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Call for Papers "Flood Stories, Lost Lands and Drowned Continents" Alamat: 1st International Conference on Myths and Symbols College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Pasay City (Philippines) 25-28 November 2008 __________________________________________________ In celebration of the University of the Philippines' Centennial this 2008, the Department of Arts and Communication of the College of Arts and Sciences, (University of the Philippines Manila) is pleased to announce its holding of ALAMAT : The 1st International Conference on Myths and Symbols, with the theme "Flood Stories, Lost Lands and Drowned Continents" to be held on November 25-28, 2008 at the Bulwagang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater), Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The University of the Philippines Manila, through the Alamat Conference and its theme, "Flood Stories, Lost Lands, and Drowned Continents" enters the international discussion on environmental and earth-healing to avert an impending repetition of a long past semi-mythical, semi-prehistorical event great floods, lost lands, drowned continents, causing massive dispersals and migrations of people around the world. This mythical event might likely become a reality, once again, given the human-caused global warming phenomenon, resulting climate. To answer this problem, a new myth has to be discovered, or an old one re-discovered and re-invented to heal the divided consciousness of the people of the earth that is causing this great peril to the world. A healed consciousness might lead to a healed earth. To this end, the University of the Philippines Manila, as a Health Sciences Campus, sees the need to extend the concept of healing to "Healing the Self" and "Healing the Earth". To this end the contemporary significance of ancient myths and symbols in healing might be re-discovered. The Main Speaker for the Opening Program will be Dr. Stephen Oppenheimer, M.D. of Green College and School of Anthropology , Oxford University , England . His book, Eden in the East : The Drowned Continent of Southeast Asia , has inspired the organizers to explore his thesis in line with the need to heal the earth through myths and symbols as a part of addressing the international concern on the perils of global warming and climate change. The Closing Speaker will be Mr. Paul Kekai Manansala, an independent researcher and journalist from Sacramento , California , USA . Mr. Manansala has written books on the history and pre-history of Southeast Asia and related regions, namely, The Naga Race (1994), Quests of the Dragon and Bird Clan (2006) and Sailing the Black Current (2007). Selected panel discussants from other parts of the world, the ASEAN and Pacific regions, as well as the Philippines, will lead the framing the Conference resolutions by the participants, and gear them towards healing the earth in response to the perils posed by global warming and climate change. In this connection, the Organizing Committee calls for papers from all interested parties in the local, national and international levels from the academic and educational sector; business and industry sector; media and communications sector; arts, culture and creative industries sector; religious sector; civil society groups, NGOs, POs ; military and police sector; environmentalists; and governmental organizations and units - to participate in this international conference , as paper presenters, poster exhibitors, art exhibitors, or participants. Any person or group that has an unpublished research work or study on myths and symbols covering the Conference Theme (Flood Stories, Lost Lands and Drowned Continents), from the academe, independent researchers, and other sectors all over the world is invited to participate. Moreover, those who can relate their own disciplinal studies with the Conference Theme and objectives, especially social engineers, visionaries, philosophers, whose works lead toward healing the earth or eco-therapy are also welcome. Present-day narratives of mythical dimensions, from persons victimized by contemporary natural catastrophes, as well as from those concerned with environmental protection and safety by reporting on endangered sites and species - are most welcome to pass their abstracts. They just have to find their own appropriate panel session topics to write on, based on their on training, experience and orientation. Abstracts of not more than 800 words must be submitted by November 30, 2007 , based on a chosen topic given below. The topics covered by the conference are as follow: - The Theme of Flood Stories, Lost Lands, and Drowned Continents in the Myths and Symbols of the World: State of the Art, Case Studies, Area Studies, Comparative Studies - Survivals, Remnants and Vestiges of Probable Ante-Diluvian Myths, Symbols, and Artifacts in the Arts and Cultures of the World (Assumes that there are surviving myths, symbols and artifacts that may be traced from probable ante-diluvian "lost lands" revealed in the arts, myths, religion, etc. of the world) - Science and Social Science-Related Investigations, Issues and Controversies Pertaining to the Myths and Symbols (evaluating scientific, historical, geological, linguistic, astronomical, archeological, genetics, anthropological evidence that serve as bases for the existence and survival of the myths and symbols - local, national,regional, international) - Philippine-Based Myths and Symbols on 'Mu' , 'Lemuria' or Related 'Lost Lands': Views, Visions, Prophecies, and Revelations from Traditional, Folk, or Urban-Based Groups (personal accounts and group narratives by folk religious leaders and members of esoteric, mystical, millenarian, "kapatiran" (brotherhood / sisterhood) popular movements in line with their interpretations of 'Mu' , Lemuria, etc.) - Rediscovering the Ancient Myths and Symbols of the Flood, Lost Lands and Drowned Continents in the World for the New Millennium: Visions, Programs, Strategies, Projects, and Innovative Applications for Healing the Earth (Visions, programs, and applications of these mythical themes and motifs for individual , national, regional, and global renewal, transformation, empowerment, liberation for the new millennium) - Contemporary Flood Stories, Lost Lands, and Endangered Sites / Species of the World: Reports and Personal Narratives (Narratives of experiences by victims of contemporary natural catastrophes such of great floods, earthquakes, etc, as well as reports of endangered sites and species in the world caused by global warming and climate change) The abstract must contain the following parts: Introduction (which indicates the thesis of the paper and the methodology of the study), Presentation of Data, Analysis and Interpretation, and Preliminary Conclusion of the Study / Paper. A 20-member Review Committee representing several fields and disciplines of study, including some representatives from selected sectors will evaluate the submitted drafts. Please submit all abstracts as an e-mail attachment to the Coordinator of the Organizing Committee by November 30, 2007: Prof. Grace Odal-Devora Email: [email protected] Contact: Alamat 1st ICOMS Abstracts c/o Prof. Grace Odal-Devora Department of Arts and Communication College of Arts and Sciences University of the Philippines Manila Padre Faura, Ermita 1000 Manila Philippines Email: [email protected] Web: http://cas.upm.edu.ph/alamat __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org
