Storytelling
and the Body: An Inclusive Interdisciplinary Conference
15th to
16th July 2019
Verona,
Italy
We live in
an era where stories about bodies – in/visible bodies, glamorous bodies,
engineered bodies, trafficked bodies, dismembered bodies, persecuted bodies –
are omnipresent. While bodies are literally made of flesh and blood, our
understanding of bodies is constructed through fictional and non-fictional
stories that shape perceptions of what constitutes the body, how a body should
look, how a body should behave, how a body should experience the world and how
bodies should interact with each other. By creating these types of norms,
stories also shape perceptions of what constitutes deviant, non-normative and
otherwise undesirable bodies. Telling stories about the body is therefore an
act loaded with ideological, political, sociological, theological, ontological
and aesthetic implications.
At the same
time, notions of the body have also had a significant impact on the stories
cultures have created and passed down through generations. Suffering bodies are
central to the foundational narratives of various religious, cultural and
political traditions. Genres have emerged with stories about monstrous bodies,
sexual and erotic bodies, bodies at war, modified bodies, bodies coming of age
and ageing, bodies being tested by nature, bodies enhanced by (bio)technology,
politicised bodies and so forth.
At a time
when the socio-political landscape is dominated by the construction of barriers
among the population based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and
class, it is more important than ever to consider how stories about bodies and
perceptions of bodies shaped by stories not only foster division and
difference, but also inspire cohesion and belonging. Stories help to create
tangible and intangible barriers and borders between human beings. At the same
time, stories can also foster awareness and compassion for our common humanity
in order to transcend borders and overcome barriers. Some barriers are more
personal, and therefore less obvious, because they take the form of a physical
or psychological issue that somehow limits an individual’s capacity to
participate in their community and/or to achieve their full potential.
Accordingly,
the second inclusive interdisciplinary Storytelling event seeks to explore the
complex, multi-faceted dynamics of this symbiotic relationship between
storytelling and the body with a view to forming a publication to engender
further collaboration and discussion.
Particular
disciplines, practices and professions have inscribed stories and bodies with
particular meanings that, when viewed in isolation, can be skewed and limited.
Accordingly, the project aims to break down these boundaries through
inter-disciplinary engagement that emphasises inclusivity, dialogue and
collegiality.
Consistent
with its interdisciplinary ethos, the event proposes to step outside the
traditional conference setting and offer opportunities for artists,
photographers, practitioners, theorists, independent scholars, academics,
performers, writers, and others to intermingle, providing platforms for
interdisciplinary interactions that are fruitful and conducive to broadening
horizons and sparking future projects, collaborations, and connections.
The
organisers welcome proposals for presentations, displays, exhibits, round
tables, panels, interactive workshops and other activities to stimulate
engagement and discussion on any aspect of the interplay between stories,
bodies, barriers and borders, particularly in relation to:
- Law, jurisprudence and public policy
- Morality and ethics
- Business/economics
- Education
- Religion and spirituality
- Labour/human capital
- Medicine, health and wellness
- Science and technology
- Social work
- Activism
- Social media
- Film and television
- Theatre
- Literature
- Music
- Fine Art
- Sport
- Popular culture
- Body art: implants, painting, piercings, tattoos, scarification, sculpting, shaping
- Body modifications
- Non-human bodies, the bodies of other species
- Post-human bodies
What to
Send
The aim of
this interdisciplinary conference and collaborative networking event is to
bring people together and encourage creative conversations in the context of a
variety of formats: papers, seminars, workshops, storytelling, performances,
poster presentations, panels, q&a’s, roundtables etc.
300 word
proposals, presentations, abstracts and other forms of contribution and
participation should be submitted by Friday 22nd February 2019. Other forms of
participation should be discussed in advance with the Organising Chair.
All
submissions will be minimally double reviewed, under anonymous (blind)
conditions, by a global panel drawn from members of the Project Development
Team and the Advisory Board. In practice our procedures usually entail that by
the time a proposal is accepted, it will have been triple and quadruple
reviewed.
You will be
notified of the panel’s decision by Friday 8th March 2019.
If your
submission is accepted for the conference, a full draft of your contribution
should be submitted by Friday 31st May 2019.
Abstracts
and proposals may be in Word, PDF, RTF or Notepad formats with the following
information and in this order:
- author(s),
- affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme,
- email address,
- title of proposal,
- body of proposal,
- up to 10 keywords.
E-mails
should be entitled: Storytelling and the Body Submission.
Early Bird
Submission and Discount Submissions received on or before Friday 18th January
2019 will be eligible for a 10% registration fee discount.
Where to
Send
Abstracts
should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chair and the Project
Administrator:
Dr Cristina
Santos: csantos@brocku.ca
Project
Administrator: veronastory@progressiveconnexions.net
What’s so
Special About Progressive Connexions Events?
A fresh,
friendly, dynamic format – at Progressive Connexions we are dedicated to
breaking away from the stuffy, old-fashion conference formats, where endless
presentations are read aloud off PowerPoints. We work to bring you an
interactive format, where exchange of experience and information is alternated
with captivating workshops, engaging debates and round tables, time set aside
for getting to know each other and for discussing common future projects and
initiatives, all in a warm, relaxed, egalitarian atmosphere.
A chance to
network with international professionals – the beauty of our interdisciplinary
events is that they bring together professionals from all over the world and
from various fields of activity, all joined together by a shared passion. Not
only will the exchange of experience, knowledge and stories be extremely
valuable in itself, but we seek to create lasting, ever-growing communities
around our projects, which will become a valuable resource for those belonging
to them.
A chance to
be part of constructing change – There is only one thing we love as much as
promoting knowledge: promoting real, lasting social change by encouraging our
participants to take collective action, under whichever form is most suited to
their needs and expertise (policy proposals, measuring instruments, research
projects, educational materials, etc.) We will support all such actions in the
aftermath of the event as well, providing a platform for further discussions,
advice from the experts on our Project Advisory Team and various other tools
and intellectual resources, as needed.
An
opportunity to discuss things that matter to you – Our events are not only
about discussing how things work in the respective field, but also about how
people work in that field – what are the struggles, problems and solutions
professionals have found in their line of work, what are the areas where better
communication among specialists is needed and how the interdisciplinary
approach can help bridge those gaps and help provide answers to questions from
specific areas of activity.
An
unforgettable experience – When participating in a Progressive Connexions
event, there is a good chance you will make some long-time friends. Our group
sizes are intimate, our venues are comfortable and relaxing and our event
locations are suited to the history and culture of the event.
Ethos
Progressive Connexions believes it is a mark of personal courtesy and professional respect
to your colleagues that all delegates should attend for the full duration of
the meeting. If you are unable to make this commitment, please do not submit an
abstract or proposal for presentation.
Please
note: Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a
position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence, nor can we
offer discounts off published rates and fees.
Enquiries:
veronastory@progressiveconnexions.net
Sponsored
by: Progressive Connexions
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