CALL FOR PAPERS: 13th Annual Symposium of the Consortium for Asian and African Studies [CAAS]

CALL FOR PAPERS

13th Annual Symposium of the Consortium for Asian and African Studies [CAAS]
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), November 9-10, 2023

Venue: TUFS, Tokyo Japan
THEME: “Multiculturalism Revisited”

Call for Papers
The Consortium for Asian and African Studies [CAAS] will hold its 13th Annual Symposium at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, November 9 and Friday, November 10, 2023. We invite graduate students and faculty of the seven CAAS member universities (Leiden, INALCO, SOAS, HUFS, Columbia, SISU, TUFS) to submit proposals for papers or preorganized panels.

Symposium Theme
As the world becomes more interconnected, multiculturalism has become a defining feature of many societies. The concept of multiculturalism is also increasingly relevant in the context of demographic change, which is transforming the social and cultural landscape of regions. Global movements of people, whether through migration, displacement, or diaspora, have resulted in unprecedented levels of diversity in many regions, challenging traditional notions of national identity, cultural homogeneity, and social cohesion. Thus, it has also called forth criticism and countermovements.

At the same time, multiculturalism is not a new phenomenon by any means. Its historical roots can be traced back to a multitude of civilizations characterized by diverse cultures, religions, and languages. The contemporary concept of multiculturalism emerged in the context of postcolonial societies and immigration countries, where the need to accommodate cultural diversity and promote social integration became a pressing issue. Its meanings, uses, and affective responses towards it clearly change depending on the context. The question is if this, perhaps overused, keyword has any defined meaning at all and, therefore, whether current debates are actually sharing the same assumptions.

The 13th CAAS Symposium on “Multiculturalism Revisited” seeks to mobilize the strengths of our institutions and network to engage with these debates and critically examine the concept of multiculturalism. We invite papers and pre-organized panels that explore the concept of multiculturalism and its uses from a multidisciplinary and comparative perspective to understand its historical, cultural, and political dimensions and identify the challenges and opportunities it poses for contemporary societies.

We encourage scholars at different stages of their careers and from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to participate in this symposium and contribute to a vibrant and inclusive academic community.

Submission
English is the language of the symposium as in the past CAAS Symposia. We welcome applications from graduate students, post-docs, and faculty members. If you don’t wish to publish your paper in the proceedings, you don’t need to submit full paper.

Submit a Symposium Proposal
Please submit your proposal through the Google form below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8FySAqYp-2UqH7r8LadHtNsEGlcoGYeSdFTUCUsFeqZeKiQ/viewform?usp=pp_url

Information on Panel Organization
Panels will be organized by the themes, topics, and relevant regions of the proposals. All presenters are required to submit a presentation title and a brief abstract (max. 300 words).

In the case of pre-organized panels, please also include a panel abstract (max. 300 words). The number of panelists/presenters is limited to a maximum of four (4), excluding the chair. Registration can be done through the same Google form as above.

Important Dates
- Deadline for proposal submission: June 5, 2023
- Notification of acceptance: July 31, 2023
- Deadline for full paper submission (for those who wish to publish their paper in the proceedings): October 31, 2023
- Symposium date: November 9-10, 2023

*As with past CAAS Symposia, TUFS will not cover travel and accommodation expenses.

For further information about the Symposium, please contact us at: [email protected]