Call for Proposals: HLA@IFOA State of (In)Equality: Social Justice Under Siege

Call for Proposals - humber.ca/liberalarts-ifoa

The State of (In)Equality: Social Justice Under Siege is the fourth annual interdisciplinary conference presented by Humber College’s School of Liberal Arts and Sciences in association with the International Festival of Authors (IFOA).

Harbourfront Centre Toronto: October 28-29, 2017
Keynote Speaker: Susan N. Herman, President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

CFP: The perceived orthodoxy of progressive politics has come under attack in recent years by individuals, groups, and institutions that believe their actions and speech are being policed. The term ‘social justice warrior’ (SJW) emerged in 2011. This attempted to switch the term ‘social justice’ (which has since 1840 been primarily a positive concept) into a mainstream pejorative to dismiss those who espoused views concerning social progressivism, civil rights, cultural inclusiveness, gay rights, or feminism. For those activists and researchers who have spent their lives trying to change society for the better, this is a troubling turn. Our conference will examine the current and past state(s) of inequality and social justice from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

  • Indigenous studies
  • Democracy vs. capitalism
  • Poverty and Economic inequality
  • Civil rights
  • Social movements
  • Anti-globalisation
  • Post-neoliberalism
  • Past and future of labour
  • Identity politics
  • Racial inequality
  • Retribalization
  • Rule of law
  • Neo-reactionary
  • Post-humanism and social activism
  • Decolonization
  • Racialization
  • Gender inequality, eco-feminism
  • Social construction of difference
  • Reparations/reconciliation
  • Social democracy
  • Social justice backlash
  • Pluralistic identities
  • Peace and justice
  • Health inequality
  • Ableism
  • Heterosexism
  • Access to education
  • Environmental activism
  • Abuse of state power

We welcome proposals from researchers within all relevant academic disciplines.

If accepted, the presenter(s) should prepare a 20 minute presentation each, the oral equivalent of approximately 8 to 10 pages, double spaced, in Times New Roman 12pt font.

Deadline for Proposals: May 30, 2017