Metal and Change: Metal's Role in an Ever-Changing World
Metal and Change: Metal’s Role in an Ever-Changing World
Since its inception Metal music has been in constant flux, whether in the development of new genres and subgenres to the way that it has been perceived in society over time. Metal music and culture, to survive, need to adapt to a world constantly in upheaval, whether through changing attitudes toward the music, changes in society’s structure, or even changes in what Metal music is and how it addresses issues in the world, like COVID. But to stay Metal it must still maintain its own identity.
This 1-day conference seeks to bring in scholars who examine the themes and issues that Metal music and culture must deal with on a regular basis. How does Metal address a pandemic like COVID-19? How does Metal address changes in governments? Religions? How does the world perceive the music and its fans? How do Metal scenes survive in these changing times? Where does the future of Metal lie—both for the music and those who are fans and those who are the artists who create it?
We welcome individual proposals or roundtable presentations that address any or all of these questions. Possible individual themes that may be addressed include, but are not limited to:
Metal and Social Justice Metal and Race
Metal in the classroom—How is it being taught? Metal and Gender
Metal’s future in scholarship Metal’s influence outside the Global North
Metal and the Environment The Global South’s influence on Metal
Metal and Health How Metal has changed over time
Metal’s role in Society Extremity as a tool for change
Metal’s influence in the world Perceptual changes in Metal
Metal as a change agent Metal and Religion
Metal and Racism Changing Genres of Metal
The Particularities of Metal in the Global South Metal music scenes
Please send a 300 word proposal to udmetal24@gmail.com by June 10. We welcome individual panels or roundtable discussion topics. If your panel is accepted you will be placed with other scholars who have similar topics. If your roundtable topic is approved you will be expected to lead a discussion group during the roundtable session—and your table will then share your outcomes to the larger group. Individual panel presentations should be 20 minutes—no more. We want to make sure that there is time for a Question/Answer discussion once each of the presenters is done.
Our goal is to have a Metal concert at a nearby venue at the conclusion of the conference to celebrate.
Our keynote address speaker is Dr. Kevin Fellezs from Columbia University
Proposals should be written in Microsoft Word with the following information included:
Author's name
Institutional affiliation (if there is one)
Job title
Email address
Title of the proposal
Proposal body
Proposals are due no later than June 10. You will find out if you have been accepted no later than June 5.
The conference is October 19 at the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Proposals should be sent to Bryan Bardine, Ph.D. at the following address: