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Witches & Witchcraft

A Global Inclusive Interdisciplinary Conference

 

***Saturday 7th May 2022 - Sunday 8th May 2022***
Prague, Czech Republic

This event will be joined by Dark Streets and Evil and Sexuality
Witches and witchcraft have captured the human imagination throughout history and across cultures, unleashing responses ranging from reverence to terror.  Judging from the modern-day preoccupation with witches in popular culture and interest in folk-based spiritual traditions, it is tempting to think that humanity has progressed from the attitudes that led to the historical persecution of witches, particularly in pre-Enlightenment Europe and Colonial North American. Yet, there continue to be reports of children, women and men being killed because they are believed to be witches. Papua New Guinea, India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya are just some of the countries in which alleged witches have been killed since 2000. Even in nations where practitioners of witchcraft are not put to death, the ‘witch’ label is often used to disparage and undermine powerful women, such as as former US Secretary of State and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Indeed, witches and witchcraft remain a topic of contemporary concern, both from the standpoint of bringing new perspectives and critical tools to historical case studies and ongoing conversations about human rights, power, traditional knowledge, religion and perceptions of the natural (and super-) natural world, those who are different, and complex phenomena that confound the human mind. This directs attention to considerations of the meaning of witchcraft — as understood within pagan/folk traditions and by the religious and legal traditions that supplanted pagan ways; where do our understandings of witches come from and what is at stake in the way our perceptions are shaped; whose interests are being served by accusations of witchcraft; what circumstances facilitated the persecution of people as witches; opportunities for reviving the reputation and value of witchcraft; and why witches are loved (or at least not feared) in some socio-historical moments and not others.

This inaugural conference offers a space for people from diverse disciplines, practices and professions to engage in inclusive interdisciplinary dialogues about the many facets of witches and witchcraft. From the conversations and dialogues which take place, our intention is to form a selective innovative interdisciplinary publication(s) and other outputs to engender further research and collaboration.

Key Topics

Key topics, themes and issues for discussion may include, but are definitely not limited to:

  • the witch in religious and secular philosophies
  • global attitudes toward witches and witchcraft
  • interactions between witchcraft and institutional medical/scientific frameworks
  • psychological/physiological explanations for the fear of witches
  • a witch by any other name: relationship between witchcraft and other folk traditions (shamanism, ancestor worship, voodoo, etc.)
  • witchcraft and the law (use of legal frameworks to persecute witches/potential for legal frameworks to protect witches from persecution)
  • purposes of witch hunts and their impact on individuals and community
  • economic implications of witchcraft (accusations of witchcraft for financial gain, financial benefits gained from marginalising traditional knowledge, tourism opportunities for localities with a witchcraft connection, etc.)
  • witches as scapegoats
  • revival of interest in witchcraft
  • witchcraft in practice
  • activism and NGOs involved in protecting alleged witches from prosecution
  • revisiting/reinterpreting historical case studies (and how these approaches might inform responses to contemporary attitudes toward witches)
  • fictional witches in literature, theatre, film, tv, gaming, arts, etc.) and their impact on the perception of witches and witchcraft
  • witches in school: how the education curriculum shapes our perception of witches and witchcraft (and how it might be changed)?
  • witches, power and gender
  • strategies for addressing modern persecution of witches
  • the value of witchcraft and how this wisdom might be circulated in communities
  • the future of witches and witchcraft

What To Send

The aim of this inclusive interdisciplinary conference and collaborative networking event is to bring people together and encourage creative conversations in the context of a variety of formats: papers, seminars, workshops, storytelling, performances, poster presentations, problem-solving sessions, case studies, panels, q&a’s, round-tables etc. Creative responses to the subject, such as poetry/prose, short film screenings/original drama, installations and alternative presentation styles that engage the audience and foster debate are particularly encouraged. Please feel free to put forward proposals that you think will get the message across, in whatever form.

At the end of the conference we will be exploring ways in which we can develop the discussions and dialogues in new and sustainable inclusive interdisciplinary directions, including research, workshops, publications, public interest days, associations, developing courses etc which will help us make sense of the topics discussed during the meeting. There is an intention, subject to the discussions which emerge during the course of the meeting, to form a selective innovative interdisciplinary publication to engender further research and collaboration.

300 word proposals, presentations, abstracts and other forms of contribution and participation should be submitted by Friday 26th November 2021. Other forms of participation should be discussed in advance with the Organising Chairs.

