THE NEW SUBJECTIVITIES OF GLOBAL CAPITALISM: SPIRITUALITY, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE WORLD OF WORK

Guest speakers:

Emma BELL (The Open University, UK)
Ekaterina CHERTKOVSKAYA (Lund University, Sweden)
François GAUTHIER (University of Fribourg, Switzerland)
Scott TAYLOR (University of Birmingham, UK)

Conference organized by the Sociology Department of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj- Napoca, Romania1

Conference Dates: 18th – 20th of September, 2017
Venue: Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Sociology Department, BBU Deadline for abstract submission: 7th of August 2017Notification for acceptance: 15th of August, 2017

Abstracts of papers should be submitted to the following email addresses: Sorin Gog (soringog@yahoo.com) or Anca Simionca (ancasimionca@gmail.com)

The current neo-liberal transformations of global capitalism have produced throughout the world lasting and significant changes. At the same time, they have generated new cultural ontologies, institutions and social practices which are embedded, appropriated and sometimes resisted in local political, religious and social contexts. This conference focuses on the emergence of new forms of subjectivities that encourages individuals to govern themselves by becoming more creative, competitive and entrepreneurial. An important  aspect of the contemporary neo-liberal governmentality is represented by the role played by the various embodiments of a new spirit of capitalism based on an ethic of self- transformations that instills in its subjects a sense of responsibility, autonomy and most of all an immanent desire for authenticity. In this context we have witnessed in the past decade the emergence of new alternative religions and spiritualities, workshops for personal development, integrative and trans-personal psychologies, popular therapeutic expertise on management of the self; these new technologies of care for human resources that aim at socializing new subjectivities have spread not only in work environments and governmental agencies but also in educational establishments, healthcare and social work programs.
The aim of this conference is to explore on one hand the religious changes in contemporary society and the way these new spiritualities (yoga, theta healing, meditation, holotropic breathing, familial constellations, reiki. etc.) are becoming an important component not only of popular culture but of various professional fields (management, psychology, psychotherapy, medicine, sport, etc.) and shape a culture of neo-liberal subjectivities. On the other hand we want to analyze the transformative changes of the neo-liberal economic environment, especially those sectors that experiment with a new spirit of capitalism through innovative forms of management of individuals and creative policies for developing human resources.
This conference aims to bring together scholars from a broad field of social sciences (anthropology, sociology, religious studies, political science, critical management studies) that are interested in the contemporary flourishing of new forms of subjectivities and in the role they play in contemporary capitalist societies. The goal of the conference is to discuss local instances of how neo-liberalism is reproduced through what appears as transformative ethics of self-realization and to analyze the mechanisms of generating ‘enterprising’ and ‘competitive’ subjectivities that are engaged in transforming their inner selves and their social environments in accordance with the prevailing economic rationalities.

We welcome papers that:

• explore the new landscapes of religion and spirituality and ways in which these new cultural ontologies are appropriated by global capitalism;

• explore the role played by the spiritual and personal development programs in shaping a new sense of self that is adapted to the contemporary social and economic conditions;

• explore how the neoliberal economic transformations are contested and resisted by traditional religions and the way moral communities are creatively reframed in order to engage with these vast social and economic transformations.

• explore the transformations within the psy-disciplines and the role they have played in the implementation of technologies of intervention and in the popularization of devices self-production through the mass consumption of psychological expertise (therapies, clinical mediation, self-help literature);

• explore the role played by the spiritual and personal development sector in further legitimizing the understanding of individuals as fully responsible for their employability and the outcome of their attempts to better position themselves within organizations or in the labor market.

• explore changes in the world of work through recent processes like de- proletarianisation or re-proletarianisation and the subsequent transformations of the workers’ sense of the self; analyze how the reconfiguration of regions as economic units transform the nature and experience of work.

• any other topic related to neoliberal subjectivities in religions, organizations, work environments and popular culture.

