The Material Culture Caucus (MCC) of the American Studies Association (ASA) wishes to encourage participation in the 2015 Annual Meeting: “The (Re)production of Misery and the Ways of Resistance,” October 8-11, 2015, Toronto, Canada. To read the conference Call for Papers please visit the ASA website.
Areas of interest related to the theme include, but are not limited to, the material culture of:
• War and other forms of violence
• Empire and colonialism
• Slavery
• Crisis and trauma
• Diaspora and immigration
• Prisons
• Poverty
• ‘Basic needs’: food (and water), clothing, and shelter
• Alienated/unalienated labor
• Inequitable/‘fair’ trade
• Racism
• Patriarchy/feminism
• Heteronormativity/queerness
• Ruins and preservation
• NAGPRA, repatriation, and cultural patrimony
• Climate change/sustainability
• Religion and spirituality
• Failure in business, technology, architecture and design, or relationships
• depression/the Depression
• Disability/access
• Consumerism: excess, ethical consumption, advertising, shopping malls, dark stores
• Entertainment
• Comfort/discomfort
• Self disciplining: beauty rituals, dieting, exercise, organizing, ‘happiness’ coaching
The MCC hopes to help link potential panelists with shared interests in material culture topics. If you, your colleagues, or doctoral students are considering proposals for the conference, please email your panel CFP or your paper idea and the organizers will work to connect similar panelists and papers as well as offer suggestions on complete panels. Additionally, opportunities to work with other ASA caucuses and committees are welcome.
All interested parties will still be responsible for following all posted instructions and for submitting their own panels or papers to the ASA by the ASA deadline, February 1, 2015. After submitted panels are reviewed and selected by the ASA, the Material Culture Caucus may select one of those panels as an official Caucus-sponsored session. The MCC will publicize all related papers and panels.
If you are interested, please submit your ideas or abstracts to Anne Verplanck at aav3@psu.edu no later than January 6, 2015. Feel free to be in touch, by email with any questions.
Interested in the 2014 Material Culture Caucus session that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the caucus: “Twenty Years, Twenty Questions to Ask an Object?”
View the video.
Read the questions
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