The Taboo Conference

TaCo2012 Forlì (Italy), 25-27 October 2012

We propose to explore the delicate balance and subtle boundaries between the need for inclusion and respect for different ethnic, religious, sexual, etc. backgrounds – which seems to be at the basis of modern multicultural societies – and a (un)conscious push towards the breaking of existing taboos, for example for shock value, as in the case of humour. In such context, investigation of the linguistic, cultural, social, institutional and personal implications of taboo reinforcement/breaking appears of extreme value. We welcome individual proposals or pre-organized panels from different disciplines pertaining – but by no means limited – to the following thematic areas: Sex and sexuality Nudity Death and the afterlife Sickness and disability Scatology/bodily fluids Deformity/otherness Blasphemy Altered states/drug culture Body modifications Fat Prostitution Keynote speakers include: Christie Davies – University of Reading Don Kulick – University of Chicago Brett Mills – University of East Anglia Jessica Milner Davis – University of Sydney The working language for the conference is English. Each paper presentation should be scheduled for 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes for questions. Abstracts should be submitted through the conference website [url=http://taco2012.sitlec.unibo.it]http://taco2012.sitlec.unibo.it[/url] by 15th February 2012. If you are interested in submitting a panel, please contact us by the same deadline at dipsitlec.taco2012@unibo.it Notification of acceptance for both abstracts and panels will be given by 15th March 2012.