2010: Contact: The Dynamics of Power and Culture

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
April 2-3, 2010

We are happy to announce the 2009-2010 collaborative conference between The Ohio State University Folklore Student Association and the Folklore & Ethnomusicology Student Associations at Indiana University. This conference aims to create a space for graduate and undergraduate students to share their research in folklore, ethnomusicology, cultural studies, material culture, performance studies, and related disciplines connected to the study of academic and vernacular interpretation of everyday life.

This year's conference seeks to explore the following questions:

  • How should we or could we define, describe, and theorize contact?
  • What happens when people, ideas, cultures and styles of expression make contact?
  • In what ways can we explore the boundaries of these categories?
  • What politics are inherent in and result from contact?
  • In what ways can we explore the concept of contact in our respective fields?

*Abstracts exploring other themes will also be accepted.

We are seeking papers and posters that engage the following topics/themes as they relate to "Contact":

  • Identity
  • Space
  • Boundary/ies
  • Tradition
  • History
  • Memory
  • Narrative
  • Performance
  • Transmission
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Diversity

We also welcome submissions of papers and posters on other topics. The conference will have three opportunities for participation: paper presentations, poster sessions, and a discussion forum for all attendees. We will be accepting 250-word abstracts for 20-minute papers and poster presentations. We highly encourage poster submissions, particularly for research projects in progress, as there will be opportunities for active dialogue.

Abstracts must be submitted by January 4, 2010. Please email submissions to osu.iu.2010conference@gmail.com.

Please see the OSU FSA Web site for details on submissions or follow us on Facebook (search: OSU Folklore Student Association) and Twitter.
Register for this event for free at http://osuiu2010conference.eventbrite.com/.

For more information on the details of the conference (lodging, location, etc.) continue to check this site in the coming months.