International Gullah Geechee and African Diaspora Conference
Tracing the African Diaspora: Places of Suffering, Resilience and Reinvention March 7-9, 2019 | Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC
The Charles W. Joyner Institute for Gullah and African Diaspora Studies at Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, invites abstracts and panel proposals for its 1st Annual International Gullah Geechee and African Diaspora (IGGAD) Conference. This year’s theme—Tracing the African Diaspora: Places of Suffering, Resilience and Reinvention—examines significant social, political and cultural experiences among African American communities and various African and Caribbean nations in the past, present and envisioned future. Papers that contribute new knowledge and understanding in the broad areas of racial identity, feminism, transnational migration, gender studies, public health, religion, slavery, Afrofuturism, Pan-Africanism and Gullah/Geechee are encouraged. Such discourses will expand our understanding of the uniqueness of the African Diaspora and the commonalities that bind societies within this global phenomenon together.
The IGGAD conference will bring together academics and practitioners from interdisciplinary areas of study, who offer their ground-breaking contributions in the form of scholarly papers, films, performances and spoken poetry. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Sheila S. Walker, cultural anthropologist and filmmaker, and there are exciting performances planned by singers Ron and Natalie Daise, The Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters, Step Afrika and Charleston, South Carolina’s poet laureate Marcus Amaker. Of special importance is our conference’s emphasis on the community-based participatory model, which recognizes the relevance of cultural practitioners and community participation. To this end, we anticipate critical dialogues and shared learning among scholars, artisans and community members.
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Registration Information
Early registration deadline is Thursday, January 17, 2019. The discounted early registration fee is $100.
Registration deadline is Thursday, February 21, 2019 for conference attendees. Regular registration is $125, and can be purchased at the door.
Saturday registration is free and open to the public.
Registration covers attendance to all three days of the conference, as well as the opening reception and performance, and Thursday and Friday night performances at our the main concert hall, Wheelwright Auditorium.
Parking and Transporation
Shuttle Service
A complimentary shuttle service is available to and from the conference hotel. View the schedule here.
Parking at Coastal Carolina University
For those using their own transporation, we highly encourage you to allow for ample time for finding a parking spot, especially on Thursday. There are a limited number of reserved spots on Independence Drive (close to the Edwards College), and there are other spots available as indicated on the map below.
After 4:30 p.m., several additional gated parking lots open to the public.
Accessible Parking
If you have a disabled placard, there are several accessible parking spots in the gated lots. You will need to stop by Campus Safety (255 University Blvd, Conway, SC 29526) and show your registration to gain entrance instructions and a parking map. Please allow 30 minutes for this process. Please e-mail us at joynerinstitute@coastal.edu with any questions.
Getting Around
Most of the conference sessions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are in the Edwards College (address below).
Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts (EHFA)
133 Chanticleer Drive W
Conway, SC 29526
Edwards is constructed around a large courtyard, so the building is a large square. Registration is in the Edwards Lobby, where registrants can pick up their swag bags, conference programs and maps.
Sponsors
The IGAADS committee is grateful to the following organizations for their support.
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| The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission | The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation | The South Carolina Arts Commission |
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The Burroughs Fund for Southern Studies The Department of Anthropology and Geography The Athenaeum Press Office of Diversity and Inclusion Services |
| SC Sea Grant Consortium | Magnolia Plantation and Gardens | Our partners at Coastal Carolina University |