Conference Description:
\nOver the past several decades\, the study of Indigenous thought has received increasing attention within philosophy and related disciplines. Recent books\, edited volumes\, journal articles\, conference sessions\, and ongoing publications have expanded discussions of Indigenous intellectual traditions throughout North\, Central\, and South America\, contributing to a growing recognition of these traditions as rich and sophisticated bodies of knowledge worthy of study in their own right. Recent collections such as American Indian Thought: Philosophical Essays\, Ways of Being in the World: An Introduction to Indigenous Philosophies of Turtle Island\, and the American Philosophical Association's Native American and Indigenous Philosophy Newsletter further demonstrate the continued growth of the field and the important contributions of contemporary Indigenous scholars and philosophers.
\nIndigenous intellectual traditions have long wrestled with many of the same fundamental questions that have occupied philosophical\, religious\, and intellectual traditions throughout the world. These include questions concerning God or the divine\, reality\, metaphysics\, epistemology\, ethics\, political authority\, cosmology\, personhood\, humanity's relationship with the natural world\, and the preservation of knowledge through oral traditions\, ritual\, art\, architecture\, dance\, language\, and material culture. For example\, Nahua (Aztec) traditions offer sophisticated reflections on teotl\, reality\, motion\, time\, space\, nature\, and the human condition. Likewise\, Andean traditions present distinctive perspectives concerning Viracocha as the supreme creator\, cosmology\, reciprocity\, the soul\, community\, and ethics. Maya traditions likewise offer profound reflections on creation\, time\, kingship\, ritual\, and humanity's place within the cosmos. Contemporary Indigenous scholars continue to expand these conversations through work in philosophy\, environmental thought\, political theory\, theology\, Indigenous methodologies\, and decolonial studies.
\nThe Oakton College Conference on Indigenous Thought in the Americas seeks to contribute to this growing conversation by bringing together scholars from a variety of disciplines to explore Indigenous thought broadly construed. We welcome scholarship from philosophy\, religious studies\, theology\, anthropology\, archaeology\, history\, Indigenous studies\, literature\, art history\, linguistics\, and related fields that examines the intellectual\, religious\, philosophical\, cultural\, artistic\, and historical traditions of Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas. These examples represent only a small sample of the diverse intellectual traditions found throughout the Americas\, from precolonial traditions to contemporary Indigenous thought.
\nWe welcome papers that investigate questions such as:
\nIndigenous Philosophy and Worldviews
\n&bull\; What is Indigenous thought?
\n&bull\; What is Indigenous philosophy?
\n&bull\; How should Indigenous intellectual traditions be studied?
\n&bull\; What are Indigenous conceptions of God or the divine?
\n&bull\; What metaphysical\, epistemological\, and ethical frameworks emerge from Indigenous traditions?
\n&bull\; What are Indigenous conceptions of personhood\, community\, and political authority?
\n&bull\; How do Indigenous understandings of nature\, the environment\, and the cosmos compare with other philosophical traditions? \;
\nReligion\, Theology\, and Spirituality
\n&bull\; What is the relationship between Indigenous thought and religion?
\n&bull\; What is the relationship between Indigenous thought and theology?
\n&bull\; In what ways do Indigenous traditions interact with\, are compatible with\, or enter into dialogue with Christianity and other religious traditions?
\n&bull\; How should Indigenous rituals\, ceremonies\, and sacred narratives be interpreted? \;
\nArchaeology\, Material Culture\, and the Arts
\n&bull\; What can archaeological discoveries contribute to our understanding of Indigenous intellectual traditions?
\n&bull\; What religious\, philosophical\, or spiritual insights can be gained from Indigenous artifacts\, architecture\, monuments\, and material culture?
\n&bull\; What philosophical or cultural significance is expressed through Indigenous art\, symbolism\, iconography\, music\, or dance?
\n&bull\; What meanings are conveyed through traditions such as Nahua (Aztec) danza and other ceremonial dances? \;
\nTexts\, Language\, and Oral Traditions
\n&bull\; How should colonial-era Indigenous texts\, codices\, manuscripts\, and oral traditions be interpreted?
\n&bull\; What philosophical insights can be gained from Indigenous myths\, narratives\, songs\, poetry\, and storytelling?
\n&bull\; What role do Indigenous languages play in preserving intellectual traditions? \;
\nContemporary Indigenous Thought
\n&bull\; How do contemporary Indigenous scholars engage with traditional Indigenous knowledge and contemporary philosophical debates?
\n&bull\; What role does Indigenous thought play in discussions of environmental ethics\, political philosophy\, sovereignty\, decolonization\, and public life?
\n&bull\; What contributions can Indigenous intellectual traditions make to contemporary scholarship?
\nComparative and Interdisciplinary Studies
\n&bull\; How do Indigenous intellectual traditions compare with Western\, African\, Asian\, or other philosophical traditions?
\n&bull\; What interdisciplinary approaches best illuminate Indigenous thought in the Americas? \;
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\nCall for Abstracts
\nWe invite scholars\, faculty\, graduate students\, and independent researchers to submit abstracts of 250&ndash\;300 words addressing any of the themes and questions outlined above. Submissions may explore Indigenous thought from philosophical\, historical\, religious\, archaeological\, anthropological\, literary\, artistic\, linguistic\, or other interdisciplinary perspectives.
\nAccepted abstracts will be selected for 20&ndash\;25-minute conference presentations\, followed by 10 minutes of questions and discussion.
\nSubmission Instructions: Please include the following in the subject line of your submission email: "Oakton College Conference on Indigenous Thought in the Americas: An Interdisciplinary Conference" \;You can send the abstracts to joalvarez@oakton.edu.
\nSubmission Deadline: February 10.
ORGANIZER;CN=Joel D Alvarez;CN=Thomas Bowen: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR