cfp.english.upenn.edu

The American Humor Studies Association seeks papers for a panel, “Humor in the Digital Age,” for the 2013 South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) Conference at the Marriott Atlanta from November 8-10. This panel will examine how the rise of new media (including social media, Web 2.0, and blogs) has created new contexts for the production, distribution, and exhibition of American humor. We welcome papers on humor and comedy as they are employed in viral videos, blogs or vlogs, web series, webisodes, parodies, participatory culture online, memes, or remixes. Papers may cover individual talents Andy Borowitz of The Borowitz Report, Grace Helbig of DailyGrace, Jenna Marbles, Khyan Mansley, Maddox, Tucker Max; groups Derrick Comedy and the Gregory Brothers (“Auto-Tune the News”); sites College Humor, Funny or Die, The Onion, and Stuff White People Like; social media Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter; and other “genres” like mommy blogs, movie trailer recuts, trending hashtags (#firstworldproblems, #drunknatesilver). Prospective panelists may also consider how humorists and comediennes/comedians use websites and social media to connect with their audience, attract new fans, and disseminate their brand of humor. The overall goal is to examine how digital media technologies either democratize or restrict the creation and distribution of innovative comedy, examining key problems and possibilities posed by new media for the tradition of American humor.

Please send inquiries and proposals of 250 words to Pete Kunze at pkunze@lsu.edu by May 1, 2013.