Call For Papers
Please check back in the spring to view the call for papers for our 2012 conference in Pittsburgh, PA!

This is a general call for papers for the more than 40 session topics. Proposals are welcome on all aspects of American and Popular culture.

To submit a proposal, please send a 150-word abstract and a brief CV or bio to the appropriate area chair by June 30 2012 . Panels of 3 or 4 presenters, single papers, roundtables, or alternative formats are encouraged. Sliding scale registration fees apply.

Please note: Presenters may only present 1 paper; please do not submit multiple papers to multiple areas.

Please scroll down for further information and description of areas. If you have any questions, please contact the program chair, Pamela Detrixhe, at macapaconfchair@gmail.com.

Area and Area Chair Contact Information	Area Description
American Studies Brian E. Hack & Caterina Y. Pierre Area Chairs 402 Graham Avenue #173 Brooklyn, NY 11211 bhack@kingsborough.edu cpierre@kingsborough.edu	The American Studies Area of the Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association is seeking papers from interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary perspectives that investigate the actions, influences, and phenomena that have formed American society. Though the field of American Studies may approach American culture from a variety of directions, it focuses on America as a whole; as a result, papers on all facets of American society and/or culture are welcome. Topics can include, but are not limited to: Darwinism & American Culture; Eugenics and American Culture; American History; American Literature; Cultural Diversity; Expressive Forms; History of Ideas; Cultural Phenomena; Secret Societies; American Freethinkers; Historical Toys and Games; and House and Garden.
Art Janna Eggebeen Ontario College of Art & Design eggebja@yahoo.com	The area of Art welcomes papers that discuss some aspect of the relationship of art to American society and popular culture. Art includes the traditional plastic arts of painting, sculpture, and works on paper, as well as performance art, installation art, earth art, folk and outsider art, “craft” or amateur art, and multimedia and digital art. Professors interested in coordinating sessions of student papers, graduate or undergraduate, are encouraged to submit panel proposals. Topics include but are not limited to: • Activist and populist art movements or cooperatives • Scandals and controversies over art works, exhibitions, and funding • Art schools, courses, and training • Art criticism, methodology, theory, and popularly held ideas • Cultural institutions, the gallery system, and the artist’s studio • Art market, competitions, promotion and patronage, and consumer trends
Beowulf to Shakespeare: Popular Culture in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Diana Vecchio Widener University 1 University Place Chester, PA 19013 dmvecchio@widener.edu Mary Behrman Behrm5@aol.com	The wealth of material found in the literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance continues to attract modern audiences with new works in fiction, film, and other areas, whether through adaptation or incorporation of themes and characters. This is a call for papers or panels dealing with any aspect of medieval or renaissance representation in popular culture. Topics for this area include, but are not limited to: – modern portrayals of any aspect of Arthurian legends or Shakespeare – modern versions or adaptations of any other Medieval or Renaissance writer – modern investigations of historical figures such as Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Richards, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scotts – teaching medieval and renaissance texts to modern students – Medieval or Renaissance links to fantasy fiction, gaming, comics, video games, etc. – the Middle Ages or Renaissance on the Internet – Renaissance fairs Presentations can be in the form of individual papers, panels, workshops, roundtables, or other formats, and presenters are urged to consider choosing an alternative format if it would better suit their topic.
Children and Childhood Studies Vibiana Bowman Cvetkovic Rutgers - The State University bowman@camden.rutgers.edu	Children and Childhood Studies (CCS) is an area of study that focuses on the societal, cultural, and political forces which shape the lives of children and the concept of childhood. CCS research draws from the behavioral and social sciences as well as the arts. Papers in this area examine the impact of popular culture on children and childhood, as well as the role of children and young adults as influencers and creators of that popular culture.
Comics, Cartoons, and Video Gaming Gary Earl Ross University at Buffalo geross@buffalo.edu	Comics, Cartoons, and Video Games all represent some kind of visual meta-reality that invites participants inside a singular or collective artistic imagination. The Comics, Cartoons, and Video Gaming area invites papers that discuss all aspects of comic books, comic strips, graphic novels, cartoons, both print and animated, and video games in any form, from simple pong to educational challenges to complex, painstakingly rendered simulations, strategy games, and first-person shooters. Papers may examine historical contexts (i.e., comic books and the Depression, superhero comics and WW II, the birth of video gaming), modern themes and trends (video games and obesity, Playboy cartoons and the sexual revolution, masculinity and video game violence), complex storytelling (the modern graphic novel, the first person shooter as graphic novel), or any other aspect of any graphic imaginary world.
