Call For Papers - May 20-22, 2009

“Performing cultural diversity, re-orienting postcolonialism
and negotiating the future...”

Call for Papers

Informed by various theoretical enterprises, postcolonial theory and discourse for the last few decades have created unprecedented critical attention to myriads of constituencies victimized by imperialist representation and colonial rule. Many postcolonial readings have aimed primarily at subverting the hierarchical colonial dichotomy and rewriting subaltern histories. Given the status of our current geopolitical environment, some critics have already started questioning the relevance of postcolonialism as a representative discourse today. As the site of diverse historical, literary, cultural, and artistic convergences, Tangier has been and continues to be the quintessential postcolonial space for created hybridities and cultural pluralism. The fifth international Tangier conference will focus on an evaluation of the diverse discourses that inform "postcolonial" representations (cultural, political, social, artistic, theoretical, and literary) of Tangier and their relation to the city as a historically material presence. What is the relationship between Tangier as an imagined space and Tangier as a performative space? How do postcolonial theories of hybridity, cultural nomadism, and transcendental identities relate to the materially lived experience of Tangerois? While ample attention has been given to Tangier in its historically global relations, it is equally important to further investigate, as Hardt and Negri put it, "the production of locality, that is, the social machines that create and recreate the identities and differences that are understood as the local."

The aim of the conference is therefore to interrogate and try to bridge the chasm between the theoretical and the material, the local and the global, the past and the present to open new venues for the future. Building on the themes of the previous conferences, we specifically invite papers and panels that will continue the evaluations of the voices of Tangier and its historical and cultural status, and also gesture toward the future to propose and discuss the cultural, literary, and artistic opportunities that Tangier will continue to provide and the role it will continue to play in our ever shifting global cultural map.

Topics may include but are not limited to:
  • A critique of postcolonial Theories
  • A critique of postcolonial representations of Tangier
  • Performance and cultural diversity
  • Tangier as a historical site of cultural diversity
  • The future of Tangier as world cultural capital
  • The status of Tangier within globalism
  • Tangier between the word and the world
Evaluations of individual authors and artists such as: Rachida Madani, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Mohamed Choukri, Mohammed Azeddine Tazi, Ahmed Beroho, Souad Bahechar, Moumen Smihi, Farida Belyazid, Anouar Majid, Jillali Farhati, Mohamed Abdaoui, Zoubeir Ben Bouchta, Moukhtar Chaoui, to Khalil el Ghrib, Badia Hadj Nasser, the author of Nedjma… and many others…

The Organizing Committee invites papers from scholars of all relevant disciplines – such as Performance Studies, English, History, Ethno-Musicology, Language and Literature Programs, Cultural Studies, Communication, Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science, Gender and Women’s Studies, Philosophy, Psychology – as well as from Artists, and especially encourages papers that focus on a critique of postcolonialism.

Proposals:

A 250 word abstract of proposed papers, along with a brief curriculum vitae, must be submitted electronically (preferably in Word or Rich Text format) by 31 December 2008 to the Organizing Committee care of Professor Khalid Amine, ICPS President and Conference Convener.

Acceptance:

Submitters of accepted proposals will be notified within two weeks of the above deadline and all decisions of the organizing committee are final. Acceptance, however, unfortunately does not include any financial support - participants are responsible for their own funding (i.e. securing grants, etc.) to pay for travel and lodging expenses. Selected conference papers will be published in a special volume.

Emerging Scholars’ Panel:

The conference is also a home for graduate students and emerging scholars from different parts of the world. The establishment of an emerging Scholars’ panel invites new voices to join the debate. Up to three participants will be selected for this panel, and each panelist will have fifteen minutes to deliver her/his paper. Graduate students whose papers are accepted will receive free conference registration, free admission to conference luncheon, and a one-year membership in ICPS. To be considered for this panel, please submit your 10-12 page paper by January 15th 2009 to Pr Khalid Amine.

Registered Attendees:

The conference is now attracting an international audience reaching far beyond the presenters; registered attendees are welcome and cordially invited to join in all the activities.

Registration:

Register by email to Dr Khalid Amine at khamine55(at)gmail(dot)com. Please include any affiliations and a brief bio (one paragraph) and indicate if you plan to participate as an "attendee" or "presenter".

Fee:

$ 100 payable upon arrival. It includes 2 gala receptions, conference pack, tickets for public concerts and site-specific performances, free guided tour of the medina, and the book of published proceedings from the previous conference.

Conference Location:

CHELLAH HOTEL, 47-49 Rue ALLAL BEN ABDELLAH –BP 399, Tangier, Morocco. Tel: (212-3) 932 10 02/3 Fax: (212-3) 932 09 98 email: ksarchellah@menara.ma

Guests who will arrive in Tangier before the conference can stay at Hotel Chellah*** A, at the same conference rates (30 Euros each, single room with TV and private bath, breakfast and lunch included). The price of a double room per night is 45 Euros, and triple 58 Euros (of course including breakfast and lunch). Those who wish to extend their stay in Tangier right after the conference will also benefit from the same discount: 70 % off. The same discount will apply to participants’ companions and attendees.

Academic Co-conveners:
  • Khalid Amine, Coordinator of the Research Group of Performance Studies, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tétouan & President of the International Center for Performance Studies, Morocco, khamine@zedat.fu-berlin.de or khamine55@gmail.com
  • Andrew Hussey, Dean of the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), nuh@aber.ac.uk
  • Allen Hibard, Director of the Middle East Centre at Middle Tennessee State University, USA, ahibbard@mtsu.edu
  • Barry Tharaud, editor and publisher of the international scholarly journal, Nineteenth-Century Prose; Professor at Doğuş University, İstanbul, Adjunct Professor, San Diego State University, U.S.A., barrytharaud@yahoo.com
  • José Manuel Gonï Pérez, Professor at the Department of European Languages, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, jsg@aber.ac.uk
  • George F. Roberson, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Geography Human Dimensions Research Group, University of Massachusetts – Amherst, USA, pelerinmondial@yahoo.com
  • Salah M. Moukhlis, Associate Professor of Comparative Studies and World Literatures, California State University San Marcos, USA, smoukhli@csusm.edu

Organizing Committee:

  • Nadia Khoumbarek, ICPS Member
  • Rajae Khaloufi, ICPS Member, Web Contributor, Editor
  • Alfred Hackensberger, Poet & Journalist, Germany
  • Mustapha Hilal Soussi, ICPS Archivist and Translator
  • Yassine Harouchi, ICPS Member
  • Soufiane Chami, ICPS Member and Masters Candidate of English
  • Badreddine Charab, ICPS member & Volunteers
Languages:

Arabic, Tamazight, French, Spanish, and English.





Adresse: Résidence Aya N° 50, Rue Mahatma Ghandi, Tanger 90 000, Maroc.
Tél/Fax: (212) 393330466, Portable: 064596791
E-mail: khamine@zedat.fu-berlin.de or khamine55@gmail.com.
Web: http://icpsresearch.blogspot.com/