In 1912, Zane Grey published Riders of the Purple Sage, an important text in the development of the American western. Over the past 100 years, the western has increased in popularity, and undergone a number of significant developments. This panel will explore the American western in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. What changes characterize the ongoing development of the genre? Please submit 250-400 word abstracts by September 30, 2011 to James J. Donahue at donahujj@potsdam.edu. Please include with your abstract: Name and Affiliation, Email address, A/V requirements.