Conference
Call for Papers
Global Expressions of African Religiosity:
A hybrid interdisciplinary conference
April 1-2, 2027
Online & In-person
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
African religious life has never been static, nor confined to a single geography. On the continent, African religions have been in constant transformation, engaging in dialogue with one another and with Christianity, Islam, Judaism and secular modernity. The traditions carried out of Africa by forced and voluntary migration underwent the same continuous remaking: sustained in diasporic communities, reimagined through new media, and reshaped through ongoing exchange with the religions and cultures around them. From Yoruba orisha traditions originating in Africa and moving to Brazil, Cuba and African-initiated churches in Europe and North America; from Sufi networks spanning the Sahel and its diasporas; or from digital congregations that gather across continents, the religious creativity of Africa and its diasporas continues to shape the world.
This conference invites scholars at all career stages—including graduate students and independent researchers—to examine the movement, transformation, and persistence of African religious traditions across the globe. We welcome contributions from religious studies, African and Africana studies, history, anthropology, sociology, art history, musicology, literature, political science, and related fields.
Possible Themes
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- African indigenous religions in continental and diasporic contexts
- Afro-Atlantic traditions: Candomblé, Santería/Lucumí, Vodou, Winti, and beyond
- African Christianities: African-initiated churches, Pentecostalism, and reverse mission
- Islam in Africa and African Muslim diasporas
- Religion, migration, and transnational community-building
- Digital religion, media, and new technologies of worship
- Ritual, healing, music, and material and visual culture
- Religion, gender, and sexuality in African and diasporic communities
- Religion, politics, and public life on the continent and abroad
- Memory, heritage, and the politics of authenticity in diasporic religions
- Africana religions and the performing arts
- Black Judaism, Falasha Jews, Zulu Zionists
How to Submit
Individual papers. Submit an abstract of no more than 250 words, along with a paper title, your name, affiliation (if any), email address, and a brief bio of up to 100 words.
Submit a Paper Proposal Here.
Organized panels. Submit a panel title and rationale of no more than 300 words, plus titles and 250- word abstracts for each paper (3–4 papers per panel), with names, affiliations, and contact information for all participants, including the chair.
Submit a Panel Proposal Here.
Presenters may join remotely or in person at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Please indicate your preferred mode of participation when submitting. Participation is free for presenters and attendees alike.
Key Dates
• December 1, 2026 — Submission deadline for abstracts and panel proposals
• January 15, 2027 — Notification of acceptance
• March 15, 2027 — Registration closes for presenters and attendees
• April 1–2, 2027 — Conference
Organized by:
Center for Global & International Studies, Kansas African Studies Center, Department of Religious Studies, and Department of African & African American Studies at the University of Kansas.
Please direct inquiries to the organizing committee at africanreligiosity@ku.edu.
Deadline to Submit Proposal: December 1, 2026
