By emphasizing access, organizers expanded participation and welcomed participants worldwide, connecting students, researchers, and renowned experts in conversations
For the first time in its 33-year history, the North American Society for the Study of Romanticism (NASSR) held its annual conference entirely online. From Aug. 14 to 16, AU's Centre for Humanities, in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, hosted the annual conference. Titled Romanticism’s Commons, the event brought together about 175 attendees and included scholars from around the world, from master’s students to internationally acclaimed researchers.
The event was organized by Centre for Humanities professors Dr. Mark A. McCutcheon, Dr. David Buchanan, and Dr. Frits Pannekoek, Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies student Seanna Wright, and Centre for Humanities chair Dr. Jolene Armstrong.
Opened by dean Dr. Manijeh Mannani, the conference subject matter prompted a wealth of imaginative and incisive presentations of research on the myriad ways in which literature intervenes in and contributes to culture and society generally, and, specifically, current crises of ecology and economy.
Featured keynote talks were shared by Dr. Shelby Johnson, assistant professor at Oklahoma State University and author of The Rich Earth Between Us, and by Dr. Joseph Albernaz, assistant professor at Columbia University and author of Common Measures. These two rising scholars' talks shared key commonalities, like a decolonial approach.
At every step we designed the conference for accessibility and inclusivity.
Dr. Mark McCutcheon
Conference opportunity like no other
“We've already got some solid, positive feedback about the design of our online conference from some senior NASSR members, from delegates who required specific accommodations, from lots of our graduate student delegates, and, of course, from all who might've otherwise had to cross international borders to attend,” said McCutcheon. “At every step we designed the conference for accessibility and inclusivity."
For instance, the organizers scheduled longer than usual sessions to allow for unhurried troubleshooting and slow, deep scholarship. This conference also charged far lower than usual registration fees, for greater accessibility.
A university Like No Other
Athabasca University is a university like no other, uniquely focused on the core priorities of access, community, and opportunity.