The Northeast Popular Culture Association (NEPCA) The Body, Fashion, and Popular Culture Area invites submissions for NEPCA’s annual conference which will be held online and in person at Nichols College, MA, October 3 – 5, 2024. Virtual sessions will take place on Thursday and Friday via Zoom. In-person sessions will take place on Saturday but will be also be available via Zoom for participation of our many colleagues.

Body and Culture is concerned with the human body as text, both literal and discursive, and how the body’s production of meaning is socially, culturally, historically, psychologically, economically, affectively, and/or politically located. The meanings that culture writes onto bodies, the origins and constructions of those meanings, and the impact those meanings have on bodies so inscribed, become important questions. We welcome topics of any nature dealing with the body — in the body’s most diverse meanings — including the absence of such.

Fashion and Culture is concerned with what covers and surrounds the body. All areas and aspects of style, fashion, clothing, design, and related trends, as well as appearances and/or consumption including the: history, aesthetics, online marketing/branding including celebrity/influencer retailing, youth stylings, psychological/ sociological aspects of dress, image, including construction of personal and cultural identities, in addition to areas relating to purchasing, shopping or alternative sourcing of fashion.

6/23 - This Area already has 10 full panels for the upcoming conference and we'd love for you to be a part of this explosion of interest! Please feel free to review the above and send us your abstracts!

Please note: The CFP will be only open until July 1, 2024, 5pm US EST - this is a hard deadline.

You can submit your proposal at this link, which will ask the following questions about your proposal:

• Proposal Type (Single Presentation, Panel, Roundtable)
• Modality (in person or virtual)
• Subject Area
• Working Title
• Academic Affiliation (if any)
• Abstract (250 words)
• Short bio (50-200 words)
• Accommodations
• Preferences for when to present

 If you have questions about the NEPCA Conference please see the 2024 Conference Page or feel free to reach out to NEPCA’S The Body, Fashion, and Popular Culture Area Chairs: Angela Whyland, MA at Angelawhyland6@gmail.com; Hannah Sophie Schiffner, Zeppelin University at h.schiffner@zeppelin-university.net; Protichi Chatterjee, MA, Jawaharlal Nehru University at protichichatterjee@gmail.com.