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Conference Schedule Update

Updated Event Times

Conference Keynote — Pam Houston
Sat, 02/23/2019 – 9:00 am 10:30
Grand Pavilion I-II

The Physical Stuff of Your Life (and How to Use It to Gain Access to the Emotional Stuff): Talking Craft with Pam Houston
Sat, 02/23/2019 – 10:45 am-12:15 pm

#SWPACA19 Can’t Miss Events

Graduate Students! Check Out These Sessions & Events!

SWPACA Annual Dine-Around
Wed, 02/20/2019 – 6:00 pm-8:00 pm,
Hotel Lobby (1st floor):

Please join us for our fifth annual dine around event! We’ll meet in the Hyatt Atrium on Wednesday night at 6:00pm and walk to local eateries for dinner. You’ll meet fellow SWPACA attendees and area chairs. What better way to start our conference than with excellent conversation and tasty Albuquerque cuisine!

Rap and Hip Hop Culture 5
Woke Lyrics: Hip Hop Appreciation Hour,
Wed, 02/20/2019 – 7:00 pm-8:15 pm, Grand Pavilion VI:

This event will feature a performance and discussion from a Native hip hop artist. A discussion of various rap and hip hop songs, requested by attendees, will also be part of this hip hop appreciation event.

Graduate Student Breakfast
Thu, 02/21/2019 – 7:30 am-9:00 am,

Whyte: Join us for the Seventh Annual Graduate Student Breakfast, hosted by the SWPACA Executive Team. All graduate and undergraduate students are welcome to attend; bring a friend, enjoy a light breakfast, and network with other emerging scholars.

Peter C. Rollins Book Award and Student Awards Ceremony
Thu, 02/21/2019 – 6:00 pm-8:15 pm,
Grand Pavilion VI: 

Join us as we announce the winners of the 2019 Peter C. Rollins Book Award and our 2019 Graduate Student Paper and Travel Awards. We welcome all presenters to attend, congratulate these scholars, and recognize their achievement and scholarly contributions to the study of popular and American Culture. (NOTE: Applicants for the graduate paper and student travel awards must be present to win.)

SWPACA 5th Annual Game Night
Thu, 02/21/2019 – 8:30 pm-10:00 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II and III: 

For the fifth year in a row, we will get our “geek on” in style for our annual SWPACA GAME NIGHT! The hosts of this session are expert geeks and will provide some fun, challenging, but easy-to-learn games that are anything but traditional, including European games of the year and Mensa award winners. Multiple tables will be available, so the more the merrier. Snacks will also be provided. Come out and enjoy an evening of camaraderie with your fellow conference attendees!

Fire and Ice Reception
Fri, 02/22/2019 – 6:00 pm-7:00 pm,
Grand Pavilion IV-VI: 

Come join our Executive Staff as we celebrate the 40th annual meeting of the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association. Hosted by the Hyatt Regency Hotel to honor our conference attendees, light refreshments, beverages, and celebratory birthday cake will be available.

Conference Keynote: Pam Houston
Fri, 02/22/2019 – 7:00 pm-8:15 pm,
Grand Pavilion IV-VI: 

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is pleased to welcome Pam Houston as the Keynote Speaker for the 40th annual SWPACA conference. Houston is the author of is the author of the short story collections Cowboys Are My Weakness and Waltzing the Cat, among others, as well as the recently released non-fiction work Deep Creek. Book signing to follow the Keynote Address.

The Physical Stuff of Your Life (and How to Use It to Gain Access to the Emotional Stuff): Talking Craft with Pam Houston
Sat, 02/23/2019 – 9:00 am-10:30 am,
Grand Pavilion I-II: 

Houston will focus on what she believes to be the real artistry of prose writing: the way we dip our ladles into the bottomless pot of metaphor soup of our lived and witnessed experience and pull out what we need; the way we pick up hunks of the physical world and bring them back to the page, translated into language. Please comem armed with pen, paper, or laptop, your vast memory banks, your active and engaged senses, and all the things you don’t even know you know.

Post-Conference Wrap-Up
Sat, 02/23/2019 – 4:00 pm-5:30 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II:

Join the Southwest Executive Team as we revist the highlights of 2019 and plan for SWPACA 2020!

Professional Development Sessions

Professional Development McFarland New Authors Forum
Thu, 02/21/2019-10:45am–12:15 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II:

Join representatives from McFarland and recent authors for a discussion regarding academic publishing in popular culture.

