A hybrid event to be hosted by King’s College London, 30-31st August 2024
Steering committee: Sarah Cooper, Aboubakar Sanogo, Vinzenz Hediger, Jason McGrath, Masha Salazkina, and David Wood
Deadline for submitting proposals: 29 January 2024
This conference aims to revisit the question of what film theory is by asking where it takes place, how we recognize it, and where we find it across international locales. Starting from the premise that film theory is global, multiple, and coeval rather than something that emanates from the West and then spreads, the conference will focus on bringing to light marginalized or hitherto unknown histories of film theorizing, as well as new engagements with entrenched theoretical debates from different geopolitical perspectives.
The two-day event will draw together different scholarly perspectives from around the world to develop transnational conceptualizations of film theory that can contribute to debates about decolonizing the field.
‘Global Circulations of Film Theory’ seeks to stimulate fresh theoretical discussion, as well as explore collaborative methodologies from different historical perspectives across geographical boundaries.
We invite papers on film theory and theorizing from any area of the globe at any historical moment. Topics might include but are not limited to:
• Circulations of film theory in the pre- and post-1945 age of decolonization;
• Film theorizing and the Global South;
• Places and practices through which film theory circulates across the globe:
— Sites where there is intensive exchange around theory, for example, film schools, festivals, cinemas/cinematheques, conferences, congresses, archives, universities;
— Practices through which film theory circulates, for example, filmmaking, film criticism, translation, publishing, curation, programming;
— Circulations of theory via people, films, texts, technologies, for example, distribution, exhibition, migration, and exile;
• Relations between film theory and practice or praxis;
• Decolonial/anti-colonial/post-colonial approaches to film theory;
• Teaching film theory in the context of decolonizing university curricula;
• The adequacy of ‘film theory’ as a term in a global context.
Please submit proposals of up to 250 words and a brief bio-bibliography of up to 100 words to Sarah Cooper sarah.cooper@kcl.ac.uk by 29 January 2024.
There is the option of virtual or in-person participation in London: please indicate the intended format of your participation (online or in-person) when you submit your proposal.
A limited number of bursaries will be available to contribute to travel costs for post-graduate and early career presenters.
Participants will be informed about selection by the end of February 2024.
The event is funded by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) as part of the ‘Global Circulations of Film Theory’ network project, www.globalfilmtheory.net.