The University of St. Thomas Art History, English, Museum Studies, and Creative Writing & Publishing graduate programs will host a virtual and in-person interdisciplinary conference on Friday, April 29, 2022. While papers addressing any aspect of literature, film, art history, architecture, museum studies, new media, and cultural studies will be considered, the graduate programs particularly welcome proposals for papers exploring the conference theme across all time periods, media, and geographical regions. We are also seeking creative writers to read original work related to the conference theme during a lunchtime reading performance. This conference will have both in-person and virtual presentation options.

Emotions are a response to our environments. They are in part a reflection of how the outerworld impacts us as individuals and communities. The aim of this conference is to explore this theme in an interdisciplinary way, engaging a wide variety of approaches, traditions, innovations, and points of view, in texts from any historical moment. We are most excited about papers that are reflective of the human condition in relation to the world around us.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Water: Relationship with water; water-related experiences and entertainment; human migration through water; stewardship of land and spaces; culture and water; religious and spiritual practices; food and water culture; environment and water; agriculture practices.
• Change and Rebirth: Community healing; trauma recovery; transformation; interpersonal growth; reincarnation; death; afterlife; spiritual practices in relation to rebirth; religion; parenthood and family structures; maternity.
• Shortage: Lack of resources (to mental and physical health, basic needs, environment, etc), inaccessibility to resources, the impact of lacking and inaccessibility.
• Connectivity and Communication: Community, building relationships, empowering one another, uplifting each other, understanding each other's narrative, encouraging voices.
• Radical Imagination: Reimagining the status quo; restorative justice; transformative justice; community building; accountability; healing practices; intergenerational work; futurism; centering abundance; social movements; decolonial practices; Indigenization; stewardship of land and spaces; anti-capitalism; belonging.

We encourage analyses of artistic, literary, architectural, historical, cultural, cinematic, digital, and/or other textualities. Proposals for whole panels (three presenters) or roundtables (four or more presenters) are welcome in addition to individual papers. We also welcome creative writing samples from writers who would like to read their work during the conference.

For consideration, please submit a 400-word abstract for individual papers, panels, or roundtables, or a 5-10 page creative writing sample, along with desire to present in-person or virtual to USTGradConference@gmail.com by March 1, 2022.

Faculty Chairs: Dr. Elizabeth Kindall and Dr. Todd Lawrence
Graduate Student Chairs: Senia Chaudhry, Npaus Baim Her, Cecilia Matt, Liza Rosenthal, and Cynthia Zapata