Call for Proposals and Films: The Bodily and Material Cultures of Religious Subjectivation

Call for Proposals and Films

The Bodily and Material Cultures of Religious Subjectivation

The Bodily and Material Cultures of Religious Subjectivation

www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology/anthropology-news/call-for-proposals-religious-subjectivation

Program Details
Intended date of conference: 17-18 June, 2014.
Venue: UCL, Dept. of Anthropology.*
Deadline for CFP: 31 December, 2013.
Conference Convenors: Jean-Pierre Warnier and Urmila Mohan.
For further information please contact Urmila Mohan (u.mohan.11@ucl.ac.uk<mailto:u.mohan.11@ucl.ac.uk).

Statement of Purpose

There is no known religious practice that does not involve bodily motions (bowing, standing, walking, fasting, feasting, etc.) and their associated emotions, nor the use of given material things (shrines, musical instruments, substances of various kinds). Both involve the sensory apparatus of touch, sight, smell, etc. Without disregarding religious discourses and creeds, the conference will focus on the cultures of religious practice with a strong emphasis on both ethnographic documentation and theoretical elaboration based on a few basic principles — the importance of Bodily and Material Culture, and Religious Subjectivation involving technologies of the self.

Call for Proposals and Films

We welcome proposals from students, faculty and independent researchers based on ethnographic fieldwork focused on both bodily and material cultures of religious practice as part of the production of a religious subject in different areas and religious settings (Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Asiatic, African and other religions, etc.). The papers should address theoretical issues, whatever theoretical references may be put to use, provided they articulate bodily and material cultures. We aim at establishing discussions between various academic traditions on both sides of the Atlantic and the Channel. Short documentary films (e.g. 20 min maximum as a rule) showing the intertwinement of bodily and material cultures in religious practice are welcome. The proposals (of ca. one page) should be addressed to the convenors. They will be assessed by the organizing committee of the conference. Ultimately, we expect to end up with an edited volume.

*This event is organised by UCL Anthropology<http://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropologytogether with the Interdisciplinary Research Group (GDRI) “Anthropology and Art History” http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/enseignement/research/the-gdri-anthropology-and-art-history.html
at the Musée du Quai Branly.