The Honorable Harold Simmons Folk Academy of The Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre announces the FRC Saint Lucia Studies Conference 2020.
Theme: “Creoleness/Créolité : Saint Lucian culture and cultural/creative industries in national development today.”
Wednesday June 24th to Friday June 26th 2020
Venue: The Finance Administrative Centre, Pointe Seraphine.
Times: Wednesday June 24th 7 pm; Thursday June 25th 9 am to 5 pm; 7pm to 9 pm; Friday June 26th 9 am to 5 pm; 7 pm to 9 pm.
The Msgr Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre and the Harold Simmons Folk Academy, organisers of the 8th FRC Saint Lucia Studies Conference to be held from Wednesday June 24th to Friday June 26th 2020, invite persons interested in presenting papers to apply as follows.
The Conference seeks to provide an opportunity for researchers in the areas of Saint Lucian life and culture to present their findings in a Saint Lucian setting.
The 2020 Conference seeks to raise discussion on the functionality of Creoleness in a globalized world.
“The world is evolving into a state of Creoleness,” states the authors of In Praise of Creoleness (Bernabé, Chamoiseau, and Confiant, translated by M.B. Taleb-Khyar, 1993: 112). The Caribbean region consists mainly of post-colonial nations who are still trying to define their nationalism in a global world dominated by acculturation and cultural appropriation. This globalization has produced anxieties for developing countries such as those in the Caribbean region as their embrace of the Creoleness is now viewed as ethno-centrism, against the background of developed countries attempting to manipulate the Creole markers based on their ideologies. Consequently, as a people and region whose identity is connected to the ideologies of Créolité and Creoleness, have we positioned ourselves to be leaders in this movement? The 2020 Folk Research Centre Studies Conference invites exploration of this perspective.
In response to the call for papers, persons are free to submit proposals on subjects related to the life and culture of Saint Lucia, with a particular emphasis on how our creoleness/créolité is reflected in the cultural/creative industries, rooted in our culture and their place in meaningful national development. Areas of language, music, dance, dress, arts and crafts, food, customs, technology, festivals etc that reflect our unique creole heritage and play a significant part in the practice and development of our creative/cultural industries are subjects that can be examined. The creative/cultural industries cover Performing, Visual and Literary arts in all their varied manifestations.
Questions of whether our Saint Lucian creoleness/créolité is drawn on enough, in the face of competing globalized cultures from Jamaica and the Caribbean, the USA; of influences coming through social and traditional media; of the demands of the tourism industry, etc are the kinds of issues that can be raised.
We also invite persons to propose panels and/or create panels to form part of the conference. Researchers would suggest panel ideas, find other researchers doing similar work and propose complete panels. Of course, this must be done early to facilitate logistical planning. Please submit the following information to The Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre:
- Presenter’s Name
- Address
- Telephone and email address
- Name of accompanying presenters (if any).
- Title of Abstract in Bold/Centred
Abstract: 200-500 words. The abstract should summarise as clearly as possible the thesis of the paper.
- Attach résumé or CV for each presenter.
- Each presenter/or panel will present for 30 minutes with 30 minutes for a moderated discussion.
- The full paper should be submitted to the Conference organisers at least two weeks before the start. This will facilitate copying and ensure later publication.
- Submit the complete application to present via email to:
Saint Lucia Studies Conference 2020
Msgr. Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre/ Hon. Harold Simmons Folk Academy frc@candw.lc; folkresearchcentrelibrary@gmail.com;
- Submissions should be received not later than April 30th