Proposals for papers and panels will be accepted starting September 1st for the 45th annual SWPACA conference. One of the nation’s largest interdisciplinary academic conferences, SWPACA offers nearly 70 subject areas, each typically featuring multiple panels. 

The Area Chair for Stardom and Fandom invites paper or panel proposals on any aspect of stardom or fandom. The list of ideas below is limited, so if you have an idea that is not listed, please suggest the new topic. We are an interdisciplinary area and encourage submissions from multiple perspectives and disciplines.

Topics might include:

• Studies of individual celebrities and their fans
• Studies focused on specific fandoms
• The reciprocal relationship between stars and fans
• Impact of celebrity and fame on identity construction, reconstruction and sense of self
• Reality television, TikTok, YouTube and the changing definition of ‘stardom’
• The impact of social media on celebrity/fan interaction
• Celebrity/fame addiction as cultural change
• The intersection of stars and fans in virtual and physical spaces (Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, conventions)
• Celebrity and the construction of persona
• Pedagogical approaches to teaching stardom and fandom
• Anti-fans and ‘haters’
• Fan shame, wank, ‘puriteens’ and fandom policing
• Gendered constructions of stars and fans
• Historical studies of fandom and fan/celebrity interaction

All proposals must be submitted through the conference’s database at http://register.southwestpca.org/southwestpca

SWPACA offers monetary awards for the best graduate student papers in a variety of categories. SWPACA also offers travel fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students. For more information, visit http://southwestpca.org/conference/graduate-student-awards/

For details on using the submission database and on the application process in general, please see the Proposal Submission FAQs and Tips page at http://southwestpca.org/conference/faqs-and-tips/  Individual proposals for 15-minute papers must include an abstract of approximately 200-500 words. Including a brief bio in the body of the proposal form is encouraged, but not required.  For information on how to submit a proposal for a roundtable or a multi-paper panel, please view the above FAQs and Tips page.  

Registration and travel information for the conference will be available at http://southwestpca.org/conference/conference-registration-information/ For 2023, we are excited to be at a new venue, the Marriott Albuquerque (2101 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110), which boasts free parking and close proximity to dining, shopping, and other delights.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!