Call for Proposals
The United States in East Asia
The 47th International Conference organized by
The American Studies Association of Korea (ASAK)
Seoul, South Korea
September 21-22, 2012

The American Studies Association of Korea (ASAK) is pleased to announce a conference on “The United States in East Asia” to be held in Seoul, South Korea, September 21-22, 2012.

The influence and reception of the United States has been anything but uniform across various regions of the globe. One of the regions in which the United States has been a marked presence is East Asia, a region that is fast rising to prominence in the new century. As of 2010, the three biggest economies of the region—Japan, South Korea, and China—account for 22.3% of the world population, 19.6% of global production, and 45.7% of international reserves. Every single one of these nations has witnessed dynamic and complex interactions with the United States: political and economic rivalries and cooperation, circulation of ideas and cultural practices, and exchanges in educational and social institutions. A truly interdisciplinary approach is called for to capture the sense of the United States as a geopolitical actor and a cultural imaginary in this region. Neither should we lose sight of the simultaneously local and transnational specificities of each East Asian nation, the disparate national contexts that resulted in radically different receptions of all things American.

Recognizing this intricacy, the 2012 ASAK conference aims to further the understanding of the US presence in East Asia by bringing together scholars from different parts of the world. Dialogue between specialists should deepen local, national, and transnational perspectives in the field of American Studies. Furthermore, the East Asian vantage point of the 2012 conference is an invitation to rethink the practice and methods of American Studies in the current world order. We welcome paper proposals in English or Korean from various disciplines on topics such as:

- Economic ties and political interests of the US in East Asia, and vice versa.
- Influence of U.S. economic policies and models, business corporations, and/or financial institutions
- Circulation and exchange of popular culture between the US and East Asia
- Appropriations of U.S. modes of fashion and food
- The impact of the U.S. in educational systems and orientations in East Asia
- Migrations of people, including “brain drainage”
- Representations of the US in the media, literatures, popular culture
- Phenomenon of English fever in East Asia
- Examples reflecting the importance of the U.S. presence in the region.
- American influences in education models and English language education
- Teaching of American literature, culture, and history
- East Asia in the US
- Asian American and/or Diasporic literature
- Comparative studies of the US in other nations or regions such as South Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and Europe

The above list is meant only to suggest a possible range of topics. We encourage proposals on other topics related to the overarching theme of the conference as well as to various disciplinary fields in American Studies and welcome all research methodologies and scholarly approaches. Interdisciplinary and interregional perspectives are particularly welcome. Graduate students also encouraged to submit proposals and participate in the conference.

Proposals may be submitted for individual papers or for sessions. Individual proposals should include a brief abstract of no more than 250 words and a one-page abbreviated CV. Session proposals should include a one-page proposal with title and topic for a session of 3 to 4 papers along with individual abstracts and bios. All proposals should be sent to the Organizing Committee at asakorea[at]gmail.com (replace [at] with @) by March 15, 2012. Each presentation is limited to 20 minutes, followed by discussion and Q&A.

Participants will be notified of the acceptance of their proposals by April 30, 2012, and will be responsible for their travel expenses including airfare and medical insurance. A registration fee of $100 for overseas participants (free for students) will cover accommodations for three nights and meals for two days during the conference. We appreciate your helping distribute this CFP to any of your colleagues who might be interested in participating. For further questions, please contact the Organizing Committee at the above address.

Important dates:
Deadline for submitting abstracts: March 15, 2012
Notification of acceptance of proposals: April 15, 2012
Submission of papers for the conference proceedings: July 31, 2012

Registration fees:
Academics
Early bird (registration before June 30, 2012) USD75
Standard (registration after June 30, 2012) USD 100
Students Free