Call for Papers
BTTA! 2013
Doing Genealogy:
Back to the Archives!
Since 2007, the Society for Existential and Phenomenological Theory and Culture has hosted the popular panel and workshop, Back to the Things Themselves! (BTTTT!). In 2013, and inspired by Back to the Things Themselves!, we are introducing a new annual panel and workshop to the EPTC program, called Back to the Archives! (BTTA!) Just as Husserl’s call to return “zu der Sachen selbst” has only been intermittently heeded by subsequent generations, the majority of whom have focused on contributing to and elaborating on the enormous critical apparatus issuing from the founding texts of the movement, so Foucault’s own advice—to Jana Sawicki—to write her own genealogies rather than commenting on his, has been rarely heeded by Foucault scholars, and original genealogical work is not encouraged by the philosophical discipline. Although we recognize the importance of exegetical work and critical commentary on Foucault’s own writings, our aim is to create a forum for scholarship that is not so much about Foucault’s work as it is a deployment of his method. Much as BTTTT! has been an annual attempt for scholars of phenomenology to liberate themselves from textual exegesis in order to engage in rigorous phenomenological description, BTTA! will provide an opportunity for Foucault scholars to go beyond commentary, critiques and applications of Foucault’s work, and to engage in the genealogical method themselves. While BTTA! will be guided by important scholarly contributions to Foucault Studies, its main aim will be to “do genealogy”.
The Workshop
Like BTTTT!, BTTA! will consist of a half-day panel to be followed by a half-day moderated workshop and discussion of genealogical method and practice. The work of the panel will culminate in this workshop. As always, all interested scholars and practitioners are welcome to the workshop, which will provide a unique opportunity to dialogue and exchange ideas with colleagues from various disciplines and with various levels of experience.
The Details
BTTA! is part of the Society for Existential and Phenomenological Theory and Culture (EPTC), which meets annually and concurrently with the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Canada. For information on the Congress, please visit: http://www.fedcan.ca/. For information on EPTC, go to: http://www.eptc-tcep.net/. Next year the Congress will be held at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, between June 1-8, 2013. The meeting dates for EPTC are June 4-7. Other information concerning the meeting will be forthcoming.
Papers for BTTA! 2013 should be submitted to chloe3@ualberta.ca and rnichols@ualberta.ca by email attachment by January 5, 2013. Papers should take no longer than 30 minutes to read (generally less than 4000 words), should be prepared for anonymous review (identifiable by paper title only), and include a separate abstract not exceeding 100 words. The cover sheet should also list the paper’s title, the author’s name, institutional affiliation, and e-mail address. Please note that the panel organizers will initially review papers, and suitable papers will then be sent for anonymous review.
Please address any questions concerning the panel or workshop to chloe3@ualberta.ca and/or rnichols@ualberta.ca.