Proposed Panel for the Annual Meeting of the
American Studies Association
Detroit, Michigan
11-14 October 2000
This panel will examine the tension between propriety and excess
on
television talk shows. A genre often charged with obscene, tasteless
excess, talk shows, ironically, chastise unseemly guests who exceed
the
boundaries of good taste, staging scenes that normalize decorous
public
behavior; curtail physical, sartorial, sexual, or recreational
immoderation; reject liminality; and impose publically suitable
racial,
sexual, and class boundaries.
Papers might address tactics that induce gender-appropriate
behavior in
women and girls (makeovers, confessions, pageants, boot camp);
the
spectacle of transexual, transgendered, or intersexual guests;
"indecent"
sexualities or fantasies; gay, lesbian, and/or bisexual love triangles;
generic conventions that impose or hamper decorum (expert opinions,
staged
apologies, humiliating surprise guests, body guards); studio and
viewing
audience participation; morally questionable or morally superior
hosts;
racialization and inappropriate language(s); unruly animals; "freaks";
inappropriate social and class mobility; broadcasting practices
and
censorship.
Papers on talk show offshoots (Forgive and Forget, Love
Connection,
Change of Heart, etc.) are welcome. Discussions may consider
network,
cable, cable-access, or local public television in Mexico, Canada,
the
Caribbean, or US. Multimedia and online formats encouraged. Submissions
are invited from all disciplines.
Please send a 500-word abstract and 1-2 page cv to Nancy San
Martin at
nancysm@cats.ucsc.edu
by January 10, 2000. To facilitate submission of
the panel proposal, please indicate audio-visual needs. No attachments
please. Electronic submissions only.
Please note that all participants must register for the annual
meeting of
the American Studies Association and be members of the ASA or
one of its
international or regional US affiliates.
Nancy San Martin
History of Consciousness
University of California, Santa Cruz
nancysm@cats.ucsc.edu
http://www2.ucsc.edu/woc/ASAnsm.html