Contrary to common perceptions, science and the humanities are not at odds with each other, but have been sustained by each other’s unique perspectives and approaches for centuries, across various genres and mediums. In many cases, scientists and creators have worked in tandem with an interdisciplinary focus to perfect both fields by integrating the same methods of control, determination, perception, curiosity, inquiry, analysis and replicability.
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Sometimes, these two approaches have been embodied through the same person, as evident in literary anthologies such as Great Science Fiction by Scientists, in which practicing scientists attempt to capture the human struggle with science in a technologically advanced age with the help of a unique interdisciplinary approach that recontextualizes the past, situates and comprehends the present, and speculates about the future. In other cases, artistic mediums have been created or transformed solely through technological advances, such as the invention of new narrative methods to document each step of this growth. This beneficial symbiosis has created a literary world where scientists and authors draw inspiration from each other’s accomplishments, where the same creativity fuels both scientific discovery and artistic expression.
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This conference will address the various ways in which the interconnectedness between science, technology, imaginative power, culture and humanity are reflected through representations of American culture and literature.
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Proposals may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
• American fiction/visual arts influenced by scientific and technological advances
• Representations of scientific fields (the natural sciences, mathematics, economics, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, ecology, statistics, engineering, archaeology, anthropology, social sciences, medicine, environmental science, political science, culinary science, etc.) in American literature and culture
• American literature and culture and the digital humanities
• Science and technology in American film and television
• The role of American fiction in the development of science and technology
• Representations of science and technology in American detective fiction
• Narratives of science and technology in American nature writing
• Interrelationships between the history of science and American literature
• Narratives of scientific and/or technological inventions and explorations in American literary and cultural texts
• Narratives about the discoveries of renowned American scientists and inventors
• Life writings (diaries, memoirs, letters, autobiographical & biographical narratives) of American scientists and inventors
• Narratives of space technology in American culture and literature
• Representations of science and technology museums in American literary and cultural texts
• Narratives of moral/ethical responsibilities/dilemmas of American scientists and inventors
• Representations of science and technology in American speculative fiction, such as science fiction, utopian fiction, dystopian fiction, and apocalyptic narratives
• New emerging narratives made possible by science and technology (video games, multi-media short stories, novels, plays, etc.)
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We ask interested MA and PhD students to send 250-word abstracts and one paragraph bios to the organizing committee (ASDTurkey.graduate@gmail.com) by February 1st, 2022.
