First Edition of The Professor Akachi Ezeigbo International Conference, 2024

THEME: Gender Dynamics in African and African Diaspora Literature, Education, Visual Arts and Performance

MODE: Hybrid

Date: 17^th & 18^th   October, 2024                              

Introduction

We are excited to announce the 1^st Professor Akachi Ezeigbo International Conference on Gender Dynamics in African Literature, Visual Arts and Performance, 2024. This conference is one of the efforts of scholars to celebrate Professor Akachi Ezeigbo—one of the distinguished literary icons in Nigeria who has contributed enormously to creativity, literary artistry, academic leadership and scholarship in the areas of literature and gender discourse. The theme of this conference is designed to explore the ideological inclinations, critical interpretations and codification of gender in African and African diaspora literature, education, visual arts and performance. This conference through its specialized theme has the capacity and propensity to impart unparalleled knowledge and provide a scholarly platform for academics, writers, researchers, activists and scholars to discuss the growing complexities of gender in Africa with greater significance. A survey of gender issues and trends in Africa has explicitly exposed different consistent and contemporary patterns of inequality, stereotype, war, identity crisis, liminality in space, intersectional nuances, displacement, resistance/revolution, suppression/repression, discrimination, and critical issues surrounding human mobility. Typically, these contemporary patterns have posed a great challenge to African cultural settlement, unity and growth in different spheres. Specifically, the idea of this conference is to bring together intellectuals of distinct background to offer new critical insights into the nature, scope and contexts of gender in contemporary African discourse. 

Thus, the 1^st Professor Akachi Ezeigbo International Conference on Gender Dynamics in African Literature, Education, Visual Arts and Performance 2024 is an intellectual effort towards celebrating Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s prolific contributions to African literary discourse and Gender Studies.

Background

Over the past decades, perspectives on gender have not ceased to attract efforts from scholars who have tried to articulate ideas that would redress gender issues in Africa, and globally. Notably, the discursive sites on gender studies have mainly centered on inequality and injustice—the conceptual models for exploring tensions through established signification. However, the predominance of diversity in identity, multifaceted academic discipline, variety of approaches and methodological gaps have given room to new analytical interpretations and critical innovations within existing canons. Currently, the central concern has shifted argument from the traditional social construction with a binary concept to understanding gender as a fluid and contextual concept. The manner in which the compositional dimensions of gender have been contextually mediated upon depends on a variety of factors such as cultural milieu and historical perspectives wrapped around inherent power dynamics. 

The implication is that gender with its fluidity and problematics of context-based factors poses new challenges begging for conceptual, methodological and analytical approaches. The variation in terms of gender perceptions gives room to sociolinguistic perspectives, dominance/visual approaches, cultural differences, psychological interpretations, behaviourial expectations and other critical stances. Significantly, this international conference seeks knowledge production and collaboration on different specialized areas on Gender Studies.

SUB-THEMES

• Gender and Violence
• Gender and Education
• Gender and Mental Health
• Gender and Liminality 
• Gender and Sexuality
• Sexuality and the Cartology of African Realities
• Gender Versus Cultural Syncretism and Policy Challenges 
• Gender and the Politics of self
• Gender and Ideology
• Gender and Globalization
• Gender and Inequalities
• Gender Roles in Literature and Media
• Gender Discrimination and Sexism
• Gender and Power
• Gender and Religion
• Gender and Leadership
• Gender and Migration
• Gender and Human Rights
• Gender and Digital Humanities
• Gender and Theatre
• Gender and Literature
• Gender and Visual Arts
• Gender and Performance
• Gender and Culture
• Gender and Black Studies
• Gender and Identity
• Gender and Theory
• Gender and Law
• Gender and Society
• Gender and Childhood Studies
• Gender and Disability
• Gender and Spirituality
• Gender and Orality
• Gender and Diversity
• Gender and Music
• Gender and Communication
• Gender and Language
• Gender and Displacement

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Prospective participants must submit papers that have the following features: Adequate title, name(s) of author(s), functional phone numbers /e-mail addresses and institutional affiliation. The submitted paper should be written on Microsoft Word with Times New Roman size font 12. The paper must not exceed 15 pages including the Main body and Works Cited pages. The 8^th edition of MLA Style of referencing is recommended. The paper for submission must have an abstract of 250 words with visible statement of problem, methodology in concepts/theories, findings, contribution to scholarship and adequate recommendation if necessary. It is very important to choose keywords that will not exceed five words.

Mode: Hybrid

Physical Venue: ASUU Secretariat, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 

Date: Thur. 17^th  & Friday 18^th October, 2024

CONFERENCE TIME-LINES

• August 28^th, 2024

            Deadline for Abstract Submissions

• September 10^th, 2024

Full Paper Submission closes

Interested participants should send their Abstracts to [email protected]

REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Accepted abstracts shall be registered for the conference at the following rates of conference fee:

• On-site presentation $50
• Virtual presentation   $25
• Physical presentation (Nigeria) ₦20,000
• Virtual presentation (Nigeria) ₦20,000

ACCOUNT NUMBER

Name of Account: Centre for Migration Studies

Bank: United Bank for Africa

Account No: 1022005880

GENERAL ENQUIRIES:

All participants must submit their abstracts/papers within the stipulated time lines via the approved e-mail address: 

[email protected]

For more enquiries, please contact the LOC Chairperson, Professor Tracie Utoh-Ezeajugh (08034502382); Secretary LOC, Dr. Ifeoma Odinye (08032617858)

Convener: Prof. Lilian-Rita Akudolu. 

                       (Director: Centre for Gender Studies (CGS- NAU)

LOC Chairperson: Professor Tracie Utoh-Ezeajugh.

                        (Director: Centre for Migration Studies (CMS-NAU)

Secretary LOC:  Dr. Ifeoma Odinye. 

                         (Deputy Director: Centre for Gender Studies CGS-NAU)

KEYNOTE PRESENTER

Prof. Mabel Evwierhoma

Department of Theatre Arts,

University of Abuja, Nigeria

LEAD PAPER PRESENTER

Prof. Patrick Oloko

Department of English,

University of Lagos, Akoka,

Lagos, Nigeria

LEAD PAPER PRESENTER

Dr. Izuu Nwankwọ

Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies

University of Toronto, Canada