The theme for this year's conference is "Poles Apart". We have chosen four dimensions to underscore this theme: "Ideas and Practices", "Immigrants and Citizens", "Indigeneity and Belonging", and "North and South". Even though Canada, Australia and New Zealand each have a distinctiveness that sets them apart from each other they have in common their respective attempts to grapple with the issues that make up these four dimensions. Despite each country's sense of achievement in these areas there is more than a lingering suspicion of a gulf between the rhetoric and reality that characterizes these four dimensions. While the first three dimensions are often debated the fourth is less visible. However, there are a number of reasons why its visibility needs to be raised. First, all three countries straddle a North/South divide in that as settler societies they self-align with the developed North, even though two of them, Australia and New Zealand, are geographically South. Second, and partly because all three originated as settler societies they each have their own internal versions of a North/South divide, the internal dynamics of which largely affects a wide range of political, social and cultural issues, especially in terms of belonging, privilege and power. And third, the physical geography of the planet is divided yet joined by two polar spaces which are also contested zones. Each of the two poles is confronted by issues of environmental degradation, competition over resources, sovereignty, and the governance of the polar oceans. Despite being common to both poles these issues may play out differently for each pole, and indeed for each of Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (which also has to grapple with indigenous interests in its polar region). All three countries are implicated in the future of the Polar Regions; hence we are particularly interested in papers that explore these important issues. We also welcome papers on any of the other conference themes as well as any area of Canadian Studies. In one way or another all three countries are implicated in the future of the Arctic and Antarctic. In one way or another all three countries grapple with issues and outcomes that are poles apart. We invite proposals for individual papers or panels from any discipline relating to the above theme of "Poles Apart".

Relevant disciplines may include:

* Indigenous Studies
* Law
* Agriculture
* Literature
* Psychology
* Ecology
* Politics and Government
* History
* Health
* Sociology
* Religion
* Technology
* Communications
* Architecture
* Linguistics
* Education
* Language
* Environment

All abstract for papers and proposals for panels must be submitted by April 30, 2012.

Abstracts for papers or proposals for panels can be emailed as an attachment to acsanz2012@newcastle.edu.au.