[ecrea] CfP for 2014 AAA Meeting: Envisioning Rituals through Film

*Call for Papers*

*AAA Meeting, Washington DC, December 3-7, 2014*



*Envisioning Rituals through Film:*

*Studying Body Techniques as Symbolic Action and Visual Culture*



Organizers: Jens Kreinath and Jennifer Reynolds


Starting with the formation of the anthropological category of ritual and
the first uses of film in early anthropological expeditions, the study of
ritual through film has become integral for the formation of visual
anthropology and anthropology of religion alike. Since the invention of
filmic devices, the focus on observational technologies in studying
religious practice became common. This is also the case for the conditions
of visual culture and film technologies, including sound production and
treatment of voice. These methods are related to concept formation of
ritual and are documented as a body technique and studied as symbolic
action. Scholars of anthropology and religion started documenting the
performance of rituals and social actions through technologies of
audio-visual reproduction. As an outcome, visual ethnography emerged as a
new field of research in particular with regard to the study of ritual.
This relationship between film and ritual has previously been addressed
numerous times, but previous approaches to ritual theory and visual
anthropology often fail to determine the ways in which the practice of
filming rituals shapes the representation and perception of religion as
visual culture, or to be more precise, in how the technologies of filming
and sound recording not only produce new knowledge, but also shape the
formation of anthropological categories.


In lieu with this year's theme of the AAA meeting, *Producing Anthropology*,
 whereby the focus is placed upon the inquiry into theoretical and
methodological assumptions that lead to the production of anthropological
knowledge, this panel reflects upon the formation of paradigms in
audio-visualizing culture in the anthropological study of religion. The
goal is to address questions that probe how far practices of audio-visual
data-collection, and the ideologies of communication that inform them, are
tied into the concept formation of anthropological approaches to religion.
It will also determine how far the delineation of 'ritual,' as a field of
study, is tied into the emergence of visual culture. The panel therefore
intends to raise questions regarding the theoretical and methodological
problems in addressing some of the major historical, theoretical, and
methodological shifts that led to the visualization of culture through the
use of filmic ethnography. This will include the study of religion and
ritual. Based on the analysis of visual and filmic evidence, the purpose of
this panel is to propose further theoretical and methodological questions
about the use of filmic devices in the studies of ritual as body technique
and symbolic action. The aim is to bring together scholars studying
religious language and visual culture to engage in interdisciplinary
conversation and to discuss the theoretical and methodological implications
of studying rituals and other forms of symbolic interaction through
technologies of filming and audio and video recording.


For those interested in contributing, please send abstracts of 250 words
(max.) and a one-page CV to Jens Kreinath ((Jens.Kreinath /at/ wichita.edu))
and Jennifer
Reynolds 
((jreynold /at/ mailbox.sc.edu)<https://mail.wichita.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=dvcG_adqZE-gApAm8NhDzQsg-TCOIdEIeQVWhYxLQemltqlddBjOHZhfi6SW018wl4-zYg9A8VU.&URL=mailto%3ajreynold%40mailbox.sc.edu>
) by April 9, 2014.


--

Jens Kreinath, Dr. phil.
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
216 Neff Hall
Wichita State University
1845 Fairmount St
Wichita, KS 67260-0052, USA

http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=anthro&p=/kreinath/
http://www.tf.uio.no/english/research/projects/redo/partnere/kreinath.html
http://wichita.academia.edu/JensKreinath


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