Death in American Culture J. Joseph Edgette,Ph.D Area Co-Chairs (Widener University) 509 S. Academy Ave. Glenolden, PA 19036 jjedgette@enter.net or Richard A. Sauers Lenape Investment Corp. P.O. Box 724 Morrisville, PA 19067 rsauers@enter.net	Papers are welcome on any aspect of American cultural responses to death. Paper proposals may be from any appropriate discipline and cover any historical period. General topic areas include but are not limited to the following: 1. Attitudes toward and practices relating to death, including the medicalization of death, the social construction of death, death in art and literature, funeral customs, the evolution of the funeral business and the cemetery, changing attitudes toward the dead body and its disposal, and burial and mourning practices. 2. Memorialization, including the history, iconography, and rhetoric of gravemarkers and memorials; regional and ethnic practices; and gender, class, and race in the cemetery.
Decorative Arts and Design Sarah A. Lichtman School of Art and Design History and Theory Parsons, The New School for Design 2 West 13th Street, #609 New York, NY 10011 lichtmas@newschool.edu	This panel seeks papers that explore the relationship between decorative arts, design and popular culture. The field of design history and design studies considers objects through multiple viewpoints and methodologies, topics that elucidate the nature of design as a practice of everyday life. To that end, this area encourages and invites submissions covering a broad range of topics related to – but not limited to – interior design, industrial design, dress, textiles, fashion, ceramics, furniture, graphics and media ranging from the pre-industrial to the present day, whether amateur or professional.
Detective Fiction Alexander Howe Department. of English U. of the District of Columbia 218 East Mason Ave. #25 Alexandria, VA 22301 ahowe@udc.edu	The Detective Fiction Area welcomes proposals on all aspects and periods of mystery and detective fiction. This includes ancient and modern precursors to Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1841), as well as successors working in the multitude of sub-genres falling under the larger designations of detective, mystery, or crime fiction. Proposals that address the intersection of detective fiction with other media (e.g., graphic novels, film, television, etc.) and genres (e.g., sci-fi, horror, domestic fiction, etc.) are especially welcome.
Disability Studies David T. Mitchell Temple University dmitch02@temple.edu Sharon Snyder Independent Scholar and Researcher ssnyder31@gmail.com	Disability Studies is a recent and growing discipline that draws on work done in fields as diverse as history, health sciences, English, anthropology, women's studies, and education. Papers interested in exploring the lived experience of disability, social constructions of disability, or disability studies itself are all equally welcome. Following are some possible questions to consider: What gives a human life value? How does a culture's attitudes about disability reveal its most basic assumptions and ideologies? How does the lived experience of disability vary according to class, gender, race, sexuality, or culture? How have our definitions of disability changed over time? How does the media (mis?)represent people with disabilities? And what is often left out when we talk/teach disability studies?
Environment and Culture Tara Weiss Department of English Kingsborough CC CUNY 2001 Oriental Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11235 drtara5@earthlink.net	The environment is arguably the most significant aspect of human culture and society, pervading every fact of our personal and professional lives, from where we live, work, and play to how we choose to think about our environment.. Environment and Culture as an area explores the various ways in which the environment shapes and is shaped by human action/interaction. Papers from all disciplines and historical periods are invited, and papers from graduate students are especially encouraged. Panels of 3-4 presenters are also welcome. Appropriate topics include, but are not limited to: – environmental literature – the arts and the environment – environmental philosophy – natural history – nature and culture – urban and suburban environments – contemporary issues – politics and the environment
Fanfiction Lisa Miller Area Chair Pace University littlemonster3141@yahoo.com	Fanfiction welcomes papers on all aspects of fanfiction. It is not for your own fanfiction but for your analysis of fanfictions written about film, television, actual persons, etc. Fanfiction, itself, may take the form of stories, poems, novels, songs, comics, etc. Whether you are interested in Jane Austen sequels or elaborations on minor Shakespearean characters, whether you have examined fanfictions based on an old sitcom or on the latest drama series, share your insights. If you have looked at fanfiction and have a point to make, or, perhaps, a question to ask, your input would be welcome. Papers on the practice of writing fanfiction or fanfiction audiences are also welcome. Fanfiction can be found today in the bookstore and on the internet; it is a fascinating phenomenon that merits a closer look. Please send your proposals to Lisa Miller.
