The central Congress organizers and their partners at the University of Alberta for Congress 2021 are committed to offering an excellent Congress, with many opportunities for collaborations across societies and new ways to connect with old friends. They are still deciding on how to best deliver on this promise in the context of COVID-19 and are exploring all options, including investigating some of the latest technologies to offer us a range of possibilities. They are talking about making this a groundbreaking event. They promise a clear announcement about the format for Congress 2021 (i.e. virtual, in-person, or hybrid) by November 1st. Like most associations, the BSC/SbC is moving forward on the assumption that it will be a virtual conference, running on shortened days to accommodate both time zones and ZOOM fatigue. We are interested in offering traditional panels, but also in exploring new formats for presentations and new ways of arranging panels, so we will be happy to discuss wide-ranging options with presenters as the planning process unfolds, and hope to offer an exciting and innovative program.
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND BOOK STUDIES IN CANADA
Call for Papers: Relations of the Book
On the 31st of May and 1st of June 2021, bibliographical and book studies researchers will gather remotely for the virtual Annual Conference of the Bibliographical Society of Canada at Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, hosted by the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. We encourage multidisciplinary engagement that explores the relations of books in connecting peoples, communities, cultures, and ways of knowing, while forming inclusive visions for bibliographical and book studies.
In recognition of our gathering in Edmonton, proposals that address aspects of the history, literature and book culture of the Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/ Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community, or consider the wider Congress theme of Northern Relations, are particularly encouraged.
To explore the conference theme, proposals for papers and panels are invited in the following subject areas:
1. the decolonization and anti-racism of bibliographical and book studies to redress gaps in representation, approach and/or genre;
2. the evolution of publishing within the diverse minority linguistic, ethnic, and cultural groups in Canada and the challenges faced by researchers who seek to document this output;
3. explorations of the many diverse approaches to book culture through historical, literary, cultural, sociological, technological, and bibliographical studies;
4. confronting the histories of diverse communities of readers, writers, printers, and publishers;
5. the responsibility of libraries, archives, and museums to diverse communities in the preservation and access of texts beyond the book and traditional knowledge formats;
6. the role played by Canadian small presses and campus literary journals in giving voice to previously unheard voices and as a learning venue for future writers and publishers; and
7. investigations of social media and digital texts to bridge studies of publishing, readerships, and authorship across bibliographical and book studies.
Please submit a 250-word abstract proposal and brief biography in English or in French (including your full name, professional designation, institutional affiliation or place) no later than 11 January 2021 to proposals@bsc-sbc.ca.