SAMLA’s 96th annual conference, Seen and Unseen, will be held at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in Jacksonville, FL this year from November 15-17.  Those accepted must be members of SAMLA to present. You can find more information at: https://southatlanticmla.org/  

Speculative fiction covers a broad range of narrative styles and genres.  The cohesive element that pulls works together under the category is that there is some “unrealistic” element, whether it’s magical, supernatural, or a futuristic/technological development: works that fall into the category stray from conventional realism in some way.   For this reason, speculative fiction can be quite broad, including everything from fantasy and magical realism to horror and science fiction—from China Miéville to Margaret Atwood to Philip K. Dick. This panel aims to explore those unrealistic elements and all their varied implications about culture, society, politics, economics, and more.This panel also is open to the examination of works from a variety of mediums, including fiction, graphic novels, television, and film.

Please submit a 250-300 word abstract, a brief bio, and any A/V needs by June 1, 2024 to Lisa Wenger Bro, Middle Georgia State University, at lisa.bro@mga.edu.