A New Vision of Black Freedom: The Manning Marable Memorial Conference
Reinvigorating Social Theory; Redefining Political Struggle

The Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University (IRAAS) invites single presentation, panel, or workshop proposals for “A New Vision of Black Freedom: the Manning Marable Memorial Conference,” an academic and community-focused event scheduled for April 26-28, 2012 at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Columbia University.

In an era of emerging social protests and revolutions the world over, the conference will reflect the late professor’s emphasis on history and social analysis as ways of illuminating national and global socio-economic crises and their underlying causes. Dr. Marable’s work emphasized the union of scholarly analysis and grassroots activism as a central project of progressive social transformation. The conference seeks to bring together scholars, students, activists, teachers, artists, social workers, community residents and others for a series of democratic conversations about the task of creating a more equitable and just world.

The political spirit of the conference reflects Dr. Marable’s materialist critique of racism (past and present), imperialism, war, and capitalist exploitation, as well as his commitment to the black radical tradition; transnational liberation movements; human rights; environmental justice; radical democracy; solidarity and common cause among—and comparative analysis of—the struggles of oppressed and colonized people around the world; workers; women; the poor; people of color; gays and lesbians; immigrants; and prisoners. The conference seeks to generate new energy, analysis, ideas and initiatives that creatively address and engage the social problems that Dr. Marable’s work addressed, especially the ongoing crisis of structural racism in national and global political economies.

Possible Themes:

How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America: A Reappraisal Rediscovering Malcolm X
Towards a “Living Black History”
Black Politics and the Arab Spring: Transcending American
Imperialism
Black Women Theorizing and Organizing for Change
Black Feminism in Theory and Practice
Transnational Blackness
African, Latin American and Caribbean Revolutions
African American/Asian/Latino Coalitions
The Face of Racism in the Era of Obama
Police Brutality and State Violence
Socialism and Social Transformation
Rethinking the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements
Health, Energy and Environmental Justice
Rebuilding Freedom Movements from Below
Race and the Political Economy of Neoliberalism: At Home and Abroad Theorizing Black Studies: Where Do We Go from Here?
Queering the Black Revolt
Hip Hop and Youth Politics
The Online Revolution: Social Media and Social Change
The Black Intellectual: Transcending the Academy
Organizing Black Workers: From Trade Unions to the Streets
Education for Liberation: Teaching and Learning from Young People
The Black Radical Congress: Reappraisal and Redux?
The Political Economy of Mass Imprisonment: Responding to New Crises

Partial list of speakers: Mumia Abu Jamal (via conference call), Cathy Cohen, Bill Fletcher Jr., Vijay Prashad, Barbara Ransby, Peter Wagner.

The Conference Coordinating Committee welcomes panels, workshops, individual presentations or other creative sessions that theorize, analyze, critique, contextualize or reinterpret Dr. Marable’s work and major publications; showcase academic, cultural or political work that draws on, confronts, illustrates or intersects the major themes of his work; or highlight ongoing social activism around the political themes that Dr. Marable embraced while also providing opportunities for envisioning, strategizing and organizing new forms of activism.

Proposals should consist of a session or presentation title; a 500-word abstract defining the topic and the format for each individual presentation and/or the panel as a whole; a short cv or biography that includes institutional/organizational affiliation and contact information (including email); and audio visual requirements. **The submission deadline is Tuesday, November 1, 2011**
Only electronic submissions via word email attachment will be accepted.
**Send submissions only to: marableconference@gmail.com**

Additional inquiries:
Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University
1200 Amsterdam Avenue,Mail Code 5512
New York, NY 10027
Email: askmarableconference@gmail.com
(inquiries only; see above for submissions)
Webpage: www.iraas.com