Professional Development: The Academic and Alt-Ac Job Search
Thu, 02/21/2019-12:30 pm-2:00 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II: 

Going on the market? Already been on the market? Tired of the market? The job market is shrinking, and many of us find that we need to diversify our skills. In this session, join faculty, professionals, and graduate students for a discussion about the job market and information about resources for the job search. Note that this is not a typical panel session with formal presentations; audience members are invited to share ideas, resources, and advice with one another to get a better understanding of how to prepare for and conduct both academic and alt-ac job searches.

Professional Development: Academic Publishing
Thu, 02/21/2019-2:15 pm-3:45 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II: 

Join publishing representatives, journal editors, and scholarly authors for a panel and discussion on publishing. A Question and Answer session will be included.

Professional Development: Publishing with Academic Presses
Fri, 02/22/2019 – 10:45 am–12:15 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II: 

From revised dissertations to senior scholars’ latest books, memoirs and novels to guidebooks, university presses are an important part of the publishing world but can seem difficult to navigate. Elise McHugh, senior acquisitions editor at the University of New Mexico Press, will demystify the process of what UNM Press and university presses in general are looking for, how to submit your proposal, and what to expect when working with an academic publisher.

Professional Development: Intellect Publishing: Insider Tips
Fri, 02/22/2019 – 12:30 pm-2:00 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II: 

This workshop will demystify general academic publishing practices and provide insider insight into publishing protocol. Advice on how to identify opportunities, the best way to approach a press, and how to deal with peer reviewer feedback will all be discussed. Highlights include essential tips and strategies as well as the common pitfalls to avoid when engaging with book or journal editors. This session is useful for both veteran scholars as well as those new to academic publishing. Amy Damutz, who handles North American acquisitions and marketing for Intellect Ltd, will host the session. Casual format with plenty of Q & A to follow.

Professional Development: Book Publishing with Rowman & Littlefield
Fri, 02/22/2019 – 2:15 pm-3:45 pm,
Grand Pavilion I-II: 

Stephen Ryan, Senior Editor for Rowman & Littlefield presents “Moving Beyond the Academic Market: Turning a Monograph Project into a Reference Volume or General Interest Book.” During this session, Stephen will discuss how to shape a monograph project into a reference work or general interest title that will appeal to public libraries.

#SWPACA19 Call for Papers Deadline Extension!

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is pleased to announce that we are extending the deadline for our Call fore Papers to November 15, 2018 for the 40th annual Southwest Popular/American Culture Association conference, held at the Hyatt in Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 20-23, 2019

Visit our call for papers page for more information!

2019 Conference Keynote Speaker

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is pleased to announce that Pam Houston will be the Conference Keynote Speaker for the 40th annual Southwest Popular/American Culture Association conference, held at the Hyatt in Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 20-23, 2019. Houston is the author of the novels Contents May Have Shifted and Sight Hound, the short story collections Cowboys Are My Weakness and Waltzing the Cat, and A Little More About Me, a collection of essays, as well as the forthcoming non-fiction work Deep Creek.

The Conference Keynote address will be held on Friday February 22, 2019. After the keynote, Houston will be available for a book signing for Deep Creek, which will also be available to purchase. For more information on Houston, please download the official press release for Deep Creek, and visit her author page on Facebook.

We look forward to seeing you there!

#CFPHighlight: Eclectica

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is accepting papers for SWPACA19. More details about each of the subject areas can be found on our Call for Papers page. After you find the subject area that fits your work, follow the instructions on the Conference Registration Information page to submit your work for consideration.

eclectia

Eclectica

Eclectica: For Topics with No Other Home
Jeff Clayton, PhD, Lee College, English

#CFPHighlight: Teaching and the Profession

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is accepting papers for SWPACA19. More details about each of the subject areas can be found on our Call for Papers page. After you find the subject area that fits your work, follow the instructions on the Conference Registration Information page to submit your work for consideration.

teaching

Teaching and the Profession

Pedagogy and Popular Culture
Kurt Depner, New Mexico State University — Dona Ana, English
Facebook Group: SWPACA Pedagogy & Popular Culture
Twitter: Pedagogy&PopCulture ‏@SWPCAPedagogy

#CFPHighlight: Language and Literature

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is accepting papers for SWPACA19. More details about each of the subject areas can be found on our Call for Papers page. After you find the subject area that fits your work, follow the instructions on the Conference Registration Information page to submit your work for consideration.

