International Conference on Small Island Cultures Co-organized by Kagoshima University Research Center for the Pacific Islands and the Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI) and co-sponsored by the Japan Society of Island Studies (Nihon Tousho Gakkai).

Proposals are invited for papers on the linguistic, musical, dance, folkloric, visually expressive, craft and/or touristic aspects of small-island societies. Papers should address one or both of the following: (a) Methodological issues of conducting research in small-island communities so as to encourage, sustain and facilitate local culture; (b) Aspects of small-island cultures (in local and/or diasporic contexts).

Since the conference is an interdisciplinary one, paper proposers are asked to address their papers to a general academic audience, rather than a discipline-specific one.

Papers should be delivered in English but may also be given in Japanese if an English language text or substantial abstract is provided. Refereed conference proceedings will be published subsequent to the event. The conference will also host the founding meeting of SICRI, a new interdisciplinary association, and the formal launch of the SICRI on-line research portal.

Days 4-6 of the conference (10-12 February) will take place on Yakushima Island and will comprise presentations and field visits to cultural and heritage sites.
Those wishing to deliver a paper should send an abstract (approx. 500 words) as text e-mail to Dr Philip Hayward phayward@humanities.mq.edu.au or contact: Daniel Long dlong@bcomp.metro-u.ac.jp or Shunsuke Nagashima nag@cpi.kagoshima-u.ac.jp