 2011.

Contact Information

RIG/DPR, Dr. Omeima Scheikh-Eldin
Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
omeima@regionalgenderinst.edu.sd

The conference is hosted by the EDULINK Project IMMIS (African Migration and Gender in Global Context – Implementing Migration Studies) – a joint project by Ahfad University for Women (Sudan), Humboldt University Berlin (Germany), Makerere University (Uganda), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda), Oldenburg University (Germany) and Stavanger University (Norway).

Deadline: 25 February 2011

SIDI MOHAMED BEN ABDELLAH UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES FES-SAIS FEZ, KINGDOM OF MOROCCO

CALL FOR PAPER SUBMISSION

The First International Forum on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) will be
organized by the Laboratory of Discourse, Creativity and Society: Perception and Implications at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Fes-Sais of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco on May 12-13, 2011. The forum aims to raise awareness about the importance of MIL in this media-saturated / information-overloaded world, to find ways and means to build up media and information literate societies, and to make of mass media important actors at the service of democracy, justice, and development. To this end, the forum adopts a holistic approach to MIL.

While addressing basic concepts of definition and typology, focus will be laid on approaches to MIL from various perspectives in order to provide a comprehensive view of the issue.

They invite contributions from experts and professionals in the various disciplines of human sciences of relevance to the topic of the forum: media, communication, information and communication technologies, education, curriculum development, sociology, psychology, history, geography, political sciences and international relations. The organizers also call for the participation of media organizations, research groups/centres, professional associations, civil society actors, NGOs and international organizations advocating media and information literacy for all.

The main axes of the forum include information and communication technologies; access to information and media; information and media competencies; media / information and basic rights and obligations; global information and communication orders; approaches to media and information literacy; the power of mass media and the empowering MIL; media effects and influences, media processes and industries; new trends in journalism; the watchdog function of the press; media, commerce and audiences; media, politics, and ideology; media governance, culture and ethics; and ways and means to enhance free and responsible media, and build up media and information literate societies.

Proposed papers would be welcomed, but not exclusive to topics, as the following:

* Media Literacy / Information Literacy: Theory and Practice
* Media and Information Literacy Integration in Schools and Communities
* Media and Information Sourcing, Sharing, and Evaluation
* Empowering the Media Consumers, Knowing their Rights and Responsibilities
* Creative Cultural Production Perspectives of Media and Information
* Building Knowledge Structures on MIL
* Internet Addiction Disorders and Antidotes
* Freedom of Expression / Freedom of Information: Cross-Cultural Perspectives
* News Media / News Values: Interdisciplinary Approach
* Digital Literacy / Visual Literacy: Theory and Practice/ Digital and Information Divide
* Media Ethics / Media Governance: Comparative Approach
* Media Discourse / Media Diversity: Comparative Interdisciplinary Approach
* Media and Public Opinion / Media and Public Relations: Who Shapes What?
* Media and International Relations / Media and Modern warfare: Blurred
* Interactions: Interdisciplinary Cross-Cultural Approach
* Media and Public Policy / Media and the Political Sphere: Interdisciplinary Approach
* New Trends in Journalism / Critical Media: Comparative Historical Perspectives
* Media Research / Media Audiences / Media Effects: Interdisciplinary Approach

Participation Fees: European Euro. 80

Deadlines:

- Abstract Submission: 25th February, 2011

- Notification of Acceptance: 15th March, 2011

- Submission of Final Papers Ready for Publication: 13th May, 2011 for publication in the Edited Book of the Forum Proceedings. Manuscripts: WORD Form, 7000 words maximum.

Submissions:

- Submissions of abstracts are to be done by e-mail to: an.medialiteracyforum@gmail.com; Cc: Dr. Abdelhamid NFISSI and Dr. Drissia CHOUIT nfissichouit@gmail.com

- Maximum length of abstracts is 300 words.

The following details are required:

-Name, title (Dr., Prof., etc.) organizational affiliation, postal address and e-mail address

- Title of the paper

- Short biographical sketch of each participant, including main publications, field work and participation in national and international scientific events, awareness-raising campaigns, (pilot) projects aimed to enhance media and information literacy at national and regional levels, etc.

Please note that applicants whose papers are accepted for presentation in the forum are responsible for their round ticket to Fez, Morocco, while the organizers will take in charge accommodation and food for all participants from 11th to 13th May, 2011.

