CFP: Neurodivergent Studies (Nov. 30 deadline)
Popular Culture Association, April 16-19, 2025, New Orleans, Louisiana
While this CFP is for any topic in the new and growing field of Neurodivergent Studies, I’m posting it here because Colleen and I have discussed putting together a co-sponsored session, or sessions, at the 2025 PCA/ACA conference.
Here is my CFP for the PCA Tolkien Studies Area. If you are interested on presenting on neurodivergence in Tolkien’s legendarium; or in the adaptations, transformative works, or translations; or in the reception of Tolkien’s legendadrium (or adapatations, etc.), this is your chance!
You can read more about the conference and how to propose your work at my CFP; you can also read more about the PCA in general at the organization website. Please submit your proposal to the Neurodivergent Studies Subject Area: it will be easier to wrangle the program information in our database if all proposals go to the same Area!
If Tolkien Studies is not your major area of interest, there are over 100 Subject Areas that those interested in studying any aspect of “popular culture” can apply to and present in! Plus, New Orleans in April!
CFP: Neurodivergent Studies Deadline: November 30, 2024
“To be neurodivergent is to reclaim the pathologizing aspects of a long-term cognitive diagnosis and to reclaim one’s neuro-status as a possible position from which to claim resources, representation and recognition” (Stenning and Bertisldottir Rosqvist 1535).
The idea of neurodiversity – sparked by sociologist Judy Singer in the late 1990s – is centered around the idea of a biodiversity of the mind. Singer, whose mother and daughter were both autistic, believed that these differences in neuropresentation were merely natural variances that added to a richer psychological ecosystem. This was a pushback against the deficit model that had been the prevailing approach to neurological differences up until that point, and has since been used as a springboard for a self-advocacy movement. To be neurodiverse – neurodivergent – is to embrace one’s radical potential of being apart from the neurotypical status quo. It is also to reject the idea of this variance being a deficit.
Neurodivergent Studies presents an opening for rich conversations about diversity and inclusion in both popular culture and in academia, as we consider the current status of neurodivergent representation in modern culture. This area presents a space for #OwnVoices conversations and conversations on how to best support neurodivergent scholars.
Some potential topics could include:
Neurodivergence in popular media
Neurodivergence and/or madness
Neurodivergence and the social disability model
Neurodivergence and eugenics
Neurodivergent pedagogy
Neuroqueer media
Intersectional neurodivergence
Neurodivergent activism
But any topic related to the idea of neurodivergence is welcome! Papers from all fields or theoretical frameworks are welcome. Neurodivergent Studies welcomes papers from graduate and undergraduate students as well!
Please submit an abstract of 200-300 words to https://pcaaca.org/page/submissionguidelines by November 30.
Reach out to colleenetman@gmail.com with any questions!
We look forward to having you with us at PCA/ACA 2025!
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