The Graduate Students in English Interdisciplinary Conference 2025 calls for papers on the theme of "Approaching Dystopia" for the conference, set for April 5-6, 2025.

What does a dystopian society look like? Feel like? Are we already halfway to becoming one? This theme selected by the GSE Organization seeks to answer these questions and much more by exploring what it means to be in a society that is "approaching dystopia" and the term's various qualities. This event is an interdisciplinary conference that aims to collect proposals from a wide variety of scholars in differing fields of study.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to):

• Literature and the environment (natural disasters, ecocritical theory)
• Digital humanities and AI takeover
• Intersections of feminist theory and dystopian societies
• Intersections of queer theory and dystopian societies
• Intersections of disability studies and dystopian societies
• Intersections of religious studies and dystopian societies
• Intersections of critical race theory and dystopian societies
• Generational trauma
• Medical humanities (epidemics, pandemics, COVID-19, eugenics, etc.)
• Dystopian themes in video games
• Dystopian themes in film/television
• Dystopian young adult literature
• Dystopian graphic novels

Proposals for papers and group panels should include:

• Your name
• Preferred email address
• School affiliation and
• 250-350 word abstract describing your topic for the conference.

​Abstracts should be submitted by Feb. 2, 2025, to UARKGSE2025@gmail.com. This conference is free to all current undergraduate and graduate students attending the U of A, as well as faculty of the university. Submissions outside of the U of A system will, if selected, pay a registration fee of $25.

In addition to the paper and panel sessions, the conference will include a keynote address and other planned activities.

Writing Contest

The Graduate Students in English will also be sponsoring a writing contest for submissions to the conference. The following awards will be granted:

• Best Undergraduate Paper
• Best Graduate Paper
• Best Creative Work
• Best in Show

The winner of these awards will be provided with a prize (to be determined), and the recipients will be announced during the keynote address that takes place within the conference (winners must present at the conference and attend the keynote address in order to receive their prize). Contest submissions (final drafts) must be submitted by email attachment to UARKGSE2025@gmail.com by Feb. 2, 2025. All submissions that are not chosen for an award will still be considered for presentation spots in the conference.

All questions regarding the conference should be directed to Emily Birtwistle at ebb006@uark.edu.