Popular Culture Association: British Popular Culture 

Call for Papers

The British Popular Culture area of the Popular Culture/American Culture Association (PCA/ACA) is now accepting submissions for the 2027 national conference to be held Mar 24-27, 2027, in Boston, MA at the Boston Marriott Copley Plaza.

Academics at all stages in their careers, as well as independent scholars, are encouraged to apply. We particularly encourage submissions by graduate students.

For the first time, the 2027 PCA conference has an overall theme of “Revolutions & Revisions in Popular Culture.” Presenters in British Popular Culture are invited to consider how their work might engage with questions of transformation, reinterpretation, innovation, resistance, adaptation, or cultural change. Theme-related proposals are welcome but not required, and all submissions relevant to the area will receive full consideration.

We welcome presentations about any aspect of British Pop Culture, which includes not only the United Kingdom but may also include the Commonwealth, Canada, and Australia as well as any adaptations of works originating in these areas but translated/set outside of these countries. Transnational and comparative approaches are especially welcome.

While other PCA areas have a more narrowed focus on aspects of British Popular Culture, our area encourages breadth and variety of medium and genre.  We consider popular culture to include films, documentaries, TV series, social media, literature, music, plays, comics, mythology/folklore, sociopolitical issues, food, clothing, etc. We are particularly interested in how cultural trends and the reception of texts and franchises change over time. If you have an idea for something you aren’t sure will fit or that might be too niche, please email the area chair to ask!

In recent years, there have been presentations about Sanditon, rock music in mining communities, Emma, Ken Loach, Frankenstein, Shelley, Home Fires, public safety PSAs, Downton Abbey, The Dave Clark Five, The Wicker Man, Two Tone music, A Place to Call Home, James Bond,The Essex Serpent, The Streets, Doc Martin, Jonny Greenwood, and The Crown.

We welcome papers on the following new British Pop Culture properties/interests/fandoms: Ted Lasso and its influence, Tom Jones, BBC radio programming, Great Expectations, Becoming Elizabeth, Noelle, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, All Creatures Great and Small, Slow Horses, sound system culture, The Nevers, Chewing Gum, Operation Mincemeat, Last Night in Soho, Together, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Duke, Belfast, Glastonbury and music festivals, Dig, Gentleman Jack, Good Luck to You, 2000 A.D., and Pursuit of Love, just to name a few.

We are seeking 15-20 minute presentations.

For individual presentations, please submit a title and 150-200 word abstracts. Please consult the Submission Guidelines page for more information. For panels or themed session proposals, each presenter should enter their own proposal; the chair should contact the area chair with the title of the panel and the names of the presenters.

Further inquiries can be sent to 

Dr. Kevin M. Flanagan

Term Associate Professor, Department of English, George Mason University

kflanag AT gmu.edu

https://english.gmu.edu/people/kflanag

Important Dates to Remember:

Database opens for Submissions - Aug. 1, 2026

Early Bird Registration Begins - Aug. 1, 2026

Deadline for Paper Proposals - Oct. 31, 2026

Travel Grant Applications Due - Nov. 15, 2026

Early Bird Registration Ends for Presenters - Dec. 31, 2026

Travel Grant Decisions / Notifications - Dec. 31, 2026

Regular Registration Begins for Presenters - Jan. 1, 2027

Preliminary Program draft available - Jan. 6, 2027 

Regular Registration Ends for Presenters - Jan. 31, 2027

Late Registration Starts for Presenters - Feb. 1, 2027

Those Presenters Not Registered by Feb. 15 Will be Dropped from the Program

CONFERENCE IN BOSTON, MA - March 24-27, 2027