Deadline: 1 March 2011

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: WOMEN & NEW MEDIA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION, ISIS CENTER FOR WOMEN & DEVELOPMENT

June 24, 25, 26, 2011 – Fez, Morocco – Palais des Congres

With the growing dominance of the Internet, blog, chat and mobile telephony, the great “big bang” of the new media has begun. Communication is rapidly changing and becoming mobile, interactive, personalized and multi-channel. This extraordinary revolution is affecting the basic structure of Mediterranean societies, especially those in the south, and is raising various discussions and debates that profoundly impact women: the rapid transformation of the boundaries between the public and the private spaces, the relationship between new technology, orality and women’s literature, changes in the relationship between written and oral languages, the increasing use of mother tongues (mainly oral) in the field of education, and the challenges of new transmissions of women’s knowledges.

These issues are the five main axes of the International Congress Forum on “Women and New Media in the Mediterranean Region”, to be held on June 24, 25 and 26, 2011 at the Palais des Congrès, Fez, Morocco :

1. The transformation of the relationship “gender and public space / private space” in the era of new media
2. New media, orality and literature Women
3.Femmes, written languages and mother tongues
4. The new media and education
5. The challenge of new transmissions of women’s knowledge

Papers may be in Arabic, French or English and will last 15-20 minutes.

The deadline for receiving abstracts is March 1, 2011.

The successful participants will be notified by March 31, 2011, and the completed papers need to be emailed send before June 1, 2011.

Participants are responsible for their trip and lodging expenses.

Deadline: 30 March 2011

Conference

The Horn of African conferences have since its inception focused on issues related to peace, security and development. So far, none of the conferences has yet had an explicit focus on the linkages between gender, peace and development. This time the focus of the conference is set on these linkages. We know that the violence has had disproportionate effects on the lives of women. Often as targets of extreme forms of violence, women in the Horn of Africa experience the full impact of violent conflict in the region as civilians and combatants, but are generally excluded from the decision-making processes that ignite wars or put an end to hostilities.

In a joint effort between United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Club de Madrid to promote women’s leadership for peace and security in the Greater Horn of Africa, they described the situation for women in the region:

“Priority is rarely given to developing women’s individual and collective capacity to address these conflicts and to build stable, peaceful and democratic institutions in the Horn of Africa. Women generally remain absent from policy dialogue with government on critical issues for peace and security that have fundamental gender dimensions and implications for sustainable stability. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) was adopted in 2000 for the empowerment of women as peace builders in conflict and post conflict settings, yet most of its commitments have not been implemented.”

Women are important agents for creating stability in the lives of their families and to promote reconciliation and peace even under very difficult and traumatic situations. However, women's peace building potential have had no significant impact on policies and decision relating to conflicts because of their absence from the decision making processes and bodies in the region.

The conference aims at raising awareness about the importance of implementation of these resolutions in the Horn of Africa, especially in countries emerging from conflict. The rational behind the conference is to give attention to the situation for women and their concern over peace and development, and to strengthen their role in the promotion of peace and development in the Horn of Africa.

The objective of the conference is to:

• Raise awareness of women’s needs and situation in the Horn of Africa.
• Raise awareness of Horn of African governments' social service expenditures.
• Raise awareness of UNSCR 1325 and 1820 in a Horn of African context.
• Promote the inclusion of Horn of African women in the decision-making positions in their respective governments, as well as in regional and international organizations.
• Promote women's memberships in governmental decision-making institutions.
• Promote the participation of Horn of African women in conflict prevention and resolution processes.
• Promote networking between Horn of African women peace organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Promote maintenance and protection of due process of law and constitutionalism in Horn of African countries

There are special invitations to political scientists, sociologists, historians, economists, practitioners, lawyers, civics, institutions, and policy-makers to conference as presenters. Your inputs and perspectives bring vital insights into peaceful solutions to women’s issues in the Horn of Africa.
Papers:

The conference calls for inter-disciplinary papers within the following areas:

Below follows proposed topics:

