08/25/2015

Performance Studies and Theatre Unit Call (CSCA 2016-Grand Rapids)

PERFORMANCE STUDIES & THEATRE INTEREST GROUP
Call for Papers and Panels

2016 Central States Communication Association (CSCA)

Annual Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan

April 13-17, 2016

Foundation

The Performance Studies and Theatre Interest Group invites all members of CSCA to submit competitive papers, interactive panels, and performances for innovative programming consideration at the 2016 CSCA conference to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our interest group focuses on performance as a method of communication inquiry and theater as an embodied and creative way of knowing and presenting information. We invite scholars to attend to these interests at multiple levels and welcome a variety of formats, including live or mediated performances, roundtable discussions, and spotlight sessions.

This year we would particularly like to extend our unit call to disciplinary fields that recognize the value of adopting a performance lens, presentations that explore performance in everyday life, and mediated elements of theatrical productions. In an effort to broaden the scope of the field we welcome a range of topics and encourage members to address issues related to the convention theme of Foundation. How does performance and theater scholarship function to re/shape the foundations of communication studies? How do digital technologies and the theatricality of everyday interaction shift our understanding of “foundational” performance themes? What populations benefit or suffer from traditional notions of “foundation”? We also strongly encourage the submission of panels that are co-sponsored with other CSCA units. Please contact the Interest Group Chairs for help coordinating co-sponsored panels.

Guidelines for Submission: 

Submit your papers, performance, installations, and panels exploring the variety of exciting scholarly and artistic work our members are developing. We remain interested in panels that explore relationships to other areas of communication such as rhetoric, intercultural studies, women's studies, the scholarship of teaching and learning, etc.

Please note the following directions for paper and panel proposals: 

• Papers: The interest group invites Debut and Contributed papers. These papers must be clearly marked "Debut" or "Contributed." ("Debut" means first time presentations at the graduate student level or higher at CSCA in any interest area. If you are uncertain if your paper qualifies as "Debut," include a brief statement about your history with presenting at CSCA and the planners will determine the correct category.) Papers must be electronically submitted as an attachment to the Interest Group Program Planner in MICROSOFT WORD format (no other word processing format will be accepted; papers will simply be returned). Debut and Contributed papers are assessed through a process of blind review. Consequently, it is your responsibility to be sure author(s) identity/ies are concealed. Author(s) name(s) and contact information are only to appear on the title page. Please strip the text of the paper of all identifying headers. Moreover, you must electronically strip the identifiers by deleting the author(s) name(s) from the page properties. Papers should not exceed 25 pages (including appendices and references). Only completed papers will be accepted for debut or contributed review. Awards will be given for the Top Contributed Paper and the Top Debut Paper. A Competitive Paper Submission Form must be submitted along with the paper. This form is located on the CSCA website: www.csca-net.org.
• Panels: The interest group welcomes submissions for panel proposals. Discussion panels and paper panels must be submitted using the respective forms located on the CSCA website: www.csca-net.org.
  
  Performances: We invite completed performance scripts to be evaluated for participation on a “Contributed Performances” panel. To be considered for the contributed performance session, please clearly stipulate “Contributed Performance” on the first page of the script (so it will not be confused with the contributed paper competition). This panel is designed for short (10-15 minute) solo or duo performances. Performances must be electronically submitted as an attachment to the Interest Group Program Planner in MICROSOFT WORD format (no other word processing format will be accepted; papers will simply be returned).  Only complete performance scripts will be accepted.  Please note all audio/visual and presentation space requests (see below).  Please see “performance panel” below for information on how to submit longer performance work and multiple performances on a theme.
• Performance Panels:  We encourage submitters to consider a full-length one-person show, a full cast show, or a group of short (10-15 minute) thematically-related performances for the panel discussion submission type. Performance Panel Proposals must be submitted electronically as an attachment in MICROSOFT WORD to the Interest Group Program Planner. In this document, please include a list of the participants’ full names, institutional affiliations, contact information (phone, e-mail, and postal address) and designation of membership in CSCA or not for each participant, program chair, and the respondents. The panel needs a title and a brief abstract of the panel and each of the performances should be included.
• All audio-visual equipment requests must be submitted online with proposals at the time of submission to be accommodated. Include any requests for size and/or type of presentation space, especially for performances.  Please be as specific as possible about all equipment and space needs.

CSCA Outstanding Scholar in Performance Studies and Theatre Award

We are currently seeking nominations for the Central States Communication Outstanding Scholar in Performance Studies and Theatre Award.* This award is given to a scholar who has made significant contributions to performance studies and theater scholarship, and has been a significant contributor to/from the Central States region. The award recipient will receive recognition, and her/his work will be featured at a conference session. Please send a letter of nomination that includes a brief history of this individual's work, a justification for awarding this individual, and a description of the contributions made by this individual to the association. Also please include a copy of the nominee's C.V. Self-nominations are also encouraged. Letters must be received by Friday, September 5, 2015 (please note the earlier deadline).

*Previous Award winners

2003: Ronald Pelias, Southern Illinois University


2004: Ronald Shields, Bowling Green University



2005: Craig Gingrich-Philbrook, Southern Illinois University



2006: Sheron J. Dailey, Indiana State University



2007: Elyse Pineau, Southern Illinois University



2008: Linda Park-Fuller, Arizona State University



2009: Nathan Stucky, Southern Illinois University



2010: Tami Spry, St. Cloud State University 


2011: Jim Ferris, University of Toledo

2012: Jonathan Gray, Southern Illinois University

2013: No Scholar Awarded

2014: M. Heather Carver, University of Missouri

The deadline for paper, panel, and performance submissions is Friday, October 3, 2015.

Send all submissions in Microsoft Word as attachments to the following:

Hunter H. Fine
hf234@humboldt.edu