2nd Conference
University of York, UK
Friday, 24th September – Saturday 25th September, 2010
CALL FOR PAPERS
We are delighted to announce a call for papers for our second Exploring the Extraordinary network conference. We would like to invite people to submit papers based on contemporary studies of extraordinary experiences. Some examples of topics may be:
• Individual accounts of extraordinary experiences
• Health, well being and extraordinary experiences
• Belief systems that incorporate extraordinary experiences
• Theoretical discussions of extraordinary experiences, and/or the potential for interdisciplinary perspectives
• Developing suitable methodologies to research extraordinary experiences
This conference will be hosted by the Anomalous Experiences Research Unit (http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/soci/research/aeru.htm), members of which established Exploring the Extraordinary in 2007 at the University of York, with the aim of creating a supportive researcher network that would encourage interdisciplinary links and discussions regarding the study of extraordinary experiences. By ‘extraordinary’ we refer to experiences that are considered by experients to be beyond the mundane, having significant spiritual or life changing connotations. We include experiences that have been called supernatural, paranormal, mystical, transcendental, exceptional, spiritual, and religious, as well as the belief systems such experiences may connect to.
Papers should be intended for an interdisciplinary audience.
Please submit a 300-500 word abstract to Dr Hannah Gilbert (heg104@york.ac.uk) by the 2nd April 2010. Papers should ideally be 20 minutes in length. Please include contact information and a brief biographical note. Accepted papers will be decided upon by a committee, and a decision will be made within one week of the closing date.
Accepted papers will also be invited to submit a full paper for possible publication in a special issue of the Journal for the Society for Psychical Research, which will be guest edited by Dr Madeleine Castro and Dr Hannah Gilbert. If you would like to be considered for inclusion in the special issue of the JSPR then submit a full paper of no more than 6,000 words in APA format (for guidance click here ) including an abstract of 300-500 words, by no later than the 28th May. If you wish to be considered for the conference but not the JSPR special issue then submit just an abstract (no later than the 2nd April) for your presentation. Please note all papers will be subject to anonymous peer review following submission, and acceptance for the conference will not guarantee acceptance for publication.
Timescale:
2nd April 2010: Deadline for abstract submissions
28th May 2010: Deadline for paper submissions
24th -25th September 2010: Exploring the Extraordinary conference
Inquiries can be sent to
Dr Hannah Gilbert,
Anomalous Experiences Research Unit,
Sociology,
University of York,
Heslington, York,
YO10 5DD
heg104@york.ac.uk