- Women’s experience of armed conflict in the Horn of Africa, e.g. separation, loss of relatives, physical and economic insecurity, an increased risk of sexual violence, wounding, detention, deprivation and even death.
- Women’s needs in the Horn of Africa (be they combatants, persons deprived of their freedom, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), mothers and/or members of the civilian population).
- Women’s needs for safety and security in the Horn of Africa.
- Women’s vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms in the Horn of Africa (vulnerability facing pregnant women, nursing mothers, mothers of small children, female heads-of-household and young girls). It is important to consider when assessing vulnerability facing women is whether their community is urban or rural. Sensitivity to local context and culture is crucial to understanding and responding to the effects of conflict.
- Natural resources and gender imbalances.
- Female members of the regular armed forces, armed groups or their support services in the Horn of Africa.
- Female politicians, leaders of NGOs and active campaigners for peace.
- The status and review of the progress or lack thereof of the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in the Horn of Africa.
- Negotiation and Post-conflict reconstruction: Increasing women’s participation
- The status of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1820 in the Horn of Africa.
- The Gendered Impact of Prolific Small Arms.
- Women as peacemakers, peacekeepers and peace builders.
- Women’s participation in governance and the process of decentralization and democratization in the Horn of Africa.
- Women’s contribution to reconciliation and long-term conflict prevention.
- Legislation and gender.
- Women’s participation in the political processes and democratization.

You are invited to send a one page abstract which should include a working title, the author’s discipline and field, address, institutional affiliation and e-mail address to either of the conference coordinators written below before 30th March 2011. Deadline for the complete paper is 30th June 2011. Papers are expected to be of high quality and follow the time limitations. All guest speakers are requested to take an inter-sectional approach to their papers. We look forward to receiving your abstract.

For more information please contact:

Abdillahi Jama, Conference Coordinator
Somalia International Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC)
BOX 974,
220 09 Lund, Sweden,
Tel/fax: +46 46-2114502,
Mobil: +4673-989 75 33,
sirc@zeta.telenordia.se, http://www.sirclund.se

Former Ambassador to UN, Count Pietersen,
Conference Co-Coordinator
Somalia International Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC)
BOX 974
220 09 Lund, Sweden
Tel: +46 46-2115269
E-mail: count.pietersen@home.se
sirc@zeta.telenordia.se
www.sirclund.se

Deadline: 3 January 2011

Call for papers

AfricaAdapt Climate Change Symposium 2011

Linking Climate Research, Policy and Practice for African-led Development

9-11 March 2011, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

This three-day bilingual (French/English) symposium is a landmark event focusing on evolving approaches, tools, methods and philosophies addressing the links between increasing climate change and variability in Africa and sustainable development. It will feature keynote speakers from across the continent, and also provide a space for creative new exchanges and collaboration between African research, media, policy, and community practitioners. This is an opportunity to share your knowledge and experience of this important subject and work with others to help make a difference.

Symposium Objectives:

1. To provide a forum for exploring and promoting the latest and best in applied research on climate change adaptation and development in Africa.
2. To create a space for engagement between African research, practitioner and policy communities of practice.
3. To provide African media with opportunities to interact with these communities of practice so they can better communicate efforts being made to address climate change in Africa, and so they can articulate local concerns and priorities.

The AfricaAdapt Knowledge Sharing Network has a mission to encourage research, dissemination and sharing of knowledge on climate change in Africa, and on the ways in which Africa can encourage climate compatible development. To this end AfricaAdapt is issuing a call for papers highlighting new research and community engagement on adaptation and low carbon development in Africa.

Themes to be explored include:

 Links between adaptation, mitigation and low carbon, or “climate compatible” development
 Roles of local and indigenous knowledge in addressing climate change
 New thinking on community-led responses: From local to global
 The roles of media and intermediaries in translating, sharing, and advocating
 National and international policy: Linking policy and practice

The symposium is focused on Africa and we especially encourage submissions from African researchers, community based organisations, advocacy groups, and media. If your topic does not fit precisely into one of the themes above, it may still be considered if relevant to the overall subject area of the Symposium. In addition to formal papers, we are very interested to hear from policy and decision makers, donors, researchers, NGOs and community representatives who have knowledge and experiences to share that engage the symposium’s objectives and mission.

The deadline for submitting proposals for Symposium consideration is January 3rd 2011. Proposals should be submitted as an abstract – maximum 300 words. A committee comprised of members from the symposium sponsors will assess submissions and draw up a shortlist for extended proposals. Please e-mail abstracts and/or questions by e-mail to: symposium@africa-adapt.net. Full details can be found at www.adaptation2011.com and www.africa-adapt.net.
Limited funding is available to cover full and/or partial costs of attending this symposium.

Deadline: 12 January 2011

The African Diaspora has been historically conceived as originating with the Transatlantic Slave trade. However, some would argue that to perceive the African Diaspora only in relation to slavery is to obscure alternative means of conceptualizing the movement of Black bodies.

As scholars committed to interdisciplinary research, the Graduate Society of the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University brings together scholars, community activists, artists, and other professionals to interrogate definitions of, theorize about, and imagine new possibilities for the African Diaspora.

For our eighth annual Herman C. Hudson Symposium, we invite abstracts for papers that will address the following topics:

* What are the practical applications of African American and African Diaspora Studies/Black Studies in the 21st century?
* How do migrations – local, national and international – affect diasporic identities?
* How does contemporary audio/visual media and popular culture help to re-imagine the borders of diasporic
* communities?
* How do outliers serve as change agents in these communities?
* What are the ways that the academy can engage in constructive dialogues with nonacademic communities?

We also encourage papers that engage these topics through the intersections of race with gender & sexuality; class; disabilities; color, ethnicity, and nationality; marginalization and resistance; rurality and urbanity; performativity; religion and spirituality; environmentalism and sustainability; and public policy and commerce.

We welcome submissions from graduate and undergraduate students, educators, creative artists, and community and cultural workers. Interested panelists should submit a one-page abstract of an unpublished paper, and a one-page CV or a 50-75-word bio. Presenters who are interested in displaying visual art should submit a digital CD of their work along with a one-page abstract discussing the details of their piece(s). Those interested in exhibiting their topic via poster board should follow the guidelines for submitting a paper abstract and visual art. Panel proposals should include a description of the panel’s theme, a one-page abstract from each paper, the name of the panel chair, and a one-page CV or a 50-75-word bio for each participant. All abstracts should include the academic or organizational affiliation of each participant.

Submission Deadline: January 12, 2011

Please email abstracts and accompanying information to the attention of Abegunde, Abstract Committee Chair, at hchs@indiana.edu. If submitting a CD, please indicate this in your email. CDs should be mailed to the attention of Abegunde at the address below.

Herman C. Hudson Symposium 2011
Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies
Indiana University
Memorial Hall, M18
1021 E. Third St
Bloomington, IN 47403

Deadline: 22 April 2011

THE ACCRA CONFERENCE 17th -19th AUGUST 2011: The Africa Media & Democracy Conference invites papers for its annual Africa Media and Democracy Conference, to be held from 17th -19th August 2011, Accra – Ghana. The theme for the Conference is: “Media & Democracy towards sustainable stability.”.

BACKGROUND: Africa’s emerging democracies in the last two decades have had to co-exist with a vibrant media contestation. The media has relatively emerged as a formidable constituent as it vie for legitimacy in representing the broad masses. This contestation provides the framework for critical examination on how the media impacts on the democratic process. The Conference therefore aims to address and examine various issues of media in the practise of democratic governance in Africa. The event is open to academics, media industry professionals, government agencies, policymakers, regulators, UN agencies, donors, civil society organisations, independent consultants and research groups and students.

Papers are also invited on the following sub-themes listed below; submissions could be made from a range of issues in relation to democracy & media practices in Africa. It must address specific media practices in the context of democracy in Africa, such as the role of radio commercials as political communication tool in electioneering, the corrosive effects of partisan media practices in popular democracy or the role of the media in the concept of popular democracy etc.

Sub-Theme

Media, language and democracy
Media, language and symbolic power
Media, political rhetoric’s and political violence
Media and political communication
Media, democracy and traditional governance
Media, national institutions and democracy
Media and the conception of national agenda
Media, democracy and governance
Media, ethnic identity and democracy
Media, religious conflict and political stability
Media, conflict and crises management
Media ownership, democracy and governance
Media, concept citizenry and democracy
Media and the concept ‘good of governance’
Media and coupe d’états
Media reportage and democracy
Media, democracy and political education
Media, political activism and governance
Media, democracy and aid
Media law and regulation
Media, gender and democratization
Media, democracy and human rights
Community media and democracy
Media and Ethics
Media and African centeredness
Media and cultural politics
New Media and democracy
New Media and the renewal of local democracy
New media, democratic theory and public sphere
Digital media and the renewal of local democracy
Development democracy and the media
Media, African centeredness and democracy

In addition to those listed above the organisers will consider other relevant sub-themes from contributors.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:

ABSTRACTS & PAPERS: Please email abstracts (maximum one page) along with contact information and a 500-word bio to: info@amdmc.org.

