Call for papers: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Empire, Colonialism, and Anticolonialism, University of Cambridge, England, 17 October 2025. Deadline: 30 August 2025.
Empire, colonialism, and anticolonialism have been central drivers of world history for the past centuries, and they continue to shape present day realities. From ongoing practices of settler colonialism, through to climate colonialism, economic imperialism, and resurgent far-right nationalisms drawing upon imageries of empire, it seems to be obvious that ‘empire’ and ‘colonialism’ have never gone away. At the same time, we are in a moment of history where we are also witnessing a proliferation of resistance against empire and colonialism: from the halls of universities (as seen in the Palestine encampments) through to frontline battles against settlers, militarized violence, and nefarious capital.
Different disciplines across the arts, humanities, and social sciences have highlighted different dimensions of these processes of colonialism and anti-colonialism. At this one-day conference, organizers hope to put these different disciplines in conversation with one another, taking the strongest tools from different disciplines, such that they can produce a truly interdisciplinary understanding of empire, colonialism, anti-colonialism, and decolonization.
With this in mind, they are issuing this call for papers for presenters from across the arts, humanities, and social sciences, open to presenters at all career stages. Expressions of interest in all areas related to empire, colonialism, anti-colonialism, and decolonization are welcome, including (but not limited to):
• Historical and comparative accounts of empire, colonialism, anti-colonialism, and decolonization.
• Tracing material forms of resistance to empire.
• Conceptual and empirical work highlighting the importance of anticolonial thought and practice.
• Considerations of the role of universities (and education broadly) in anti/colonialism and decolonization.
• Tracing links between the social, political, cultural, and economic organisations of metropoles and colonies.
• Provocations and discussions of ongoing practices of colonization / anti-colonialism.
Center for Intercultural Dialogue 