CFP: The 15th annual convention of the Association for Studies of Culture and Representation (Waseda University)

The Association for Studies of Culture and Representation (ASCR) will hold its 15th annual convention on 3-4 July 2021. The convention was originally planned to take place at Waseda University, but with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 in consideration, the ASCR has decided to hold it online via Zoom, in order to keep our members safe and provide an equal opportunity for participation. Yet, the symposium is to be held at Waseda University (the ASCR will announce later if the symposium is also broadcast real-time). Panel sessions will be appropriately scheduled either on 3 or on 4. We invite members to submit proposals for panel sessions. If you plan to organize a panel session, please follow the guideline below and send your proposal to the Program Committee.

The Association, founded in 2006, is an organization dedicated to promoting interdisciplinary studies of the humanities. Centring on the concept of representation, we cover a wide variety of fields that have largely been neglected by conventional academia. We also encourage communication between creators and academics.


GUIDELINE

1. Panel Sessions

Each panel session will be allotted 120 minutes and should include three speakers and a commentator, plus the chairperson, who may or may not be one of the speakers/commentator. Each speaker will be given 20 minutes, with the remainder of the time for comments, questions and answers. The main organizer of the panel can be a speaker, the commentator or the chairperson.

2. Proposal Types

A. If you already have a panel theme and participants, please use Form A.
Proposal Form A

Proposal documents should be sent in attachment form via e-mail to kikaku@repre.org by 14 May. Please title the e-mail “Panel Proposal for the 15th Convention” and rename the file as “your surname.doc” (e.g. suzuki.doc).

Form A requires the following information:

  • Organizer’s name, affiliation, position and e-mail address
  • Panel title
  • Panel abstract (circa 200 words)
  • Each speaker’s name, affiliation and position
  • Each paper’s title with abstract of circa 200 words
  • Commentator’s name, affiliation and position
  • Chairperson’s name, affiliation and position

B. If you have a theme but do not yet have all of the panel participants, please use Form B.
Proposal Form B

Proposal documents should be sent in attachment form via e-mail to kikaku@repre.org by 6 May. Please title the e-mail “Panel Proposal for the 15th Convention” and rename the file as “your surname.doc” (e.g. suzuki.doc).

For Form B, please fill in all the boxes with the information that you already have, and leave the rest blank. The Program Committee will promptly announce the accepted proposals on the Association’s web site to call for participants in the open seat(s).

Applicants for the open seats must submit papers in attachment form via e-mail to kikaku@repre.org by no later than 6 May. The Program Committee will promptly go through the selection process and announce the result upon the advice from the panel organizer.

The session(s) with insufficient responses will be called off.

3. Proposal Deadline

14 May 2021 (Form A)
6 May 2021 (Form B)

4. Qualifications

The panel organizer must be an ASCR member. Non-member speakers and chairpersons are required to join the Association before the Convention begins. The panel organizer is responsible for confirming their agreement. Commentators do not have to be ASCR members.

5. Restrictions

Papers already presented or published elsewhere are not accepted. The panel proposal is limited to one session per person. Participants are allowed to join only one panel session of the same convention as speaker, commentator or chairperson. As a general rule, participants are required to be available throughout the two days.

6. Selection

The Program Committee will review proposals. Sessions with diversity in subject matter, methodology or participants’ background will be merited. Results will be sent by e-mail to every proposer by late May.

7. Language

Both Japanese and English are acceptable for the proposal form and panel sessions.

8. Broadcasting

Panel speakers will present their papers by using their own devices and connecting to the online platform the ACRC provides.

Panel speakers may meet together in such a place like a college classroom and broadcast their panel, insofar as they take appropriate safety measures, though the ASCR expects that they stay home and individually connect to the online platform. Also, panel speakers may have their conference room open to the public, insofar as they take appropriate safety measures; however, it is requested that questions and comments in the room are shared online. When the ASCR judges that the safety of attendees is not properly secured, the panel will be canceled.

9. Contact

Program Committee
kikaku@repre.org

10. Membership Fees

The Association enrolment fee is 1,000 yen. The annual membership fee is 10,000 yen for members and 5,000 yen for student members or category B members (members over 75 years old, part-time lecturers and unemployed researchers). For details, please visit http://www.repre.org/association/admission/

11. Digital Devices Grants

The ASCR will offer student members or category B members up to 5000 yen for purchasing digital devices such as webcams, headsets, and so on. However, as the ASCR sets up an online platform like Zoom, no grant is given to buy an account on any online platform. Basically, applicants will be reimbursed by presenting a receipt as a proof of purchase. Please let us know if you would like to apply for this grant when you submit a proposal.

12. Childcare

Childcare grants will be available for members who need childcare during the conference. Please let us know if you need childcare when you submit a proposal.

13. Accessibility

If you present a paper in Japanese Sign Language and need sign language interpretation, please contact the Program Committee.