Call for Papers

CFP: "Religious Narrative and Post-Secularity"

NEXUS Interdisciplinary Conference

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Friday April 7 - Saturday April 8, 2006
Keynote Speaker: John Caputo (Syracuse)--"Beyond Sovereignty: The =20
Weakness of God and the Postmodern Situation"
Reading by Diane Glancy (Macalester College)
Website: http://web.utk.edu/~nexus/
Deadline for Submissions: February 10, 2006

Alvin Toffler describes our contemporary culture as the product of =20
our technology=92s =93accelerative thrust,=94 propelling us ever more =20=

quickly into the future and leaving our shared past increasingly =20
quickly behind. Yet, God=92s efficacy seems now as prevalent as ever it =20=

did in America=92s history. Our word religion is adapted from Latin =20
compounds meaning, =93to reread=94 and =93to link back.=94 Thus, =
religion =20
seems inescapably tied to the past.

This panel aims to study the role and the value of religion in a post-=20=

secular academy as well as in the formation and maintenance of =20
nation, nationhood, and national identity. Abstracts (250-300 words) =20
are invited on the topic of religion and post-secularity.

Some Questions to Consider:
Can religion continue to survive in a world that is increasingly =20
leaving the past behind?
Does religion simply recreate the past?
Is religion increasingly doomed to become merely a Jamesonian nostalgia?
How do religious fundamentalists and religious progressives relate to =20=

change?
What are the material conditions that allow religion to survive?
What is the relationship between religion and popular culture? What =20
is the relationship between religion and high culture?

Deadline for submissions: February 10, 2006. Please email proposals =20
for a twenty-minute paper or presentation as a Word attachment to =20
Joel Brooks at wbrooks6_at_utk.edu or mail to Joel Brooks, Department of =20=

English, University of Tennessee, 301 McClung Tower, Knoxville, TN =20
37996.

All general inquiries about the conference may be directed to Elaine =20
Childs at echilds_at_utk.edu. The NEXUS series is organized and hosted =20
by the Graduate Students in English. Please visit our website at =20
http://web.utk.edu/~nexus/.=

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Received on Thu Feb 02 2006 - 14:30:45 EST