September 8-9, 2012: Fall Forward, Part Five

[I’m on my first sabbatical this fall, and will be working on a bunch of different projects. All of them could benefit from the input and ideas of my fellow American Studiers, and so this week I’ll be blogging about a handful of those projects and asking for your contributions (not financial, it’s a paid sabbatical). I’d love to hear your thoughts! And please feel free to share some of what you’re working on too, so I can return the favor.]

On three ways to get involved with the New England American Studies Association.

I’ve written a lot about NEASA in this space, of course, including numerous posts on last fall’s conference at Plimoth Plantation and this spring’s colloquium at the House of the Seven Gables. For this fall’s conference (to be held on October 12-13 at the University of Rhode Island’s Providence campus) I have passed the organizational baton to the current president, Sara Sikes, her co-vice presidents Elif Armbruster and Akeia Benard, and a great conference committee; but that doesn’t mean I won’t stay connected to NEASA this fall (I hope to have such a connection throughout my career), nor that I won’t keep pimping the organization here. To wit, here are three ways you can and should further your own connection to NEASA, wherever you live and work:

1)      The Pre-Conference Blog: Just as we did last year, we’re hosting a pre-conference blog where many of the conference’s speakers and participants are sharing their work and ideas ahead of October’s conversations. There are already a ton of really interesting posts up, on many different aspects of digital humanities and American Studies. Check ‘em out, add comments and responses, and keep coming back over the next couple months!

2)      The conference itself:  Is shaping up very nicely, including a full and diverse program, great keynote and plenary panels, a Friday evening reading and event, and a lot more. All of that and many other details are at that link; just as was the case last year, we’re offering a $20 Attendee registration rate, so if you’re anywhere near Providence, please consider joining us in mid-October! But no matter where you are, we plan to have a significant online presence for the conference, including a Twitter feed and more. So keep your eyes on that space, this space, and the web’s American Studies and #dh spaces in general, and join us from everywhere!

3)      The year to come: Like many such organizations, NEASA depends for its continued existence and strength on the participation and voices of as large and diverse a group of American Studiers as possible. For some of that you’d need to be in New England, and so partly I’m speaking to you guys—consider joining the NEASA Council! Watch this space and come to the spring colloquium (wherever it is and whatever it ends up focusing on)! But increasingly, organizations like this are digital and online as well, and so if you want to take part, not just in the fall’s efforts but in all that NEASA does moving forward, you can and should do so from anywhere in the world. Email me (brailton@fitchburgstate.edu) for more info about any of this, or if you’re interested in adding your voice right now, and thanks!

Next series next week,

Ben

PS. What are you working on this fall?

9/8 Memory Day nominee: Joshua Chamberlain, for all of that and for his inspiring life beyond.

9/9 Memory Day nominee: Otis Redding, who in his tragically short life created some of the most compelling and powerful American music of the century.