Proposals are welcome on all aspects of popular and American culture for inclusion in the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association (MAPACA) conference in Philadelphia, PA. Single papers, panels, roundtables, and alternative formats are welcome.

The Black Studies area at MAPACA will provide a space for the critical examination of the human, cultural, social, political, economic, and historical factors that have created and shaped the African, African American, and other African Diasporic experiences throughout the world. African, African-American, and Caribbean cultures, traditions, and values are crucial to an understanding of the vital importance of Africa as a major player in the global system in this age of global interdependence.

We welcome papers, panels, and proposals from scholars in the humanities and social sciences, but we are also open to other disciplines. We encourage scholars to interpret this theme broadly and apply interdisciplinary thought with a focus on the interplay between the historical, political, economic, cultural, and social dynamics that have shaped the reality of people of African descent.

The Black Studies area has an open call for interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the black experience. We understand that the primary narrative within the dominant culture is one focused on tragedy and racial trauma. We support the notion that blackness is intersectional and difficult to situate within any particular context and fits within a larger diaspora of influences. We anticipate presentations of success that are more of a celebration of black prosperity. We take seriously the notion that popular culture is a means to explore society and explain the racial phenomenon. Proposals can focus on protests and unrest, slavery and colonization, black girl magic, and black boy joy–and other monikers suggesting a joyful experience. We honor the 24/7 black experience!

Proposals should take the form of 300-word abstracts, and may only be submitted to one appropriate area. For questions specifically about Black Studies,please contact the chair through our Areas page. General questions can be directed to mapaca@mapaca.net.

Submit a proposal at www.mapaca.net

The deadline for submission is July 31, 2025.