<font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Lionel Walsh, Associate Dean<br>
Academic and Student Affairs<br>
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences<br>
University of Windsor<br>
401 Sunset Avenue<br>
Windsor, ON<br>
N9B 3P4 Canada<br>
</font><a href=www.uwindsor.ca/fahss><font size=2 face="sans-serif">www.uwindsor.ca/fahss</font></a><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
519/253-3000, ext. 2029<br>
<br>
Associate Professor<br>
School of Dramatic Art<br>
519-253-3000, ext. 2820<br>
Fax: 519-971-3629<br>
</font><a href=www.uwindsor.ca/drama><font size=2 face="sans-serif">www.uwindsor.ca/drama</font></a>
<br><font size=1 color=#800080 face="sans-serif">----- Forwarded by Lionel
Walsh/walsha/University of Windsor on 2014-10-05 11:51 AM -----</font>
<br>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">From:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">jill stevenson <jillstevenson@gmail.com></font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">To:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">medren-nyu@lists.nyu.edu,
astr-l@lists.illinois.edu, DTSA List <THEATRE-L@gc.listserv.cuny.edu>,
PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts <PERFORM@listserv.indiana.edu>,
MEDFEM-L@asu.edu, athecast <ATHECast@athe.org></font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Date:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">2014-10-04 12:36 PM</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Subject:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">[ATHECast] CFP:
"Has Theatre Ever Been Secular?" (10/17/14; ATHE, Montréal, Québec,
30 July- 2 August 2015)</font>
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<hr noshade>
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<br>
<br><font size=3><b>“Has Theatre Ever Been Secular?”</b></font>
<br><font size=3><b>Session for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education’s
2015 Conference</b></font>
<br><font size=3><b>30 July-2 August, 2015; Montréal, Québec, Canada</b></font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">In <i>We Have Never Been Modern</i>,
sociologist Bruno Latour has proposed that the Modern Constitution is erroneously
founded upon “the absolute dichotomy between the order of Nature and that
of Society,” with the result being that moderns must construct vast amounts
of “hybrids” between the two. The falsity of this foundational distinction
means that we have, in fact, never been modern. Inspired by Latour’s model
of inquiry, this session asks related questions with respect to performance
and religion: Has theatre as praxis and institution ever been secular?
What exactly does secularism mean for the arts? Have we simply forgotten
those sacred roots that shoot through contemporary modes of operation?
Are those dogmatic principals or transcendent propositions to which we
still subscribe truly “secular”?</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Craig Calhoun has said of secularism
that it, like religion, is never singular. Moreover, secularisms are never
the mere “neutral” absence of religion, but each instance should instead
be seen as “a presence. . . . <i>something</i> we need to think through.”
Religiosity is not merely subtracted from the equation of “secular” societies,
but is still present in boldly outlined and sublimated forms, and often
finds its way into the heart of liberalist claims to such concepts as inalienable
rights.</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">This session invites submissions
that reflect upon our own assertions, assumptions, and ideologies about
secularism in relation to theatre and performance. Possible topics of research
might include, but are not limited to:</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Religious resonances in “secular”
theatre</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">The turn to identity and community
in performance as a mode of religious communion</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Ecology and performance as devotion
to transcendent or universal aims</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">“Secularized” eschatology</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Breakdowns between religion
and secularity in performance</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Historical ruptures or attempts
to define a secular theatre against its religious origins</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">Performance that aims to invoke
the secular or aid in secular politics</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">-</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">The use of performance to undergird
or deconstruct divisions between Western secularism and Fundamentalism</font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </font>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">The session organizers are open
to traditional conference-length papers, as well as other forms of research
presentation. Please send a one-page abstract and brief bio to <u>both</u>
Scott Venters (</font><a href=mailto:scottv5@uw.edu><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><u>scottv5@uw.edu</u></font></a><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">)
and Jill Stevenson (</font><a href=mailto:jillstevenson@gmail.com><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><u>jillstevenson@gmail.com</u></font></a><font size=3 face="Times New Roman">)
by October 17th. Feel free to email the organizers with questions. For
information about ATHE and the 2015 conference, please visit: </font><a href=http://www.athe.org/><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><u>http://www.athe.org/</u></font></a>
<p><font size=3>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails
from it, send an email to </font><a href="mailto:athecast+unsubscribe@athe.org"><font size=3 color=blue><u>athecast+unsubscribe@athe.org</u></font></a><font size=3>.</font>