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Call for Papers/Proposals

The Africana Studies Program at The University of New Mexico has entered its 50th year. In homage to the discipline, our practitioners, and supporters, we will host the Inaugural Southwest Conference on Black Studies. Through the conference, we hope to reinforce the founding pillars of the discipline and reflect on our long-standing commitment to academic excellence and social responsibility.

We welcome paper and panel/workshop proposals on any of the following topics. Abstracts with a focus on the southwest are particularly encouraged.

The Committee will invite selected participants to include their papers in a proposal for an edited book manuscript.

  • Black Economics
  • Afrocentric Health, Spirituality, and Wellness
  • Black and Brown Relations
  • Community Capacity Building
  • Afro-Futurism
  • Black Immigration, Migration, and Demographics
  • Black Student Engagement/Activism
  • Critical Race Theory
  • Afro-Indigenous Identity
  • Black Politics
  • Whiteness in Black Studies
  • Black Arts and Cultural Production
  • Education – P-20 Pedagogy and Teaching
  • Black Resistance
  • Black Studies in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • Afro-Phobia/Anti-Blackness and Settler Colonialism
  • Africana Theory/Philosophy, Practice, and Perspectives
  • Blacks and STEAM-H
  • Eco-Racism and Environmental Justice
  • Afro-Latinx Identity
  • LGBTQ Issues
  • The Future of Black Studies: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Race and Gender
  • Race and The Law
  • Black Geographies

Deadline for Paper Proposals

By February 15, 2020, authors and co-authors should submit a one-page proposal for their papers or posters including: 1) the title of the paper; 2) a 250-word abstract and; 3) topic from the list above. The abstract should provide a brief summary of the paper and include the paper's purpose, methods/methodology and design, major interpretations, and discussion/conclusions/recommendations. Proposals, along with authors' contact information, should be submitted below.

Deadline for Panel Sessions/Workshops

Panel sessions will also be hosted at the conference. If you are interested in hosting a panel (a minimum of three members), please submit the names of all panelists (designate which is the point of contact for the entire panel), 1) the title of the panel; 2) a 250-word description of the panel/workshop and; 3) topic from the list above. Panel session proposals should be submitted below.

Notification of Acceptance

The conference committee will contact authors starting February 15. By February 29, 2020, the conference committee will decide on all proposals.

Scholars whose proposals have been accepted should register to attend. In confirmation of your presentation, also submit the following information below by March 15, 2020.