CALLS FOR PAPERS

VIOLENCE ON STAGE
III INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AMERICAN THEATRE AND DRAMA
Cádiz, May 27-29, 2009

Ever since the Greeks, drama and violence have rarely been far from one another, at least within the Western dramatic tradition. The staging of violence, apart from being a representation of one of the most powerful and recurrent of human traits, can also be a reflection of larger social and cultural forces. As a matter of fact, the existence and continuity of a nation such as the United States cannot be adequately explained without a study of the use/abuse/containment of violence and, among others, its representation on stage. Serious drama in America has resorted to literal or figurative violence to pass judgment on an unfair, violently repressive society; to denounce the self-deceiving drives of many individuals; to expose the brutalizing effects of traditional family patterns and the violent exclusion of (non-mainstream or otherwise) individuals from the American Dream; or to (violently) break with inherited theatrical forms and open up new avenues of artistic experimentation. We believe that an exploration of the role of violence in American theatre and drama will result in fruitful and fresh insights into a dramatic tradition which has rarely been approached from this angle.

Among the specific issues which the conference hopes to address --always through their representation on the American stage-- are:

The conference will take place on May 27, 28 and 29, 2009, in Cádiz, one of the oldest and most harmonious cities in Europe (site of Phoenician and Roman ruins), situated in southern Spain and literally surrounded by the often violent but always suggestive ocean, in an environment propitious for scholarly reflection and the exchange of ideas. Across the Cádiz bay lies the US Rota Military Base, a useful reminder of the kind of world we live in and the role of violence in it. The University of Cádiz, with its upgraded technological infrastructure, is one of the most modern in all Spain and will prove an excellent venue for the conference. The city, on the other hand, boasts one of the mildest climates in Southern Europe and offers a rich cultural background and ample opportunities for leisure and recreation.

Among the keynote speakers that will honor the conference are Paula Vogel, Cheryl Black, John Frick, and (to be confirmed) Bob Vorlicky.

Those wishing to present a paper at the conference or organize a round-table discussion should send a 500-word abstract, in English, by October 25, 2008, to the following e-mail address: berceo@gmail.com

Authors of accepted papers will receive confirmation of acceptance by December 15, 2008. The organizers intend to publish a volume of essays based on a selection of the papers presented at the conference. Authors will be duly informed of the style specifications for manuscript submission and the editors’ expectations for such a volume. For upgraded information on the conference please visit

www.violenceonstage.com

Conference organizers: University of Cadiz, University of Seville, University of Málaga and the American Theatre and Drama Society (ATDS).

AMERICAN THEATRE AND DRAMA SOCIETY (ATDS)
Association for Theatre in Higher Education/American Alliance for Theatre & Education (ATHE/AATE) Conference
August 8 – 11, 2009, New York Marriott Marquis, New York City

“Risking Innovation: New Questions”

The ATHE/AATE 2009 conference is dedicated to charting new paths, challenging assumptions, and developing new approaches – risking innovation in teaching, production and scholarship.  The American Theatre and Drama Society (ATDS) invites papers/panels that outline “new questions” theatre scholars and artists should be asking in American theatre – either about “familiar” topics or those yet to be discovered. 

The American Theatre and Drama Society encourages the submission of papers and panels addressing any of these themes, or – in the spirit of risking innovation – those that deal with other engaging topics in American Theatre.  In addition to the “usual” papers and panels addressing these topics, ATDS also welcomes proposals that pose new questions in the form of roundtables, talkbacks, etc.

ABOUT the American Theatre and Drama Society: The American Theatre and Drama Society (ATDS) is an incorporated organization dedicated to the study of United States theatre and drama, its varied histories, traditions, literatures, and performances within its cultural contexts. ATDS also encourages the evolving debate exploring national identities and experiences through research, pedagogy, and practice. ATDS recognizes that notions of America and the US encompass migrations of peoples and cultures that overlap and influence one another. To this end, ATDS welcomes scholars, teachers, and practitioners world-wide.

Click here for tips to submitting proposals.