Fashion, Appearance & Material Culture Aeran Park Department of Fashion Mount Mary College 2900 N. Menomonee River Parkaway Milwaukee, WI 53222 AeranPark69@gmail.com	Fashion, Appearance, & Consumer Identity is concerned with the areasof clothing, historical costume, fashion aesthetics, fashion and appearance, fashion marketing, merchandising, retailing, the psychological/ sociological aspects of dress and cultural appearances,as well as any areas relating to consumption and consumer identity. Papers from all disciplines are welcome. Innovative and new research in the areas of fashion and consumerism are encouraged!
Film Studies Gary Earl Ross University at Buffalo www.garyearlross.com geross@buffalo.edu	The Film area is devoted to scholarship on all aspects of the motion picture, as viewed on the theater screen, on television, or via digital media. The area encompasses narrative films as well as documentaries, both live action and animated, feature length and short, silent and sound, color and black and white,domestic and international, majo studio and independent. Papers may examine everything from the specifics and symbols of individual films to themes present in multiple films to the relevance of film icons, from comparisons of films with source material to the social impact of films or film technology on society to the business of motion pictures. All presentations will have in common the understanding that film is a major popular cultural artifact with important things to say about the human condition.
Food and Culture Jill Nussel Indiana University- Purdue University Fort Wayne nusselj@ipfw.edu	Myriad factors shape our relationship with food. What we choose to eat (or not eat), how we acquire it, whom we eat it with, and how we consume it is influenced by technology, economics, politics, fashion, religion, and other aspects of culture. MAPACA's Food and Culture sessions invite scholars from all disciplines to address the intersections of food and the human experience.
GLBTQ Studies Mark John Isola Wentworth Institute of Technology www.markjohnisola.com markjohn@alumni.tufts.edu	The GLBTQ Studies Area welcomes proposals of relevance to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities. Proposals are encouraged on any medium of popular or American culture. This area is particularly interested in tracing contemporary GLBTQ representation in popular culture and questions of agency/appropriation. Proposals of interest for the Pittsburgh 2012 conference might include: Pittsburgh: A Look Back at Queer as Folk The Female Gayze: Agency or Appropriation? The Gay Bar: Patron or Patronizing? GLBTQ Representation in Contemporary Popular Culture Where are we Now: Gay vs. Queer Sensibilities The GLBTQ Superhero/ine? HIV/AIDS and Erotic Writing The Violet Quill writers Popular GLBT romance novels/novelists GLBTQ comics/graphic novels/Yaoi However, proposals addressing any topic of GLBTQ significance in popular or American culture are welcome. Please submit 400 word proposals and a brief CV, including your professional affiliation (as Word friendly documents) to Mark John Isola at markjohn@alumni.tufts.edu. Click through to join the GLBTQ Studies Facebook page: GLBTQ Studies Facebook page:
Harry Potter Phenomenon Richard Currie College of Staten Island CUNY 2800 Victory Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10314 RCu8598882@aol.com	Papers are sought that explore the Harry Potter phenomenon in terms of sparking adolescent reading and adolescent popular culture involvement. Why the three protagonists have become idols is one area of exploration.
Horror Lisa Miller Pace University littlemonster3141@yahoo.com	Horror welcomes proposals for papers dealing with all aspects of horror and the supernatural in various genres, such as literature, film, television, music and as part of popular culture (fashion, artifacts, attitudes, etc.)
Internet Culture Mary Lou Nemanic Penn State -Altoona 3000 Ivyside Park 101B Cypress Altoona, PA 16601 mun1@psu.edu	The Internet Culture area is an eclectic category which invites submissions in the areas of identity construction via the Internet, art forms and social forms on the Internet, convergent media and new media creations on the Internet, Internet symbolism, and examinations of the ways in which the Internet is used artistically, commercially, socially, and politically.
