CfP: 9th Global Reggae Conference (23.–26.02.2027, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica) Deadline: 30.09.2026
Call for Papers:
The Global Reggae Conference 2027
Theme: The Reggae Economy and Its Global Business Ecosystem
The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica
February 23–26, 2027
[CfP PDF]
About the Conference
The Ninth Global Reggae Conference provides an international forum for examining the theory, practice, production, and circulation of Jamaican popular music. Bringing together academics, musicians, creative practitioners, industry professionals, and community leaders, the conference showcases cutting-edge research, creative practice, and critical dialogue on reggae and the wider traditions of Jamaican popular music. Particular attention will be given to reggae’s contribution to business innovation, entrepreneurship, the cultural and creative industries, and the global creative economy, examining how music functions simultaneously as artistic expression, cultural heritage, and economic enterprise.
Since its inaugural staging at The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, in 2008, the conference has established itself as the premier international forum for advancing scholarship on reggae and Jamaican popular music. It has provided an interdisciplinary space for examining the broader continuum of Jamaican popular music, its historical foundations, contemporary expressions, global descendants, and the diverse cultural, social, economic, and political forces that continue to shape its evolution.
More than a musical genre, reggae is a global cultural and economic force. From festivals, live performances, and touring to streaming, intellectual property, branding, and tourism, fashion, education, and digital media, reggae operates within a dynamic international business ecosystem that generates cultural value, economic opportunity, and global influence. Against the backdrop of rapid technological change, expanding digital platforms, evolving intellectual property regimes, and growing investment in the creative economy, this conference examines the opportunities and challenges shaping reggae’s future.
Understanding reggae requires understanding its Caribbean origins. Emerging from a region that played a foundational role in the making of the modern world, reggae reflects the historical experiences of colonialism, resistance, creativity, and cultural resilience that have profoundly influenced global political, economic, and cultural thought. For decades, reggae has interrogated structures of power while articulating alternative visions of justice, dignity, liberation, and collective human advancement. As reggae continues to evolve globally, the challenge is not only to understand the complex systems that sustain it, but also to strengthen the economic, cultural, and institutional ecosystems that will shape its future.
The Global Reggae Conference, therefore, invites scholars, practitioners, artists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, industry leaders, and community stakeholders to contribute to these critical conversations and to advance new knowledge on the future of reggae as both a transformative cultural movement and a global business ecosystem.
Suggested Thematic Axes
The Global Reggae Conference 2027 invites scholars, industry professionals, policymakers, and creatives to explore how value is created, managed, and expanded within the global reggae economy. You are invited to submit a panel proposal or abstract of no more than 300 words by September 30, 2026, for this conference. We welcome proposed papers, exhibitions, or experimental media that address any of the following sub-themes:
1: Intellectual Property, Ownership, and Rights Management
2: Production, Consumption, Business Systems, Models and Management
3: Marketing, Branding, and Audience Cultivation
4: Media, Streaming, and Digital Transformation
5: Live Entertainment, Touring, and Festival Circuits
6: Reggae, Heritage and Jamaica’s Tourism
7: The Economy of Reggae Culture, Science and Technology
8: Reggae, Decolonialization and its Challenges to Political and Economic Orders
9: Gender, Identity, and Representation in Reggae Culture
10: Diaspora, Transnational Flows, and Cultural Exchange
11: Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Global Genre Intersections
12: Cultural Policy, Institutions, Governance, and the Creative Economy
13: Memory, Archiving and Protecting the Culture
SUBMISSION MODALITIES
I. ORGANIZED PANELS (Preferred Modality)
Proposals for thematic panels coordinated by a main proposer, with 3-4 participants (including the coordinator). Panels should address a specific, coherent theme within the context of reggae or Jamaican music, preferably aligned with the central theme of the conference.
II. PRESENTATIONS (Free Topics)
Submitted proposals and abstracts for presentation will be organized by the conference coordinators into thematic sessions. This modality is intended for researchers who were unable to organize themselves into panels or whose work addresses very specific themes.
Important Dates and Timeline
Submission Opening: July 13, 2026
Proposals & Abstract Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026
Notification of Acceptance: November 16, 2026
Participation Confirmation Deadline: January 15, 2027
Conference Dates: February 23–26, 2027
Submission Guidelines:
Proposal submission: September 30, 2026
All proposals must be submitted exclusively via email to mona-globalreggaec[at]uwi[dot]edu with the subject heading “Global Reggae Conference 2027 Submission”
Accepted languages: English and Jamaican
Submissions must be made only in the accepted languages
Each proposer must respect specific submission limits per modality
Participation as co-author in other proposals is permitted
All proposals will undergo evaluation by an international committee of scholars
Approved works must be presented in person