The Department of English and the Writing Center at St. John’s University invite papers that thoughtfully engage with concepts of surveillance and/or discipline. Although we are speaking on the current political period, we are also accepting papers that verbalize and/ or relate other historical and literacy periods to the current political period. This conference will be concerned with the ways in which people and peoples are watched, presented, regulated and policed. Who is being watched? How are they being watched? In what ways are “we” trained to watch? And how does that regulate, change, restrict, or expand the ways that individuals, groups, and institutions enforce certain ways of being? The Age of Trump necessitates these questions because of the rapid and divisive expressions of xenophobia, racism, and an imagined American cultural ideal, which revolves around whiteness and antiquated systems of nepotistic privilege. Approaches and methodologies from all avenues–literary, psychological, political, environmental, and economic–are welcome. Specific topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Literature of the Trump Era
- Multilingualism and Literacy
- Discrimination and “Equality”
- Race and Ethnicity
- Immigration and Immigrants
- The Justice System
- The Prison Industrial Complex
- The 24 News Cycle
- Political Activism and Performativity
- Institutions and the Economy
All other interpretations of the topic will be considered. We also welcome both critical and/or creative works. Proposals on all genres, periods, and methodologies will be considered.
Please submit 200-300 word abstracts for 15-minute paper presentations to: stjohnsenglishconference@gmail.com Please include your name, contact information, school affiliation with your titled abstract.
Submission Deadline: March 16th, 2020
Conference: April 25th, 2020
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