Happiness, Joy and Pleasure Conference
The University of Sydney
27-28 November 2014

We call for papers that interrogate the meaning of happiness, pleasure, and joy from interdisciplinary perspectives including but not limited to gender studies, literature, film, media, history, philosophy, health, economics, law, education, science and psychology.

Keynote speakers:

• Dr. Chris Bishop (Australian National University)
• Associate Professor Louise D’Arcens (University of Wollongong)

Some questions papers could address include:

• What is happiness (or joy or pleasure) and what does it mean for different people?
• How is happiness constructed, experienced, performed, and represented through different histories, cultures, identities, and genders?
• How do we experience happiness through our sexualities, masculinities, femininities, and / or trans-identities?
• Do we have a ‘right to happiness’ as enshrined, for example, in the American Constitution?
• Is the restriction of happiness or pleasure a violation of human rights?
• Can and should the law legislate for happiness?
• What are the tyrannies of discourses of happiness?
• Is happiness a chimera?
• How is happiness represented in popular culture?
• Who has the power to define happiness and who does not?
• What are the links between gender, happiness, health and well-being?

Email an abstract (of 500 words or fewer) outlining your paper, a brief bio and your affiliation to: Chenoa.Hunter@sydney.edu.au

Abstracts due 5pm Friday 19 September.