CfPs: International Symposium "Anthropology of Global Issues"; 1-3 April 2012; Delhi

International Symposium "Anthropology of Global Issues"

1-3 April 2012

at Conference Centre, University Delhi-110007, India

organized by WCAA-ASA-IAS
& Indian Anthropological Association & Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi.

Call for Papers
Last Date for Submission of Abstract: 10th February 2012

Anthropologists' continued engagement with micro-macro interface, in its efforts to emerge as a generalizing science of human experiences, has instilled the required skills among its practitioners to deal with emerging questions that contemporary societies encounter in globalizing era. Recent advances in information technology creating a kind of viable world communication network has led to the creation of ' world community of anthropologists' engaged in a critical reflections and creative sharing on issues that convey greater meaning in cross cultural perspectives. Though envisioning a strong and vibrant ' global anthropology ' might not appear to be free from hegemonic influence over global south and therefore becomes problematic, negotiations are already underway towards a creative synthesis of insights from regional and national anthropologies for a potential world platform which is not far from reality. This becomes more significant in term of changing power equations globally where the North-South divide is getting increasingly obliterated.
Globalization offers fresh challenges for humanity across race, ethnicity, cultures, regions, and nations. New forces of economy, technology, polity and market have brought human destiny to a crossroad. Climate change, food insecurity, water scarcities, natural disasters, war, ethnic strife and violence, terrorism, tourism, migration and population displacement are phenomena of serious concern that need to be addressed from perspectives that offer comparative and critical understanding of views from within and the indigenous strategies to cope up within broader contexts. Conventional concepts of anthropology like culture, society, community and boundaries stand decosntructed and fresh theoretical debates need to be negotiated across academic tables, to look for a future anthropology of new discourses.
WCAA with its wide membership from different corners of the world has made the first step in this regard. Needless to mention that the collective voice of the world council has further strengthened the regional or lesser known concerns thereby creating a space for the marginal and often unheard academic and political initiatives for enriching and empowering the discipline. The Symposium proposes to engage in a cross -cultural debate on emergent global Issues informed through local ethnographies, informed by all branches of anthropology but also going beyond the disciplinary boundaries to reach out to the insights that civil society engagements with policy and practice offer in different national traditions.
IAS & IAA also seek panel proposals from Indian Scholars till 10 February 2012 in All Branches of Anthropology revolving around the symposium theme (with an abstract of 300 words).

Contact Person: Soumendra Mohan Patnaik
President, Indian Anthropological Association
Department of Anthropology,University of Delhi,India
Emails: iaadelhi@rediffmail.com  | copy marked to: smp_du@yahoo.com

Please indicate to which panel you are submitting your paper, choosing one of the panels below. If none of the panels matches your research interests, you can also submit a paper on the overall theme of the symposium (as above).
Please send the Title of the paper along with an abstract of 250 words latest by 10 February 2012 to iaadelhi@rediffmail.com with a copy marked to: smp_du@yahoo.com

Individual Panels within the WCAA Symposium
1)  Anthropology and Public Policy: Critical Perspectives and Productive
Interventions Chair: Greg Acciaioli
2)  Anthropology, Development and the Shaping of Globalization
Chair: Thomas Reuter
3)  Engaged Anthropology from a Global Perspective: Promise and Problems
Chair: Setha Low
4)  The growing power of IRBs and the issue of ethics for anthropology
worldwide Chair Andrew 'Mugsy' Spiegel
5)  Building a Network of Anthropologists Without Borders - ASF (Anthropologists Without Borders)
Chairs: Virginia F. Dominguez and Carlos Caroso

Further Details