“Unravelling Religion 4: Bodies and Objects” — Queen’s University, Kingston

Unravelling Religion 4: Bodies and Objects
May 12-13, Queen’s University, Kingston
Deadline for proposals: March 1, 2017
Keynote Address: Dr. Donovan Schaefer, University of Oxford

Call For Papers
DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2017

Religion, however it is defined, is entangled in aspects of daily life, popular culture, and political discourse. In this view, religious beliefs and practices constitute a common thread that runs through the fabric of human life, linking individuals to religious communities and to one another. At the same time, the term ‘religion’ is inextricably tied to other complex terms including ‘culture,’ and ‘the secular’. Far from being a discrete thread in the intricately woven fabric of human life, ‘religion,’ can become a tangled mess of meanings and associations with strands that are often twisted, knotted, and frayed.

This year’s conference seeks to explore the ways religion is tied to bodies and objects. Potential topics for exploration include, but are not limited to:

Religion and Embodiment / Religious Bodies
Ritual and Play
Dance, Theatre, Performance
Religious Objects and Attachments
New Materialism
Religion and Animal Bodies
Religion and Gendered Bodies
Body Modification
Religion and Emotion / Affect
Environments and Landscapes
Critical Religion / the Category ‘Religion’

We welcome proposals for 20 minute presentations. Proposals should include a titled abstract of 150-300 words. The name, e-mail address, university affiliation, and level of study of the presenter(s) should also be included, along with information concerning special needs. The deadline for proposals is March 1, 2017. Please send proposals and requests for information to: unravellingreligion@gmail.com