Delta Symposium XXI Invites Papers, Films and Dylan Scholars
JONESBORO – The Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University has opened a "call for papers and presentations" for the 21st annual Delta Symposium, which is scheduled for April 8-11, 2015.
The theme will be "The South Goes to the Movies," according to Dr. Gregory Hansen, professor of English and folklore, and co-chair of the symposium.
"Individual presentations on topics relevant to the history and culture of Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta are welcome," Hansen said. "The Delta Symposium features scholarship on blues and other musical expressions, and the symposium's focus also includes a wide variety of expressive forms that are resonant with the Delta."
Participants are invited to explore how America’s South is represented in film and video. "The committee is interested in treatments of Southern history and culture in film as well as movies' influence on Southern communities," Hansen added.
Two new partnerships will be part of the 2015 symposium: the Delta Film Festival and a segment featuring papers devoted to scholarship on Bob Dylan.
A-State's College of Media and Communication will host the first Delta Film Festival within the symposium.
The presentations on Dylan will be showcased during a special session Saturday, April 11. Research that connects scholarship on Dylan to the Delta Symposium’s theme are encouraged, but entries that look at Dylan’s artistry and life history using any relevant approach are welcome.
The Symposium also will feature the annual Roots Music Festival on the final day, Saturday, April 11, with continued support from KASU, the university's public broadcasting service.
For further information, contact the Delta Symposium committee members or visit the Symposium website: AState.edu/blues/ or "Delta Symposium" on Facebook. The deadline for entries is Dec. 4; each entry should consist of: presenter’s name and affiliation, contact information including address, telephone, email, technical needs, vita (two pages), and a 200-word abstract of the presentation.
Entries may be directed to the Delta Symposium Committee, c/o Dr. Lauri Umansky and Dr. Gregory Hansen, Co-Chairs, Arkansas State University, Dept. of English and Philosophy, P.O. Box 1890, State University, AR 72467, or ghansen@astate.edu, (870) 972-3043 or (fax) 972-3045.
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