Radical Futures. Call for participation in the inaugural conference of the radical humanities lab.

Call for participation in Radical Futures: The Inaugural Conference of the Radical Humanities Laboratory

8-9 May 2024 at University College Cork

Keynote Speakers

Whitney Battle-Baptiste & Beryl Pong

Plenary Panelists

Gargi Bhattacharyya, Mairead Enright, & Eva Haifa Giraud

Submission deadline: 12th of December 2023

What potential do the humanities hold today – and how might research and praxis animate these visions? Ours is an epoch of violence and apparent breakdown, with long-term sources. But it is also an era of unexpected conjunctures and new possibilities.

The foundations of contemporary politics, economics and society reconfigure around us as inherited visions of the future are transformed and revaluated. Technological change and transformations disorient all stable reference points. We ask:



“What forms of thought and practice can meet such a moment?”



To be radical means to grasp things by the root. In practice, to be radical requires an aspiration towards a better future coupled with a commitment to act towards it. The Radical Humanities Laboratory at University College Cork is a space for post- and anti- disciplinary practice. It places critical and experimental work from the humanities at the heart of fundamental research.

The Radical Humanities Laboratory: Radical Futures invites scholars, scientists, artists, activists, archivists, and policy shapers, to engage in conversations about the roots of present crises – ecological, political and social, and how collective futures might be better understood, transformed and lived differently as new potentials and trajectories emerge.

Event strands

Call for papers, panels & performances

We invite proposal for papers, panels and performances by scholars, scientists, artists, performers and activists whose work addresses the myriad ecological, social, political, cultural and scientific crises of our times with mould-breaking and radical new thinking.

The conference is free of charge to all selected and registered participants, including panels, tea & coffees, reception and a social event.

We are open to all topics, approaches and exchanges among, but not limited to:

Papers and Panels

For paper proposals please submit an abstract of 250-words. For panel proposals briefly outline the topic of your discussion, and your suggested panel members and provide a short statement on the relevance of the panel to the conference themes (word count: 250 max).
Please also provide an additional 50-word biographical statement. All materials should be provided in .docx format with titles including the submission track, a dash, and your surname. E.g. panel-jones.docx.

Creative Practices and Performances

Proposed events or interventions could include readings, music, sonic art, digital art, dance, audio-visual, multimedia, and other artistic performances.

Proposals should be roughly 2 pages in length with the first page providing a description of the performance along with links to any supporting multimedia materials. Page 2 should provide a detailed technical overview that clearly states what equipment you need from us and what you can provide yourself.

All materials should be provided in .docx format with titles including the submission track, a dash, and your surname. E.g. performance-jones.docx. Proposals will be assessed for technical feasibility. For a full overview of the venue’s technical specifications see here: Technical Specifications

Please adhere to the following structure:

Page 1

Page 2

Please email all submissions to:

radicalhumanitieslab[at]gmail[dot]com