CoRE PhD and ECR Annual Conference (2025)

You can download the call for papers in PDF here.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) on Creative Economies in Africa PhD and ECR Annual Conference 2025

Researching African Creative Economies: local and global perspectives

9^th -11^th July 2025, King’s College London & Online

Since the launch of the Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE), it has paid attention to the importance of the creative economies in Africa for sustainable socio-economic development. The CoRE recognised the need to centre the dialogue between local and global for the sustainable development of creative economies in Africa. The dialogue between local and global shapes issues including heritage preservation, cultural representation, innovation and business development, digital and media spaces, long-term sustainability and more. For these reasons, we seek papers from scholars who engage with creative economies in the African context through these lenses. This conference will do just that by creating a space for new and emerging researchers to share, discuss and debate on the creative economies in Africa. We aim to build on this local/global focus to support the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas, publications and networking opportunities through the conferences and support the development of new research agendas on the creative economies in Africa. This year, thanks to funding from Circle.U, our annual conference can take place online and in person (at King’s College London, UK), allowing further collaboration and knowledge-sharing opportunities. The funding has also allowed us to invite Prof. Polo Mojo to present her work on “African Literary Cities: Hubs, Maps and Urban Literary Ecologies” as part of the event.

We are looking for original and innovative research within all cognate departments and at all stages of research that explore local/global dynamics of the creative economies in Africa. Presentations are invited on (but not limited to) the following topics or issues:

• Literature, books and festivals: the world of writing in Africa between local and global
• Cultural entrepreneurship: local dynamics and global pressure
• The impact of transnational media on local and global creative work
• Education and Research in creative economies in Africa: local and global networks
• Creative Economies between local and global: Cultures, Innovation and Sustainability
• The value of local culture and creative economies in the global development of Africa
• Between local and global: innovation, AI and digital technology in Africa
• Africa Fashion: local  knowledge and global networks
• Festivals in Africa and their local and global impact
• Cultural Heritage in/from Africa: local context and global networks

Although we have specified these areas, researchers are welcome to submit contributions beyond them; we only ask that the submissions connect with the broader reflection on local and global and focus on cultural and creative economies in Africa. 

The conference will take place in person in London and online.

9^th– 10^th July: online-only presentations scheduled

10^th– 11^th July: In-person presentations and Keynote address by Prof. Polo Mojo presenting her work on “African Literary Cities: Hubs, Maps and Urban Literary Ecologies”.

To submit your abstract for consideration, please use the online form below:

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/kings/coreconference2025

Key dates

10^th March 2025 – Online submission opens

25^th April 2025 – Deadline for submissions

6^th May 2025 – Notification of paper acceptance

10^th May 2025 – Draft conference program and Registration opens

9^th– 11^th July 2025 – Conference takes place online and in London