Why We Write: The Politics and History of Writing for Social Change Conference

Posted by on November 15, 2002

Why We Write: The Politics and History of Writing for Social Change Conference
March 28-29, 2003
Columbia University
New York, NY 10027

As a result of the overwhelming success of last year’s interdisciplinary conference on the History of Activism, History as Activism at Columbia University, the graduate students in the history department are currently organizing an interdisciplinary conference on the historical, theoretical, and political dimensions of writing. The objective of the conference is to provide a forum for writers, activists, novelists, screenwriters, poets, journalists, graduate students, and faculty–from all fields and across all time periods and geographic locations–to discuss “why they write.”

Proposals could address but are not limited to:
historical, sociological, literary, medical, legal, and anthropological examinations of writing.
theories of gender and sexuality
nationalism
globalism
the role of the activist, scholar, and writer in public culture
pedagogy and teaching
publishing, documentaries, and films
activism and human rights
Identity
public history
writing outside the academy

Please send proposals (roughly 250 words) along with a CV to whywewrite@hotmail.com.

Deadline is January 5, 2003–proposals sent before the deadline are greatly encouraged.

Accepted panelists will be notified by February 16, 2003