CFP: Feminist Afterlives of Colonialism

Feminist Afterlives of Colonialism

Feminist Afterlives of Colonialism is a two-day, interdisciplinary conference on the topic of critical feminist approaches to the coloniality of gender that will be held at the University of Oregon on May 12th - 13th, 2023. 

As we navigate the myriad crises and possibilities interspersed throughout the world and our many worlds, we find ourselves embedded in experiences and movements of life, resistance, and re-existence marked by the history of colonialism. We are breathing, and struggling to breathe, in the afterlife(s) of colonialism. The idea is inspired by African-American thinker Saidiya Hartman’s concept of the “afterlife of slavery”, the continuation of the devaluation of Black life born out of slavery into the present—an insight that was expanded in relationship with decolonial thought by Rocío Zambrana’s reinterpretation of coloniality as the “afterlife of slavery”. To name or enunciate, “the afterlife of colonialism,” that is, to trace and struggle against the reproduction of racial, colonial and gender hierarchies and violences, requires a particular commitment to decolonial and feminist thought and praxis. 

The goal of this conference is to facilitate conversations regarding the history of colonialism and its afterlives between decolonial, postcolonial, anti-colonial, and indigenous scholarship that will support liberatory initiatives to reimagine and build pathways for decolonization and networks of solidarity across different geopolitical spaces.

Interestingly, there has been an overemphasis on particular interpretations of doing 'decolonial thinking’ that tend not to include theorists working in the Global South, outside of academic departments, and outside the United States, as well as within marginalized communities within the United States. This conference will underscore the importance of broadening the definition of decolonial thought within philosophy and other disciplines such as (but not limited to) art, anthropology, sociology, geography, political economy, and literary studies; as well as questioning the categories of “women” and “feminism” within Western feminist philosophy. 

Feminist Afterlives of Colonialism will provide like-minded scholars and activists working on issues of the Global South to connect, inquire, and form much-needed scope for intellectual and creative allyship and provide space for crafting networks of solidarity.

We invite scholars and activists who have done work on critical approaches to the intersectionality of gender and coloniality to present papers, prepare workshops and share their work and knowledge from their disciplines and lived experiences. Zoom options will be considered for scholars and activists who cannot travel to the University of Oregon. Please indicate in the submission of the proposal if the modality is in-person or remote. 

We welcome papers and workshop proposals on the following topics: 

·       Decolonial methods and/or pedagogies

·       Modern Colonial Gender System or Coloniality of Gender

·       Global South feminisms

·       Bodies, embodiment, affectivity

·       Solidarity and coalition (transnational)

·       Borders, geographies, temporalities

·       Language, writing, (in)visibility

·       Resistance and re-existence

·       Prison Abolition, Captivity, Fugitivity, and Marronage 

·       Disability Justice, Crip Theory, and Care Work

·       Feminism and decolonization struggles

·       Intersections of decolonial feminism with trans feminism 

·       Feminist critiques to imperialism, capitalism, and racial capitalism

·       Feminist activism in the Global South and decolonial feminist praxis

·       Critique to the category “women” from decolonial(s) feminism and the Global South feminism

Submission Instructions:

For paper presentation proposals:

1.      Paper presentations will be 20 minutes long.

2.     Send a pdf of your paper title and abstract (350 – 500 words). 

3.     Include relevant Personal Identifying Information (i.e., name, email, title, institutional affiliation, organization, etc.) in the submission email and NOT in the abstract document.

4.     Please specify if the modality of the presentation will be in-person or remote (Zoom).

For panel proposals:

1.      Panels are made up of 3 to 4 members and will be given a total of 75 minutes to present. 

2.     The chair of the panel will submit a pdf document of the panel title and abstract (350 – 500 words).

3.     Each panelist will also provide their individual abstracts (~200 words) in the same pdf document as the panel abstract.

4.     Please include the relevant Personal Identifying Information (i.e., name email, title, institutional affiliation, organization, etc.) of each panelist in the submission email and NOT in the abstract document. 

5.     Please specify if the modality of the presentation will be in-person or hybrid (i.e., some panelists in-person, some remote). 

For workshop proposals:

1.      Workshops will be 60 minutes long.

2.     Send a pdf of your workshop abstract (350 – 500 words) which includes the title, topic of the workshop, the planned activities, and an explanation of contribution to the conference’s subject-matter(s). 

3.     Include relevant Personal Identifying Information (i.e., name, email, title, institutional affiliation, organization, etc.) in the submission email and NOT in the abstract document.

4.    Workshop presentations will be expected to be held in-person. 

Send submissions to [email protected] with “Feminist Afterlives” as the subject. We will only consider one proposal per submission.

We have limited travel funding available. If you would like to be considered for travel funding, please mention that in your submission.

We have extended our deadline for submission to January 30, 2023, at 11:59pm PST.

 Participants will receive an email with our decision by February 28th, 2023. 

We look forward to reading your submissions. If you have any questions regarding the submission process, the conference proper, or would like to express concerns regarding accessibility and accommodations, please reach out to the email provided above. We will be announcing our keynote speaker(s) soon. 

Sincerely,

The Decolonial Philosophies Collaboratory,  University of Oregon