Event: Division Street, U.S.A.: The 2009 American Studies Graduate Student Conference
When: Thursday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m. – Friday Sept. 25, 5 p.m.
Where: The Texas Student Union, The University of Texas at Austin
Background: President Obama’s campaign and election has triggered a renewed discussion of national “unity” even as there have been some high-profile divisions in our society. The conference will focus on unity and division in American culture and will include panel discussions on Obama’s role in “redefining rhetoric and righteousness” in American culture and on technology, race and cultural networking.
The conference will begin Thursday at 7 p.m. in Gearing Hall (GEA), Room 105, with a keynote address by Dr. Eric Lott, professor of English and Cultural Studies at the University of Virginia. His books include “Love and Theft: Black Minstrelsy and the American Working Class,” “The Disappearing Liberal Intellectual” and the forthcoming “Tangled Up in Blue: The Cultural Contradictions of American Racism.” It will continue all day Friday in the Texas Union.
Founded in 1992, the annual American Studies Graduate Student Conference gives graduate students in an array of disciplines a chance to present their work in a collegial environment. In addition to more conventional academic works, it has historically included presentations from graduate students doing work in a variety of formats, including creative writing and documentary film.
This event is free and open to the public. More information is available at the Division Street, U.S.A. conference Web site.
