Call for Proposals and Art | USD→
Care is a deeply gendered issue in our society. Women have historically played a central role in caregiving, notwithstanding the class, race, ethnic, geographic, religious, and actual gender diversity in patterns of care. In the past year and a half, the COVID-19 Pandemic has highlighted and heightened existing care obligations and created new ones. Some of these care responsibilities are obvious, while more are hidden. This year, the University of South Dakota’s Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program invites people across all disciplines to present their work on CARE for a conference and art exhibition.
We invite work that examine the ways sex and gender matter to how society distributes care responsibilities. To what extent do race, national origin, economic status, sexuality, and gender impact who provides care and how care is constructed, supported, marginalized, and de/valued? Why does the “essential worker” exhibit certain, often feminized, characteristics? What type of care is visible as opposed to hidden? What care responsibilities do government and society support and on what terms? The conference looks forward to presentations that examine the many facets of care: carework, caregiving, fostering cultures of care and support, and personal, professional, and community practices of self-care. Artwork will be featured in a juried exhibition at the Muenster University Center from March 14 – April 8, 2022.
Modality: Organizers are planning an in-person conference at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD with opportunities for hybrid participation. Much can change and change quickly. Please indicate in your proposal if you prefer remote participation.
The deadline for submission has been extended to January 18, 2022. Submit proposals to wgss@usd.edu.
Email contact: wgss@usd.edu | Website: http://www.usd.edu/wgss-conference
All presenters and artists will be notified of acceptance by February 1, 2022. Proposals should be submitted both as an electronic email attachment and included in the body of the email.
Guidelines for Submissions
The conference welcomes proposals from faculty, students (undergraduate and graduate), and community organizations and professionals. In addition to academic papers, we welcome posters, readings of creative writing, roundtable or workshop sessions, and music or theater performances. Most conference events will be held in the Muenster University Center. Creative sessions will be woven throughout the conference sessions. Thursday evening and Friday afternoon performance sessions be held in USD’s Colton Recital Hall. Throughout the conference, the USD Art Galleries will host a juried visual Art Show at the Muenster University Center.
Individual (Paper, Creative Reading, Poster) – Submit an abstract of 300-500 words detailing the content and scope of presentation. Include paper/project title, your name, affiliation/position, and contact information. Individual presentations should not exceed 15 minutes.
Panel or Roundtable Session – Submit an abstract of 750 words that provides an overview of the panel or roundtable topic and offers a brief summary of each paper (if a panel). Include session title, title of each paper/project, and the name, affiliation/position, and contact information of each presenter/panelist. Panel sessions should feature 3-4 presenters delivering 15-minute presentations and a session chair. Roundtable sessions should include a moderator and 3-5 presenters, not to exceed 90 minutes. Workshops, please describe special equipment, space, and support requirements.
Performance Session – Submit an abstract of 300-500 words that provides an overview of the performance, including the topic, content, and scope of presentation and whether individual or group. Describe any special equipment, space, support, and time requirements. Include title, your name, affiliation/position, and contact information. A group performance should not exceed 90 minutes.
Visual Art – Submit image(s) of 300 dpi for up to 3 works along with the following information:
Name
Title
Year
Medium
Size
Technology Requirements (if relevant)
If accepted, artwork must be received by March 10. Works must be ready to install. Instructions for drop off time and location will be included in acceptance notification. Works that will be shipped should include a return shipping label.
