New Voices Graduate Student Conference September 26-28, 2008
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
Deadline for submissions: June 15, 2008
Transitioning (Through) Traditions
Call for Proposals: The 2008 New Voices Conference provides a space for
exploring the current transitioning evident in the disciplines.
There is no moment that is only a moment of being and not also a moment of
becoming. Some moments, however, have a more heightened sense of becoming
than others. We are nearing the end of the decade that has no agreed upon
name, and 2008 is a year that promises the beginning of significant change.
The number eight itself is a marker of an infinite state of progression and
regression, of endless transitioning. A transitional moment is one of
reflexivity, confusion, evaluation, clumsiness, an embracing of the new,
and a questioning of the foundations and traditionsâ€"epistemological,
ontological, professional, political, artisticâ€"that support our current
state of being. We often transition through traditions by expanding and
building on our foundations, but when we question those foundations, the
traditions themselves become sites of transitioning. We are interested in
exploring both of these aspects of transitioning. We are consciously
avoiding the anchoring of our Call for Papers in any particular
disciplinary or theoretical tradition in order to promote a variety of
explorations into the topic, which includes fruitful inquiry in specific
traditions evident in the disciplines.
We are an interdisciplinary, graduate conference and welcome proposals that
explore issues of transitioning in theoretical and/or practical ways. For
example, in what ways do we see our fields changing through the use of
technology and the multivalence of identity it provides? What hinders
transitional movement and what acts as a catalyst? Are we transitioning in
linear, progressive ways (does such a transition exist?), or, like the
number eight, are we transitioning recursively? What kinds of
transitioning are we engaging (and are there transitions that we are not
engaging?)â€"political, linguistic, cultural, literary, rhetorical, social,
theoreticalâ€"and what effect does that have on our disciplines as well as on
our culture at large? What aspect of transitioning is more importantâ€"the
moment or the movement (or are they equally so)? We are not limited to
discussing current transitioning, however. What historical moments of
transitioning are particularly present in current scholarship? How has
transitioning been treated historically? Are there transitional movements
that occur for only small groups and does that movement eventually make its
way up to a large scale one?
Proposals will be evaluated based on originality, theoretical importance,
clarity, and relevance to a broad, interdisciplinary audience. Panel
sessions, poster sessions, and roundtables are especially encouraged.
Proposals may be based on fully formed theories or works in progress and
may address cultural, professional, or pedagogical aspects of transitioning.

Submission guidelines:
Please send a 250-300 word proposal.
 
With the proposal, please include the title, email address, and
telephone number. Submit as a .doc and email to New Voices at
nvoices_at_gmail.com

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Received on Sun Apr 20 2008 - 19:25:31 EDT