Toward an Africawithout Borders Conference=C2=AD 2007: From Theory to Pra=
ctice
July5-8, 2007 - DurbanUniversityof Technology, Durban, South Africa

The Toward an Africa Without Borders organizing committee invitesscholars=
 and activists from all disciplines and professions to submit abstractsor=
 panel proposals for consideration for our third international conference=
 tobe held in Durban, South Africa July 5-8, 2007. Theconference features=
 keynote speakers Horace Campbell, Andile Mngxitama, andChengiah Rogers R=
agaven. Toward an Africa Without Borders is dedicated toopening borders, =
both physical and metaphorical, and to promoting unity andsolidarity betw=
een groups in the Diaspora and Africaby facilitating strategic alliances =
and discussions that lead to partnershipsfor positive action in the name =
of Pan-Africanism.

The conference will consist of various panels and round-tablediscussions,=
 and will highlight four Featured Panels.

Featured Panels:**

Activism Across Borders
How can activism [and scholarship] cross and breakdown borders, be they g=
eographic borders or borders dividing gender, class,language, ethnicity, =
religion, age, etc.? What are the benefits or drawbacks ofconceptualizing=
 activism in terms of such =E2=80=9Cborders=E2=80=9D?
Africa & the Media: Borders of Perception
How do media affect the perception of Africa in both Africa and the Diasp=
ora? How can international anddomestic African media work to expand under=
standing or facilitate cooperation?What is the role of state and journali=
st control/censorship in this process?
Pan-Africanism: Theory and Practice
How can Pan-African ideas and theories be put intopractice in today=E2=80=
=99s Africa? How canPan-African theory facilitate positive action and col=
laboration throughout Africa and the Diaspora? What are the benefits and/=
orpitfalls of Pan-Africanism in the context of activism and scholarship?
South Africa=E2=80=99s Role in Africaand the World
How does the idea of "South AfricanExceptionalism" complement or impair t=
he Pan-Africanist agenda? Is SouthAfrican Exceptionalism a myth or realit=
y? How does South Africa's role within SADC andthe African continent affe=
ct issues such as immigration and domestic andforeign policy, in general?=
 What are the advantages and disadvantages of themodel of social change e=
mployed by South Africa post liberation?

**If you would like your abstract to be considered for one of the feature=
dpanels, please clearly indicate that on your submission.

In addition to these featured panels, the conference welcomes scholarsand=
 activists to discuss such issues as, but not limited to:
Arts/performance & Pan-Africanism
What role does culture play in today=E2=80=99sPan-African movement? How c=
an the arts and performance better serve to bridgePan-African ideology an=
d activism? How effectively does art bring politics tothe people and vice=
 versa?
Literature of Africaand the Diaspora
What recent and historical works of African andDiaspora literature contri=
bute to Pan-Africanism? How is contemporaryliterature mobilizing a new vi=
sion of Pan-African identity and politics? Whatborders are constructed be=
tween continental and Diaspora artists regardingthese issues? Do writers =
in Europe and the United States share the sameconception of Pan-Africanis=
m as their continental peers?
African Women: Struggle and Strength
What role do African and Diaspora women play in thestruggle toward an Afr=
ica without borders? What challenges do they face? What strengths do they=
 contribute?
Language and Africa
How does language factor into the Pan-African debatetoday? Do linguistic =
and language barriers pose viable threats to Pan-Africanpossibilities, or=
 should linguistic diversity be embraced? How practical andhow problemati=
c is English as the lingua franca of the Pan-African movement? How access=
ible =E2=80=93 and how relevant =E2=80=93 is Pan-African discourse to the=
general public?
Globalization, Africa,and the Diaspora
What is Africa=E2=80=99srole in globalization? How has globalization alte=
red Africaand the Diaspora? Has it been for better or worse? Does globali=
zation build orerase borders? Where does Pan-Africanism stand in relation=
 to other models ofglobal identity, nationhood and/or belonging?
Religion, Ethnicity, and Identity in Africaand the Diaspora
What is the role of religion, ethnicity, and/oridentity in erecting or de=
stroying borders in Africaand the Diaspora? How can these concepts contri=
bute or detract fromcooperation, understanding, and collaboration between=
 peoples? How can theseborders be negotiated to end genocide in Africa?
Africa and Foreign Relations
What is the impact of African nations=E2=80=99 foreignpolicy on cooperati=
on and understanding across geographic borders? How canAfrica benefit fro=
m improved and continued partnerships with not only the West,but also the=
 Middle East and Asia?
Health and Medicine in Africa
What are the borders affecting improvements in healthcare and medicine di=
stribution/availability in Africa?How can breaking down these divisions h=
elp Africacope with and eliminate the major health issues affecting the c=
ontinent?
Africa and the Environment
How can Africa workto improve the environment? What is Africa=E2=80=99sro=
le in the global climate crisis? What is the impact of environmental chan=
geon African peoples?
Refugees, Immigration, and Pan-Africanism
How can applying the ideas and ideals of Pan-Africanismassist the contine=
nt and the Diaspora in dealing with refugee and immigrationissues?
Government Organizations, Non-GovernmentalOrganizations, and Development
What are the roles of these organizations indevelopment projects in Afric=
a? What are theborders that affect their work? How can re-conceptualizing=
 these variousborders better facilitate their work?
Emerging Global Powers in Africa
What role do emerging global powers, such as China and India,and their gr=
owing economic involvement, play in Africa?How does this new involvement =
compare with previous involvement of=E2=80=9Ctraditional imperialists=E2=80=
=9D? What is the impact of this involvementon African-based initiatives f=
or trade, development, social and politicaladvancement?
African Sexuality
Are gender and sexuality the least porous of Africanfrontiers? What are t=
he borders that prevent the acknowledgment or acceptanceof homosexuality =
in Africa? DoesPan-Africanism have a role in eliminating sexualized borde=
rs, and if so, whatis that role? What affect will South Africa's marriage=
 inclusion law have uponsexual identities across the continent? How does =
Pan-Africanism benefit ordeter the discussion of sexuality in Africa?

Submission of abstracts & activists=E2=80=99 proposals for discussiontopi=
cs: Abstracts should be limited to 250 words, and should include theautho=
r's name, title, affiliation, and full address (including telephone, fax,=
and e-mail). Activists are strongly encouraged to submit proposals forrou=
nd-table discussions on these and related topics. Please visit our web si=
te- www.towardanafricawithoutborders.org- for more information and to sub=
mit abstracts and proposals online. If youhave any questions, please e-ma=
il us at Durban2007_at_towardanafricawithoutborders.org,or call Denise St. C=
lair at 608-226-0535. If you are unable to access the website, you can al=
so submit proposals by mailing them to Toward an Africa WithoutBorders, c=
/o Denise St. Clair, 4518 Maher Avenue, Madison, WI, 53716.Or, you can fa=
x them to 608-694-4118.

Deadline for submission: April 15, 2007

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Received on Sat Feb 24 2007 - 15:42:52 EST