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Call for
Papers
In
his momentous Sorry speech of February 13, 2008, Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd confidently announced Australia's firm resolution
to turn a new page in history by writing the wrongs of the
past and find solutions for the future. The overwhelming
task at hand for Australians in the 21st century is none
but to close the gap that lies between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
peoples and shape the next chapter of their history by redefining
the terms of the country's foundational myths and (his)stories.
Certainly, to quote from Henry Lawson, the country has come
a long way since "it began to boomerang". But in order to
take heart for the future and for its peoples to become
fully reconciled to their past they need to revisit and
reassess whole chapters of their history until old lies,
myths and stereotypes dissolve and clear the ground for
new solutions, aimed at reconciliation but addressing also
possible ways of articulating a multicultural Australia.
Across
the Tasman they have been clearing the ground for a considerably
longer while; nonetheless there are still pending gaps to
be bridged, not only between Maori and Pakeha, but with
other ethnic and social minorities, in relation to their
position and partaking in the diverse national debates in
which New Zealand is currently engaged. 2008 has been a
year of political change and therefore this seems to be
a especially good moment both to discuss possible solutions
for old and new problems and to consider the revision, if
not the dissolution, of some of the country's narratives
and myths.
As
for the wider Pacific region, the challenges faced by its
peoples in the 21st century continue to be determined by
uninterrupted currents of change. Migration movements, political
and economic instabilities and global flows of transcultural
exchange have altered the profile of the region, resulting
both in the dissolution of local allegiances and traditional
values and in the creation of new transnational bonds and
interinsular networks, which will inevitably determine the
future of the region and the ways in which we choose to
undertake any discussion of its past.
Under
the same sun, but from the opposite hemisphere, with this
conference we propose to light a homely fire, put another
billy on and invite boiling academic discussion over the
issue of national and cultural (dis)solutions in Australia,
New Zealand and the Pacific. Our aim will be to explore
to what extent the future of these nations and the region
at large will depend on the disintegration of the allegiances
and narratives of the past, whether those old approaches
that have failed so far can really be superseded by new
political solutions, new cultural (re)constructions and
narrative formulas, and which aspects are involved in the
process of (dis)solving the past and the present to go forward
with confidence.
We
particularly welcome submissions that are concerned with
(but not limited to):
- The
dissolution, reconstruction, faking and performance of
cultural, national and ethnic identities.
- The
dissolution of History in favour of histories, herstories,
stories.
- Dissolutions
and new configurations of landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes.
- Dissolutions
of gender, racial, social, ethnic and indigenous conflicts.
- Dis/solving
multicultural, migration, refugee issues.
- Dis/solving
historical mysteries, silences, traumas.
- Dissolving
and resolving political and cultural dilemmas of the 21st
century.
- Dis/solving
memories. Re/membering stories.
- Dis/solutions
and dis/illusions.
- Diasporic,
global and local dis/solutions.
Our
Association's inter- and multidisciplinary approach to studies
on Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific can host presentations
from a wide range of disciplines and subject areas such
as: Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Ethnic Studies, Gender
Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature, Media and Film
Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Visual and performing
arts, etc. We encourage a liberal and creative approach
to the topic.
Postgraduate
Seminar
One
day preceding the conference will be devoted to a Postgraduate
Seminar, where postgraduate/advanced students will be able
to discuss their work with experts in their field in a lecture
+ workshop format. Postgraduate students who wish to participate
in the seminar please contact
eva.perez@uib.es.
Book Presentations
If
you wish to present your book at EASA 2009, send an email
to
marta.fernandez@uib.es.
Please note that only books published after September 2008
are eligible for presentation.
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