Conferences
The Middle Atlantic American Studies (MAASA) and Great Lakes American Studies Association (GLASA) are pleased to announce the details relating to this year’s annual spring conference. The conference will be held on April 4-5, 2008 (Friday-Saturday) in Rochester, New York, at the Strong National Museum of Play. The venue is in perfect keeping with the theme of the conference: AMERICAN PLAY: SPORTS, GAMES, ENTERTAINMENT, AND FANTASY IN AMERICAN CULTURE.
Conference attendees will enjoy the following: free admission to the Strong Museum; a keynote address, to be delivered by Dr. Gary Cross, author of Kids' Stuff: Toys and the Changing World of American Childhood; three meals (Friday dinner and Saturday continental breakfast & lunch); a behind-the-scenes tour of the Strong Museum’s collections; and 16 panels devoted to exploring the subject of play in America. More specifically, panels will explore the Olympics, board games, the ethnography of child’s play, the spectacle in American life, consumerism of play, princess culture among girls, and college athletics. The Hyatt Regency of Rochester will offer conference-goers a discounted room rate (http://rochester.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp). For more information or to request a registration form, please contact Simon Bronner (sbronner@psu.edu) or John Haddad (jrh36@psu.edu).