This is a call for proposals for 2 areas of the Mid-Atlantic Pop/Am.
Culture Annual Conference. The 2005 conference will be held at the Hyatt
Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, NJ from November 4-6, 2005. The 2 areas
are: "This Builds That: The Architecture of Literature" and "Technology and
the Home"; descriptions are below. I look forward to receiving proposals at
the address listed below by June 15, 2005. 

#1:  This Builds That (Ceci Bâtit Cela): The Architecture of Literature:
Toward the end of Victor Hugo's Notre-Dame de Paris (1831), Claude Frollo,
a 15th century priest, points to a book then to Notre-Dame then to images
of the cathedral and laments: “ceci tuera cela.” Frollo's prediction is
that the book will kill the cathedral, the alphabet will kill images. While
architecture has changed since Hugo's novel was written, the printed word
has not eliminated it. In fact, sometimes architecture exits only as part
of a text, built of words as a literary character. This session treats this
type of architecture by examining its role within a narrative. Ceci Bâtit
Cela is not concerned with paper or fantastic architecture unless it plays
a vital role in a literary work. Furthermore, the architecture should not
merely serve as a stage-set, it must play a role in the development of the
narrative. For example, the building may serve as an object of desire as
the new barn does in the 1891 short story, The Revolt of “Mother,” by M.W.
Freeman. Or, it could be a co-conspirator like Trémicour's petite maison in
The Little House: An Architectural Seduction by J.-F. de Bastide (Eng. tr.,
1996). Another option is that the building motivates the rest of the text
as the Dome of the Rock does in K. Makiya's historical novel, The Rock: A
Tale of Seventh-Century Jerusalem (2001). There are, of course, more types
of architectural characters in literature. Among the questions to address
are: What is the role of the architecture? Is it an active or passive
character? What is its position within the unfolding narrative? What is the
relationship of the other characters to the architecture? Does the
personality of the architecture complement that of the other characters?

#2:  Technology and The Home: One could reasonably argue that without
technology in its simplest form, homes would not exist. Technology has also
made homes more comfortable, attractive, safer, and sturdier. In the
pre-industrial past, the home's relationship to technology was fairly
straightforward: homes either benefited from changes in technology or they
did not. Today, the relationships between the home and technology are
complex and, at times, contradictory. For example, owners of a historic
house will often research and revive outdated technologies in order to
"correctly" restore a house to its former glory. Yet, they may incorporate
modern decorative materials, lighting, heating, and appliances. On the
other hand, the owner of a more recent home has an unprecedented range of
environmentally friendly and fireproof materials, energy efficient
appliances, and innovative furniture and furnishings from which to chose.
In addition, some contemporary technologies that may seem benign, such as
computers, RFID tags, smart technology and the latest appliances, may have
detrimental effects. Technology and the Home welcomes papers examining the
home's positive and negative relationships to technology in any and all
past, present, and future applications. There is no limit on the time frame
nor upon the methodology. Proposals from undergraduates, graduate students,
 and professionals welcome.

For further information and descriptions of all 40 areas, please visit our
Web page: <www.wcenter.ncc.edu/gazette>. Click on the grey button at the
left of the page labeled "conference information" and select which page to
open.

Apologies for cross-postings.

Please send proposals to: 
Loretta Lorance, Ph.D.
PO Box 461
Inwood Station
New York, NY 10034-0461
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