The Association for Canadian Studies in the United States (ACSUS) welcomes proposals for papers, roundtables, and poster exhibits, at the 19th Biennial Meeting to be held at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, November 14-18, 2007. ACSUS is a multidisciplinary organization that seeks to encourage the study of Canada. We welcome submissions from academics and professionals in the fields of the humanities, social sciences, business, education and the natural and life sciences. All proposals should have a definite Canadian focus, but we also encourage submissions that examine Canada in a comparative context. A special section of the conference will be organized around the theme of Exemplar for the 21st Century: Toronto, Ontario and Canada. We encourage interested individuals to submit proposals that may relate to this special section theme. We anticipate a high level of interest in the Toronto Biennial so we encourage you to submit your proposal in a timely fashion.

Please use the appropriate submission forms located below. The deadline for submissions is FEBRUARY 15, 2007.

PROPOSALS

Submissions must be made using the appropriate submission form available for download at www.acsus.org or by request at info@acsus.org. Please use: Form A (individual data - required of everyone); Form B (abstract for papers and posters); Form C (abstracts for pre-organized panels, roundtables, or workshops). Email submissions are preferred.

PAPERS:

Papers should reflect original scholarship in any disciplinary area of Canadian studies, and be in a form assuring clear and precise oral presentation. Panels are allotted 90 minutes and will usually contain three presentations (for which the time limitation will be 15 minutes each) and a discussant, leaving 30 minutes for audience participation. For those disciplinary panels where a discussant is not the norm, four papers can be accommodated with the same time limits for presentation, or three presenters may each have 20 minute time limits.

At the Toronto Biennial, authors will be limited to presenting one paper only: this rule will be enforced to ensure as many different paper presenters as possible despite the constraints and time pressures of the program. A presenter may, however, also serve as a chair, discussant or participant in a round table, but no one will be permitted more than two substantive slots on the program.

PANEL PROPOSALS:

Proposals for complete, pre-formed panels may be submitted. Such proposals should have a focus or common theme that links the proposed presentations. Proposals for entire panels should include a proposed panel chair, three papers/presentations and a discussant. Proposals for complete panels will be either accepted or rejected in their entirety.

ROUNDTABLES:

Proposals for panels devoted to a particular issue or theme best presented by informal and wide-ranging discussion are most welcome, especially if they cross disciplinary lines and/or involve non-academic as well as academic participants. These panels can have as many as five participants, by definition no discussants, and the chair ought to fully participate in the discussion. Initiating presentations should be limited to a maximum of 5 minutes each. The number of roundtables will be limited but each section may have at least one.

POSTERS:

At the Toronto Biennial Conference, ACSUS will be featuring a number of poster sessions. This will provide conference participants with an opportunity to engage in informal discussion with new and established scholars in Canadian studies during the scheduled coffee breaks. These poster presentations will focus either on section themes or on topics not addressed under these headings. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity to highlight either research or teaching in progress or to receive suggestions or feedback on possible new undertakings. Posters will remain on display through the conference. Please consider participating in such a poster session. Additional information on the format for poster presentations can be obtained from Professor Doug Nord at douglas.nord@wright.edu.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

All proposals for papers, roundtables or poster sessions—whether by individuals or as part of a pre-organized panel—must be accompanied by an ABSTRACT (Form B) of 200-400 words, typewritten and single spaced. The abstract should state the thesis or significance of the submission, its methodology, and goals.

We would prefer that proposals with abstracts and bios be sent by e-mail to info@acsus.org. Bios should be 250 words or less. All materials must be received no later than FEBRUARY 15, 2007. All forms are available at www.acsus.org on the Toronto Biennial Conference page.

In the event that you use regular mail, please send all documents to:

ACSUS 2007 PROGRAM, 1220 19th Street NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036 USA

** Please do NOT send proposals to the Section Chairs. Acknowledgment of receipt of proposals will come directly from the ACSUS Office. Section Chairs will make their recommendations to the Program Chair by April 1. The Program Chair will mail acceptances to participants by May 1. PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS Every participant must be a 2007 ACSUS member or a member of an ICCS recognized Canadian studies association outside the United States. Secure on-line 2007 membership forms are available at www.acsus.org for your convenience. DISTRIBUTION OF PAPERS: Every paper presenter is required to send a copy of a working paper—not necessarily the finished paper—to the chair, discussants, and other panel members by October 13, 2007. PAPERS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DISTRIBUTED ON TIME MAY BE DROPPED FROM THE PROGRAM. AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT: We ask each presenter to seriously assess his/her need for A/V equipment given that ACSUS has to cover these extremely expensive rental costs. Should you conclude that A/V equipment is integral to your presentation, please identify your requirements on Form A (Individual Data). Please note that participants requesting power point equipment will be charged a rental fee. SERVICE AS CHAIR/DISCUSSANT: Anyone wishing to serve as a chair or discussant should indicate his or her interest and field of expertise on the form provided to enable proper placement on a panel which has not been pre-organized. CHAIR: Prior to the session, the chair should be vigilant in ensuring that the presenters abide by the October 13 deadline; encourage each presenter to read fellow panelists' papers; and bear primary responsibility for enforcing strict time limits on presentations. A suggested framework for the panel involves the chair making brief introductory remarks on the focus of the panel and introductions of the panel members. At the conclusion of all the panel presentations, the chair will serve as the moderator for handling questions from the audience. DISCUSSANT: Discussants should remember to be concise in their comments and not exceed the 15 minute time limit, focusing on the major ideas communicated in the papers NO-SHOWS: No-shows have been a persistent problem, sometimes crippling sessions and always inconveniencing the other participants and audience. If after being accepted on the program you cannot attend the conference, please notify the panel chair, other panelists and discussants, the Program Chair, as well as the ACSUS office. CONCLUSION Past experience shows that for optimal success: • It takes a firm chair who insists on a timely exchange of papers. • It takes panelists who are willing to put significant time into preparing their own presentation to ensure that, in the brief time allotted, they can summarize and communicate their major points. • It takes presenters who are committed to reading the other papers on their panel, think about them, and perhaps come up with questions and observations that are germane, and draw out the commonalities or the points of difference with reference to the underlying issue.