Time will be the Theme for 30th Annual Delta Symposium in 2025
JONESBORO – A call for papers and presentations has been issued by organizers of the 30th annual Delta Symposium at Arkansas State University.
The Department of English, Philosophy and World Languages, the primary sponsor, has selected “It’s About Time” as the theme for the April 9-12, 2025, event. The Delta Symposium, which features a variety of scholarship and creative work that focuses on the Delta’s history and culture, has been a long-held tradition each spring at A-State.
Individual and panel presentations on topics relevant to the history and culture of the Arkansas and Mississippi Deltas and surrounding regions are welcome. The sessions will be held on campus at the university. Access to presentations will be available online for those who cannot attend in person.
“Special consideration will be given to proposals that specifically address this year’s theme of ‘It’s About Time,’” said Dr. Gregory Hansen, co-chair of the Delta Symposium committee.
Hansen said writers, historians, musicians, artists, and other creative individuals engage with time in different ways in their work.
"Time as a theme welcomes work from myriad perspectives; it's an enriching concept because we all experience it," added conference co-chair Dr. Kristen Ruccio, assistant professor of English, Philosophy and World Languages.
“Time is especially relevant to the culture of the Delta as interests in time shows up in romanticism, modernism, historical fiction, and contemporary literary expression,” said Hansen.
The coordinating committee invites presentations from a wide range of fields.
“The Delta Symposium has featured presentations from a wide range of disciplines, including literary and cultural studies, history, anthropology, folklore, ethnomusicology, sociology, speech communications, arts and art history, and heritage studies,” Hansen continued.
In 2025, Hansen said the event seeks to expand the discussion to include presentations from physicists, biologists, archeologists, historic preservationists, and other contributors who can expand the discussion beyond the humanities.
"The Delta Symposium has always welcomed interdisciplinary perspectives and that's one of the greatest strengths of the event; it's the opposite of a siloed conference," Ruccio said.
Although proposals with direct connections to Arkansas and the Delta are especially welcome, more general proposals that address the theme within Southern history culture and heritage will be considered.
"We are focusing on different voices because the Delta is a rich tapestry woven from many dynamic cultures. We want the symposium to reflect that richness so we all can learn more about this region," added Ruccio.
The 2025 event will conclude on Saturday, April 12, with the Arkansas Roots Festival through continued support from KASU 91.9 FM and A-State's Heritage Sites.
The deadline for entries is Dec. 18, 2024. Each entry should consist of the following: presenter’s name and affiliation, a 150-word abstract of the presentation and a current vita (two pages maximum). Submissions should include the presenter’s address, phone number, email address and the technical needs for the presentation. Details are online at AState.edu/a/delta-symposium/
Entries should be mailed to Delta Symposium Committee, c/o Dr. Gregory Hansen, chair, Arkansas State University, Department of English, Philosophy and World Languages, P.O. Box 1890, State University, AR 72467. Questions may be addressed to Hansen, ghansen@astate.edu.
Farm implements at the Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home.
Photo by Gregory Hansen
