Mobility, Identity and Change: African Peoples and Theatre Forms in a Post Post-Colonial World

The Faculty of Arts, Agostinho Neto University (Universidade Agostinho Neto), Luanda, Angola and the Scientific Research Center of the Catholic University of Luanda, Angola announce the 2019 Annual International Conference of the African Theatre Association (AfTA).

Call for Papers, Workshops, Performances, and Exhibitions

The physical and textual redrawing of national borders in Africa in the past decades has generated a phenomenon that has created a contested notion of identity and political discourse. The discursive elements of this engagement have led to contemporary political debates and media discourses in geographies, mass migration, negotiated mobility and changes that question the meanings of colonial heritage on the continent. The negotiations around mobility are hinged on the conditions of refugee status, exile, asylum, nationhood and political allegiance. The conference explores the discourse of these changes in theatre and performance, drama and literature and the general practice of these elements on the African continent. It also explores the influence of the political changes in African countries on the theatre and performance, and the effect of the performances on the political circumstances of the nations. The 2019 AfTA conference will interrogate mobility, identity and change in a post post-colonial Africa and the ways African peoples in Africa and in the diaspora, and the theatre forms they have created, have responded to the phenomenon. The conference offers different platforms to contributors and participants to engage in an interrogation of practices, critical approaches, pedagogies, and discourses on African theatre, performance, arts and media that relate to mobility, identity and change in Africa and Africa diaspora. Papers, workshops, performances, exhibitions, plenaries, installations, and screenings, and other interventions are invited from scholars, practitioners and performers.

Sub-themes include (but not limited to):

• Post post-political Changes, Migration and African Theatre
• Performing the Present, Representing the Future
• Applied Theatre, Politics and Changes in Africa
• Terror and Dispossession in Africa and the Diaspora
• Performing (for) the Other
• The Future of African Performance Culture in the post-liberation age
• Writing New African Performance, Performing the New Africa
• Crossing Borders: Inter-African Performance and reception
• Creative challenges – national and regional
• Collaborations / New Partnerships
• African Theatre and Performance in the Diaspora

Researchers, scholars, performers and practitioners interested in African theatre and performance are invited to submit abstracts for paper or proposals for performances or workshops. Abstracts of 250 words can be submitted in English, Portuguese and French (including a 150-word biography) to the Conference Convener: conferences@africantheatreassociation.org

Abstract / Proposal submission deadline: 15 March 2019.

African Theatre Association (AfTA) is an international organization of practitioners and scholars of African performance and theatre in Africa and the Diaspora. It provides a regular forum for the practical and critical exploration of African performances and scholarship, and publishes the bi-annual journal, African Performance Review.

Website - www.africantheatreassociation.org