CFP: Representing Blackness: Performing Africa in the Diaspora and the Diaspora in Africa (10/12/04 & 11/12/04; 4/1/05-4/2/05)

Representations of Blackness: Performing Africa in the Diaspora and
the Diaspora in Africa
Central Pennsylvania Consortium Africana Studies Conference 2005
Black Cultural Arts Weekend
April 1-2, 2005

Moving beyond the debate of good and bad images, this conference
seeks to bring together scholars, visual and performing artists, and
social activists who are critically engaging in the study and
production of Black identity and/or Black communities. We come
together to explore the representations of Blackness in local and
global contexts, and in spaces clearly marked as Black and in spaces
marked White. Open to all disciplines, this conference is driven by
broad questions such as: How do representations of Africa affect
constructions of Blackness over time, space, language and national
boundaries? How have Africans constructed or rejected notions of
transnational Blackness that tied the Continent to the Diaspora or
individual ethnic groups and nations to each other? How do
representations of Blackness in our political, popular and legal
discourses position African descended peoples to exercise or
relinquish their power? How has the recent immigration of
Continental Africans to the United States and other countries with
historically entrenched African communities affected definitions and
performances of Blackness?

The intention of the organizers is to provide a venue for exchange
and dialogue between creative artists and academics, between students
and faculty and between scholars in the humanities and those in the
social and natural sciences. We invite and are planning
unconventional conference formats such as pairing academic papers
with live performance, visual artists and performing artists, a
roundtable discussion led by Black Student Union and African Student
leaders, etc. Organized into two plenaries per day as well as
concurrent panels/presentations, the conference will also feature a
keynote address and performance by Mr. Danny Glover, actor and
Chairman of the Board of the TransAfrica organization.

Call for Papers
We invite proposals which include a title of the paper and an
abstract that details the contents of the proposed paper and how the
paper fits into the conference's theme. Proposals are limited to 300
words. Entire panels composed of two presenters and a discussant are
welcome. Paper presentations will be limited to 25 minutes.
Deadline Nov. 12, 2004.

Call for Performances
We invite performers with minimal production needs to participate in
this conference. Proposals should include the name of the work, a
summary of its aims or plot, technical requirements including set,
sound, and lighting, number of performers and tech staff, and the
piece's performance history. Also include a sample of the proposed
work on DVD or CD. If it is new work, please include a sample of
previous work. One or two press clipping are also welcome. Deadline
Oct. 30, 2004. Accompany samples with SASE.

Call for Performances and Paper Projects
We invite proposals that feature artistic scholars teams which
combine papers and performance or visual arts. These presentations
must include the same information as the Paper and Performance
proposals. An example of this might include a scene from a play
paired with a scholarly discussion of its themes, aesthetics, etc.
Deadline Oct. 12, 2004.

Franklin and Marshall College is about 90 minutes from Philadelphia
Int'l and Baltimore/Washington Int'l Airports. We can also be
reached via Amtrak --only 3 1/2 hours from NYC via train.

Send proposals to Dr. Amanda Kemp, Chair of Africana Studies
Franklin and Marshall College
P.O. Box 3003
Lancaster, PA 17603
717-358-4623
akemp_at_fandm.edu

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Received on Wed Oct 06 2004 - 09:58:48 EDT