Oliver Cromwell Cox Conference 2024
UWI Learning Resource Centre, St. Augustine
April 25-27, 2024
About the Conference
The Oliver Cromwell Cox Conference 2024, under the theme of ‘Caste, Class, and Race’, is dedicated to the in-depth exploration and understanding of the profound work of Oliver Cromwell Cox. Despite not being as widely recognized in Caribbean scholarship, Cox’s contributions provide an indispensable framework for comprehending both historical and contemporary global issues. The primary objective of the conference is to significantly broaden the visibility of Cox’s work and enhance its applicability in the wider academic arena.
The conference will cover a broad spectrum of topics, each of which holds immense significance in the present-day context. These topics will include an extensive study of Cox’s life and work, offering a unique perspective into his thought process and methodology. Further, the conference will delve into the role of race and class in contemporary Caribbean social thought, providing a platform for a nuanced analysis of these critical societal constructs.
Additionally, the concept of racial capitalism, a term that has gained considerable prominence in recent years, will be addressed. This will allow the participants to delve into the economic structures contributing to racial disparities. Intersectionality and feminist theory in Caribbean sociology will also be a significant focus of the conference, offering an opportunity to explore the role and impact of gender in the Caribbean context.
Furthermore, the conference will examine the impact of world systems analysis on the Caribbean in the 21st century, among others. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the global influences on the Caribbean region and how it navigates within the global system.
Ultimately, the conference represents a valuable opportunity for scholars from a variety of disciplines to delve into these topics and explore the continuing relevance of Cox’s work in the contemporary regional and global context. It is an occasion for intellectual growth, fostering dialogue, and generating new insights on these critical issues.
Main Objectives
● To share research findings with key stakeholders (care providers, Ministries,
Academic Institutions, general public, etc.)
● To strengthen the sociological research culture.
● To build research capacity and nurture junior researchers.
● To foster collaboration among researchers at different institutions.
Who should attend?
● Researchers
● Tertiary level students
● Secondary level students
● Policy-makers
● Persons with interest in Sociology, Gender, Caribbean History and Globalization
Studies.
About the Department of Behavioral Sciences
The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus is an innovative, internationally competitive, contemporary university deeply rooted in the Caribbean. The UWI initially emerged as an external college of the University of London in 1948, which then evolved into campuses in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago that sought to serve as a research engine for economic and social development in the region. The first UWI Charters were granted in 1962, as amended by a 1972 Royal Charter (included in the Appendix). Today, the UWI St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago stands as a beacon of educational and research excellence in the Caribbean; this subset currently serves 17 English-speaking territories, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in numerous fields of study, fostering regional development and contributing to global scholarship.
The UWI’s vision includes aspiring to be an excellent global university responsive to unique cultural and social challenges of the Caribbean. The UWI’s mission includes creating knowledge by engaging in research that serves to explore and apply solutions to priority national and regional problems and challenges, exploit developmental potential and competitive advantages, and provide a sound basis for public policy formulation and decision making; to support inclusive development of the Caribbean region and beyond by supplying a wide range of expert technical, professional and advisory services to meet the needs of national, regional and international institutions.
The Department of Behavioural Sciences (The DBS) was born from a merger of the government and sociology department in 1996. Over the past twenty-seven years the department has undergone a process of restructuring, involving the demerger and incorporation of new disciplines. Today, the department consists of several disciplines, namely Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Mediation and Criminology. The DBS vision is centered on excelling in engaged scholarship, student centeredness, collaboration and actionable practices for positive social change regionally and internationally. This also extends to the DBS mission, which includes promoting social change and justice through interdisciplinary praxis, teaching and collaborative research.
The Department of Sociology was established in the early 1960s, after the 1996/1997 academic year, restructuring of the department led to the establishment of a new Department of Behavioural Sciences. Sociology therefore is a well-established academic discipline offering programmes both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The number of courses available in the discipline and the choice of postgraduate programmes, give an indication of its formidable presence on the St. Augustine Campus. Of the many persons who have passed through the hands of our highly trained and dedicated academic staff many have gone on to post graduate work and others are gainfully employed within the public and private sectors of local and foreign companies.