CFP: DEADLINE EXTENSION ‘Reimagining, Reframing, and Reflecting American Studies in the 21st Century’ (Sam Houston State University, Texas)

Join the American Studies Association of Texas on November 13-15, 2014, at Sam Houston State University in the beautiful piney woods of East Texas, as they celebrate multi-disciplinary interpretations and iterations of American Studies.

This Call for Papers invites submissions that examine the controversies of the field, both resolved and ongoing, through the varied lenses of scholars across disciplines.  The organisers ask the broad question: as society becomes more global, in what ways do scholars, artists, and musicians reimagine, reframe, or reflect what it is to be American?

Possible questions to consider:

• How has American Identity shaped or been shaped by concepts of American Individualism?
• How has the conflicted political past/present reshaped American Identity?
• How has our own art and music reflected the American Ideal?  Are there such things as uniquely American food, music, art, culture?
• Has the embracing of multicultural elements in society reflected or deflected our understanding of what it is to be American?
• How is multiculturalism reflected in current American culture?

Questions concerning any related topics or proposals can be sent to asat@shsu.edu.

The organisers welcome a broad view of the topic that considers historical and contemporary concepts. In keeping with the theme, consider presentations that

• Celebrate the interdisciplinary nature of American Studies and the complex interconnections of theory and research.
• Allow us to take stock of our own memories of where we came from and the paths we have crossed, or negotiated, to get where we are now.
• Reveal the human aspects of our work in ways that intersect with other fields.*

Submit a 500-word proposal to asat@shsu.edu detailing your individual or panel presentations, performances, posters, or art work by September 1, 2014.  Acceptance notices will be sent by September 15, 2014. Accepted presenters must become ASAT members in order to participate in the conference and have their names appear in the official conference program.  To become a member, visit: www.asatexas.org/membership.html

*Papers are invited in the following disciplines which reflect the conference theme: