Midwest Women's Caucus, Modern Language Association (M/MLA)

CALL FOR PAPERS
Midwest Women's Caucus, Modern Language Association (M/MLA)
November 3-6, 2011
St. Louis, Missouri
Proposals are due February 4, 2011; Final Panel Proposals are due March 4,
2011
Topic: Looking for the Humor in Women's Music
 Format: Presentations
 Facilitator: Patricia Rudden, New York City College of Technology, CUNY
Women in Popular Music: Taking It Light--For all the heavy messages women's
popular music has delivered, there has also been much fun along the way.
This session will explore the artists who have given us the comic songs,
satires, insult songs, telephone songs, game and dance songs, and novelty
songs and all other musical fun engaged in by the women of popular music.
Send proposals to Patricia S. Rudden, Professor of English by February 4,
2011.
New York City College of Technology - CUNY
300 Jay Street N512
Brooklyn NY 11201
718 260 5334

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Topic: Using Humor in the Feminist Classroom.
Format: Roundtable
Facilitator: Milton Wendland, University of Kansas
"God forbid we should have a sense of humor about these things..." Lesbian
feminist novelist Rita Mae Brown's words define a challenge for us today in
the feminist classroom. Studies show that classroom humor increases student
learning, helps creating classroom cohesion, enlivens "dreaded course
material," and is a way of countering resistance. How do we use humor in the
feminist classroom for these or other purposes? What sorts of humor are
(in)appropriate? In what ways does humor help us de-center power? Or not? In
what ways do you use hyperbole, exaggeration, jokes, satire, informality, or
other forms of humor as a pedagogical tool? This roundtable seeks real-life
examples, activities, and quandaries rather than formal presentation papers.
Presentations should be approximately 10-15 minutes in length, with time in
the facilitated roundtable session devoted to discussion among all
attendees. Send title of presentation along with brief description of
approximately 300 words to Milton Wendland at milton@ku.edu no later than
February 4, 2011.

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 Topic: No Sense of Humor . . . No, Seriously
   Format: Presentations
   Facilitator: Jeannie Ludlow, Eastern Illinois University
Humor is a powerful political tool; this session intends to examine how
humor has been used to further feminist goals:  empowering women,
dismantling gender norms, challenging patriarchy, etc. The Women's Caucus of
the M/MLA invites proposals for papers on any aspect of feminist humor in
literature, new media, film/TV, performance, daily life, etc. All
analytical/theoretical approaches are welcome, as are comparative
examinations of feminist humor across cultural, historical, or language
contexts. Please send a title and 250-word abstract to Jeannie Ludlow at
jludlow@eiu.edu no later than February 4, 2011.