J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis: Books & Films	The J.R.R. Tolkien/C.S. Lewis panel of the Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association Conference seeks abstracts ofpapers (250 words) that address various aspects of each author's works. Discussion of film versions of Rings and Narnia are welcome.The chair is open to a wide variety of topics and critical approaches. The aim of the panel is to identify and characterize the strong interest currently given to both writers as serious thinkers and gifted artists with immense appeal as popular entertainers. Include the following information with your submission: Name Professional Affiliation Title of Paper AV Requirements E-mail Address Postal Address Phone: Home/Work or Both
Latino/a Studies Randolph Ortiz St. John's University 8000 Utopia Parkway Jamaica, NY 11439 ortizr@stjohns.edu	Latino/a Area Studies is interested in research into all aspects of Latino/a popular culture - its production abroad or in the U.S.; its consumption, and intersections with race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality from any disciplinary approach. Some areas individuals might consider exploring are: Revisiting/Reinterpreting Machismo/Marianismo; Latinization of U.S. culture/ Americanization of Latino/Latin American culture; Organizing Latino/a Social Movements; Political mobilization of Latinos/as via Media; Portrayals of Latinos/as on U.S. and Latino media (U.S./International). Papers should be delivered in English.
Music Scott Henderson Brock University shender@brocku.ca	The Music Area invites submissions from individuals or organized panels (3 or 4 persons) focusing on any topic relating to any genre or any time period of music. Topics can include but are not limited to individual artists, albums, CDs, genres, periods, performances, critics, magazines, music and art, music on radio, television, and on stage and in academia. Abstracts on any topic of music will be considered.
Native American Studies Ron Denson Ithaca College Ithaca, NY 14850 denson@ithaca.edu	Proposals focusing on any issue pertaining to the experience, literature, representation, or history of Native Americans, especially in the 500 years snce the conquest, are welcome. Some questions to consider: How have Native Americans been portrayed in mainstream popular culture through the centuries--in various media such as fiction, poetry, film, television, painting, and advertising, or as sports mascots and in educational institutions--and how have Native Americans themselves resisted or subverted such representations? What can such language and images tell us about the cultural and political dynamics of the relationship between the first peoples of and latecomers to North America? Proposals for both individual papers and entire panels are welcome.
Popular Architecture and the Built Environment Allison Fleming Area Chair Flemingal@wssu.edu	This area explores the ways that we shape and are shaped by the built environment, individual structures, and architecture culture. It seeks papers treating the theories, personalities, styles, and technologies that influence buildings, city planning, and community design. The material under consideration may be hypothetical or realized, fantastic or practical, controversial or traditional, political or personal or any combination of these. Topics from any time period and any culture are welcome. Previous papers include: “Navel of the Earth: Understanding a Late Archaic Shell Ring on Saint Catherine’s Island, Georgia”, “Contemporary Native Architecture in Humboldt County, California”, “Turning the Page: Structures and Structuring in ‘House of Leaves’”, “Architecture & Identity in Lowell, MA: Making a City Out of A Mill Town”, “Do Your Own Thing: American Pop Culture & the Built Environment During the 1970s & 80s”, “*First Paper Title: Freedom & the Endless Townscape: Popular Culture as Reflected in Broadacre City & Zelony Gorod” and “Inwood – Not Washington Heights, Not the Bronx” Undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals are encouraged to submit proposals for individual papers, full panels, round table discussions or alternative formats.
Popular Culture and Activism Chloé Avril University of Gothenburg, Sweden chloe.avril@eng.gu.se	Popular Culture and Activism welcomes papers or presentations that explore the sphere of activism in the production of popular culture. Whether historical or contemporary, investigations into the role of activism in shaping popular culture or the role of popular culture in shaping activism are encouraged. Possible topics might include the way individual activists or groups have utilized popular media or sought to influence popular media. Other issues to consider are: how have activist groups been portrayed in popular culture? What forms of activism are being employed on college campuses or in local communities, and how does this tie in with or shape popular culture? What are the political or ideological implications of popular culture as reflected in television shows, films, music videos, the internet, magazines, fiction, etc.
