Description: The history of the Caribbean world is inseparable from its relationship to space, perceived or imagined. It begins with the ambition to conquer the world through a spatial representation seeking the artistic talent of seafarers. Since the time of conquest, this “other” space—at times superimposed on the space of the other—is subject to the imperative to possess a terra incognita, whose supposed virginity stirs all desires, as evidenced by the America of Van der Straet. Thus, through its many spaces of inscription, the map is both real and unreal. It lies at the edge of supposedly incompatible universes invoking eminently complex topologies. Firstly, because the very concept of a map invokes an ambition that is a priori excessive: that of representing the deployment of a multidimensional world, in perpetual evolution, through a two-dimensional representation that is tangible and temporarily fixed. Secondly, because this navigational tool, a real one—transmitted from generation to generation—has undergone a multitude of substantial mutations that have profoundly modified, in turn, the extent and quality of our relationship to the world. Any change of this order reminds us, whenever it occurs, how much we can reside in the unreal. This paradoxical aspect must certainly not make us forget the primary purpose of the map, which no longer needs further proof: to allow humankind to situate itself in a geographical, topological, or even cultural space, and to discover others. Over the course of explorations, the civilizations of the world consequently faced the same question of identity with more or less success: where are we and where can we go from here? [. . .] [. . .] Contributions to this multidisciplinary workshop may take the form of a 25-minute academic paper followed by a 15-minute discussion. The field of intervention encompasses visual and fine arts, languages, literature, civilization, history, geography, and the fields of human and social sciences. The exchanges may be structured around pictorial, sculptural, or performative works—not excluding other modes of expression likely to amplify the scope of the artistic message, such as poetry. Artists wishing to participate in this meeting will have the opportunity to exhibit two or three works that resonate with the chosen theme. Send the title of the presentation, an abstract, and a bio-bibliographic note by February 10, 2018, to Frédéric Lefrançois, coordinator of the research forum, to the following address: frederic.lefrancois@outlook.fr