Fat Studies is becoming an
interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary field
of study
that
confronts and critiques cultural constraints
against notions of “fatness”
and “the fat body”; explores fat
bodies as they live in, are shaped by, and
remake the world; and creates
paradigms for the development of fat
acceptance or
celebration within mass culture.
Proposals in the area of Fat Studies are
being accepted for the 2007 PCA /ACA
(Popular Culture Association/American
Culture Association) National Conference
in Boston, MA, (April 4-7 2007;
Boston Marriott Copley Place). Papers are
welcomed from academics, researchers,
intellectuals, activists, and artists, in
any field of study, and at any stage
in their career.
Topics may include but are not limited to:
· representations of fat people in
literature, film, music, nonfiction, and the
visual arts
· cross-cultural or global constructions of
fatness and fat bodies
· cultural, historical, or philosophical
meanings of fat and fat bodies
· portrayals of fat individuals and groups
in news, media, magazines
· fatness as a social or political identity
· fat acceptance, activism, and/or pride
movements and tactics
· approaches to fat and body image in
philosophy, psychology, religion,
sociology
· fat children in literature, media, and/or
pedagogy
· fat as it intersects with race, ethnicity,
class, religion, ability, gender,
and/or sexuality
· history and/or critique of diet books and
scams
· functions of fatphobia or fat oppression
in economic and political systems
By November 15, 2006, please send an
abstract of 250 words or a completed
paper to
the
Fat Studies area co-chairs, Stefanie Snider (
ssnider@...)
and
Lesleigh Owen
(
goddess_les@...).
Please include your complete contact
information, and a CV and/or 50 word bio,
along with anticipated A/V needs.
Completed papers for those accepted will be
due to Stefanie Snider by March 1,
2007. Presenters must become members
of the Popular Culture Association. Find
more information on the conference
and organization at
http://www.popularculture.org.