Popular Literary Landscapes	The Popular Literary Landscapes panel of the Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association Conference seeks abstracts of papers (250 words) that address landscape descriptions which serve to identify and define important aspects of the human condition. The descriptions may be of fictional or actual places in verse or prose. The aim of the panel is to explore the presence of important cultural values/ideals/concerns/debates which traditionally inform the descriptions of popular literary landscapes. Include the following information with your submission: Name Professional Affiliation Title of Paper AV Requirements E-mail Address Postal Address Phone: Home/Work or Both
Popular Novels Anne K. Kaler Independent Scholar 27 Highland Avenue Lansdale, PA 19446 akkaler@verizon.net	Within the area of popular novels, this panel seeks to cover critical investigations of those works of literature which fall outside of the recognized canon of literature. For example, a paper on a romance writer (Jayne Ann Krentz, Nora Roberts) might mention Madame Bovary or Jane Eyre but would not center its argument on Flaubert or Bronte. Instead, papers concentrate on lesser known authors, genres, subgenres, topics, style, textual analysis, interpretations, comparisons, influences, use in classroom teaching, etc.
Religion & Popular Culture co-chairs: Pamela Detrixhe Department of Religion Temple University p.detrixhe@verizon.net Anthony Zias Coppin State University adzias@comcast.net	The Religion and Popular Culture area seeks presentations on the following topics: Religion in the Twitterverse and Blogosphere: This past February, a "tweet war" erupted within evangelical Christian circles. At stake in the war was a recently published book about Hell, and the participants -- among them major figures in evangelical theology and publishing -- tweeted attacks and defenses over the book. The tweet war elicited over 20,000 recommendations and 1,000 comments on Facebook and was listed as a top ten topic on Twitter. This panel seeks to examine how new social media is influencing religious discourse. Have new online forums, like Twitter and Facebook, encouraged interaction among theologians, ministers, writers, lay people, and others? How can we analyze and understand online discourse among followers of various religious traditions? How have online discourse and electronic social forums influenced established religious tenets or practices? Hell and the Religious Community: Even before its release in March 2011, Rob Bell's new book, Love Wins: A Book about Heaven and Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, generated a firestorm of debate within the evangelical Christian community. At the debate's center was the question of whether Bell's reinterpretation of Hell revealed him to be a Christian heretic or not. The question for evangelicals: Can Bell still be considered one of us evangelical Christians or must we excommunicate him? This panel will explore how the concept of "Hell" serves as a social bond for various religious groups. How does the understanding of "Hell" enable groups to demarcate those within the group against those outside the group? Do alternative visions of Hell, coming from sources outside established religious communities, address the desire to create alternative communities? Holidays, Holy Days, and Popular Culture: Many conference attendees have noted that MAPACA schedules its conference close to Halloween/the Day of the Dead, yet has not had a panel on it. Halloween and other holidays are rich opportunities for the expression of popular/religious culture. Thus, for this panel, we seek presentations on Halloween and other holidays. What are "holidays" in popular culture? How have they changed over time and place? What insights do we have into intersections of particular holidays and commerce? What are the intersections among established religious traditions, public institutions, commercial production, consumption, popular customs, which could include special foods and clothing, and holiday-specific media? Religion and Popular/American Culture in Philadelphia: This panel focuses on the intersection between popular and religious culture in Philadelphia, the site of this year's conference. What does this popular American religious culture look like in 2011? What do we learn if one analyzes the New Year's Mummer Parade as a religious festival? Popular religion in Philadelphia is local, global, and civil -- as in "the use of the religious imagination to uphold and reinforce national [and I would add "local"] traditions and institutions" (Alan Wolfe). How do these popular religious expressions manifest in the city outside our conference rooms? We also welcome other panel or paper proposals on methods or other themes relevant to Religion and Popular Culture. A 150-word abstract, a shortened CV or biographical statement, and your audio-visual needs are due to Area Chairs by June 15, 2011. Please send submissions to both Co-Chairs. Students (both graduate and undergraduate) are encouraged to submit proposals and sliding scale registration fees are available.