Death, Dying, and Beyond Unit

The Death, Dying, and Beyond Unit invites proposals on the theme “Death by Design.” Engaging this year’s presidential theme of “Freedom”, we encourage submissions that interrogate what it means to approach death and dying with intention. Topics may include but are not limited to: freedom of religion in end-of-life care; the “freedom to die” movement and debates surrounding euthanasia and assisted dying; the aesthetics of death as expressed through visual and performing arts; technological and medicinal life extension; intersections of secularism, religion, and public policy on death practices; and the role of ritual in crafting meaningful encounters with death. Submissions that incorporate diverse disciplinary approaches, methodological perspectives, and global or comparative contexts are especially welcome. We also welcome non-traditional presentations, full panel submissions, artistic work, roundtables, and book discussions. 

Co-sponsored panel with the Religion and Memory Unit

The Death, Dying, and Beyond Unit and the Religion and Memory Unit invite proposals on the theme "The Afterlives of Memory." How do we preserve the memories of those who are dying? How do we preserve the memories of the dead—both about the deceased and the memories they held? What happens when memory itself dies? And how are ghost stories and other “scary histories” of monsters or ghouls reflect a kind of haunting memory? We welcome papers and panels that examine the material culture and immaterial processes of the afterlives of memory, as well as theoretical studies reflections on what memory’s afterlives tell us about their social and political contexts.