http://www.aarweb.org/About_AAR/regions/Pacific_Northwest/call.asp
Pacific Northwest Region
Call for Papers
Pacific Northwest Region
(AAR/SBL/ASOR)
April 24–26, 2009
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
(This initial call for our 2009 meeting is subject to revision. See the region’s webpage, www.pnw-aarsbl.org, in November for the final call!)
Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (ASOR)
All topics related to Middle East excavations and archaeology are requested. Papers emphasizing figurines/mother and child depictions are encouraged for a joint session with Women in Religion. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region's on-line website to chair Gloria London, glondon@earthlink.net.
Asian and Comparative Studies
Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region's on-line website to chair Nicholas F. Gier, University of Idaho, ngier@uidaho.edu.
Hebrew Scriptures
Papers are welcomed in any topic related to Hebrew Scriptures. Early proposals are especially solicited to assist in organizing a panel discussion for a regional scholar's recent work and organizing Special topic sessions.
Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s on-line website to chair, Heidi Szpek, Central Washington University, szpekh@cwu.edu.
History of Christianity and North American Religions
Papers are welcomed in any area of History of Christianity and North American Religions. Proposals are especially solicited on the following themes: 1) The Lutheran Tradition, including but not limited to Luther and Lutheranism on social justice and poverty; 2) Papers for a joint session with the Religion and Society Group addressing issues of religion, ecology, and greening religious communities; 3) Topics related to early church history; and 4) Topics related to contemporary Asian-American religions. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region's on-line website to co-chairs, Suzanne Crawford-O'Brien, Pacific Lutheran University, suzanne.crawford@plu.edu; and Priscilla Pope-Levison, Seattle Pacific University, popep@spu.edu.
Interreligious Dialogue with the Natural Sciences
We will have two sections. Papers for Section One should focus on the implications and relevance of the neurosciences for meditative and contemplative practice traditions. Papers for Section Two can focus on any topic relevant to interreligious dialogue with the natural sciences. Papers for both sections should focus on conceptual dialogue with the natural sciences from the perspective of the traditions normally included under the academic discipline “history of religions.” Accordingly, papers written from Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Chinese religious perspectives in dialogue with the natural sciences on such broad topics as cosmology, evolution, stem cell research, ecofeminism, the relation between mind and body, the problem of suffering in light of the theory of evolution, the anthropic principle, and the problem of consciousness are especially welcome. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s on-line website to co-chairs, Paul Ingram, Pacific Lutheran University, poingram@comcast.net and Mark Unno, University of Oregon, munno@uoregon.edu.
New Testament and Hellenistic Religions
We welcome papers reflecting the research endeavors of New Testament and Hellenistic Religions scholars in the Pacific Northwest, and we especially invite papers on fresh approaches to classic issues or new methodologies that contribute to meaningful biblical interpretation. We hope to hold a special pedagogical session on teaching New Testament courses effectively, and for a third year, we invite papers for a special session involving “Philosophic, Literary, and Theological Readings of the Fourth Gospel.” So far we have had Levinasian, Bakhtinian, Kierkegaardian, Gadamerian, and Žižekian readings of John, and we welcome further contributions along these lines, especially engaging the works of Ricoeur, Kristeva, Ong, Polanyi, Kant, and the like. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s on-line website to chair Paul N. Anderson, George Fox University, panderso@georgefox.edu.
Religion and Society
All topics related to ethics, ethical methodology and theory, and contemporary social issues are welcome. This year we especially invite papers offering academic perspectives on current events, war and peace, religion and terrorism, biomedical ethics, and papers related to religion and ecology for a joint session with the North American Religions/History of Christianity section. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s on-line website to chair Kevin O'Brien, Pacific Lutheran University, obrien@plu.edu.
Theology and Philosophy of Religion
The Theology and Philosophy of Religion Section welcomes proposals for papers or panels concerning any aspect of theology and/or the philosophy of religion. Proposals that address one or more of the following topics are especially encouraged: 1) Theory and method in theology/philosophy of religion; 2) Beyond original sin; 3) Theology and politics; 4) Pedagogy and teaching religion; 5) Platonism and Neoplatonism; 6) The Divine and the human; and 7) Culture in theologies and philosophies. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s on-line website to chairs Dennis Jowers, djowers@faithseminary.edu, and Mari Kim, mkim08@emory.edu.
Women and Religion
AAR: We invite individual papers or panels on any aspect of the study of women and religion. This section especially welcomes proposals that facilitate cross-disciplinary and/or religious traditions in the study of women. Papers exploring feminist pedagogy are also welcome.
SBL: We invite proposals on women in religious literature including, but not limited to, ancient Greek and Roman, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Asian religions. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website.
ASOR Joint Session: We are pleased to announce a joint session with ASOR with guest speaker Beth Alpert Nakhai of the University of Arizona (http://fp.arizona.edu/judaic/faculty/beth_nakhai.htm). We invite submissions of individual papers in response to, or closely related to, her presentation on Ancient Near Eastern mother-and-child figurines. Please contact Gloria London (glondon@earthlink.net) for further information.
Please visit our newsletter/blog online at http://pnwwomenandreligion.blogspot.com for the most up-to-date information. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s on-line website to the co-chairs Ardy Bass, Gonzaga University, bassa@gonzaga.edu and Kendra Irons, George Fox University, kirons@georgefox.edu.
Special Topic Session: Arts and Religion
The arts have always played a part in world religions and spiritual traditions through the use of image, symbol, ritual, music, percussion, dance, poetry, theatre, story-telling (myth and folklore), architecture, and geomancy. This special topic session welcomes your proposal on any topic, from ancient to contemporary, which explores the arts and religion. Papers exploring traditional institutionalized religions, as well as world spiritual traditions (including indigenous and oral traditions) are welcome.
Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region's on-line website to the
special topic session co-chairs Susan G. Carter, Marylhurst University and The California Institute of Integral Studies, susangailcarter@yahoo.com (or scarter@ciis.edu) and Louise M. Pare, lmpare849@aol.com.