  Participation, abstracts and registration

  The conference is open to all academics, researchers and MA/PhD Students working on related topics. Please submit an abstract of no more than 200 words before 7th of August 2017 to the following email addresses: Sorin Gog (soringog@yahoo.com) or Anca Simionca (ancasimionca@gmail.com). The authors will be notified about the acceptance of their abstracts before 15th of August 2017. There is no registration fee for this conference. Participants are expected however to cover for their travel to Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Upon request, the organizers can provide accommodation for a limited number of participants. ​

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Call for Papers

We are pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the Eighth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society, held 17–18 April 2018 at the University of California at Berkeley in Berkeley, USA.
Founded in 2011, the conference brings together scholars, teachers, and practitioners to reflect on the relationships of religion and spirituality to society. The conference aims to provide a space for careful, scholarly reflection and open dialogue.
We invite proposals for paper presentations, workshops/interactive sessions, posters/exhibits, colloquia, innovation showcases, virtual posters, or virtual lightning talks. The conference features research addressing the annual themes.

For more information regarding the conference, use the links below to explore our conference website.

Call for Papers
Themes

Presentation Types
Scopes & Concerns

List of Accepted Proposals
Emerging Scholar Awards

Submit a Proposal

Submit your proposal by 17 September 2017.

We welcome the submission of proposals to the conference at any time of the year before the final submission deadline. All proposals will be reviewed within two to four weeks of submission.
If you are unable to attend the conference in person, you may present in a virtual poster session or a virtual lightning talk. Virtual Sessions enable participants to present work to a body of peers and to engage with colleagues from afar.
As virtual participants, presenters are scheduled in the formal program, have access to select conference content, can submit an article for peer review and possible publication, may upload an online presentation, and can enjoy Annual Membership to the research network and subscriber access to The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society.

Common Ground Research Networks
University of Illinois Research Park
2001 South First Street, Suite 202
Champaign, IL 61820 USA

CALL FOR PAPERS

The IX Islamic Legal Studies Conference, convened by the International Society of Islamic Legal Studies (ISILS) under the auspices of the Universities of Helsinki and Tampere, Finland, June 6–9, 2018

http://www.isils.net/conferences

ISILS invites paper proposals for its ninth Islamic Law and Society conference, to be held in Finland, June 6–9, 2018. Unlike previous conferences, the conference will be open topic—presentations on all aspects of Islamic law, from earliest to most recent times, are welcome.

The conference will be divided into two parts. In the first, which will take place in Helsinki, a keynote address and an invited panel of five speakers will present on “Islamic Law and the Relationship between Ruler and Ruled.” The keynote will be given by Frank Vogel (Cambridge, MA), who will explore Sharia doctrine regarding legal status of the governed. It will be followed by a panel made up of Lena Salaymeh (Tel Aviv), Christian Müller (Paris), Evgenia Kermeli (Ankara), Rob Gleave (Exeter), and Mulki al-Sharmani (Helsinki), who will each present case studies from different periods evidencing the shaping and reconstituting of subjecthood in legal practice.

The second part, which will take place in Tampere over two-and-a-half days, will consist of 20-minute presentations; preference is given to discussions based on primary text analysis or fieldwork. The conference language is English. Abstracts of up to 400 words, clearly presenting and contextualizing the argument, methodology, sources used, and historiographical importance, are due by July 31, 2017; please send to pjbearman@gmail.com. The abstracts, from which twenty will be chosen, will be read by an ISILS committee. Acceptance letters will be sent out by September 1, 2017. Speakers must be ISILS members.

