[Sigtis-l] cfp: ISTC conference, "Re-Visioning the Future: Modernity between Utopia and Dystopia, 5/21-23

[jeremy hunsinger]

Call for Papers  International Social Theory Consortium
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
MARCH 20, 2009



Since the 1980s, social theorists have become increasingly reluctant  
to relate constructively to the
future of western societies, modern democracy, and human  
civilization.  Both in the social sciences
and the humanities, postmodernist critics highlighted the affinity  
between utopianism and forms of
totalitarianism.  As a consequence, social theorists refrained from  
recognizing as part of their
unique responsibility efforts to refine existing and to delineate new  
perspectives on the future.
Social Theorists began to pay focused attention to problematic  
patterns of thought that need to be
overcome, in order to reduce the odds that the kind of socially,  
politically and economically induced
catastrophes that influenced the direction of historical change during  
the twentieth century will
recur—both directly and indirectly, positively and negatively.  Yet  
whether we appreciate it or not,
in the context of globalization, the imminence of change has pushed  
itself aggressively to the
forefront of social-theoretical concerns. The inevitability of change  
is inescapable, and its centrality
to modern civilization undeniable.  Concordantly, the imperative to  
engage in informed and
critically reflexive discourses about the kind of world we will,  
should, or might live in, continues to
increase rapidly. The conference will serve to facilitate  
interdisciplinary exchange relating to the
continuing challenge of capturing the warped nature of modernity at  
the intersection of the past and
the future and of utopia and dystopia.

Organizer:
Harry F. Dahms (Sociology)
Co-Organizers:
Steven P. Dandaneau (Sociology)
Allen R. Dunn (English and Religion)

Papers accepted for inclusion in the program will be considered for  
publication in
Current Perspectives in Social Theory (ed. Harry F. Dahms) or
Soundings.  An Interdisciplinary Journal (ed. Allen R. Dunn).

The organizers welcome proposals on any topic in social theory, and  
request submission of abstracts
(between 150-250 words), 5-page outlines, papers, or proposals for  
sessions.  Papers will receive
preferred consideration.  For list of conference theme-related topics,  
submission deadline, and
registration fee, see the full call below:


> full call: http://web.utk.edu/~hdahms/ISTC2009/ISTC2009CallforPapers.pdf


The conference will be hosted by the University of Tennessee, in  
Knoxville, May 21-23 of 2009.  It is the 8th annual conference of the  
International Social Theory Consortium. Recent meetings have taken  
place in Singapore, Dubrovnick, Lexington, KY, Toronto, Tampa and  
Sussex. The submission deadline for proposals is March 20, 2009.