Race in the Writing Center: Towards New Theory and Praxis

We invite panel and individual-paper proposals for the UIC Writing Center
and Public Space conference series on "Race in the Writing Center: Towards
New Theory and Praxis" to be held at the University of Illinois at
Chicago, February 29 & March 1, 2008. We are seeking new and exciting
work that explores the relationship between writing, race, tutoring, and
writing center spaces and practices.

Sample questions for presentations include, but are not limited to, the
following:
* How should tutors address race or racism in their tutoring sessions,
conversations with one another, or in their own writing?
* What theoretical models offer ways to change writing center practice
regarding race?
* How has color-blind ideology influenced our discussions of race?
* Why don't writing centers reflect the diversity of their institutions?
* How has race informed our discussions about ESL and EFL learners?
* How do we respond to dialect and vernacular in our centers?
* In what ways do we racialize writing?
* How are our writers and tutors implicated in silencing issues of race?
What maintains this silence?
* How does "racial passing" occur? How is it part of the texts of our
writers? How is this tactic encouraged or discouraged? How is it a
response to institutional demands? How should we respond?
* How do we forge a "racial literacy" into writing center theory and
praxis?
* How are urban institutions doing "race" differently in their writing
centers? In what ways can non-urban institutions contribute to this
conversation?
Why has writing center theory been silent around these issues for so long?

The conference will also host several roundtable workshops. Roundtable
discussion will begin with 2-minute statements by each of the
participants. Undergraduate tutors are highly encouraged to participate.
To join a roundtable, please submit a proposal in response to one of these
questions:
* How should tutors respond to race issues in a tutoring session?
* How can tutors help create a more diverse body of tutors at their
writing center?
* What are examples of ways your writing center has learned more about
race?
* How can we foster ongoing learning about race at our writing centers?

During the conference, there will also be a meeting for representatives of
writing centers from the Urban-13 universities. Several travel stipends
will be available for students from these universities.

250-word proposals (100-word for roundtables) are due December 17, 2007.
Also provide your name, institutional affiliation, mail and e-mail
address, and a telephone number.

Panel proposals should include panel title, description of panel
theme, name of chair, one-page abstracts of each paper, and contact
information for each presenter.

Please mail or e-mail conference proposals to:

The UIC Writing Center
Vainis Aleksa
University of Illinois at Chicago (MC 162)
Chicago, Illinois 60607
vainis_at_uic.edu

Early registration for students will be $60; for non-students, $100. Meals
will be included for Friday night, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday.
More info on registration and updates for this conference will be posted
in September 2007 on the UIC Writing Center website
<www.uic.edu/depts/engl/writing>.

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Received on Mon Aug 20 2007 - 12:34:02 EDT