We at the Far West Popular Culture Association are excited to announce that the call for papers for FWPCA 34 is now open. Please see the details below. Also, check FWPCA.com weekly for more important updates, inspiration, and highlights from FWPCA 33.
34th Annual Far West Popular Culture Association Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada | March 4-6, 2022
Call for Papers
The 34rd Annual Far West Popular and American Culture Associations (FWPCA/ACA)
Conference is currently accepting paper submissions and panel proposals. The conference will
be held on UNLV’s campus on from March 4 to March 6, 2022, with an online hybrid option for
those who cannot travel. The conference, true to its Las Vegas roots, is open to a variety of
cultural and interdisciplinary studies and celebrates alternative and post-modern approaches.
The FWPCA welcomes contributions by established and rising scholars, including graduate
students. Conference submissions are subject to peer review. Papers presented will be
published in the online proceedings with no claims of exclusivity, meaning they can be
submitted elsewhere as is or after further development.
This year’s conference’s theme touches on the ways that popular culture has reflected the
challenges and reactions to them over the past several years. The experience of the pandemic,
racial violence, and political upheaval left many feeling isolated; yet there is also the possibility
of (re)joining with others to create positive change. The pandemic has influenced popular
culture, but it also gives us a different lens through which to view past works.
We are accepting individual paper presentations, sessions of three thematically-linked papers,
and roundtable panel discussions. Topics include the most inclusive range of popular and
American culture studies, with a special focus on:
• Film/Television
• News Media
• Online and Social Media
• The American Far West
• Las Vegas and Urban Space
• Food and Cuisine
• Music
• Video Games
• Education and teaching
• Family
• Cultural Studies
• Social and Political Issues
• Protest and Resistance
• Black Popular Culture
• Latinx Popular Culture
• Asian and Pacific Islander Popular
Culture
• Indigenous Cultures
• Queer Popular Culture
• Gender Studies
• Comic books
• Gambling
• Organized crime
• Pandemic Culture
• General Popular Culture
• Creative Work
Application
To apply for the conference, visit the FWPCA’s online portal. Click “Submit Event.” If you do not
already have an account, you may be prompted to create one. If you already have one, you will
go directly to the “Submit Research” page. In the appropriate fields, provide the requested
information.
There are three options for “Presentation Type:” “Paper” covers everyone who is presenting a
traditional academic paper or creative piece. “Panel” is if you are a panelist on a roundtable who
is not formally presenting a paper. “Keynote” is for someone giving a keynote address. If you
are proposing a complete session, please have each presenter register independently, noting in
the comments that they want to be on your session.
When you register, please submit a title, five to six keywords, and an abstract of no more than
250 words, with your full paper (if applicable) due shortly before the conference. We will be
using this system to notify you about the status of your presentation, and you will use it to
upload your finished paper (if applicable).
When your paper is accepted, you will be able to upload a full paper and register for the
conference.
About the Conference
The FWPCA exists to foster the study of popular culture in its many forms across a diverse
range of academic disciplines and through a variety of intellectual approaches, with a special
emphasis on topics concerning Las Vegas, the state of Nevada, and the American Far West
more broadly. It includes the study of literature, music, theater, film and television, comic books,
games, and creative work of all types, both historically and of the current day, from across
cultures.
To further this end, the FWPCA organizes an annual conference that embraces inclusivity,
intellectual growth, and the exploration of how popular culture intersects with the past, present,
and future. The conference embodies the legacy of FWPCA founder Felicia F. Campbell, who
pushed boundaries and forged new paths throughout her long career. It is a platform for sharing
ideas that help us rethink how what we read, hear, watch, play, and create can tell us more
about ourselves and each other. The conference is held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada, either
in person or remotely.
The FWPCA strives to create a welcoming, inclusive environment that fosters engagement and
exploration by all. The organization does not tolerate discrimination based on age, creed, color,
gender, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender
identity, gender expression, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, or any other
category protected under applicable law. Our work is conducted in a spirit of mutual respect and
intellectual curiosity.
To Learn More
The cost of registration and accommodation arrangements are forthcoming. The FWPCA will be
accepting proposals for individual papers, complete sessions, and panel discussions until
December 20, 2021, with applicants notified by late January 2022.
For all inquiries about the conference, the program, or the organization, please email
popularculture@unlv.edu. For more information, see https://www.fwpca.com