Cultural Studies Works

A Conference Celebrating 20+ Years of Literary and Cultural Studies

Sponsored by the English Department and the CMU Alumni Office

Thursday, May 11th

10:00 AM to 12:00 AM Workshop (Swank Room)

“Publishing in Academia”

Eric Zinner, Editorial Director of NYU Press

2:00 PM to 3:45 PM Academic Panel (Swank Room)

Racing the Nation: Race and Globalization in Cultural Studies

Stephanie Batiste, Chair

Srila Nayak: “Bankimchandra’s Krsna-Charitra: Distinguishing Between History and Poetic History”

Salita Seibert: “Acting Black”

Tom Mitchell: “A White Boy Need a Black Boy to Win”

DJ Schuldt: “The Epic and the Secular: Tolkienist Heavy Metal”

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM Keynote Address (53A Baker Hall)

Eric Zinner

Editorial Director, NYU Press

CMU MA in Literary and Cultural Theory, 1992

6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Reception

Beer/Wine reception catered by Sweet Basil La Filipiana

SPACE Gallery Downtown

812 Liberty Avenue

Friday, May 12th

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Prof/Academic Panel (Swank Room)

Doctoring Philosophy: Pursuing Further Graduate Education and a Career in Academia

Chair: Peggy Knapp

Jonathan Weiss (Phd Student, History of Consciousness, UCSD)

Jad Smith (Professor of English, Eastern Illinois University)

Michael Dwyer (PhD Student, English, Syracuse University)

John Trenz (PhD Student, Film Studies, University of Pittsburgh)

Lizabeth Ketterer (PhD Student at the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon)

Mario Castagnaro (PhD Student, English, CMU)

Meg Voorhis (PhD Student, Michigan State Rhetoric and Writing)

10:45 AM - 12:15 Academic Panel (Swank Room)

Pornucopia: Sexualities in the Long Nineteenth Century

Jon Klancher, Chair

Rebecca May: “Morbid Parts: Gender, Violence and the Necro-Gaze”

Thora Brylowe: “Priapus and the Prudes: ancient Greek Vases in the Romantic Period”

David Cerniglia: “The Doctor Will See You Now: Victorian Pornography and the Discourse of Medicine”

12:15 - 1:30 Lunch

Mediterranean Buffet

H&SS Patio

1:30 - 3:00 PM Professional Panel (Swank Room)

Imagine This: Careers in Writing, the Arts, and Non-Profits

Kristina Straub, Chair

Matt Ewalt (Staff Writer/Photographer, Times-Observer, Warren, PA)

Coni Koepfinger (Local playwright and adjunct professor at Penn State, Carlow, Duquesne and Point Park)

Vijay Palaparty (Development Associate, August Wilson Center for African American Culture, and Bharatanatyam Dancer for Ancient Rhythms)

Mary Zimmerle (Worked for several years at the Taproot Foundation in SF; now is exploring career as trapeze artist!)

Tara Covelens (Executive Director of Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience PULSE)

Rachel Delphia (Curatorial Assistant for the Department of Decorative Arts at Carnegie Museum of Art)

Mike Scotto (MFA Student at CMU's School of Drama)

3:15 PM - 4:45 PM Academic Panel (Swank Room)

Working Narratives and Narratives of Work in Cultural Studies

David Shumway, Chair

Courtney Maloney: “Doing Cultural Studies on the Literature-Oriented Job Market.

Dan Markowicz: “Cultural Studies Works Because We Do

Sam Harr: “Cultural Studies and Literature: What Does It Mean?

6:00 PM to 9:30 PM Dinner

Catered by Green Mango

Hosted by Marian and Roy Aguiar at their home in Wilkinsburg

(Address and directions will be circulated)

Saturday May 13th

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Academic Panel (Swank Room)

What's New: Emerging Fields within Cultural Studies

Jeff Williams, Chair

Heather Steffen: “Cultural Studies Barks: Introducing Animal Studies”

Eric Vazquez: “Lechery: Pornography and The Jealousy of Cultural Studies”

Heather DiPrima: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine): Armageddon, Utopianism, and Post-Cold War Rhetoric in Pop Fiction”

10: 45 AM- 12:15 PM Professional Panel (Swank Room)

Welcome to the Real World: Careers in Teaching, Law, Libraries, Universities and Business

Michael Witmore, Chair

Elizabeth Anne Wack (Software Test Engineer, downtown Pittsburgh)

Keith Bryner (Staff, Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid, CMU)

Mark Walters (Public Services Cataloger and Assistant Professor, Georgetown College)

Elizabeth Bishop (English Teacher, Fordham High School for the Arts)

Jennifer Craig (FedEx Pittsburgh and some non-profit work)

Johnny Nelson (Inventory Manager, Half-Price Books, and working on getting teacher certification)

John Hursh (Leadership Development Associate for Coro Center for Civil Leadership)

12:15 PM to 2:00 PM Lunch and Wrap Up

H&SS Patio

Burritos Catered by Qdoba