The Center for Material Culture Studies at the University of Delaware is
pleased to announce its call for papers for the Fifth Annual Material
Culture Symposium for Emerging Scholars (MCSES) to be held Saturday, April
14, 2007 at the Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library in Winterthur,
Delaware.
Purpose of the Forum: This symposium provides graduate students and other
emerging scholars with a venue for interdisciplinary dialogue on material
culture. By freeing participants of chronological and topical restraints,
the symposium encourages discussion across perceived boundaries of time,
space and discipline. We invite scholars from American Studies, Art and
Design History, Architecture, Anthropology, English, History, Consumer
Studies, and other fields to share their research and explore new avenues of
interpretation and critical thinking in the field of material culture
studies. We seek papers that are grounded in the study of objects but that
address multidisciplinary themes. We also welcome papers that take a
primarily theoretical approach and evaluate critical themes in the field
such as the very nature of materiality. Past papers have ranged in topic
from objects in early American gift exchange, to early twentieth-century
French cosmetics packaging, to contemporary African American funeral
programs.
Format: Nine presenters will give twenty-minute papers in panels of three
speakers each. There will be two morning sessions and one afternoon session,
each followed by comments by established scholars in the field and a
discussion period. Over the course of the day, participants will have
opportunities to tour Winterthur's library and its unparalleled collection
of early American decorative arts.
How to submit your proposal: The proposal, not to exceed one single-spaced
page, should clearly indicate both the subject matter of your paper and the
interpretive or methodological problems that you intend to address.
Preference will be given to papers that promise to generate provocative,
productive discussion about issues central to material culture scholarship.
Papers should not have been published at the time of the conference. Send
your proposal, along with a current c.v. (no more than two pages), to
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Deadline: Proposals must be received by November 13th, 2006. Speakers will
be notified of the vetting committee's decision by early January 2007. Upon
notification, speakers will be asked to provide conference organizers with
digital images for use in publicity. Speakers will need to submit a final
draft of their papers by February 26, 2007 so that commentators may have
ample time to review them prior to the symposium.
Sponsors: The symposium is co-sponsored by the Center for Material Culture
Studies and Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. CMCS is an umbrella
entity that comprises the allied programs in material cultureat the
University of Delaware. These include the Black American Studies Program,
Center for Historic Architecture and Design, History of American
Civilization Program, Museum Studies Program, Visual Communications Group
and Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, as well as the University
Gallery and related departments, such as Anthropology, Art History, Art
Conservation, Consumer Studies, English and History. Winterthur maintains
the nation's premier collection of early American decorative arts and is an
important catalyst for American material culture scholarship through its
journal, Winterthur Portfolio, its publications, and the funding of original
research through its fellowship program.
Website: http://materialculture.udel.edu <http://materialculture.udel.edu/>
Check it often for updates during the year!
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The Fifth Annual Material Culture Symposium for Emerging Scholars (MCSES)
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http://materialculture.udel.edu
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MCSES 2007 Committee Chairs:
. Bess Williamson, History of American Civilization, University of Delaware:
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. Lara Pascali, Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, University of
Delaware: [log in to unmask]
Lu Ann De Cunzo, Ph.D., RPA
Professor of Anthropology and Early American Culture
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716
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