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Call for Papers Theme: Fanaticism and the Abolition-Democracy Subtitle: Critical Theory in the Spirit of Joel Olson Type: International Conference Institution: Graduate Association of Political Science, Northern Arizona University Location: Flagstaff, AZ (USA) Date: 25.–26.1.2013 Deadline: 10.11.2012 __________________________________________________ Throughout his life, Northern Arizona University Professor and activist Joel Olson fought racial discrimination and inequality. Academically, he argued that citizenship is a form of racial privilege in which whites are equal to each other but superior to everyone else. More recently, he was developing a political theory of fanaticism to pushed us to embrace it rather than fear it. In his more activist-based work, he fought against police repression via CopWatch and for freedom of immigrant communities through the Repeal Coalition, an organization he co-founded that worked directly with undocumented people. In our view, his scholarship and life embodied the best of political theory and action. This conference seeks to examine the themes in Dr. Olson’s work, both in the academy, on the streets, and in his everyday life. Generally, we see his legacy best reflected in emancipatory projects. To that end, we invite proposals for papers and panels. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following: - critical readings of Olson’s work; - the relationship between race, power, and democracy; - the applications of WEB DuBois theoretically and politically; - the implications of colorblindness in liberal multiculturalism; - the theoretical and praxeological potentials of theories derived from American abolitionism and other radical theorists of race; - the possibility of radical politics and manicheism; - the performativity of citizenship beyond the state; - the relationship between critical race theory and feminism, subaltern theory, postcolonial theory, indigenous politics, and/or Marxism; - the ability for everyday people to organize themselves and fight against forms of oppressive authority; - the possibility for anarchism and Marxism within modern politics; - the ability for activism to resist, abolish, and transform anti-immigrant laws in Arizona; - the connection between immigration and different forms of power; - the connection of race with different forms of environmentalism; - the relationship between violence and revolution; - the weaknesses and potentials of Giorgio Agamben’s theory of sovereignty. Paper proposals should include a title, abstract, and contact information for the presenter. Panel and roundtable proposals should include a panel title, the titles and abstract of other papers, a description of the panel, and names and contact information for paper presenters. The deadline for proposals is November 10 by email to: [email protected] You will be notified of your proposal’s status within two weeks after the deadline. Keynote Speakers: Noel Ignatiev and Andrea Smith Conference Registration Fee: $20 No one turned away for lack of funds. Address all conference questions to: [email protected] Conference website: http://www.olsonmemorialconference.org __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
