Crossroads: Intersections of Race, Ethnicity, Place, and Life Histories

Call for Proposals March 8-10 University of Maryland, College Park

This symposium begins with an interest in the relationships among race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, cyberculture, life history and material culture studies. We are interested in understanding how the complex histories of race, ethnicity, gender, politics, ideology, and economics are negotiated visually and spatially in sites of memory. What are the particular challenges of documenting, interpreting, and preserving life stories, oral cultural traditions, performances, and cultural landscapes, including those historically ignored or forgotten? We are interested in considering the roles that communities, places, spaces, institutions, and online identities play in these processes. We are also interested in publicizing sites of memory in cyberspace. How might cyberspace be used as a space of advocacy?

How can those of us working “at the crossroads” maintain culture and tradition in the built environment or through material and popular culture, oral traditions, and performances? How might we document stories, actions, violence, advocacy, success justice and injustice? Can public discourse and personal experience be transformed by the collective memories of struggle, once made visible? What are some of the tangible ways and means that we can engage a “call to action”? How might we rethink and develop practices, pedagogies, and research strategies that address these and other crossroads?

To facilitate a broad discussion of these important issues, students, faculty, independent scholars, activists, museum professionals, preservationists, artists of diverse media, and journalists are encouraged to submit proposals for individual presentations or full sessions. We also welcome media or performance-oriented presentations. Submissions that cross disciplines, genres, and institutions are strongly encouraged.

For consideration, please submit five copies of each proposal. For full sessions, submit an abstract of no more than two pages and a one page vitae for each participant. For individual proposals, submit a one page abstract and a one page vitae of the presenter. In all cases, please include the full name, mailing address, institutional affiliation, phone number and email address for each session participant.

Send all materials by October 15, 2001 to Ed Martini at the address below.

A $250 award will be given for the best graduate student paper

Funding for the symposium is provided by the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Studies Association with support from the University of Maryland, College Park’s Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity, The College of Arts and Humanities, and the Departments of American Studies and Theater.