[UPDATE] Deadline Extended: Thresholds and Beyond: Exploring Concrete and Abstract Borders, Boundaries, and Frontiers

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Indiana University of Pennsylyvania English Graduate Organization

The English Graduate Organization at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce our annual interdisciplinary conference exploring the subject of Borders, Boundaries, and Frontiers to take place on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex in Indiana, PA.

The exploration of physical boundaries and frontiers, such as the conflict along the US-Mexico Border or differences between areas of the United States, such as the North vs. South or East vs. West, provide concrete areas of exploration in a variety of scholarly pursuits, including differences in literary representations, examinations in the areas of geography and sciences, in addition to political, cultural, and social concerns. While we look to examine physical borders and the expansion of such borders, current scholarship has also looked to more abstract representations of these concepts.

Friedrich Nietzsche remarked: "It is neither the best nor the worst in a book that is untranslatable," suggesting that the boundary between languages is never fully surmounted. Walter Benjamin made similar observations about cultures divided by time. Philosophical thought has been exhausted debating the question: where does the subjective collide with the objective? Where does the future cross over to the present only to sink into the past? Only by examining possible moments of transition can we begin to comprehend what has transpired in the move between cause and effect, in addition to understanding the shift in ideas, ideologies, and areas of study.

We encourage a variety of proposals that explore the subject of Borders, Boundaries, and Frontiers, in all aspects, both concrete and abstract. Creative presentations, such as poetry or short fiction that explore these topics are greatly welcomed. Possible topics for presentations include, but are not limited to:

US-Mexico Border War/conflicts
Differences between areas of the United States
African-American studies and conflicts
Paradigm shifts in all disciplines (humanities, sciences, etc.)
Divides between genres of writing
Gender and sexuality
Pedagogy
Identity and performativity
Democratic process, how many become one
Cross-cultural studies
Benefits of interdisciplinarity
Philosophies of personhood
Class warfare, past and present
Comic Books
Popular Culture
Entertainment (Film, TV, music, etc.)

We invite proposals for individual papers, panels of 3-4 participants, poster presentations, workshops, and roundtable discussions on all aspects of Borders, Boundaries, and Frontiers. Proposal abstracts should be 250 words long. Presentations should aim for a length of 15-20 minutes. Any proposal for a complete panel, roundtable, or workshop should include a short description of the central topic, supplemented by brief individual abstracts. Please also indicate clearly if you need audiovisual equipment.

Please direct inquiries and proposals to our conference chair, Alexi Lykissas at iupegoconference2015@gmail.com. Proposals will be accepted until Friday, March 6, 2015. Early registration will be $25. Please visit our website for updated information at http://www.iup.edu/page.aspx?id=135649

Graduate Students are invited to submit papers for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania English Graduate Organization's annual Graduate Student Awards. 1st place will receive a $100 gift card, 2nd place will receive a $75 gift card, and 3rd place receive a $50 gift card. Each winner will have her or his paper published in Voices, the official online publication of the English Graduate Organization, while all others who submit their paper for the contest will be considered for publication. Students must present their paper at the conference to be eligible to win a graduate student award. To be considered for the award, send complete paper and paper abstract to the English Graduate Organization via email by March 6, 2015. Papers should be 8-10 pages in length, double spaced.