The organization committee of the International Jesuit Mission Conference, “Interactions and Meanings of Conversion” announces the next meeting in Buenos Aires, September 23 to 26, 2008. Specialists from diverse social science and humanities disciplines (history, art history, archeology, linguistics, cultural anthropology, ethnohistory, sociology, etc.) are invited to participate. The sessions are oriented to an interdisciplinary approach to the social, political, ideological, economic, and cultural processes involved in the evangelizing actions of the Jesuits and the native people’s attitudes of adaptation and resistance in diverse regions, the strategies they deployed and the interactions between all of these forces.

The 12th International Jesuit Mission Conference aims to emphasize:
a) the relationship between the Jesuit doctrine and the Indigenous cultural practices in the context of the mission;
b) the role of the missions in the expansion of cultural, economic, and political networks between the Atlantic and the Pacific;
c) the comparison between diverse regions of the mission effort;
d) the function of the arts, sciences, and native knowledge in the missions; and,
e) The cultural processes of the missions after the Jesuit expulsion

All activities will be held in the Manzana de las Luces and the Mercedario Convent, situated in the historic center of Buenos Aires. These locations, moreover, are very relevant to both the Jesuit and colonial history of the region.
The presentations will be organized in the manner of open thematic symposiums. Professionals and students of all levels are invited to participate with original investigations about the topics related to the missions. Abstracts will be accepted until April 30, 2008. The official languages of the conference are Spanish and Portuguese, but works in English and French will be accepted if they are of special interest.
Information about the event, including an pre-inscription form, can be found on the official internet site: www.12jimj.com.ar . Any questions should be directed to the e-mail address: xiijornadasjesuiticas@yahoo.com