This theme is intended to reflect the rapprochement of the research objects and theoretical perspectives of anthropology and literary studies. This rapprochement offers opportunities to discuss commonalities and differences in how archives and texts are explored and analysed. It also intends to interrogate the relations between the written word and orality and performance. As historians and philologists working on Arabic and Swahili manuscripts have demonstrated, due to early Islamization and the preservation of documents, the Swahili world is characterized by the pervasiveness of the written word. As a result it is a particularly relevant site in which to engage in such theoretical and epistemological reflections.

Argumentaire

European Swahili Workshop No. 9 

The 9th European Swahili Workshop will be organised in Paris on 6-7th July 2015 on the theme: “Working on/with archives and the written word in anthropology and literary studies”.

This theme is intended to reflect the rapprochement of the research objects and theoretical perspectives of anthropology and literary studies. This rapprochement offers opportunities to discuss commonalities and differences in how archives and texts are explored and analysed. It also intends to interrogate the relations between the written word and orality and performance.

Participants may like to consider questions such as: How does the anthropology of texts and of the archive intersect – or not – with a literary studies increasingly interested in contextualizing the text? How can the study of the production of texts be tied to their reception, exploring not only audience and readership but also processes of oralisation of texts and entextualisation of orality? Can the study of texts go along with research on performance, and how? Are disciplinary boundaries relevant and desirable?

As historians and philologists working on Arabic and Swahili manuscripts have demonstrated, due to early Islamization and the preservation of documents, the Swahili world is characterized by the pervasiveness of the written word. As a result it is a particularly relevant site in which to engage in such theoretical and epistemological reflections.

We invite potential participants to think about the theme in association with contemporary issues that touch upon the Swahili and their worlds, whether this be in East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Europe or beyond.

Submission guidelines

The workshop encourages the submission of papers that reflect the diversity of research interests among Swahili scholars as long as they relate to the general topical framework proposed. Abstracts can be sent in English or French

before 27^th April 2015

Both languages may be used during the workshop.

The workshop will take place on July 6-7, 2015, EHESS, Paris

Organization

by Marie-Aude Fouéré (EHESS) together with Maëline Le Lay (CNRS) and Nathalie Carré (INALCO) 

The papers submitted will be selected by the organizing board.

Information

• The workshop has been deliberately scheduled to take place immediately before the ECAS conference, thus conveniently allowing participants to attend both if they so wish – there is, however, no formal link between the two events
• The organizers will cover lunch, dinners and breaks as well as travel from/to the airport. Travel and accommodation will be at the cost of each participant; however, limited funds may be available to those unable to meet the costs – requests will be studied on a case-by-case basis, especially for students or those travelling from far abroad.
• There are no specific registration fees or costs
• The workshop will take place at Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) / Institut des Mondes Africains (IMAf) 96 boulevard Raspail 75006 Paris, France (conference room, 2nd floor).