language

Language and Literature

Biography, Autobiography, Memoir, and Personal Narrative
Melinda McBee, PhD, Collin College, English

Captivity Narratives
B. Mark Allen, PhD, South Texas College, History and Philosophy

Children’s / Young Adult Literature and Culture
Diana Dominguez, PhD, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Literatures and Cultural Studies

Cormac McCarthy
Katherine Sugg, PhD, Central Connecticut State University, English

Creative Writing (Poetry, Fiction)
Christopher Carmona, PhD, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Eco-Criticism and the Environment
Keri Stevenson, PhD, University of New Mexico

European Popular Culture and Literature
Tyler Blake, PhD, MidAmerica Nazarene University, English

Folklore Studies
Helen McCourt, PhD, Collin College, English

Graphic Novels, Comics, and Popular Culture
Robert G. Weiner, Texas Tech University Library

Linguistics
Lisa Wagner, PhD, University of Louisville, Classical and Modern Languages

Literature (General)
Samantha Lay, PhD, University of West Alabama, English

Mystery / Detective Fiction
Lexey Bartlett, PhD, Fort Hays State University, English

Myth and Fairy Tales
Sheila Dooley, PhD, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Writing and Language Studies

Poetry and Poetics (Critical)
Scarlett Higgins, PhD, University of New Mexico, English

Rhetoric and Technical Communication
Robert Galin, University of New Mexico – Gallup, English and Communications

#CFPHighlight: Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is accepting papers for SWPACA19. More details about each of the subject areas can be found on our Call for Papers page. After you find the subject area that fits your work, follow the instructions on the Conference Registration Information page to submit your work for consideration.

sci-fi

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Apocalypse, Dystopia, and Disaster in Culture
Shane Trayers, PhD, Middle Georgia State College – Macon Campus, English

Dr. Who, Torchwood, and Whoverse Studies
Melissa Tackett-Gibson, PhD, University of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs

Harry Potter Studies
Christopher Bell, PhD, University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, Communication

Science Fiction and Fantasy – General
Susan Fanetti, PhD, California State University – Sacramento, English
Follow the Science Fiction and Fantasy area on Facebook at www.facebook.com/swtxsff and on Twitter @swtxsffchairs

Supernatural (TV series)
Erin Giannini, PhD, Independent Scholar

Whedonverses: Creators & Texts
Susan Fanetti, PhD, California State University – Sacramento, English

Zombie Culture
Brandon Kempner, PhD, New Mexico Highlands University, EnglishThe Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is accepting papers for SWPACA19. More details about each of the subject areas can be found on our Call for Papers page. After you find the subject area that fits your work, follow the instructions on the Conference Registration Information page to submit your work for consideration.

sci-fi

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Apocalypse, Dystopia, and Disaster in Culture
Shane Trayers, PhD, Middle Georgia State College – Macon Campus, English

Dr. Who, Torchwood, and Whoverse Studies
Melissa Tackett-Gibson, PhD, University of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs

Harry Potter Studies
Christopher Bell, PhD, University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, Communication

Science Fiction and Fantasy – General
Susan Fanetti, PhD, California State University – Sacramento, English
Follow the Science Fiction and Fantasy area on Facebook at www.facebook.com/swtxsff and on Twitter @swtxsffchairs

Supernatural (TV series)
Erin Giannini, PhD, Independent Scholar

Whedonverses: Creators & Texts
Susan Fanetti, PhD, California State University – Sacramento, English

Zombie Culture
Brandon Kempner, PhD, New Mexico Highlands University, English

#CFPHighlight: Identities and Cultures

The Southwest Popular/American Culture Association is accepting papers for SWPACA19. More details about each of the subject areas can be found on our Call for Papers page. After you find the subject area that fits your work, follow the instructions on the Conference Registration Information page to submit your work for consideration.

Identity

Identities and Cultures

African American / Black Studies
David Moody, PhD, Lake Erie College

Asian Popular Culture / The Asian American Experience
Elaine Cho, PhD, Eastfield College, English

Chicano/a Literature, Film, and Culture
Lupe Linares, PhD, College of St. Scholastica, English

Disability Studies
Lexey Bartlett, PhD, Fort Hays State University, English

Native American/Indigenous Studies
Margaret Vaughan, PhD, Metropolitan State University, Ethnic Studies

Women, Gender, and Sexuality
Pat Tyrer, PhD, West Texas A&M University, English and Modern Languages