37th International Conference
Perspectives on Contemporary Legend
International Society for Contemporary Legend Research
Memphis, TN, USA
Tuesday, June 25 – Saturday, June 29, 2019
The International Society for Contemporary Legend Research announces that the 2019 Perspectives on Contemporary Legend International Conference will be held in June 25 – 29, in Memphis, Tennessee. This year’s conference is also supported by Arkansas State University’s Heritage Studies Ph.D. Program, and special activities will include visits to the university’s Heritage Sites in the Arkansas Delta.
The 37th Perspectives on Contemporary Legend meeting will be organized as a series of seminars at which the majority of attendees will present papers. Concurrent sessions will be avoided so that all attendees can hear all papers. Presentations are generally 20 minutes in length with an additional 10 minutes for discussion, but other formats will be considered. Proposals for papers on all aspects of contemporary, urban, or modern legend research are sought, as are those on any legend-like tradition (rumor, conspiracy theories, fake news, etc.) that circulate actively at present or have circulated at an earlier historical period. Proposals for special panels, discussion sessions and other related events are encouraged.
To submit a proposal, please forward a title and abstract (250-300 words) by February 1, 2019 by e-mail (ghansen@astate.edu) to the organizing committee that consists of Rick Burns, William Clements, Gregory Hansen.
Send paper versions to:
ISCLR Coordinating Committee
C/o Dr. Gregory Hansen
Professor of Folklore & English
Department of English, Philosophy, & World Languages
College of Liberal Arts and Communication
Arkansas State University
PO Box 1890
State University, AR 72467
About the Venue
The conference will be held at the Center for Southern Folklore. The center has been a research and presentation hub for folklife since 1972. Conference attendees will meet some of the musicians who have participated in their annual Memphis Music and Heritage Festival and discover the documentary films, exhibits, and other media presentations that have been supported by the Center. The Center for Southern Folklore will also be a focal point for visitors who want to experience the sights and sounds of the city as it’s located near the legendary Beale Street and the host hotel, the historical Peabody. The organizers are including activities and tours before and after the conference, and visitors will have the chance to visit Graceland, Sun Studio, the STAX Museum of American Soul Music, and the National Civil Rights Museum – Lorraine Motel. Memphis is internationally known for its history, music, food, and museums. For more information visit: https://www.memphistravel.com
The conference will also introduce visitors to the history, culture, and heritage of the Arkansas Delta. Conference activities will include tours of Heritage Sites that Arkansas State University has developed in northeastern Arkansas communities. Mid-conference tours of the Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash and the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza will be included in the event, and conference attendees will also explore the regional culture of Arkansas through special presentations that connect Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi to the regional and cultural traditions of the area. For more information on the A-State Heritage Sites, see: http://arkansasheritagesites.astate.edu/
Detailed travel information can be found here.
We look forward to welcoming you to this conference and our annual reunion of researchers who work on this ever current subject!
Perspectives on Contemporary Legend
Perspectives on Contemporary Legend, the Meeting of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research, is held annually, historically alternating between North America in odd-numbered years and Europe in even. It is a small, convivial conference of scholars working on this dynamic field of inquiry.
Upcoming meetings
- 2019: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- 2020: Tarragona, Spain
Past meetings
- 2018: Brussels, Belgium
- 2017: Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
- 2016: Tallinn, Estonia
- 2015: San Antonio, Texas, USA
- 2014: Prague, Czech Republic
- 2013: Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- 2012: Göttingen, Germany
- 2011: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- 2010: Amsterdam, Holland
- 2009: Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada
- 2008: Dublin, Ireland
- 2007: Logan, Utah, USA
- 2006: Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2005: Athens, Georgia, USA
- 2004: Aberystwyth, Wales, UK
- 2003: Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada
- 2002: Sheffield, UK
- 2001: San Antonio, Texas, USA
- 2000: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
