| CONTEMPLATIVE PRAXIS, FEMINISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS

In this perilous time of multiple and intersecting crises—what Indigenous activist and scholar Sherry Mitchell describes as the time of the dance of the Cannibal Giant— dominant approaches to social justice need to be reimagined. The current dominant paradigm of human rights is grounded in separation, which is reflected in the conflict-based approach to social justice activism, fuelled by anger. This approach not only closes off more holistic alternatives to addressing injustices, it also contributes to a high prevalence of burnout, trauma, and depression among social justice activists, together with a dominant culture of martyrdom. Despite these issues, contemplative practices, an umbrella category of experiences which emphasize embodiment, interiority, silence, and presence, as well as connected issues of well-being and spirituality, have been mostly neglected in scholarship on social justice. It is mainly feminist scholars (like Audrey Lord, Gloria Anzaldua), and feminist activists and collectives (such as Global Fund for Women), who have contributed to the field. The goal of this conference is to address this gap in scholarship, with a view of creating more holistic and healthier feminist and social justice frameworks and practices.