Deadline Extended: International Expositions: Looking to the Past, Seeing the Future

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ISIE is a new global interdisciplinary network of researchers interested in the design, promotion, reception, and consequence of the world’s fairs and expositions held since 1851. Though rooted in the history of architecture, science, diplomacy, art, and technology, members hail from many disciplines and all those interested in exploring the many intersecting aspects of international expositions are welcome.

The 2022 symposium will bring scholars and enthusiasts together to generate new ideas about the history and legacy of international expositions. Organizers seek to emphasise new and developing strategies for research, curation, and preservation to maximize outreach opportunities. Organizers want to facilitate both scholarly and popular understandings of the significance of these global events that serve as mirrors of concurrent (both real and visionary) political, cultural, and technological conditions of the times in which they were held. The aim is that participants will leave the symposium with both new understandings and insights into the study of expositions as well as stronger connections to the global community of scholars from a vast range of disciplines involved in the study of expositions.

In addition to paper sessions, the symposium will include a roundtable event focused on the Institute, as well as opportunities to informally socialize and network with others sharing related interests. Organizers also invite those interested in the study of world’s fairs to become involved in the future development of ISIE.

Organizers especially welcome proposals for individual papers that address any of the six core themes of the 2022 symposium:

  1. ‘Unbuilt Visions’: What Could Have Been
  2. Traces: Re-evaluating the Exposition City
  3. Expositions as Geo-political Spaces
  4. Visions of the Future
  5. Digital Preservation and Reconstruction
  6. Yes, They Are Still Held!

Paper proposals that do not fit into one of the six themes may be considered for inclusion in an open session. We also plan to hold a lightning session for those in the early stages of a relevant research project. Interested graduate students may submit a proposal for consideration to either a paper or lightning session. If you would like to discuss your paper proposal prior to submission, please contact the relevant program committee member.

The deadline for paper proposals has been extended to 31 October 2021. To submit a proposal, please send a 250-300 word abstract that identifies the area in which it should be considered (specify specific session theme, open session, or lightning session) and a 2-page CV to the conference through the website. You must be registered for the symposium by 28 February 2022 to be eligible to present at the event.

More information and the full call for papers can be found on the symposium website.

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