Call for Papers, 2015 Symposium “Tales and Totems”

 

ASWM Symposium Portland, OR

April 11th 2015 

 Call for Proposals

“Tales and Totems: Lineage and Myth in Goddess Scholarship”

 

The work of Goddess Scholarship is intrinsically bound within a framework where we actively seek out, document, and honor the stories and concerns that animated the lives of our foremothers. We do this so that these stories will contribute meaningfully in the context of modern life.  The research methodologies have focused on representing our historical, thealogical, philosophical, mythological, symbolic, cultural, linguistic and aesthetic lineages.

In keeping with this emphasis of our methodology and our discipline, and embracing the sacred Nature of this year’s conference location in the Pacific Northwest rich with the tales and totems of the First Nations, we invite papers and panels including, but not limited to the following topics:

·       Tales and totems of the Pacific Northwest

·       Ancestry, foremothers and methodology

·       Prehistory, history and changing experiences of the sacred and the profane

·       Shakti, prakriti, and purusha from east to west

·       Goddess myths, clans, and communities

·       Cultural ecofeminism

·       Myth and lineage of sacred places

·       Animals as totems and symbols

·       Creation stories of the First Nations, particularly the Pacific North West

·       Indigenous myths, aboriginal histories, and women’s communities

·       First Nations, First Worlds, Third Worlds and the global environmental crises

·       Totems and symbolic language

·       Goddess lineage, rituals and community

·       Mother earth, motherhood and matriarchy

·      Altars in the home, nature and at work

Papers should be 20 minutes; panels with up to four papers on a related topic may be proposed together. Workshop proposals should be organized to provide audience interaction and must clearly address the theme. All sessions and workshops are limited to 90 minutes.

Presenters from all disciplines are welcome, as well as creative artists and practitioners who engage mythic themes in a scholarly manner in their work. Presenters must become members of ASWM.

Send 250-word abstract (for panels, 200 word abstract plus up to 150 words per paper) in PDF or MSWord to aswmsubmissions@gmail.com by November 15,2014. Use “2015 proposal” in subject header.  Include bio of up to 70 words for each presenter, as well as contact information including surface address and email.   See www.womenandmyth.org for program updates and registration.