All submissions will be at least double reviewed, under anonymous (blind) conditions, by a global panel drawn from members of the Project Team, the Development Team and the Advisory Board. In practice our procedures usually entail that by the time a proposal is accepted, it will have been triple and quadruple reviewed.

You will be notified of the panel’s decision by Friday 10th December 2021.

If your submission is accepted for the conference, a full draft of your contribution should be submitted by Friday 8th April 2022.

Abstracts and proposals may be in Word, RTF or Notepad formats with the following information and in this order:
a) author(s), b) affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme, c) email address, d) title of proposal, e) type of proposal e.g. paper presentation, workshop, panel, film, performance, etc, f) body of proposal, g) up to 10 keywords.

E-mails should be entitled: Witches Submission

Where To Send

Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chair and the Project Administrator:

Miranda Corcoran (Organising Chair): miranda@progressiveconnexions.net
Lorraine Rumson (Project Administrator): praguewitches@progressiveconnexions.net

Details and Information

 
Fees
Key Dates
Venue & Accommodation
Outcomes
Payment

Registration Fees

The Registration Fee is £285 and includes:

~ conference registration fee
~ online registration
~ online abstract and programme submissions
~ Book of Abstracts
~ Delegate Pack (online and physical)
~ Sunday coffee/tea on arrival
~ Sunday morning coffee and biscuits
~ Sunday lunch
~ Sunday afternoon tea and biscuits
~ Sunday evening wine and drinks reception
~ drinks in the conference room
~ Monday morning coffee and biscuits
~ Monday lunch
~ Monday afternoon tea and biscuits
~ drinks in the conference room
~ participation in project output discussion session
~ discounted rates for any outputs emerging from the event
~ discounted rate for attendance at further Progressive Connexions activities and events

Calendar of time-lines and deadlines

Friday 26th November 2021
Abstract/Presentation submission

Friday 10th December 2021
Acceptance/Rejection notification

Friday 21st January 2022
Booking Form Submissions

by Friday 4th February 2022
Circulation of Draft Programme
Invoices issued

Monday 7th March 2022
Final date for payment

Friday 1st April April 2022
Circulation of Revised Programme
Full draft of presentation to be submitted

Monday 18th April 2022
Final programme to printing

The conference is being held at the Vienna House Andel's Prague

Stroupeznickeho 21. 15000 Prague
+420 296 882 302 

We have reserved rooms for delegates at the conference hotel on favourable terms and conditions. On having a proposal accepted for presentation at the conference, and on the completion and submission of a booking form, a special booking form will be sent to you along with instructions on how to use it in order to access these terms.

Standard Room - Single Occupancy €90 per night including breakfast and all taxes
Standard Room - Double/Twin Person Occupancy €100 per night including breakfast and all taxes

Details will be sent to delegates on how to access these rates once receipt of the booking form has been confirmed.
Accommodation bookings are made directly with the hotel, not Progressive Connexions. All payments for accommodation are made directly to the hotel as well. A credit card will be required on booking.
You are free to find alternative accommodation. We are offering these arrangements as a convenience to folks who would like to be at the conference venue.

The conferences, meetings and events we organise are not single ‘one-off’ events. They are part of a continual stream of conversations, activities and projects which grow and evolve in different directions. At the conclusion of every meeting, the question needs to be considered: What happens next? After all, there is little personal, educational or professional benefit in gathering people together from around the world and sharing all sorts of fascinating conversations if nothing further is going to happen as a result!

The possible ranges of ‘outputs’ which can productively flow from our meetings is a dynamic response to the dialogues, issues and engagements that take place during the events themselves. And as our meetings are attended by folks who come from different backgrounds, contexts, professions and vocations, what people would like to see developed as a result of our time spent together will always be potentially diverse, fluid and appropriate to what took place.

One range of possible outputs involves publication as a way of continuing the work of a project. Where publishing is a possibility, it is directly referenced in the Call for Papers, Presentations and Participation. Other possible outputs may include, but are not limited to:
~ social media platforms such as Facebook pages and groups, blogs, wikis, Twitter, as vehicles for continuing dialogues, disseminating knowledge and information and bringing new people into the work of the project
~ reviews; reports; policy statements; position papers/statements; declarations of principles
~ proposals for meetings, workshops, courses, schools
~ collaboration gateways, platforms and media
~ personal and professional development opportunities: faculty development; mentoring programmes; cultural cruises; consultancies; summer schools; personal enrichment programmes

The range of outputs is dependent on how little or how much you would like to become involved. Don’t let the end of the meeting signal the end of your involvement with the project. Please get involved, bounce ideas around, think out loud – we’d love to hear about what you’d like to do and are always happy to talk about what is possible.

