SAFAR Call for Proposals

Guest blogged by Pataka

The intersections between Sikhism, gender issues, and academia have always been tenuous and fragile ones. As other posts on this blog have mentioned, there have been some recent pushes to democratize academic research as well as examine and undo the longstanding patriarchy which has surrounded academia in general by including discussions of gender politics as well as Sikh women scholars. For more information on SAFAR take a look at previous posts on this issue or visit their website: www.sikhfeministresearch.org .

Our Journeys Conference 2011

On October 1st, 2011, SAFAR –The Sikh Feminist Research Institute will host a one-day conference entitled Our Journeys Conference 2011 at The Centre for Women’s Studies in Education (CWSE), Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Scope of the Conference

The Our Journeys Conference 2011 will explore and challenge past and current constructions concerning Sikhi and gender. With an interdisciplinary approach, this conference intends to examine gendered relations within Sikhi as well as Sikh philosophy regarding social life, gender relations, sexualities, racialized and gendered practices, institutions, cultural productions, theoretical concepts and frameworks, and understanding the application of Sikh philosophy rooted in the past, present and possible insights regarding the future of Sikh thought.

Although academic in scope and orientation, Our Journeys Conference 2011 is deliberately organized to be accessible to a diverse audience and range of interests. The conference will explore the topic of Sikh journeys from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. It is intended to provide a space for the articulation of Sikh feminist visions; intellectual and cultural inquiries; critical reflections on Sikhi and gender; and various modes of Sikh feminist thought, in Punjab, India and in the Diaspora.

Keynote speaker

The Sikh scholar and feminist theologian Prof. Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh author of The Feminine Principle in the Sikh Vision of theTranscendent, The Birth of the Khalsa: A Feminist Re-memory of Sikh Identity and Sikhism: an Introduction, is the keynote speaker.

Call for Abstracts

Submissions from academics, educators, students, activists, community and independent researchers, those who work in or research this area are welcome. Topics can include (but are not limited to): race, nationhood, class, culture, ability, ecology, politics, theologies, social relations, psychology, sexuality, feminist scholarship, genealogy, transnational and geopolitical topics relating to Sikhism and gender, Sikh the[a]logy, the feminine perspective in the Sikh canon, gender in Sikh institutions, historical Sikh women, gender in social and political history, patriarchy in Sikh communities, Sikh women role models, Sikh liberation theology, Sikhism and social justice, Sikh feminist research methodology, and connecting Sikh theology to activism.

Submission guidelines

This call has generated a lot of interest,  and we have received very high quality abstracts. There have also been many requests for deadline extensions. So, in fairness to all, we are extending the deadline for submission of a 300 word abstract (including citations) to July 15th, 2011. Submissions are to be made on-line, please check the website for updates (www.sikhfeministresearch.org). Successful candidates will be informed by July 31^st, 2011. Authors are requested to follow, either APA, MLA or Chicago style guidelines. Abstract submissions should include title, author(s), affiliation(s) and key words. Ethical responsibility: authors are required to follow the ethical guidelines of the Tri-Council Policy Statement and their research institutions when conducting any research. Authors of abstracts accepted for oral presentations are expected to submit manuscripts of their completed papers by October 1^st, 2011 for publication in a special issue of the peer-reviewed, academic on-line journal: Sikh Feminist Review. These manuscripts shall undergo a double blind peer review process (details can be found at www.sikhfeministresearch.org). If you have any questions please contact the editorial board of SAFAR at editorial@sikhfeministresearch.org.

Thank you for considering participation in the Our Journeys Conference, we look forward to seeing you in the fall!

SAFAR – The Sikh Feminist Research Institute – is a not-for-profit dedicated to Sikh feminist scholarship and research. Please visit our website www.sikhfeministresearch.org