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Marilyn Stern Wentworth Institute of Technology sternm@wit.edu	Science Fiction and Fantasy welcomes papers/presentations in any critical, theoretical, or (inter)disciplinary approach to any topic related to SF/F: art; literature; radio; film; television; video, role-playing, and multi-player online games. Though not an exhaustive list, potential presenters may wish to consider the following: Fans and Fandom/Community Building Gender and Sexuality Race and Otherness Class and Hierarchies Utopia/Dystopia Language and Rhetoric Genre—Space Opera, Cyberpunk, Dark Fantasy, etc. Textual Analysis Sociological or Psychological Readings Archival Research/History Technology—Textual and Literal Online Identity Construction Mythology and Quest Narratives Creatures and Aliens Science and Magic Reading Other “Worlds”
Sexuality and Erotica Kimberly M. Golden Virginia Beach Christian Church RandolphScott@att.net	The area of Sexuality and Erotica invites papers that address any aspect of human sexual experience and erotica in any form (literary, artistic -- visual, musical, dance, theatrical, photographic). Related areas of interest may include the artistic, sociological and/or political implications of sexual attitudes, education, and orientation; sexuality in history and world cultures; beliefs and practices of ethnic, religious, and cultural groups; gender and sexuality; psychosexual considerations; sex therapy; sex toys, aids and devices; unusual or deviant sexual practices; the role or influence of sexuality in the arts; sexuality, crime, and the law; and sexual symbolism in any field of human endeavor.
Sports Joseph Trumino St. John's University truminoj@stjohns.edu	The Sports category welcomes a broad range of scholarship that is well researched and contains sports-related themes. Scholarship could relate to routines and procedures in sports, the sociology of sports, representational issues in sports, commercialism in sports, sports history, media and sports, and/or sports performance issues. Previously unexamined alternative topics may also be offered. Presentations should offer scholarly rigor, yet be understandable not only to sports scholars, but also to generalists who may have an interest in sports. Proposals should offer a short abstract, a one to three page description of your goals/methods, and a brief bibliography.
Tattoos and Tattooing Nicholas Schonberger Independent Scholar nschon@gmail.com	Do you tattoo? Are tattoos body art? Rebellion? Personal expression? Clanship? Decadence? Reminiscence? Invitation to look? Disguise? This session invites discussion of tattoos, their meanings, their creation, their role/s in our lives. Share your knowledge, tattoos, and techniques. We welcome proposals from all disciplines exploring tattoos and tattooing within historic and contemporary popular culture. Topics may include, but are not limited to - tattoos in body and gender politics; tattoos in literature and film; tattoos and the law; tattoos in fine art; tattoos in transatlantic and/or transpacific exchange; and techniques in tattooing. We are particularly interested in projects that examine the role of popular visual culture on the refining and redefining of the contemporary tattoo aesthetic. Topics related to our host city, Philadelphia, PA, are also encouraged. Please submit a 250-word abstract and a curriculum vitae by June 15, 2011 to nschon@gmail.com. For questions, please contact Nick Schonberger .
Technical Culture Lois Ascher Humanities Department Wentworth Institute 550 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 ascherl@wit.edu	This area addresses the connections between technology and culture. Of special concern is the subtle shaping of values, beliefs and behaviors in society induced by those links. Papers and panels which address the ways in which modern culture and individual identities are influenced by relations between technology and society are especially encouraged.
Television Amanda S. McClain Medaille College 18 Agassiz Circle Buffalo, New York, 14214 Communications Department amandasmcclain@gmail.com	The television interest area for MAPACA seeks to investigate the relationship between television and our lives. How do we define our lives, relationships, and our self-knowledge according to the images provided by the medium of television? Are we being provided rigorous information to help the individual be a productive citizen in a society? Have we been socialized, at least in part by television, to be merely consumers? Is television's role to challenge or pacify? What is reality and fiction? Can we expect programming which examines the issues of our complex lives; or must information be made reductive in order to appeal to an average? How does television represent or modify economic, institutional, and cultural norms? These are some of the questions we seek to answer. Please feel free to address these queries, or explore new ones. All theoretical viewpoints and methodologies are welcome.
Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Jason D. Scott Arizona State University Jason.Davids.Scott@asu.edu	The study of theatre and performance often reveals unexpected insights into a culture's historical and ideological conditions. Papers in this area will address how the institutions and practices of the performance define concepts of taste, suggest causes and solutions for social conflict, and reflect the importance of race, gender, and religion in relation to national or regional identity. We seek presentations, panels, and papers which focus on the theatre as a reflection of popular and/or American culture. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to: Dramatic literature and theory Theory and practice of dramaturgy Actors and Acting Stagecraft and design The business of theatre Theatre audiences Theatrical criticism Theatrical institutions Directors and Directing Theory Biographical studies Non-traditional theatre Theatre and other disciplines Theatre and ritual Political theatre Theatre/performance and media Performance art and solo performance *The histories, theories, and practices of performance studies
Travel and Tourism Jennifer Erica Sweda University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA jesweda@pobox.upenn.edu	TRAVEL AND TOURISM Travel and Tourism Studies continues to gain popularity as an academic field, in part because of its inter-disciplinary nature. The Travel and Tourism area seeks papers that explore and discuss any aspect of travel and tourism. Topics for this area include, but are not limited to, the following: - heritage tourism - travel and gender/race/class - material culture and tourism - writing travel - spatial relations and tourism - politics and tourism - personal travel narratives
Urban Culture Blagovesta Momchedjikova Dept. of Performance Studies Tisch School of the Arts, NYU bmm202@nyu.edu	"When a man rides a long time through wild regions, he feels the desire for a city," writes Italo Calvino in his beautiful account of imaginary urban environments, Invisible Cities. The Urban Culture area of MAP/ACA seeks presenters who explore the varied ways in which humans inhabit the city (real, imaginary, lost) and negotiate their urban desires. Papers addressing issues such as displacement, multi-cultural encounter, hybridization, and the production or loss of public space in the context of the metropolitan city are welcome. How do the home, the museum, world's fairs, ethnic food, architecture, spoken and written word, street performance, photography, film, sound, music, and movement, help us inscribe the city and to what end? How does the city inscribe us? Historical or ethnographic studies of cities, poetic accounts of personal geographies through cities, and explorations of highly orchestrated or surprisingly improvised events in designated areas in the city are encouraged. If interested in participating in a workshop on "writing the urban," in addition to presenting a paper, please, indicate so. Please, send your 1-page paper abstracts (including preliminary titles and current contact information) and 1-paragraph recent bios virus-free.
Vampire Romance Marilyn Stern Wentworth Institute of Technology sternm@wit.edu	Vampire Romance welcomes papers/presentations which examine any of the recent (and not so recent) representations of vampires not as blood-sucking fiends, but as romantic heroes in film, television, art, and literature. Though not an exhaustive list, potential presenters may wish to consider the following: The Byronic Hero Textual Analysis Race and Otherness Language and Rhetoric Archival Research/History Fans and Fandom Sociological or Psychological Readings For those who relish their vampire fiends, MAPACA also has a place for you. See our “Horror” area.
Violence and Society Kimberly M. Golden Virginia Beach Christian Church RandolphScott@att.net	We invite submissions for several sessions on Violence and Society. As an area of study, "Violence and Society" includes the verbal, physical, mental, emotional, and/or implied abuse directed towards any individual or group of individuals. Areas of examination may include, but are not limited to, "abuse" (objectional or demeaning portrayal) of women, children, gays, or any other targeted population/individuals/race through the media, advertisement, music and/or music television videos, literature, television, movies, societal behavior, human interaction, communication, education, religion, and any other societal dimension. Related areas of study may include domestic violence, violence and self-perception, violence and self-esteem, violence and sexuality, violence and sex roles, abusive personalities and behaviors, violence and socio-economic conditions, violence and race, cultural heritage and violence, gang involvement, and environmental factors and violence.
War Matthew B. Hill Dept. of Humanities Coppin State University 2500 W. North Ave. Baltimore, MD 21216 redmanx999@gmail.com	War has been one of the few constants in human history, waged by nations, tribes, and other factions for numerous reasons--some valid and noble, some questionable. This area seeks to explore the ways that wars--declared and undeclared, just and unjust, sacred and profane, fictional and "real"--have impacted the social, economic, technological, ideological, and other aspects of culture.

Call For Papers

This Section's Content

Other Sections

Subject Areas to Which Proposals May be Submitted:

This Section's
Content