We conceive of the conference theme broadly; possible topics and subthemes include, but are not limited to:
Decolonizing Music Theory: Indigenous Analytical Frameworks
The Body as an Epistemic Site
Organological Ontologies: Instruments as Social Agents
Language, Orality, and Sounded Truth
Engaging AI as a Decolonizing Tool
Timbre as Epistemology
The “cognisant body” and Dance Pedagogy
“Sensiotics” and Multisensoriality
Afrobeats, Amapiano, and the Global Canon: indigenous theory and contemporary popular genres.
Intersectionality and Gendered Knowledge: Reclaiming the marginalized voices in sonic theory
The program will include four keynotes speakers in addition to individual papers, special panel sessions,roundtable discussions, and working sessions. Program Committee invites proposals for individual papers, panels, and roundtables that will be peer-reviewed by the program committee. Please submit an abstract of 250 words, accompanied by a short bio (100-150 words) to aaafmus.26@gmail.com by JULY 1, 2026. Notification of acceptance will be sent by August 1, 2026.
Selected papers will be published in the Analytical Approaches to African Music journal. Additional details will be posted at the www.iftawm.org website as they become available.