The Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of the West Indies, Mona announce an international conference on “Global Reggae: Jamaican Popular Music A Yard and Abroad.” The conference, to be held February 18-24, 2008, at the University of the West Indies, Mona , Jamaica and other venues on the island, is the third in a series focusing on Caribbean culture. The first, held in 1996, honoured the distinguished legacy of Professor the Hon. Rex Nettleford, Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies. The second, held in 2002, celebrated the work of the Barbadian griot/historian, Professor Kamau Brathwaite. This third conference, to be held in association with the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJam), the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, the Bob Marley Foundation, and the Jamaica Tourist Board, pays tribute to the generation of musicians who have created reggae – Jamaica's distinctive contribution to world culture. Icons such as: Count Matchuki, Don Drummond, Count Ossie, Mrs. Pottinger, and Prince Buster.

CONFERENCE RATIONALE

The conference and the associated reggae concerts will consolidate and disseminate knowledge on the global impact of Jamaica's distinctive musical contribution to world culture. This conference builds on the foundation of the 1995 symposium that was held at the University of the West Indies, Mona, co-sponsored by the Reggae Studies Unit and the Bob Marley Foundation, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of Jamaica's premier cultural ambassador , the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley. The Global Reggae 2008 conference will provide an opportunity for musicians, scholars, cultural practitioners and entrepreneurs from Jamaica and around the world to reflect on and document the global impact of reggae.

Conference keynote speakers from each continent will share their perspectives on the ways in which Jamaican reggae has been appropriated and adapted in a variety of cultural contexts. This international conference will also examine the local impact of the reggae music industry in Jamaica and assess ways in which the Jamaican economy can benefit more directly from the investments of intellectual property in this vibrant multinational industry. You can obtain more information about the conference, concerts and poster sessions by clicking Schedule or by clicking Conference Call .

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