October | 2016 | Dance Hall

GLOBAL REGGAE CONFERENCE

“DANCEHALL, MUSIC AND THE CITY”

FEBRUARY 9 – 11, 2017

Call for Papers

The Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Reggae Studies Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus announce the fifth bi-ennial Global Reggae Conference under the theme “Dancehall, Music and the City”. This conference is being staged at a time when we celebrate Bob Marley’s birth and the very foundation, the space – dancehall – through which the world has consumed seven distinct musical genres in mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, nyabinghi, dub and dancehall. This conference also comes at a time when Kingston celebrates its designation as a creative city for music by UNESCO in December 2015.

The conference intends to open discussions about contemporary considerations for Jamaican music spaces, genres, cross-fertilization, production and economy using Kingston as a backdrop for discussing the foundational space of the dancehall as a main theme.

The conference will also honour the work of Professor Carolyn Cooper, CD, founder of the Global Reggae Conference, Bob Marley Lecture Series and the Reggae Studies Unit. Her contributions to the field of cultural studies have paved the way for researchers and practitioners, often bridging the gap in research and practice for Jamaican popular music genres, reggae, and especially dancehall.

Slated for Reggae Month 2017, the conference will provide a platform for timely updates on discussions, research and development in reggae and dancehall locally, regionally and internationally. GRC2017 offers academics, researchers, artistes, musicians, scholars, cultural practitioners, entrepreneurs and music lovers from around the world a warm and welcoming environment to share their research, experiences, perspectives and passion for Jamaican music.

Chronixx

Conference themes include but are not limited to the following:

· Researching the Dancehall: Lessons from Carolyn Cooper

· Kingston: Creative Music City

· Dancehall as Space and Place

· Dancehall: From Then Till Now

· Sound Systems, Sonic Innovations and Performance

· Popular Jamaican Music and Economic Development

· Creativity and Economy: Appropriation or Cross-Fertilization?

· Dancehall, Social Media and Jamaica’s Influence

· Dancehall, Sound Regulation and Entertainment Zoning

· Dancehall Culture, Violence and Governance

· Dancehall Music, Rites, Rituals and Celebratory Practices

· Movement and Dance in Dancehall

· Dancehall: The People’s Church?

· Dancehall, Sexuality and the City

Abstract Submission and Presentation Guidelines

Abstracts should not exceed 250 words for individual presentations. For pre-organised panels, include one abstract for each presenter. Each abstract should include the following information: name of author/authors; email address/es; name of associated institution; and keywords of presentation.

Shaggy