EGSA Spring Conference 2018

The EGSA Spring Conference 2018: Identity [And all its Colors]: Appropriation, Assimilation, and Intersectionality. March 25th, 2018 11am - 2pm Marshall Student Center

The EGSA Spring Conference is a space for graduate and undergraduate English and interdisciplinary students from Florida universities to share and present their research. This spring’s topic is “Identity” and how it intersects with literature, pedagogy, and society. Sexual identity, cultural identity, and cultural appropriation have become growing issues as society begins to acknowledge the complexity of identity as well as the casual injustice of appropriation in movies, fashion and beauty trends. Identity theory as well as ethnic studies have developed in recent years into thriving fields. As academics, we have a responsibility to address these issues in society as well as within the academic canon we utilize as the basis of our work. How is identity constructed? How do we begin to do justice to the complexity of intersectional identities in a period where labels seem to deny cross-sections? What is our responsibility as educators in regards to exploring minority identities in the face of majority identities?

Topics of Interest:

• Identity, cultural appropriation, assimilation and intersectionality in literature, fashion, film, media, and historical settings.

• The nature and components of identity.

• Academic/Pedagogical responsibility regarding awareness of appropriation as well as intersectionality in classic texts, our own works, and the lack of it in the classroom

• Creative works dealing with identity, appropriation, “passing,” etc.

Guide for authors:

Submit your abstract (of no more than 350 words), digital abstract (a video with the “elevator pitch” of your paper of no more than 90 seconds) or creative piece by March 5th, 2018.

*If you cannot attend the conference in person but would like to still contribute your research/project, we will be allowing for remote presentations as well as video presentations.*

Presentations will be ten minutes long with five minutes afterwards for questions.

Important Dates:

Deadline for Submission: March 5th, 2018 Rolling Acceptance

Organizing Committee:

EGSA President: Madeline Gottlieb EGSA Conference Coordinators: Maria Theodosiou and Hannah Lay

For all questions or concerns, as well as submissions, please email: maria76[at]mail[dot]usf[dot]edu or layh[at]mail[dot]usf[dot]edu