SAMLA 93 Panel Presentation: CFP

Collective expressions of moral outrage suggest the critical role that emotions play in projecting shared values, forming political alliances, punishing wrongdoers, and mobilizing collectives. Events that prompt widespread moral outrage reveal a society’s predispositions and judgments, flex the political power of social media, impact policy and law, and inspire new social movements or organized resistance. They can also exacerbate conflict, generate “pseudo” crises, or sabotage claims about inequities or the legitimacy of redress. This Special Session for the SAMLA Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (November 4-6, 2021) aims to explore widely circulated expressions of “moral outrage,” considering news events, political platforms, social media posts, and other mediated outrage events in contemporary American culture. What constitutes moral outrage and how does it function in mediating legal judgments, decision-making, mobilizing group activism, or creating new social movements? How do normative appraisals of the victims and perpetrators shape the level of moral outrage expressed? What social predispositions and appraisals mitigate responses or evoke outrage (rather than, say, sympathy or pride) when witnessing outrageous behavior? We welcome submissions on any aspect of Moral Outrage in contemporary American society. Interested panelists should send abstracts of no more than 300 words and a brief bio to Myra Mendible, Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University, mendible@fgcu.edu before July 25, 2021.

All selected papers will be considered for an edited collection. If you're unable to attend the conference but are interested in submitting a proposal/abstract for the collection, please send it by August 30, 2021 to mendible@fgcu.edu.