This is MAPACA’s Early November 2017 newsletter. The next conference is November 9-11, 2017 (Philadelphia, PA).
#mapaca17 Events
Garces Foundation Roundtable! Truly a City of Brotherly Love: Join us on Thursday, November 9th, at 4:45 pm for a session immediately before the DIA Q&A with Chef Garces where an interdisciplinary panel will come together to talk about immigration, activism, health, and education. Jose Garces is best known for his culinary expertise, but he has also leveraged his celebrity status to benefit the underserved in Philadelphia. Executive Director Robin Morris and more will be on hand to answer questions about the foundation’s work. Feel free to bring questions for the participants!
Reading Terminal Market Tour with Carolyn Wyman: Back by popular demand! Join the Food & Culture area Friday, November 10, at noon for famous Philadelphia Foodie Carolyn Wyman’s reprise of her tour of the Reading Terminal Market. Wyman is the author of seven food books including the Great Philly Cheesesteak Book, Better than Homemade, and definitive biographies of Spam, Jell-O, and chocolate chip cookies. Wyman has appeared on NPR and Rosie O’Donnell, as well as been the subject of a great many published interviews. She might even be persuaded to share her recipe for “clothes dryer shrimp”! Following the half-hour tour, Wyman will be available at the Welcome Desk to discuss market history and provide information about popular Reading Terminal Market eateries. The Reading Terminal Market is just a 15-minute walk from the Sonesta. It can also be reached quickly via public transportation septa.org. We will meet by 12:00 in front of the Market Welcome Desk at 12th and Filbert. Cost for this event is $10 (payable to MAPACA at the conference check-in desk), and there will be time for lunch on your own after the tour. Late-comers should join the tour in progress and feel free to stay after for further discussion.
High-Density Popular Culture Crash Course Session: This high-density session will feature several 5-minute micro-presentations about current popular culture topics in a “crash course” about new and interesting phenomena. Since many attendees often spend the majority of their conference time attending presentations related to only one or a few areas, this special session will offer a chance to learn about a diverse range of topics meant to inform popular culture scholars beyond their specific research interests. Join us Saturday, November 11th, from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm in Wyeth C.
Theatre Games! A Special Session: Free your mind through play and interact with your colleagues in new ways! Join play scholar and educational theatre professor Nan Smithner and play scholar and performer Erin Heisel as they lead the group through vocal and theatre exercises, games, and even a little music-making! We’ll explore, discuss, and have fun subverting the “academic” aspects of conference-going by making space for the freedom of play. Co-sponsored by the Play Studies and Musical Theatre areas. Join us Friday, November 10th, from 4:45 pm to 6:00 pm in the Warhol Room. All welcome!
Grad Student Social: Grad students! An event for grad student conference attendees will be held at the ArtBar, in the lobby of the Sonesta, from 8:30-10:30 PM on Thursday, November 9. After enjoying the MAPACA reception in the Wyeth Ballroom Foyer, head downstairs for an informal hangout. Grab a drink or a snack at the ArtBar, catch up with your conference buddies, and make new friends!
Philadelphia Area Events of Interest
Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival: The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival kicks off November 9th, 2017 in Philadelphia. After a day full of #mapaca17 programming, consider taking in a film and keeping the conversation on popular and American culture going! The Philadelphia Asian film festival is a nonprofit committed to education and exposing the Philadelphia region to films by and about Asian Americans. For more information visit the website.
The Rosenbach’s Dracula Programming: The Rosenbach is a Rare Book Library and Historic House with many holdings that crossover into popular culture studies, including a Frankenstein/Dracula exhibition, which is currently on view. This week the Rosenbach has Dracula programming that coincides with #mapaca17. On Thursday, November 9th, the Journal of Dracula Studies will host a release party for their new issue at the Rosenbach from 6 pm to 8 pm. On Friday, November 10th, a Dracula-themed cocktail party will be held. If you did not sign up for the #mapaca17 dinner, you may want to check this out! More info can be found here.
#mapaca17 Book Room
This year’s exhibitors’ space will feature tables from Intellect Books, Palgrave MacMillan, Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication, and MAPACA’s very own journal Response. Be sure to visit the Homer Room during our coffee/tea breaks to browse the great selection and chat with the representatives. And, while you are there, you can even charge your device with our complementary power strips!
#mapaca17 Sustainability
In an effort to embrace sustainable practices, in addition to the paper program opt-in option, we ask you to reuse badge holders from past conferences to help us cut down on conference waste. We will also have a box for you to drop off your badge holder for re-used next year and a box to drop off your print program for re-use and recycling this year. Thank you for your efforts in supporting MAPACA’s sustainability practices!
#mapaca17
Find MAPACA on Twitter and Facebook, connect with others using #mapaca17, and don’t forget to explore mapaca.net for conference details.