The Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Reggae Studies Unit at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona will host the International Reggae Conference (formerly Global Reggae Conference) under the theme 'Current and Future Trends in Popular Music' from February 17-20, at the UWI.

A press release announcing the conference stated: "The conference and associated events will consolidate and disseminate knowledge on the current and future trends of Jamaican music culture as it continues its international movement across different geographical and cultural sites. It will also celebrate the 65th anniversary of the birth of Jamaica's premier cultural ambassador, Robert Nesta Marley, with the hosting of the Annual Bob Marley Lecture, in affiliation with the Bob Marley Foundation."

The UWI said the conference would address a range of themes and how they impact the globe.

"This conference will provide an opportunity for artistes, musicians, scholars, cultural practitioners, entrepreneurs and music lovers from around the world to share their perspectives on the ways in which reggae and dancehall have been appropriated and adapted in a variety of cultural contexts," said the release. "It will also examine the impact of the reggae and dancehall industries locally, regionally and globally and assess ways in which the creators can benefit through the development and encouragement of internationally competitive music enterprises."

Proposed topics

Reggae Economies and Industries

Popular Music and Current Technologies

Evolution of Reggae and Dancehall

The Business of Reggae and Dancehall Music

The Reggae Artiste as Cultural Ambassador

Celebrating Fashion and Style in Jamaican Popular Music

Reggae Music Festivals

Careers in Reggae and Dancehall

Reggae Power (hegemony, commodification, globalisation etc.)

Regulating Jamaican Popular Music

Marketing Reggae Music and Culture

Content and Language in Reggae and Dancehall\Rhythms and Riddims in Jamaica Popular Music

Reggae and the Culture of Fandom

Reggae Geographies

Reggae and Resistance

Music as Social Capital: The Case of Reggae/Dancehall

Rastafari and Reggae

The Production of Celebrity in Reggae and Dancehall

The UWI said it is reviewing further topics and lecturers and qualified persons can submit a 300-word proposal to internationalreggae@gmail.com by October 15.