For the 2019 conference, the PRS group welcomes proposals for research papers, reports on performances, demonstrations of artistic and religious practices, and other activities.

Performing Religious and Spiritual Traditions in Urban Contexts

 

Performance, Religion, and Spirituality Working Group (PRS)

International Federation for Theatre Research Conference

8-12 July 2019

Shanghai Theatre Academy

Shanghai, China

 

Deadline for submission: 7 January 2019

Deadline for bursary applications: 20 November 2018

 

Contemporary cities are urban, multicultural, intersecting organisms where religious and spiritual traditions exist in proximity and often consist of pluralities of practices and beliefs. Organized religions and spiritual communities respond variously to such complex environments, as opportunities for inter-religious and cultural exchange and as a threat to ‘authenticity’ and authority.

 

Sacred spaces, for example, might be opened to the complex, cultural landscape of contemporary cities, or might instead decide to close themselves to protect the integrity of their traditions.

 

We are interested in exploring practices/performances of closure and openness in response to the challenges that urban multiculturalism might present to religious and spiritual traditions. We are also interested in examinations of cities as hubs for integration or as territories that mark division.

 

We welcome proposals for research papers, reports on performances, demonstrations of artistic and religious practices, and other activities on topics including but not limited to:

 

·       Inter-religious dialogue through performance;

·       Cultural performances in religious contexts;

·       Hybridisation of traditions;

·       Cross fertilization between ritualistic practices and traditions;

·       Performances of closure and ‘authenticity’;

·       Practices by which sacred places are made;

·       Multiculturalism as a threat to religious and spiritual communities;

·       The rise of secular churches in urban contexts;

 

Submission Instructions:

• Each proposal should be no more than 300 words plus a 200-word biography.

• Proposals must be submitted through the IFTR registration process - at this address https://www.iftr.org/conference - by the conference deadline, 7 January 2019.

• If applying for this year’s bursary, submit proposals – at this address https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1k-haw10apVUp2RQK-oJPiBHT1S8zgf5Id5eLNY2MhjU/edit?usp=sharing - by 20 November 2018.

The Performance, Religion and Spirituality Group (PRS) is an open network of scholars and artists interested in exploring interconnections between forms and impulses of religions, spiritualities, and theatrical performances, and in attending to the ways performance and spiritual life have come into conversation, cooperation, and conflict, both historically and in the present. The working group is affiliated with two peer-reviewed journals. Performance, Religion and Spirituality, which is an open-access journal, can be found at prs-journal.org. Information about Ecumenica, a publication of Penn State University Press, can be found at www.ecumenicajournal.org.

https://www.iftr.org/working-groups/performance-and-religion

https://www.facebook.com/groups/829685310382906/

http://prs-journal.org

https://www.facebook.com/perrelspi/  

www.ecumenicajournal.org

 

For any inquiry please contact the conveners:

 

Silvia Battista

battiss@hope.ac.uk

Liverpool Hope University

 

David Mason
Editor, Ecumenica
editor@ecumenicajournal.org