Academic disciplines must finally come to terms with the practice of conferencing and why (or if) conferences are necessary for participation in academic discourse. This year demands that we question the very core of the conference as a genre of academic life.
Many conferences that have historically denied presenters the opportunity to present virtually are now all virtual. This means that, on one hand, conferencing is more accessible than it ever has been. On the other hand, disciplines still have yet to reimagine other possibilities.
Many CFPs consist of time constraints that place burdens on graduate students, disabled students and faculty, and junior faculty who already face steep requirements for tenure and promotion portfolios. Many deadlines for submission are still not flexible or attainable.
How can we reimagine conferencing itself? How can we reimagine convening beyond the limitations of time-strained CFPs and expensive conference registration fees? While our conferences may not be held in fancy downtown Hiltons this year, many of the exclusionary practices remain.
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