CFP

We invite papers from Stony Brook PhD students for 15 – 20 minute presentations for a panel on Asian American comics art and graphic narratives.
Even in the age of ethnic studies and diversity programs across academia, invidious comparisons between racial and ethnic groups and fear-mongering
of people of color are thriving in popular culture. All eyes are on China as its rise in the world economic and technology markets predict an undeniable shift in global powers; news reports that minority students are now the new majority in American colleges and universities are cast in ominous undertones; tens of thousands of people downloaded Google’s app, “Make Me an Asian,” that
perpetuates long-held stereotypes of Asians; and the Pew Research Center’s recent publication of its demographic study of Asians in the US, titled “The Rise of Asian America,” fuels “yellow peril” notions yet again.  Popular culture forms, such as comic books, offer a compelling perspective on America’s evolving
racial and cultural perceptions of Asians.

The symposium is connected to an exhibit on representations of Asians in American comic books, called “Marvels & Monsters: Unmasking Asian Images in US Comics, 19421986.”  This traveling exhibit highlights the William F. Wu Collection at the NYU Fales Library & Special Collections, the largest archive of its kind <http://www.nyu.edu/about/newspublications/news/2011/05/24/thewilliamfwucollectionatnyufaleslibrarymarvelsandmonstersmay26.
html>.  The exhibit juxtaposes historical images with insights from contemporary Asian American writers and artists, including Ken Chen, Larry Hama, David Henry Hwang, Vijay Prashad, and Gene Luen Yang, among others, creating a dialogue between past and present popular culture.

The symposium program will examine graphic images of Asians in a variety of cultural forms (manga, film, video, social media).

Topics may include:
● Graphic narratives on globalization, empire, war, colonialism, immigration, diaspora, racialization.
● Pedagogical issues: teaching graphic novels, student responses and experiences in the classroom.
● Creating graphic narratives: working in the genre as an artist, publishing graphic novels, readership.

Submissions should be made electronically to Janet Clarke, janet.clarke@stonybrook.edu, Associate Director for Research & Instruction, University Libraries. (631) 632-1217.

Deadline: February 14, 2014.

The symposium and exhibit are presented by the University Libraries and made possible by a grant from the Presidential Mini-Grant for Diversity Initiatives.  Generous support is provided by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, ​​Cultural Analysis & Theory, Center for Korean Studies, Asian American Center, and the Charles B. Wang Center.