The Language, Linguistics and Performance (LLP) Group of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is announcing a Call for Papers for a Performance Studies Conclave, focusing on Performance Studies in the Global South with an emphasis on the study of ritualistic practices, rites, festivals and ceremonies associated to cultures of divinity.

There is always a common opinion among scholars that those who want to observe and research in the area of rituals work on an interdisciplinary method focusing on their respective areas. As this area has its roots in sociology, anthropology, psychology, philosophy and the recent pedagogic methods from performance studies, there is always a certain complexity. This interdisciplinary method also awaits as the burden to understand is a fundamental pedagogic necessity of the term Ritual. Also, the process of observation becomes incredibly challenging since the inquired subject is so vast, the observed methods and culture are also immense, with no general concordance on the basics of inquiry - starting from the idea as to what are and could be rituals, how do they work, what it feels like to perform a ritual or to participate in one, and what are their functions.

Especially in the global south, the areas such as rites, ritual practices, festivals and ceremonies are often dealt with an understanding of either lived experiences or the experiences of the keen. The research areas are usually associated and understood as part of everyday religious practice/culture. It is often taken for granted as most researchers are familiar with the formalities and structures of religious rituals. However, from a disciplinary lens such as sociology, anthropology or performance studies, it's quite the contrary and could vary from each other depending on the research entry point. Therefore, such exploratory research work is always interesting and intriguing for the discipline of performance studies. This conclave calls for research papers whose inquiry is on intangible culture, rituals, festivals and ceremonies that enter the field from primarily the disciplinary lens of performance studies but are not limited to it.

Topics could include, but are not limited to:

• religious ceremonies and/or traditional rites 
   
• intangible culture heritage 
   
• material cultures of rituals, rites and performances associated with divinity 
   
• ceremonial processions and the community 
   
• documentation of rituals 
   
• rites of passage 
   
• dance and other bodily practices of traditional celebrations

We look forward to receiving submissions for 20-minute paper presentations from research scholars and graduate students. The conclave will be held on the 3rd and 4th of March 2025 [a hybrid mode is possible but not preferred]. Submissions are welcome from all disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. The deadline for submission of abstracts is the 30th of January 2025.

A limited number of bursaries are available to help with travel costs. We particularly welcome applications from early researchers and initial PhD students at any university.

Please send a 300-word abstract and 250 words of bio-note or any query regarding the conclave to rajaram@iitb.ac.in  by 30th of January 2025. All the selected papers will be announced on the 3rd of February, 2025.