The New Scholars group of the Network in Canadian History and Environment (http://niche-canada.org/new-scholars) would like to announce the deadline for submissions for the 2nd annual Place and Placelessness Online Workshop. The deadline for paper and short film abstracts is August 12, 2011. The deadline for final drafts and films submissions is September 23, 2011. This allows two weeks for the papers and films to circulate amongst the participants before "meeting" online using Skype on October 7-8 to discuss and workshop the pieces. The films will be discussed and judged in a plenary discussion and book prizes will be awarded to the the top three films.

This online symposium is intended for graduate students and recently graduated scholars from all disciplines that seek to better understand the complex relationships between nature and culture. The workshop attempts to replicate the collegiate atmosphere of a shared-space meeting by using a variety of internet tools, including WordPress, Skype, Google Maps, Youtube, Facebook and Twitter to share ideas and participate in engaged discussion. This model should appeal especially to those who are eager for academic gatherings without the cost or carbon footprint of in-person meetings.

Although the expectation is that most submissions will come in the form of in-progress pieces of writing, the organizers welcome submissions of alternative multi-media projects that utilize online tools to stimulate arguments about our relationship with local, regional, and transnational environments. All interested contributors should submit a CV, as well as a 200-300 word abstract outlining their topic, what format their contribution will take, and how their paper or project aims to broaden, illustrate or complicate the notion of ‘seasons’.

Please also take a look at our Call for Short Films. Films will eventually be uploaded to Youtube a few days before the workshop, and will form the content for the plenary discussion. The films will be viewed by workshop participants prior to the plenary discussion on the last day.