Council of Writing Program Administrators

The Composition and Rhetoric Area of the PCA/ACA seeks papers/projects addressing the intersection of Popular Culture with Composition studies and/or Rhetoric, as each of these terms can be most broadly construed. We are interested in popular representations of writing, rhetoric, and instruction in both, as well as the composed or rhetorical nature of culture as expressed in popular artifacts. Topics include, but are not limited to:

* Composition and rhetoric in literature * Composition and rhetoric in film * Rhetorical analysis of literature, film, popular music * Rhetorics of difference (feminisms, queer studies, racial and ethnic studies), especially as related to popular culture * Rhetorics of news media * Rhetorics of politics and political campaigns (especially the 2008 presidential primaries) * Rhetorics of warfare * Rhetorics of protest/social causes * Propaganda * Advertising * Rhetorics of religion * Rhetorics practiced by specific groups (the military, social classes or groups, academics)

This list should be considered suggestive rather than definitive; any paper positioned in the intersection of culture, rhetoric, and composition studies will be strongly considered.

We are also keenly interested in the intersection of rhetoric and technology and media?the ways in which popular technologies/media (tions) shape the rhetorics of argumentation, persuasion, and culture. Papers considering the three-way intersection of rhetoric, culture, and technology/media are encouraged.

Alternative session formats will be considered. Please explain format and what is to be gained from this format in your abstract. A/V equipment will be limited to TV monitors and DVD players; there is a possibility of a limited number of monitors with VGA inputs (for PowerPoint presentations and the like), though this is not guaranteed.

Graduate student submissions are welcome. Professors/instructors are invited to present with their graduate and undergraduate students. Limited support for graduate student and international travel is available on a competitive basis see http://www.pcaaca.org/ for more information.

For individual submissions, please send 250 word abstract (with title) and contact information (email address, at least one postal address, at least one telephone number).

For panel submissions, please send 250 word panel abstract (with panel and paper titles) plus 100 word abstract of each paper and contact information (as above) for each participant.

For more information on the conference or the organizations, visit: http://www.pcaaca.org/

DEADLINE: Please send abstracts by November 9, 2007.

Address queries to Michael Kapper at pcarhetcomp AT gmail DOT com.

Submit proposals at pcarhetcomp AT gmail DOT com.

Please send submissions by email as .doc, .rtf, or .pdf attachments. Microsoft "Open" XML (.docx) files will be returned for resubmission.

If all else fails, you may also send your printed submission, by post, to:

Michael Carlson Kapper Assistant Professor of English Humanities Division Lees-McRae College P O Box 128 Banner Elk, NC 28604-0128

Please note that electronic submission is the strongly preferred method of submission. Thank you!