26629: Bellegarde-Smith (announce) : Caribbean Studies Association's 31st Annual Conference (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: P D Bellegarde-Smith <pbs@csd.uwm.edu>

CALL FOR PAPERS:  31st Annual Conference of the Caribbean Studies
Association in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, May 29 to June 2,
2006, (Crowne Plaza Hotel).



"The Caribbean in the Age of Modernity: The Role of the Academy in
Responding to the Challenges of the Region."





"The fact is that the Caribbean region, as the first overseas outpost of
European imperialism and capitalism, was "westernized," "modernized,"
and "developed" before most of the colonial world had even become
colonial, and that the peoples of the Caribbean - whatever their
physical type- are the peculiarly disfranchised beneficiaries of
centuries of Western capitalist solicitude."

Caribbean Transformations by Sidney Mintz, 1989: Columbia University
Press: Morningside Edition: New York.



"The Caribbean was itself the creation of a modernist scheme established
with unusual clarity and completeness by Europeans, and today the IMF
and World Bank continue to exert this peculiar rationality of economics,
if in less extreme fashion."

Modernity, An Ethnographic Approach: Dualism and Mass Consumption in
Trinidad. (1997) Berg Publishers, Oxford, UK.

__________________________________



The challenges of underdevelopment and globalization continue to exact
considerable hardships upon the people of the Caribbean region.  In the
face of these challenges, the traditional isolation of the Ivory Tower
is especially problematic.  Far too often, scholars based at
universities, engage in research and academic work that are not readily
available to individuals outside the academy.  This is in distinct
contrast to professionals, administrators, policy-makers, and
politicians whose work, by its very nature, is one of practical
engagement and problem solving.  As a result of this separation, the
strengths and benefits of scholarly research are often not utilized by
those preoccupied with addressing pressing matters, and questions are
raised regarding the value of public investments to support universities
and scholarly endeavors that are not regarded as helpful or relevant to
the peoples of region.



The theme of the 31st annual conference of the Caribbean Studies
Association is aimed at addressing this dilemma directly.  How can
scholars located in the academy engage more directly and more
specifically in research that is relevant to the many challenges facing
the Caribbean region?  What types of research and scholarship might be
of greatest value and what forms should they take?



We seek scholarly papers from individuals spanning the broadest
disciplinary and methodological range whose work focuses upon the
Caribbean and its Diaspora.  In this we include the Circum Caribbean
region incorporating Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, and
North-East Brazil.  We also seek to encourage papers and contributions
from professionals, those engaged in the formulation and implementation
of public policy, and public and private sector administrators. We see
this conference as an opportunity to begin a dialogue among and between
scholars and practitioners to chart a course for the practical
engagement of academic researchers with the problems facing the
Caribbean region.  We invite individual papers but strongly encourage
panel proposals with themes intended to provoke stimulating discussion
and debate. Graduate student papers and panels are particularly
encouraged.  Papers and panels from all disciplines are sought,
including (but not limited to): the social sciences and humanities,
biological and physical sciences, as well as interdisciplinary fields
such as gender and women's studies, Diaspora studies and ethnic studies.
Artists in film, music and theater are also encouraged to participate.
Papers from professional practitioners, policy makers, politicians, and
public and private sector administrators from the region are especially
encouraged.  We also encourage papers that interrogate, enhance and
preserve the rich cultures of the region.



All paper presentations will last for an absolute maximum of 15 minutes.



Please e-mail a paper (or panel) title, a 300-word abstract (for each
paper), a brief CV (for each presenter), and a disciplinary affiliation
no later than December 20th to Dr. Kristen Ghodsee at kghodsee@yahoo.com
<mailto:kghoadsee@yahoo.com> .   Include in this e-mail your complete
contact information or the complete contact information of the panel
chair.  Panel chairs will be responsible for communicating with their
panel members.



All those who submit papers and/or panels will be notified no later than
March 1st of their participation.








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