Call For Papers for a Conference to be held at UCL in summer 2014 : « Britain, France & Africa : Legacies, Entanglements and Cultural Trajectories of Decolonization and Beyond » 9 juin 2014 - UCL, London

The legacies of colonialism are as hotly debated as the struggle for independence was contested. Cultural, political and financial entanglement remained long after 1960 in a hazily defined ‘postcolonial moment’ which has coloured our interpretation of these events. This conference will try to tease out these transnational bonds, articulating the mindsets, beliefs and perceptions which governed the contested decolonization process for Britain and France. The reality of different aims, different beliefs and different modernities did not belie common features which linked this process across time and continents.

We would like to invite researchers working across a range of disciplines to submit papers which deal with the themes outlined above in any sense and are willing to consider broadly related topics and interesting interpretations on the theme. In particular we would be interested in papers which deal with :

 Transnational considerations of culture

 Diasporic studies, migration and transfers

 Economic bonds between the Metropole and the Colonies

 Reflections on specific cultural figures who embodied postcolonial entanglement

 Consideration of individual roles in negotiating transfer

 Intellectual trade winds

 Analyses of legacies and continuing bonds

These themes are not comprehensive, and we are interested in hearing from all those interested in attending the conference. Papers should be 20 minutes in length and we welcome proposals of up to 250 words. Please ensure to include your affiliation and contact details for administrative purposes. This conference should offer an interesting opportunity to survey current research in the field and it is envisaged that suitable papers may be collected together with the aim of proposing the creation of an edited volume which united the themes of the conference.

Deadline for proposals : 1pm on Monday 17th February

Please send all proposals to either : andrew.wm.smith chez ucl.ac.uk or c.jeppesen chez ucl.ac.uk

For information, please contact Andrew W M Smith andrew.wm.smith chez ucl.ac.uk

LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY