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Call for Papers Theme: Recalibrating Culture – Reconfiguring the (Trans-)Cultural Type: International Workshop Institution: Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (HCTS), Heidelberg University Location: Heidelberg (Germany) Date: 22.–24.11.2018 Deadline: 25.9.2018 __________________________________________________ Thinking through and beyond (i.e.: trans) established understandings of culture, the International Workshop Recalibrating Culture – Reconfiguring the (Trans-)Cultural sets out to rethink notions of culture, hitherto conceived as self-contained, and clearly separable, man-made and stable units. Taking a critical view of this perspective, Heidelberg has for many years developed the transcultural approach. In this workshop, we offer to expand and critically evaluate, as well as to theorize the transcultural from a visual perspective: expanding visual culture into visual transculturality and reconsidering the transcultural from the visual. In doing so, we add new dimensions of thinking the transcultural. 1. There is a profound need to revise the (often pejorative) concepts of ‘culture’, ‘nature’ and ‘human’ and to recalibrate the transcultural. We engage in critical revisions of the new ‘post-culturalisms’, such as neo-naturalisms, post-humanisms and techno-centrisms, practicing something one could call a post-anthropocentric media studies. 2. Our specific approach is through ‘visual media.’ We study the visibility of transcultural relations for example in art, politics, economies and religions with respect to their material figurations, images, embodiments etc. 3. Our particular focus is on conflictive relations, as we highlight the agonisms and antagonisms in, between and beyond cultures in the visual manifestations of transcultural relations (Deutungsmachtkonflikte, symbolic and iconic power conflicts). Transculturality is an established concept and field of research (not only) in the Heidelberg Center for Transcultural Studies. But it needs more theory — especially in face of, for example, new naturalisms, ‘post-culturalisms’ and others — through new perspectives on nature/culture-configurations. Here we suggest to change and focus the perspective with regard to visual and iconic configurations of transculturality. That is why we look for re-visions, and that is why we use the concept of con-figurations, because figures, figuration and their configurations are epistemic, ethic and aesthetic concepts of description and conceptualization. The workshop is the culmination of the ongoing HCTS Lecture Series. The aim of our workshop is to bring together these well-established senior scholars with young and upcoming academics, thus fostering a creative as well as antagonistic dialogue between past and future key players from various disciplines and fields. Conference languages will be English, French and German. Submissions Paper abstracts are to be submitted by September 25, 2018. Submissions should be in one single PDF and should include a title, an abstract (250 words), a brief CV (max. 100 words) as well as the applicant’s name, institutional affiliation, and email contact. Travel grants will be offered to up to 5 junior scholars. Please note that draft papers of up to 20.000 characters will have to be submitted BEFORE the conference (due on November 1, 2018). Only previously unpublished papers or those not already committed elsewhere will be accepted for considerations. Conference participants agree to future publication plans. Please submit your abstract to Prof. Dr. Barbara Mittler ([email protected]), Prof. Dr. Philipp Stoellger ([email protected]) and Emily Graf ([email protected]). Venue Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (HCTS) Building 4400, Room 212 Voßstr. 2, 69117 Heidelberg Contact: Emily Graf Heidelberg Center for Transcultural Studies (HCTS) Email: [email protected] Barbara Mittler Institute of Chinese Studies & HCTS Heidelberg University Email: [email protected] Philipp Stoellger Theologische Fakultät, Universität Heidelberg Email: [email protected] Website of the workshop: http://www.asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de/en/newsevents/news/detail/m/call-for-papers-international-workshop-recalibrating-culture.html __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: https://interphil.polylog.org InterPhil List Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ __________________________________________________
