Important dates:
Conference date: Saturday March 13 2004
Submission Deadline: December 22nd 2003

We are seeking papers for the following panels.

Early Modern Period
Topics may include: prose and Poetry of the period, female authors of the period, recent additions to the canon ("re-discovered" authors) - overlooked authors, authors added to expand ethnic/gender/or other view points and/or manuscript research versus modernized texts. Other topics that apply to early modern studies and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Creative Writing
This panel is open to short stories, an excerpt from a novel (see time limits please) and poetry (limited to three pieces).

Pop Culture
Topics may include Romantic influences in Pop Culture, intertextuality and influence of pop culture on literature, science fiction/fantasy, television and music, the evolution of sex and sexuality. Other topics that apply to pop culture and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Literature and film
Topics may include: adaptation of literature to film, presentation of literature in film & thematic connections between film and literature. Other topics that apply to literature and film and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Canon debate: inclusion and exclusion
Topics may include: science fiction/fantasy as literature, canon hierarchy (ie labels: amateur poet, professional poet, poet laureate) does this hierarchy exist? Is it necessary? Does it hinder studies of specific authors?, recent additions to the canon ("re-discovered" authors) - overlooked authors, authors added to expand ethnic/gender/or other view point. Other topics that apply to literature and film and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Identity and subjectivity
This panel is open to papers that discuss anything from Shakespeare to Thomas Pynchon, while questioning concepts of identity formation and subjectivity. Paper may examine such concepts of Lacan's theory of the "self", incorporating other schools of thoughts such as, queer/gender theory, deconstruction, and others to analyze how identity is formed, transformed or removed. Drawing connections from theory to fiction detail how literature illustrates the various facets of identity formation. Other topics that apply to identity and subjectivity and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

The Body
Topics for this panel should analyze the body its various form, such as the body of a text, body of speech and the physical body. Making connections with a single or multiple work(s), examine how the body functions for or within a text. Papers may want to address such topics as: silences within bodies of speech acts; the body as a marker of identity; the body and power. Other topics that apply to "the body" and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Early American
Papers for this panel may discuss any early American literature, dating from John Smith to Mark Twain. In addition, paper can focus on a single work or author as well compare works. Topic may address or draw connections that illustrate cultural/social changes such as, gender roles, race, and class, and the impact resulting from these changes. Other topics that apply to early American literature and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Multiculturalism
Papers for this panel may analyze multicultural texts/authors. Topics may include: how is multiculturalism expressed in a work(s), how do borders/countries effect perceptions/presentations of multiculturalism, do multicultural texts promote cultural diversity, does an authors identity/ethnicity make a work multicultural? Other topics that apply to multiculturalism and our conference theme of "Culture, Context and Connections" will be considered.

Please note submissions are open to Graduate and Undergraduate students. Graduate Students maybe submit papers of 15-20 pages (20 minute presentation length). Undergraduates may submit papers of 5-8 pages (10 minute presentation length)

Papers maybe submitted electronically to:
susanmariejohnson@hotmail.com (word format please).

Or mailed to: Acacia Group PO Box 5853
Fullerton CA 92838

The deadline for submissions is December 22, 2003