cfp.english.upenn.edu

Communication, Literature and the Humanities
Title of session: Seeing Ourselves Anew--The Changing Form of Biography and Autobiography
Submission requirements: 250 word abstracts.
Deadline for submissions: 10 Mar. 2010

Would St. Augustine make his confessions on Jerry Springer? Would Ben Franklin use Facebook? In 2006, Time magazine recognized “You” as person of the year. With the pervasive influence of social networking, youtube, etc., the perception of the first-person ("I") and second-person identifiers ("You") has changed significantly. As our technological tools and communication modes become more affordable and ubiquitous, educators and students alike must find new ways to create honest biographies and autobiographies. Possible topics for this session could include new forms of bio/autobiography in film and moving images, methods for successful teaching of bio/autobiography in the classroom, shaping the politician’s identity, or the ethical concerns of the new “unexamined life.”

Send abstracts to charles.fox@gpc.edu.