ASLE 2007 Conference Workgroups

To provide more opportunities for intensive critical dialogue among conference attendees (too often squeezed into the few minutes at the end of concurrent sessions), we are offering workgroups on three topics of ecocritical interest. (Note: If you participate in a workgroup, you may also be a presenter during a regular concurrent session.)

Description and Format

Each workgroup will meet for a three-hour period, scheduled alongside concurrent sessions, to give conference-goers the opportunity for extended discussion on a question of common interest. Participation will be limited to 15 people per workgroup and will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis, and early registration is requested (by March 15, 2007). Participants must also be registered for the conference.

Prior to the conference, the workgroup organizers (Dan Philippon and Mark Long) will contact the participants and provide further preparatory information (including discussion papers and other relevant readings). Each workgroup will be asked to appoint a discussion coordinator and/or note-taker, whose goal it will be to help the group produce a "state-of-the-field document" summarizing the group's discussion and/or its answer(s) to the question. These documents will then be posted on the ASLE web site, with the hope that they will become essential references for the further exploration of these topics.

Workgroup Topics

• Criticism and Theory: Is there a distinctly "ecocritical" method? Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 11:30 - 2:30.
• Writing and Discourse: What are the current issues and problems in ecocomposition? Thursday, June 14, 10:00 – 1:00.
• Engagement and Activism: How should ecocriticism become more publicly engaged? Friday, June 15, 11:30 – 2:30.

Registration

If you are interested in joining a workgroup, please contact Karla Armbruster by March 15 with your first and second preferences. Given the purpose of the workgroups, please limit your participation to those topics in which you have some prior knowledge. You may reach Karla by e-mail (armbruka@webster.edu) or snail mail: English Department, Webster University, 470 E. Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119.

Please direct questions about the workgroups to Dan Philippon (danp@umn.edu) or Mark Long (mlong@keene.edu ).