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2017 Virginia Forum Call for Papers

VIRGINIA FORUM MARCH 2-4, 2017

WHO ARE WE?:  IDENTITY AND MEMORY IN VIRGINIA

The 2017 Virginia Forum will be hosted by Norfolk State University and held on its campus in Norfolk, Virginia. The Virginia Forum brings together historians, teachers, writers, archivists, museum curators, historic site interpreters, librarians, and others engaged in the study and interpretation of Virginia history to share their knowledge, research, and experiences.

The Virginia Forum is an interdisciplinary conference and welcomes proposals on all aspects of Virginia history and culture from scholars, teachers, students, and professionals in all fields. This year’s theme, “Who Are We?:  Identity and Memory in Virginia” reflects the broader context of questions of race, ethnicity and identity which began in 1619 at Point Comfort in the Virginia colony and continue today through the LGBT rights and Black Lives Matter movements.  The overarching theme reflects the notion that Virginia society has always been part of a hybrid and global culture predicated on intimate and overlapping encounters among Africans, Native Americans, Western Europeans, and other cultures from around the globe. 

Our theme is meant to inspire proposals, but it is not exclusive. Proposals on all topics related to the history and culture of Virginia are welcome, as are proposals for creative presentation formats such as poster sessions, roundtables, workshops, demonstrations, etc. We encourage the submission of full panels, particularly those which foster interdisciplinary conversation.

Proposals are invited on topics such as:

•    Immigration and Virginia in the world
•    Race and Ethnicity
•    Gender and Class
•    First Nations
•    Civil Rights and Law
•    Commemoration and Memory
•    Foodways and Customs
•    Landscape, Geography, and Naming
•    Social Control and Classification

INDIVIDUAL PAPER ABSTRACTS, PANEL, POSTER, AND LIGHTENING ROUND PROPOSALS
Individual paper proposals should submit an abstract of 250 words or less and a one-page c.v. as a single Microsoft Word file

Panel proposals should submit an abstract of 350 words or less. Each paper on the panel should include an abstract of 250 words or less and a one-page c.v. for each presenter and the chair.  Abstracts should include the panel name and the presenters on the panel that includes each name, title of paper, institutional affiliation, and contact information (mailing address, phone number, and email address) and should be submitted as a single Microsoft Word file.

Poster proposals should submit an abstract of 150 words or less and a one-page c.v.

Lightning Round proposals should submit an abstract of 250 words or less and a one-page c.v.  Each of these presentations are for 5 minutes with no more than 20 slides (15 seconds per slide).

Proposals should be sent to Dr. Charles H. Ford by October 1, 2016.  Please include the presenter’s name, title of presentation, institutional affiliation, and contact information (mailing address, phone number(s), and email address) and should be submitted as Microsoft Word files.

Please note that acceptance of an abstract for the conference automatically grants the conference organizers the right to publish it in the conference program and website. Upon acceptance, presenters are required to register for at least one day of the conference

For additional conference details, including accommodations, go to the Virginia Forum website at http://www.virginiaforum.org/.

Please email abstracts to:

Charles H. Ford, Professor, History
Norfolk State University
chford@nsu.edu