All Abstracts must be in English, full papers may be submitted in either English or French.

Deadline for receipt of abstracts: 22nd April 2011
Notice of acceptance of abstracts: 22nd May 2011
Deadline for receipt of full papers: 22nd June 2011

Notification of Acceptance of Paper/Panel/Workshop: 30th July 2011

Guidelines for Papers and Presentations

For further information and other enquiries please contact Conference Team.

ENQUIRIES HOTLINE 24HRS: MOBILE: + 233 200723197

Deadline: 11 January 2011

18-19 August 2011, University for Development Studies, Ghana

Theme:

Endogenous Knowledge, Education and Research as a Challenge to Higher Education and Development in Africa: Theoretical Perspectives, Pragmatic Responses, Practical Challenges

Venue:

UDS International Conference Centre, Tamale, Ghana

Preamble

The Capacity and Theory-Building of Universities and Research Centres in Endogenous Development (CAPTURED) Project is an innovative effort that seeks to promote development, research and education from local perspectives. It is premised on the belief that development as a growth process should start from and build on the perspectives of local populations in order for it to respond effectively and realistically to their needs and realities. Ongoing search for development and aid effectiveness and efficiency, which have resulted in alternatives such as sustainable development and participatory development, are indicative of the inadequacy of development plans, programmes processes imposed from elsewhere.

Consequently, the Endogenous Development (ED) paradigm draws from positions that centre local perspectives, people’s worldviews and indigenous knowledge as the bases for initiating and negotiating development. Although contrasted with exogenous development, the endogenous development position does not condemn exogenously-informed development processes outright. Rather, it argues that such efforts would be more effective and efficient when anchored on solid local perspectives, people’s worldviews and indigenous knowledge. Hence, the ED framework draws and works from indigenous knowledge, traditional institutions and local worldviews as well as internally motivated actions as bases for seeking external support for the analysis and evolution of development plans/policies, programmes and projects.

As institutions of higher learning, universities and research centres provide not just specialized human resources but also the policy and programming technologies, leadership and frameworks for driving national and global development. Universities educate and provide research inputs that shape and drive planning and programming in development. The CAPTURED Project has been strategically located within higher education and research institutions with the view to building the critical mass of people who would lead knowledge productions, educational processes and innovative research that would influence policy and programmes in higher education and national development.

The 2011 African Regional Conference is the 2nd of two conferences that have been planned to share experiences and influence development thinking in Africa. This second conference, following the first in 2009, seeks to generate critical debates, share innovative responses and build alliances among African academics, educators, researchers and development practitioners committed to locally relevant knowledge, education and research for the development of Africa. It also welcomes

others outside that space but who are interested in Endogenous Knowledge, Education and Research in higher education in Africa. The outputs of the conference, in the form of invited and thematic papers, will be peer reviewed and published in the proceedings of the CAPTURED Africa Project.

The two-day conference will focus on the following:

Thematic Areas

1. Conceptual/theoretical foundations, debates, frameworks, models and possibilities for Endogenous Knowledge, Education and Research in African Higher Education

2. Innovative programming frameworks and methodological responses in Higher Education including research ethics and policies, educational policies, curriculum processes and forms, research and development, actual and possibilities

3. Endogenous Knowledge, Education and Research experiences and processes linking Higher Education and communities, nation states, regional bodies; Higher Education and policy, programmes and governance and ; Higher Education and commerce, industry etc

4. Prospects, potentials and challenges of Endogenous Knowledge, Education and Research for North-South, South-South and inter- and intra-University collaborations in Higher Education in the areas of teaching and learning, curriculum development, methodologies, research and dissemination, student exchange and staff development in Africa and beyond

5. Political and Policy Implications of Endogenous Knowledge, Education and Research for the development of Africa.

Submissions are welcomed in any of the thematic areas. Interested persons should first submit a 300-word abstract detailing title, main thesis/arguments/issues, methodology/strategy and conclusion. When accepted, authors will be required to submit the full papers within three (3) months.

Important Deadlines

- November 10: Announcement of Call for Papers

- January 11: Deadline for Submission of abstracts

- February 11: Communication of accepted abstracts

- April 11: Deadline for receipt of Full Papers of accepted abstracts

Logistics

Provisions will be made for the air travel of presenting participants living and working in Africa but outside Ghana only. In addition, there will be accommodation and food/ snacks for all registered and/or presenting participants during the conference period.

