Presentation:  Following up on a series of events dealing with the topic of sports in Africa that took place at UFRJ in 2010, and at ISCTE-IUL in 2012, the Centre for International Studies (ISCTE-IUL) will host the 3rd International Conference on Sports and Leisure in Africa between 28 and 30 October 2014. The conference will be dedicated to the theme Sports and Leisure in Africa: Between Bonds of the Past and Dynamics of the Present. Objectives The 3rd International Conference on Sports and Leisure in Africa has the objectives of promoting the exchange of experiences, opinions, and work results between scientists, students, and all people interested in the different topics related to practices of sports and leisure in Africa.

Thematic lines:  Not excluding other approaches, contributions should try to identify, explain, and locate changes of signification over time, and space regarding practices – today as in the past, sacralized or profane, functional and utilitarian or dissipative, politically accommodated or constituting a power corrective – working in one way or another to preserve and reproduce symbolic resources, as well as social relations in Africa. In addition to papers about the history of sports and leisure in Africa, contributions taking stock of the evolution of sportive disciplines and leisure practices on the African continent are welcome. Moreover, theoretically and empirically based papers will be considered, approaching the changes and/or continuities with regard to interventions in sports by politics, the state, or other institutions and actors from the colonial period until the present. Finally, contributions will be accepted that rethink the political, social, economic, and cultural importance of sports and leisure in contemporary African societies.

Special Panels:  In order to help translating some of the scientific reflections into social considerations, and to the level of policies, on the one hand, and maintain a dialogue with non-academic actors, on the other, the following special panels are being proposed:

- Sports and leisure in the CPLP

- Experiences of youth integration policies located in the fields of sports and leisure

Submission of Papers:  It is encouraged to submit papers dealing with any issue related to the above-mentioned thematic areas, as well as the special panels. Every submission must include the title of the paper, an abstract (250 words), 4 keywords, a short CV (200 words), as well as the author’s institutional affiliation, and his e-mail. Papers need to be sent to desporto.lazer.africa@gmail.com.

Important Dates:  Papers have to be submitted until 30 May 2014. Over the acceptance of submissions will be decided until 30 June 2014. The complete texts must be handed in until 30 July 2014.

Languages: The working languages of the event will be Portuguese, Castilian, French, and English.

Publication of Contributions:  The Organising Committee will seek to produce one or more publications comprising texts of valid, and acknowledged scientific quality. Submitted articles must conform to the following editorial standards: Publishing standards.

For more information, please visit: www.desportolazerafrica.wordpress.com