“Purple Reign: An interdisciplinary conference on the life and legacy of Prince” A two-day international conference hosted by The School of Arts and Media, University of Salford, UK and the Department of Recording Industry, Middle Tennessee State University, USA 24th- – 26th May 2017 Media City UK, University of Salford, UK. Convenors: Dr Mike Alleyne, Dept of Recording Industry, College of Media & Entertainment, Middle Tennessee State University Dr Kirsty Fairclough, School of Arts and Media, University of Salford, UK Tim France, School of Arts and Media, University of Salford, UK A two-day international conference on the life and legacy of Prince. This conference aims to provide fresh perspectives on the creative and commercial dimensions of Prince’s career, re-examining the meanings of his work in the context of his unexpected death. This conference seeks to address the issue of Prince’s significant influence and lasting appeal from a number of multi-disciplinary perspectives.  We welcome […]

American Colors: Across the Disciplinary Spectrum (University of Southern Denmark) Color defines America. First of all color defines America through ideas of slavery, race, and civil rights. W.E.B. Du Bois’ claim that ‘The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line’ is certainly hard to deny in an American context. Yet American Colors are far from all about race. The respective colors of the Democratic and the Republican Party, since 1976 partitioning the country into demographics of blue and red, are significant reminders of the power of American Colors to divide and contrast. On the other hand, American Colors are not necessarily divisive, even if they stay distinct. Whether it is in the color of the rainbow, as seen on the pride flag of the LGBT community, or in the idea of ethnic and racial diversity, the notion of colors mixed as well as existing in diverse […]

HARDBOILED HISTORY: A NOIR LENS ON AMERICA’S PAST Friday 19th May 2017 University of Warwick  Keynote Speakers: Dr. Helen Hanson (University of Exeter) Warren Pleece (Comic Artist and Graphic Novelist) Provisional Programme   09:00-9:30 Registration (The Oculus, OC1.06), Tea and Coffee 09:30-9:45 Opening Remarks 09:45-10:45 Panel 1: (Re)Creating/Marginalising History Alex Pavey (University College London), “‘Something is wrong here’: James Ellroy and the Historiography of Noir Los Angeles” Thomas Travers (Birbeck University), “Cuban Breach: Don DeLillo’s Libra as Historical Noir” Michael Docherty (University of Kent), “All Pachucos go to Heaven: Grim Fandango’s Interactive Requiem for the Mexican Dead of 1940s Los Angeles” 10:45-11:45 Panel 2: The “Historical” Female Body Katherine Farrimond (University of Sussex), “Black and White and Dead: The Femme Fatale as Corpse in Retro Noir” Esther Wright (University of Warwick), “‘It’s a sad story but this town has seen it play out a thousand times”: L.A. Noire’s ‘Historical’ Women” […]