Contacts

All inquires and submissions should be addressed to:

Mail post:

CAPTURED UDS Project
University for Development Studies
P. O. Box 520
Wa, Upper West Region
GHANA
Email: awingura2008-at-yahoo.com
Phone: 233(0)244-581725

Deadline: 10 December 2010

eLearning Africa is the premier gathering place for all experts and stakeholders engaged or interested in ICT-based education, training and development on the African continent. Everyone concerned with eLearning in Africa is welcome to share and learn. We encourage practitioners and academics engaged in an African context to apply by submitting a proposal for eLA 2011, taking place from May 25th to 27th in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Please note that successful applicants will be offered a significantly reduced conference registration fee.

You are invited to submit proposals for any of the following:

* To lead a linkWorkshop, Seminar or Meeting to take place on Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
* To give a linkPresentation in a themed session during the conference
* To suggest a linkDebate Topic for a debate or discussion during the conference
* To suggest a linkSpecial Focus Session on a particular topic which you would lead during the conference
* To give a linkDemonstration / linkBest Practice Showcase of a specific tool, application, service or course
* To host an linkUmoja, a Knowledge Exchange Session about a topic of your choice, at a round-table with maximum 10 participants, allowing for an interactive and energetic exchange of information and experiences.

Each type of submission has a specific format; please choose the one you would like to use and fill in the form accordingly.

Deadline for receipt of all proposals is Friday, December 10th, 2010.

We will be in contact by the end of February 2011 to let you know if your proposal has been accepted.

Selection Process

The content selection process is overseen by the Conference Organising Committee and guided by the feedback we receive from the Conference Advisory Committees and associated organisations. Our experience has been that we receive many more proposals and ideas than we can include, and as a general rule, approximately one third of all proposals received are accepted.

Selection is made on the basis of the proposal’s relevance to the conference themes, the experience and knowledge of the applicants, the practicalities of including the proposal within the conference format and a combination of the proposal’s innovativeness and practical value to conference participants.

Kindly note that we will only accept high quality papers and presentations. For us quality is
defined by papers that:

* are clearly grounded in context
* provide conceptual clarity
* are supported by clear reasoning
* are backed up with evidence
* are relevant for an African context
* are useful for practitioners, policymakers and prospective partners

and presentations that:

* are clear, concise, inspiring and interactive
* are adequately supported by relevant slides or other visuals
* provoke and invite discussions with the audience and other speakers.

Please note that priority is given to African-based speakers for proposals being made on behalf of initiatives undertaken on the Continent.

Deadline: 25 February 2011

Arabic Literature and Science Conference
May 25, 2011 – May 27, 2011
Venue: Wroclaw
Country: Poland
Organiser: University of Wroclaw
E-mail: arabicliteratureandscience@gmail.com

The goal of the conference is to examine and discuss the development of the Arabic literature laid down from the 6th to 21th century as well as to reflect on the Arabic science impact on the European scholarly knowledge through the classical period of the golden era of Islam and the modern Arabic scientific developments. We would like to encourage you to submit abstracts of papers to present during the conference.

The abstract should be written in English (300 – 500 words) and sent via e-mail to arabicliteratureandscience@gmail.com no later than 25th of February 2011.

The Call for Papers is addressed to all experts and PhD candidates conducting their research in following areas:

Themes

Classical and Modern Arabic Literature:

1. Preislamic poetry (the difficulties that are encountered by present day translations based on the means of poetic expression and archaic vocabulary. We encourage to discuss the common patterns and paradigms)
2. Ummayyad and Abbasid literature (what was the foundation of the new genre “Arabic epic” and its relationship to the early prose caused the development of the Arabic folk epic like “The Arabian Nights” and “Sirats”, between the 8th century (when the composition of those works began) and the half of the 12th century, when those romances (already at a very developed stage) gained great popularity as well.
3. Modern Arabic Poetry and Literature (how and in what scope Arabic Modern poets and writers were influenced by various ancient legends, myths and folk stories?)

Medieval and Modern Arabic Science and Technology Developments

1. We encourage to discuss the various aspects of scientific and technological developments associated with the Golden Age of Islam: astronomy, medicine, geography, mathematics, physics, zoology, engineering, the translation movement and knowledge transfer to Europe.
2. Examples of scientific and technological developments related with the Arab world taking place in the XX and XXI century: oil processing, robotics, engineering, computer sciences, ecological developments, medical developments etc.

For information please contact: arabicliteratureandscience@gmail.com

Deadline: 15 January 2011

Zanzibar Indian Ocean Research Institute (ZIORI) and the Research Network on 'The Indian Ocean as Visionary Area: Post-Multiculturalist Approaches to the Study of Culture and Globalisation'

Call for abstracts

Workshop on 'Development, Geopolitics and Cultural Exchange in the Indian Ocean'

Conveners: Abdul Sheriff and Preben Kaarsholm

Venue: ZIORI, Zanzibar

Time: 26 to 29 May 2011

Abstracts of appr. 500 words should be sent together with a one-page CV as e-mail attachments in Word to both conveners at the addresses asheriff@zitec.org and preben@ruc.dk before 15 January 2011.

Letters of acceptance will be sent out to participants by 31 January 2011.

The deadline for submission of papers accepted for presentation will be 1 May 2011.

Accommodation in Zanzibar will be offered to paper presenters for four nights.

In the majority of cases, workshop participants will be expected to cover their own costs of travel. A limited number of subsidies will be available for paper presenters, who are based in the Indian Ocean region, and are unable to raise their own travel funds.

Applications for a travel subsidy must be submitted together with the abstract by 15 January 2011.

Outline of workshop focus

Over the last century the Indian Ocean region has experienced social, political and cultural reconfigurations that are the outcomes of distinct regional circumstances, but also mirror broader global transformations since the colonial era. Regional resources – notably fossil fuels – have positioned the Indian Ocean rim as a critical arena for both the global economy and geopolitics. At the same time, recent scholarship has traced how colonialism, independence and the Cold War engendered novel forms of collaboration across the Indian Ocean region, while evolving communication technologies contributed to new cultural imaginations.

The tensions of decolonization, and the different paths pursued by littoral societies in the context of Cold War rivalry, created postcolonial legal edifices – entailing new definitions of the citizen and the political actor – and systems of governance, that had profound effects on modes of identification, and in some cases spurred foreign intervention. Furthermore, frustration with the lack of rapid economic growth brought about instabilities, which paradoxically contributed both to state fragility and more robust regimes of control.

The restructuring of the world capitalist order in recent decades has created opportunities for new powers to emerge from within the Indian Ocean – most notably China and India – that pose economic and, perhaps in the long run, political challenges to older global powerbrokers. This has established possibilities for the emergence of a more multi-polar world in which economic development and geopolitical alignments in the Indian Ocean are taking centre stage. The heightened US military presence in East Africa, the Persian Gulf, South Asia and on Indian Ocean islands in the context of the 'global war on terror' has fueled tensions between local concerns and transnational regimes of control. At the same time a new and more multi-polar power structure may help to bring about new forms of cultural connectivities and agendas for political collaboration and exchange.

These issues have deep historical resonances. Work by historians of the Indian Ocean has shown how questions surrounding piracy, jurisdiction, non-state networks and governance were prominent throughout the region's history, from the rise of Islam to the age of empires. Just as important, historical reflections have demonstrated how a range of groups contributed to shaping the legal, political and cultural contours of the Indian Ocean region.

This workshop aims to explore how systems of power and approaches to development have shaped the societies of the Indian Ocean rim both in the past and the present. Further, the workshop will address the significance of the combination of economic transformation and changing modes of human connectivity for the region as well as what such developments may mean for the future of the Indian Ocean and the world.

The conveners welcome papers directed at diverse perspectives and time periods. We hope to spark a lively conversation across disciplines and, to this end, encourage the participation of scholars with a background in international relations, history, political science, cultural and religious studies and other relevant fields.

Deadline: 17 December 2010

African American Femininities: The Michelle Obama Effect

Presenters receive a $250 honorarium

Each spring since 2008, the University of Texas at San Antonio African American Studies Spring Symposium Committee has hosted a daylong symposium on African American Studies. Our topics have ranged from explorations of African American identity across multiple academic disciplines to Black popular culture.

This spring, on Thursday, April 14, 2011, we will continue our annual tradition of offering an outstanding program centered on analyzing African American experiences. For this symposium, we will focus on the conflicting and complex representations and realities of contemporary African American women, with “African American Femininities: The Michelle Obama Effect” as the theme. We especially encourage paper topics and panel presentations led by academics, community leaders and other intellectuals on marriage, family, children, health, sexuality, work, relationships, spirituality, and education.

