[New-Poetry] "Poetry and the Body Politic": Reflections on Aime Cesaire and His Vision of Negritude for a Post-Racial Society

[Anny Ballardini]

Conference:

*"Poetry and the Body Politic": Reflections on Aime Cesaire and His Vision
of Negritude for a Post-Racial Society*

When: Saturday, March 15, 2009

Where: Medgar Evers College, The City University of New York


*CALL FOR PAPERS*



Martinican poet, activist, politician, playwright and educator, Aime
Cesaire, did not live to witness the election of a person of African descent
to one of the most influential political offices on the planet. However, the
legacy of his life's work which many credit as having impacted the very
foundations of thought on the African continent and throughout the diaspora
may continue to provide insight and wisdom for current and future
generations of leaders. Yet we recognize it will do so now in a global
environment in which the limitations and restrictions imposed by race are
less definitive than ever. Indeed, in an era of global and transnational
identities, it is arguable that race itself no longer enjoys its historical
status as a preeminent social indicator. While we memorialize this first
anniversary of Cesaire's death, we hope to reflect on the aesthetic
hybridity of his writing, and to investigate the ways in which his social
and political vision can help us re-imagine our world today.



We welcome proposals from CUNY undergraduates, graduate students, and
faculty alike.

The primary areas of focus regarding the work of Cesaire may include, but
are not limited to:



·      Negritude and Surrealism

·      Negritude and Magical Realism

·      Symbolic and Practical Applications of the Trinity

·      Hegelian Dialectics

·      Negritude and Globalism

·      Colonial vs. Post-Racial Identity

·      Post-Colonialism and the Black Atlantic

·      Negritude and Double Consciousness

·      Negritude and Sexuality

·      Multicultural Imperatives vs. Modernist Imperatives

·      Biographical Approaches to Cesaire


Proposals should be submitted no later than March 15, 2009.

Proposals should include:

·      a 250 word description of your topic

·      Contact Information: Name, position (student/ faculty) and
institutional affiliation, phone numbers (cell, home), email and regular
mailing address.



Please email completed proposal packages to Prof. Gregory Pardlo, English
Department, Medgar Evers College, CUNY at: gpardlo at mec.cuny.edu. Or, for
more information, please feel free to reach Prof. Pardlo at 718-270-4948.

-- 
LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs
Writer, Sound Artist, Harlemite
latasha.diggs at gmail.com

"Space is the place, Space is the place,
Space is the place, yeah...Space is the place." Sun Ra

-- 
Anny Ballardini
http://annyballardini.blogspot.com/
http://www.fieralingue.it/modules.php?name=poetshome
http://www.moriapoetry.com/ebooks.html
I Tell You: One must still have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing
star!
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