The African Heritage Studies Association (AHSA) is pleased to announce the 53rd Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 19th - 21st. The 2022 theme is Afrofuturism: Building on our Heritage for a Better Tomorrow.

This forward-looking philosophy has been formed over the years by a myriad of writers, artists, musicians, scholars, and activists with the goal of widening the lens of how “Blackness”; is viewed. Specifically, Afrofuturism highlights how we can create more access as well as reimagine ways to communicate the Black experience globally through history, culture, digitization, and various technological platforms. The theme intersects with AHSA’s mission --to “reconstruct, represent, and promote African history and cultural study along African centered and intergenerational lines while affecting the political, social, and economic union among the community of African people the world over.”

Topics to Explore

The AHSA Program Committee is seeking engaging proposals that explore the topics of:

  • The history of science and technology in Africa and the African Diaspora

  • Afrofuturism and the African aesthetic

  • Approaches to Afrofuturism in literature, technology, and/or education

  • Digitization and the field of Africana Studies

  • Decolonizing science and technology

  • How gender identity is reshaping Afrofuturism, through diversity equity, and inclusion in technology

  • Examining the relationship between Afrofuturist arts and scholarship in the age of technology

  • Science, technology, and society in the contemporary society

Categories of Submissions

Proposals: Outline theme and purpose of the session.

Papers: Complete academic and concept papers will be accepted on the above-referenced topics. Submissions on issues that are not listed will be subject to approval.

Workshops/Panels: Outline theme and purpose of the workshop, panel, or session.

Media: Short films, documentaries, and other forms of media relating to the conference theme and topics are welcome.

Collaboration effort: Please email ahsainfo@ahsa50.org to express your interest in partnering on potential workshops, panels, or roundtables.

Submission Process

Submission will open on May 27, 2022, and close on July 27, 2022. Papers, abstracts, workshops, panels, roundtables, and films/documentaries must be submitted via the Call for Papers Form on our website.

Note: Although you may email us to collaborate, you must submit a formal proposal for consideration.