Head’s up, you vegan-food-loving academics: You have until this Friday — March 25 — to get this call for workshops in, and you likely don’t want to miss this one. The Department of Philosophy and Religion at American University in Washington, D.C. is currently accepting proposals for workshops for their upcoming conference, “Eating Green: A Conversation About Food, Consumption, and Sustainability.” The conference will take place on April 22, 2011 (Earth Day! How appropriate!), and, according to one of the organizers, Casey Nitsch, “aims to engage with the theme of sustainability in critical and creative ways.” The unique conference is focused on food as a crucial intersection of environmental and social justice. Casey continues:
Throughout the day, we will ask: What does “sustainability” mean? What ideas and practices get sustained through discourses on sustainability and environmental justice? Our morning sessions will explore theoretical responses to these questions including a panel discussion, a poster session featuring student research, and a keynote address. In the afternoon, we plan to offer workshops that provide participants with opportunities to translate theoretical work into practical action.
Eat your veggies. Go green.
As if I have to say it, this sounds like a perfect opportunity to present workshops on all-things-vegan, since, as we know, animal food production is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector combined — and being vegan is the only true way to “eat green.” The organizers of the conference suggest possible topics including mindful eating, animal rights, or labor organizing. Love it!
Get those proposals in by Friday, folks, and be sure to review the AWMC Call for Workshops (pdf) for more eco-friendly details. And clearly, if you’re around our nation’s capital on April 22, attend this groundbreaking conference. Oh, how ecstatic I become when I see universities connecting the dots in this important way.