Gannon University
NeMLA's 58th Annual Convention
March 6-9, 2027
Newport, RI
Convention Site: Salve Regina University
This year's presidential theme is Empowering Communities. This theme evokes the process of transformation from a state of passivity to being active agents of change.
It represents a shift away from authoritarianism and toward a model that values (and solves problems through) local knowledge, collaboration, and collective action.
Under the theme of empowering communities, we welcome scholarship that examines how cultural knowledge can serve as a source and means of empowerment,
the role of culture in constructing agency, and how communities are creating spaces conducive to such empowerment.
As always, we also welcome proposals that extend, challenge, or bypass the annual theme to make space for cutting edge scholarship and ideas.
The opening plenary will be given by Dr. Jerome Branche, whose current work addresses the interwoven themes of slavery, necropolitics, and coloniality from a transhistoric standpoint.
The keynote address will be given by Manuel Muñoz, the author of a novel and three collections of short stories, most recently The Consequences (Graywolf, 2022), and
recipient of the 2023 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize.
General Guidelines
Submissions to the convention occur in two stages, explained below. There are four basic session types to choose from (panel, roundtable, seminar, creative).
- Members may present on up to two sessions (these may be the same type or different types).
- Members cannot present the same abstract twice.
- Learn more about Chair Guidelines
- Learn more about Presenter Policies
Stage 1: Session Proposals (Extended deadline June 30)
To submit a session proposal, you must be a NeMLA member. If you participated in the previous convention, you are already a member. (Create an account and purchase a membership.)
The session proposals are vetted and either accepted or declined by the organizing committee. Each session proposal must include:
- A title of no more than 80 characters
- A chosen session format (panel, roundtable, seminar, creative, or workshop)
- A primary subject area and an optional secondary subject area (see our Areas of Inquiry)
- An abstract of 200 to 300 words
- A shorter one- to two-sentence description to appear in the online call for papers at CFP List and in the NeMLA Summer Newsletter.
Stage 2: Individual Paper Abstracts (June 16 - September 30)
Anyone may submit an individual abstract to a particular session. Abstracts are vetted by the session chairs. Membership is not required to submit an abstract, but if your abstract is accepted and you want to participate, you must A) become a member, and then B) register for the convention.
Submissions of paper abstracts are accepted from June 16 through September 30, and session chairs will confirm the acceptance of abstracts by October 16. Once notified, please confirm your participation with chairs by accepting their invitations.
Each abstract submission must include:
- A title of no more than 80 characters
- An abstract of 200 to 300 words
- A brief bio