Africa: CODESRIA-SEPHIS Extended workshop on social history

CODESRIA-SEPHIS EXTENDED WORKSHOP ON SOCIAL HISTORY

Historicizing Gender and Sexuality in the Global South

Call for applications

CODESRIA/SEPHIS collaborative programme is pleased to announce the 7th edition of its Extended Workshop on New Theories and Methods in Social History which is scheduled for the 2nd – 12th of November 2010 in Dakar, Senegal. The theme of the workshop is: “Historicizing Gender & Sexuality in the Global South”. The Workshop will be organised around the comparative experiences of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. It will bring together about 10 young historians and historically-inclined social scientists for ten days of joint reflection, knowledge building and training.
The participants will follow a programme designed to permit them to share experiences, improve the theoretical and methodological quality of their work, and deepen their comparative insights.

Theme and Content of the Workshop
In recent times, gender and sexualities have become key elements in the construction of the image of the Global South. Their importance lies in that they involve complex interplays of historical genealogies the origins of which can be traced to the socio-cultural, political and economic foundations of social life in the Global South. Unfortunately, while there already is a growing body of work on these issues, such lack historical depth and dimension crucial for production of knowledge that reflects the reality of the Global South. As a consequence, there is at present often less analysis of the complex histories, practices and public understandings of gender and sexualities in the Global South.

The 2010 Extended Workshop offers an opportunity for scholars from the Global South to engage in research and debate on gender and sexualities in the Global South that will result in greater understanding of the complex interplay of histories and cultures underpinning and sustaining gender, sexuality and society. The objective of the workshop is to stimulate a historically-grounded, comparative analysis of gender and sexuality issues with a view to promoting reflections on the origin, direction and changes in the concepts especially in the light of globalisation.
Among the sub-themes around which reflection will be organised are:
Conceptualizations of Gender and Sexuality in Global South; Histories of Sexuality and Gender in the Global South; Law, Gender and Sexuality; Sexuality, Globalisation and Development Theory; Gender, Sexuality and Ideology in the Global South; Gender, Sexuality and Daily Practices; Religion, Gender and Sexuality in the Global South; Language and Sexuality in Global South; Gender, Sexuality and Class; Masculinity, Sexuality and Gender.

Theoretical and empirically-grounded studies on each of these sub-themes will be encouraged in order to promote debate on recent methodological and theoretical developments in Social History as they bear on gender and sexualities. To this end, participants will be encouraged to carry out their reflections in a comparative perspective. Participants will also be offered practical support in sharpening their skills on how to write an article, plan a research project, and submit a research proposal for funding.
The discussions will be linked to the research interests of the participants and the progress of their work.

Accommodation and Excursions
The workshop will be held in Dakar, Senegal. CODESRIA will provide a stimulating and pleasant environment within which participants can work. The Council will also take care of the air travel, accommodation, and local transport expenses of the participants. Furthermore, a subsistence allowance to cover living expenses will be provided. Resource persons will also receive an honorarium. Local excursions will be organised for all participants in order to make their stay more enjoyable.

Eligibility
The Workshop is open to PhD students registered in Southern universities, i.e., Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Pls note that the working language of the workshop is English. All applicants are strictly required to be proficient in that language.

Application Procedures
Laureates: Applications should include the following:
1) a Curriculum Vitae (maximum of two pages),
2) a letter certifying that the candidate is enrolled in a PhD programme at a university in the South,
3) a research proposal outlining the candidate’s current research project, including the methodology that is being employed or considered (at most four pages),
4) a sample of the applicant’s work (a draft paper, a draft research proposal or a draft thesis chapter),
5) a letter from the thesis supervisor indicating why this workshop will be of importance to the applicant,
6) a statement that the candidate has not attended a SEPHIS funded workshop before.

Convener/Resource Persons: Applicants for the position of Course Convener and Resource Persons should submit: 1) an application letter; 2) a curriculum vitae; and 3) a two-page course outline of three lectures specifically focusing on the issues to be covered in the sub-themes.

Applications must be written in English. The deadline for the submission of applications is 30th June 2010. An international scientific committee will examine the dossiers of all candidates by 20th of July 2010. Successful applicants will be notified immediately after the completion of the selection process.

Incomplete and unnecessarily lengthy applications will not be taken into consideration.
All faxed and e-mailed applications must also be accompanied by a hard copy original version sent by post if they are to be considered.

Additional information about the Extended Workshop can be obtained via:
- the CODESRIA web site: http://www.codesria.org
- the SEPHIS web site: http://www.sephis.org

Applications and requests for more information should be sent to:
CODESRIA/SEPHIS Extended Workshop on Social History
CODESRIA
Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop, angle Canal IV
B.P. 3304, Dakar, Senegal
Fax: (221) 33 824 12 89
Tel: (221) 33 825 98 22/23
E-Mail: [email][email protected]