Enhancing Your Studies — Department of Classical and Modern Languages

CONFERENCES

Plan now to participate in a conference by keeping an eye out for CFPs (Calls for Papers) and working with your professors to develop one of your seminar papers into a proposal. Here below are four local or regional conferences of interest to students in languages, literatures and cultures. Check professional society websites for additional conferences. Some conference travel funding may be available through the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and the Graduate Network in Arts and Sciences.

Louisville Conference on Literature & Culture Since 1900

The Louisville conference has become an international event attracting more than six hundred participants annually. Scholars in all languages and literatures are invited to submit proposals on any topic pertaining to literature and culture since 1900. The Conference also welcomes submissions by creative writers. Reading committees select the best critical and creative works; the papers are then grouped for presentation at sectional meetings held on our campus. The conference also hosts national and international Group Societies. Each year the Conference features keynote presentations by distinguished authors and critics. (For full call for papers, go to the The Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture since 1900 website.)

University of Louisville Graduate Conference in Humanities

Sponsored by the PhD in Humanities Program and the Association of Humanities Academics at the University of Louisville. This conference encourages a multi-disciplinary approach to examining issues central to the study of the Humanities. For more information, contact the Director of the Humanities Doctoral Program. (Conference generally held in March/April.)

Kentucky Foreign Language Conference

One of the US's major foreign language conferences, the KFLC is held annually at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Fields represented include French and Francophone Literature, Hispanic Studies (Peninsular, Spanish American, Hispanic Linguistics), and Second Language Acquisition. (For full call for papers, go to the KFLC website.)

Cincinnati Conference on Romance Languages and Literatures

Founded in 1980-81 as one of the first graduate student conferences in the US, the Cincinnati Conference on RLL is held annually at the University of Cincinnati. Covers all aspects of the Romance languages and literatures. (For the full call for papers, go to the CCRLL website.)

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

Modern Language Association (MLA)

Founded in 1883, the MLA provides opportunities for its members to share their scholarly findings and teaching experiences with colleagues and to discuss trends in the academy. MLA members host an annual convention and other meetings, work with related organizations, and sustain one of the finest publishing programs in the humanities. For over a hundred years, members have worked to strengthen the study and teaching of language and literature. The MLA holds an annual meeting in January of each year. Deadline for submission of proposals falls in March.

American Council of Teachers of Foreign Language (ACTFL)

ACTFL is the only national organization dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction. ACTFL is an individual membership organization of more than 9,000 foreign language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry. Deadline for submission of proposals falls in January.

American Association of Teachers of French (AATF)

AATF was founded in 1927 and is the largest national association of French teachers in the world with nearly 10,000 members. Its purpose is to represent the French language in North America and to encourage the dissemination, both in the schools and in the general public, of knowledge concerning all aspects of the culture and civilization of France and the French-speaking world. The association produces two well-known publications: the French Review, a scholarly journal of French studies known the world over, and the National Bulletin, a newsletter devoted to the teaching and promotion of French and Francophone studies. (AAFT's annual conference falls in the summer.)

American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP)

Since its inception in 1917, AATSP has promoted the study and teaching of Hispanic, Luso-Brazilian, and other related languages, literatures, and cultures at all educational levels. Through an exchange of pedagogical and scholarly information, the AATSP encourages heritage and second-language study and supports projects to that end. AATSP's annual conference falls in the summer, with deadline for submission of proposals in the fall.

American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI)

The American Association of Teachers of Italian was founded in 1924 to promote the study of Italian language, literature, and culture in schools, colleges and universities in North America. It has approximately 1500 members worldwide. The Association publishes the quarterly journal, Italica, and a twice-yearly Newsletter. It sponsors seminars and workshops in the broad area of Italian studies and holds annual meetings, usually in conjunction with ACTFL but also in Italy. AATI is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research in all areas of Italian studies.

Latin American Studies Association (LASA)

The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) is the largest professional Association in the world for individuals and institutions engaged in the study of Latin America. With over 7,000 members, forty-five percent of whom reside outside the United States, LASA is the one Association that brings together experts on Latin America from all disciplines and diverse occupational endeavors, across the globe.

Linguistic Society of America (LSA)

The Linguistic Society of America (LSA) was founded in 1924 to advance the scientific study of language. Linguistics has developed dramatically in the intervening years, greatly expanding the understanding of human language. Deadline for submission of abstracts falls in July.

American Translators Association (ATA)

The mission of the ATA is to benefit translators and interpreters by promoting recognition of their societal and commercial value, facilitating communication among all its members, establishing standards of competence and ethics, and educating both its members and the public. The ATA holds an annual conference in the fall.