PRELIMINARY CALL FOR PAPERS

1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
“Postcolonial Islands: Geographic, Theoretical and Human”

Queen’s Postcolonial Research Forum is hosting its first international conference at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd September 2007. Confirmed Plenary Speakers: Professor C.L. Innes (University of Kent) and Professor Paulo de Medeiros (University of Utrecht).

The theme of the conference, “Postcolonial Islands: Geographic, Theoretical and Human”, seeks to bring critical focus to three areas: the current realities of formerly colonized island nations; the existence of theoretical perspectives that are critical of or run counter to prevailing theories of the postcolonial; and the phenomenon of “foreign” communities living within a dominant host community, whether of migrants, refugees or others who have left their countries of origin.

By analysing these areas it is expected that papers will highlight the problematic of specific entities (geographical islands or communities) and theoretical lines of thought that attempt to engage with “hegemonic” geo-political realities without losing their own specificities, or that point to the omission of their own realities from dominant narratives that seek to explain (and export) the “globalized” world.

Reflecting the multidisciplinarity of Queen’s Postcolonial Research Forum, and the multifaceted nature of the conference’s theme, we invite the participation of colleagues from any academic discipline who wish to participate in an exploration of the concept(s) of “Postcolonial Islands: Geographic, Theoretical and Human”. Furthermore, and in accordance with a genuine desire to learn from other colleagues’ research, we encourage not only presentations arising from “mature” projects, but also “work in progress” or more “exploratory” work.

Queen’s Postcolonial Research Forum therefore welcomes abstracts of approximately 250 words in length for twenty-minute papers in English dealing with the themes outlined above. We would also welcome the organization of panels (consisting of three speakers and a moderator) dealing with specific issues related to the overall themes of the conference. Queen’s Postcolonial Research Forum foresees the publication of papers (expanded, revised and submitted to a peer-review process) in one or more volumes, according to principles of intellectual and theoretical coherence that will give such publications editorial consistency.

Please send your abstracts as a Word attachment by email to Dr Anthony Soares ( a.soares@qub.ac.uk ) by Friday 16 March 2007. For further details please contact Dr Anthony Soares, or visit our website: www.qub.ac.uk/qprf.