Call for Papers: Panel on John Steinbeck Scholarship

The International Steinbeck Society is pleased to announce a call for papers for a panel dedicated to scholarship on John Steinbeck at the 2024 Western Lit Association Conference, which will take place from October 2-4 in Tucson, AZ. We invite scholars and enthusiasts of Steinbeck's works to submit proposals for papers that will approach Steinbeck from a variety of literary lenses.

This panel seeks to engage with diverse perspectives on John Steinbeck's writings. Papers may explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:

Comparative studies of Steinbeck's literary style and themes with other Western authors.
Disability Studies & Steinbeck
Ecocritical Approaches to Steinbeck

Gender, race, and ethnicity in Steinbeck's narratives.
Interdisciplinary approaches to Steinbeck.
Social justice & class struggle
Steinbeck's influence on contemporary Western literature and culture. Steinbeck's portrayal of the American West in his novels and short stories. Steinbeck's representations of labor, migration, and the American Dream in the West.

Submission Guidelines:

• ●  Abstracts should list a working title and be roughly 300 words in length.

• ●  Submit your proposal as a Word or PDF document to Dr. Jeff Yeager, at

  jyeager@bluefieldstate.edu, by Friday, May 10, 2024. Conference Information:

  The 2024 WLA Conference will take place in Tucson, AZ, from October 2-4. For more information about the conference, including registration details and venue accommodations, please visit https://westernlit.org/wla-conference-2024/

  Contact Information:

For inquiries regarding the John Steinbeck panel or the submission process, please contact Dr. Jeff Yeager, Vice President for Public Relations of the International Steinbeck Society, at jyeager@bluefieldstate.edu.