Into Darkness, Into Light
Association for the Anthropology of Consciousness
41st Annual Conference
April 6-10, 2024
St. Louis, MO
Call for Presentations
Link to the Call for Presentations Form: AAC 2024 Submission Site - Google Forms
The Program Committee for the Association for the Anthropology of Consciousness invites members and their collaborators to investigate how we engage with themes of darkness and/or light. Our theme and meeting dates were chosen to coincide with the total solar eclipse, which will come to North America on April 8, 2024. According to space.com, “A total solar eclipse happens when the moon appears the same size in the sky as the sun, or slightly larger, so fully covers the disk of the sun, giving observers a view of the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona” (https://www.space.com/41552-total-solar-eclipse-2024-guide.html). This event provides opportunities for making connections between consciousness and experiences of lightness and darkness in an array of forms, from literal to metaphorical. It invites us to consider how light and dark may be conceived as binary and yet include nuances such as crepuscular shadows and normally invisible coronal elements. Contributors are invited to draw on a wide range of topics, including, for example, lived experiences of ritual and other collective awakenings, oppression or privilege, (in/ex)clusivity, and healing. We also consider this conference an opportunity to build networks for collective engagement, restorative practices, healing, and reconciliation.
NOTE: We also accept papers that do not directly fit the theme.
We welcome works that explore indigenous and/or plant-based practices that might provide transformational learning and opportunities for collective action. We also welcome members, collaborators, and those new to the conference to engage in discussions related to exploring consciousness in all lived experiences, both human and non-human consciousness. We are also interested in hearing voices representing BIPoC, post-colonial, and other marginalized perspectives (such as those based on gender, sexuality, class, ability, age, etc.)
Potential paper, panel proposals, pre-recorded events, short films, and workshops include but are not limited to:
- Ritual, symbolism and/or healing
- Collective or individual awakenings
- The play of Jungian archetypes and shadows
- (In/ex)clusivity
- Identity and coming out
- Oppression and privilege
- Transformation and change
- Barriers and openings
- Play and testing boundaries
- Shadow economies and politics
- Archaeological or other revelations
- Linguistic practices including gossip, slander, praise, and labelling.
- (In)visible biological realms, both human and non-human, either flora or fauna
- Concepts of good and evil
- Artistic expressions representing darkness and light
Workshops, Experientials, and Art
We also invite submissions of artistic works and experiential workshops exploring or cultivating consciousness, specifically those that relate to the conference theme. We aim to build bridges across scholastic and creative communities and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Prerecorded Content Gallery
Do you have a short film, a podcast episode, a prerecorded panel discussion, or other academic or artistic work that you feel aligns with our conference theme? Reach out and let us know. We are an interdisciplinary organization and are seeking content from a variety of different perspectives to share with our members.
Instructions
Proposals and questions regarding individual papers, panels, workshops, and special events should be submitted by Friday, February 15, 2024 to: aocgeneral@gmail.com
Acceptance notifications will be sent by March 1st, 2024.
Once accepted, presenters then need to create a user account and register on the AAA website, after which they can upload abstracts to be included in the conference program. If your submission is not accepted, you may request a refund of your registration fees.
For more information, please contact: John Baker johnbaker@vcccd.edu or Lisa Gezon lgezon@uab.edu