Speakers are expected to attend the entirety of the conference. Lodging, meals, and transportation between Helsinki and Tampere will be covered by our Finnish hosts. Some assistance may be available for help with travel costs, but speakers should work on the assumption that funds for travel to and from the conference will be unavailable.

all for Papers

Exploring Contemporary Muslim Art, Culture and Heritage in Britain
14th September 2017, Birmingham

Art and culture provide a means of communication, an alternative platform to share stories, celebrate contributions to society and challenge misconceptions and stereotypes. In Britain, Muslim art and culture are in transition as we see interchange between artists inspired by the traditional Islamic arts and those who are finding new ways of weaving together their British and Muslim identities. A rising generation is using artistic forms such as music, film, literature, photography, poetry and comedy to express themselves. As well as celebrating the diversity of British Muslim identity, these artists and cultural producers explore difficult issues and help bridge divides between communities.

This new world creates exciting opportunities but also uneasy tensions as to where these practices can fit in the traditional canons of visual and performing arts, the heritage and museum sectors, in literature and even popular culture in Britain. British Muslims often find it difficult to present their work in mainstream arts and cultural establishments such as theatres, galleries and museums. Many upcoming Muslim artists work alone and often struggle to fund their work. Furthermore, the persistence of stereotypical representations of Muslims in popular media and cultural industries makes it harder for Muslims in the arts and cultural sectors to reach a wide audience.

This one-day Muslims in Britain Research Network conference will create space for critical dialogue and community exchange by bringing aspiring and established Muslim artists and cultural producers together with eminent scholars and researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and arts funders. The conference will provide a space to discuss, inform, connect and engage through a program of lectures, presentations, panel discussions and workshops. Cultural experts will share insights into the key factors affecting Muslim arts and culture in Britain and will address the practical questions facing Muslim artists in the UK – from applying for their first grant to running an arts organisation, from creating social change to establishing and receiving commissions for national and international work.

We invite the submission of papers, presentations, talks, session proposals, panel discussions, lightning talks, short performances to be presented on Thursday 14th September 2017 at a Birmingham venue (to be confirmed). We welcome proposals from scholars, curators, artists, cultural producers and programmers, and students and independent researchers. Sessions that include a mixture of scholars/researchers and practitioners are particularly encouraged. Although all paper proposals should speak to the theme of Muslim art and culture, we welcome submissions from individuals from any faith background and none.

Themes we hope to cover in the conference include:

• • How are Muslims in Britain exploring identity, belonging and social change through art, culture and heritage?
• • How are Muslim art and culture represented in the cultural sector in Britain? Are the cultural industries responding to British Muslims’ demand for culture?
• • What does contemporary ‘Muslim’ and ‘Islamic’ art mean?
• • How does contemporary British Muslim cultural production compare/relate to the past and to other cultural contexts?
• • How are Muslim arts in Britain developing?
• • What strategies are needed to grow, fund, and sustain Muslim cultural production without compromising on beliefs and creativity?

Individual presentations/responses should last no longer than 10-12 mins, and a full panel session no longer than one hour including audience Q&A.

To participate please send a 200 word abstract to the email address below by Monday 31st July 2017 along with a biography of no more than 50 words (per speaker).

Abstract submissions and any general questions should be sent to the conference organisers at muslimsinbritainrn@gmail.com

Selected academic papers and practitioner responses will be considered for publishing in a conference report and/or recorded and placed online.
http://www.mbrn.org.uk/muslim-art-conference-2017-cfp/

Conference update!

We are excited to announce an excellent line up for the 2017 conference with some great people presenting.  The deadline for the call for papers is 31st July, so if you’d like to present too, there’s still time. 
We have had some technical issues this year, so please email abstracts directly to Knut Tveitereid, with your name and contact details.  Abstracts should be no more than 200 words.  For more information, an outline timetable, and booking details, see the full conference page.  Conference places can be booked until 31st August.

If you have submitted an abstract already and have not heard from Knut, your original upload may not have arrived.  Please email him directly with your abstract and details.  We are really sorry if you have been waiting and have not been contacted.  With your help, we can get this straightened out very quickly. 

Looking forward to seeing you all in beautiful Durham!
Pete Ward, Sarah Dunlop and Knut Tveitereid
E+E conference team