Payment Process
Participants must complete the online booking form by Friday 21st January 2022 at the latest.
After the deadline has expired, an invoice will be drawn up and sent to you; the invoice will contain all the necessary information for you to pay by bank transfer, cheque, Paypal or credit card.
The invoice must be settled by Monday 7th March 2022.

It is the responsibility of delegates to ensure that payment is made by this date. Failure to receive payment will result in your booking being cancelled.

Payment Methods
There are a number of ways payment can be made.

Cheque
Payment can be made by cheque, in GBP (£ sterling) only and must be drawn against a bank with headquarters in the United Kingdom. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Progressive Connexions’ and sent, with a copy of the booking form, to:

Dr Rob Fisher
Progressive Connexions
Priory House
149b Wroslyn Road
Freeland
Oxfordshire. OX29 8HR
United Kingdom

We regret we cannot and will not accept cheques made payable in currencies other than GBP Sterling.

Bank Transfer Payment may be made using bank transfer. There will be an option to pay in either GBP (£ Sterling) or Euro (€). Full details to enable a bank transfer are made available on your conference invoice. If paying by this method, you must agree to pay all charges at the sending and receiving banks.

By Invoice
You may request that an invoice be sent to you which you may forward to your institution. It is your responsibility to ensure that the invoice is paid before the payment deadline.

Online
Your invoice will include a link to pay through a secure and encrypted online payment system. Please click the link to use this method.

Credit Card
Payment may also be made using credit card. We cannot accept American Express or Discovery as a form of payment.

Paypal
Payment may also be made using Paypal. If paying by this method please send us the email account connected with your Paypal account and we will forward you a request for payment.

IMPORTANT
We strongly recommend that all delegates take out some form of travel or other insurance in relation to any and all travel arrangements or accommodation booked in regard to the conference. This should include cancellation insurance in the event of unforeseen or unexpected circumstances.

All fees are payable in advance. No delegate will be permitted entry to the conference if an invoice is still unpaid.

What’s so Special?

A fresh, friendly, dynamic format – at Progressive Connexions we are dedicated to breaking away from the stuffy, old-fashion conference formats, where endless presentations are read aloud off PowerPoints. We work to bring you an interactive format, where exchange of experience and information is alternated with captivating workshops, engaging debates and round tables, time set aside for getting to know each other and for discussing common future projects and initiatives, all in a warm, relaxed, egalitarian atmosphere.

 

A chance to network with international professionals – the beauty of our interdisciplinary events is that they bring together professionals from all over the world and from various fields of activity, all joined together by a shared passion. Not only will the exchange of experience, knowledge and stories be extremely valuable in itself, but we seek to create lasting, ever-growing communities around our projects, which will become a valuable resource for those belonging to them.

 

A chance to be part of constructing change – There is only one thing we love as much as promoting knowledge: promoting real, lasting social change by encouraging our participants to take collective action, under whichever form is most suited to their needs and expertise (policy proposals, measuring instruments, research projects, educational materials, etc.) We will support all such actions in the aftermath of the event as well, providing a platform for further discussions, advice from the experts on our Project Advisory Team and various other tools and intellectual resources, as needed.

 

An opportunity to discuss things that matter to you – Our events are not only about discussing how things work in the respective field, but also about how people work in that field – what are the struggles, problems and solutions professionals have found in their line of work, what are the areas where better communication among specialists is needed and how the interdisciplinary approach can help bridge those gaps and help provide answers to questions from specific areas of activity.

 

An unforgettable experience – When participating in a Progressive Connexions event, there is a good chance you will make some long-time friends. Our group sizes are intimate, our venues are comfortable and relaxing and our event locations are suited to the history and culture of the event.

Ethos

Progressive Connexions believes it is a mark of personal courtesy and professional respect to your colleagues that all delegates should attend for the full duration of the meeting. If you are unable to make this commitment, please do not submit an abstract or proposal for presentation.

 

Please note: Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence, nor can we offer discounts off published rates and fees.

Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network inspiring inclusive interdisciplinary research, publishing and collaboration