Please submit by December 17, 2010 a 500-word single-spaced abstract written in English. We ask that you include a title, author's name, rank, academic/work affiliation, and an email address. All decision letters will be emailed by January 21, 2011.

Dr. Rhonda M. Gonzales
One UTSA Circle
History Department
210-458-4026
Email: utsaafamsymp@gmail.com

Deadline: 1 December 2010

37th Annual African Literature Association Conference

Call for Papers

The 37th annual conference of the ALA will be convened at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio on April 13-17, 2011.

The conference theme is: "African Literature, Visual Arts, and Film in Local and Transnational Spaces."

Critical studies of African literature and arts in the past few decades have primarily focused on the categories of 'post-coloniality', 'hybridization', and 'syncretization' in their methodology and theorization of the fields. While these notions have been salient and useful, there is a wide recognition that they may not be adequate to map the contemporary concerns and forms of African literature and arts in a time chiefly defined by proliferating dynamics of trans-boundary cultural and material formations. According to contemporary critical thought, it is no longer possible to think of the "local" simply as a fixed entity within a nested global hierarchy or as an enclosed space, event, or cultural expression, just as it is impossible to imagine the "global" without recognizing (at least) its "partial embeddedness" (Saskia Sassen, 2003: 4) in the "local," which itself is complex, specific, and "thick" with its own particular conditions and histories of "struggles" (Samir Amin, 2002). The success or failure of impacting transnational forces, images, ideas, artistic genres, cultural products, and globalizing technologies, etc., generally depend on the structure and scale of the linking fostered and/or forced upon "those more local communities, tactics, and symbolic strategies of cultural location that confront and challenge them in the production of locality, local subjects, national situations, and the making of everyday space and public spheres of existence." (Rob Wilson and Wimal Dissanayake, 1996: 1)
The conference aims to initiate important academic and intellectual conversations about the complex interconnections of local and transnational practices and articulations, as inscribed in African literary, visual arts, and filmic representations. It particularly invites scholars and practitioners to identify and address the varied strategies of how local variants, contingent contexts, influences, agencies, or even trans-local and neo-global power circuits, reconfigure themselves to recast, facilitate and, sometimes, contest the effects, limitations, and excesses of the economy of material, social, and cultural production. At the same time, presuming that the "local" is more than an ossified or silent victim of the "global" but instead a space in motion, the conference encourages nuanced and engaging/provocative contributions on the historical and continued structural (material, cultural, and political) hegemony of the global on the local, and the consequences thereof for the future material and cultural well-being of the African continent as we, hopefully, move from a monocentric world-system to a polycentric world-space.

Sub-Themes: The sub-themes of the conference include, but are not limited to:

* Globalization and effects of denationalization of the African nation-state
* African memoirs and autobiographies (including narratives of conflict and reconciliation, writings by and on child soldiers, war children, orphans, street children, and by children parenting children, etc.)
* African film and images of global incorporation/disputation/local contestation
* Border-crossing of bodies, borderzone identities
* Politics and aesthetics of writing in local/transnational languages
* Translation as transnationalization
* Gender in the local/transnational
* Class, culture, and specific environments as elements of localization and/or transnationalization
* Ecological degradation/disasters
* Urban and rural space subjectivities
* African literature and arts in cyberspace
* Cultural practices of mobility and new African identities in world cities
* Translocal agents and spaces (NGOs, tourism, religious movements, solidarity groups, refugees, migrant hostels, diasporic neighborhoods, etc.)
* Aesthetics of local violence, memory and forgiveness
* Cre'olite'/transculturality
* Diasporic incarnations/interventions as sites of alternative normative visions
* Production, reception, and teaching of African texts, and images in local and transnational contexts
* Local and transnational flows of texts, arts, narratives, ideas, memories, cultures, symbols

Following the ALA tradition, papers and panels on all other aspects of African literature, arts, and film are also welcome.

Please send panel proposals or individual paper abstracts as a Word Document or PDF attachment by the deadline (December 1, 2010) to the convener, Ghirmai Negash, at: ala2011AthensOH@gmail.com.

The email must include:

* Name
* Affiliation
* Complete Mailing Address
* Country
* Telephone
* Email

If proposing a panel, please also include:

* Panel Chair
* Panel Title
* Panel Members, Affiliations, and Paper Titles