Not included below are deadlines for the WSU grants -available
for graduate students-; consult the document "Internal Research
Support at WSU" available from Office of the VP for Research
(577-5600) or from Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Services
(577-2291)
[Since this outline was prepared in the early 1990s, the phenomenon
of graduate student conferences has increased immensely. Hence,
all departments with graduate students should make these announcements
that are made available most rapidly on different Listserv discussion
groups on the Internet.]
Jan-Feb: Time to start looking for Calls for Papers for conferences
in the following academic year:
-- Midwest MLA (Nov): Call published; abstracts due to section
organizers in March or early April;
-- 19th Century French Studies colloquium (Oct): abstracts due
in March;
-- So. Central MLA (Oct): abstracts or papers dues in
mid-March;
-- MACHL (Mid-America Conference on Hispanic Literatures) abstract
deadline March 1;
-- MLA (Dec): abstracts due variously, usually early to mid-March
for Special Sessions; mid-March for Divisions;
also, if one plans to organize a Special Session, late December,
early January (i.e. by January 5) is the last chance to place
an announcement in the February. MLA Newsletter; a good
time to write to the MLA for the Special Session application forms.
Feb: Be working on abstracts for meetings, especially when
the February MLA Newsletter arrives with complete list
of Division and Special Session topics.
-- The February issue of the MLA Job Information List appears
at mid-month.
-- For national grant, National Endowment for the Humanities,
now is the time to write for applications (May 1 deadline) and
to begin preparing application.
-- Annual Louisville 20th C. conference: last weekend in February.
Mar: Annual 20th C. French studies conference (mid-March, sites
vary); annual Central States Teachers conference (end March);
-- annual French conference at U of So. Carolina (end March);
-- annual Area Conference for Graduate Students in Hispanic Literatures
(mid-March, sites vary); annual Northeast MLA convention (mid-March,
sites vary).
-- Newberry Graduate Student Renaissance Conference (early June,
Chicago) paper deadline mid-March.
-- If planning to organize Special Session proposal (MLA), prepare
statement for early April deadline.
April: Kentucky Foreign Language Conference (Lexington): last
weekend in April (in French, papers by invitation of designated
section organizers).
-- For narrative studies, the Society for the Study of Narrative
Literature meets (first or second weekend).
-- Michigan State Hispanic Literature Conference (held late Oct)
abstracts due mid-April (especially recommended [in Michigan]
for proximity, modest expense and good times).
-- Complete NEH fellowship application for May 1 deadline.
May: In French, Spanish, and Italian, annual Cincinnati Romance
Languages Conference, mid-month.
-- International Association of Philosophy and Literature conference
(IAPL): second week of May.
-- Receive word on MLA Special Sessions/Division papers.
June (early): Newberry Graduate Student Renaissance Conference (Chicago).
July (early): American Association of Teachers of French conferences
(sites variable, sometimes in USA, sometimes abroad; focus predominantly
primary & secondary school teachers, but
university professors are usually welcome with emphasis on teaching)
[NB: Spanish and Italian also have AATSP and AATI organizations
& conferences, respectively].
June-July-Aug: Research, usually long-term projects, but also
conference paper preps. Prep courses for fall semester.
-- 20th C. French studies call published.
-- Mid-/late-Aug: Completed papers are due for some sessions of
the Midwest MLA (for
prior distribution (in Sept./Oct.) to conference participants).
[Since this outline was prepared, the M/MLA has changed its rules
so that henceforth, panel organizers can decide whether papers
will be available beforehand or whether they will be delivered
in the usual, 20-minute format at the conference.]
Sept: Return to classes (= tough to work on research projects).
-- Look out for Sept. 30 deadline for completed -papers- Louisville
20th C. conference.
-- Call for Papers for Cincinnati Romance Language conference
(Nov deadline)
-- Be aware of Sept. or Oct. deadlines for ACLS (American Council
of Learned Societies) and Guggenheim fellowship applications.
Oct: 20th C. French Studies abstracts due to section organizers.
-- Annual 19th C. French studies colloquium (late Oct, sites vary);
-- annual So Central MLA convention (mid-Oct, sites vary);
-- annual American Semiotic Society conference (mid-Oct, sites
vary).
-- MLA Job Info List published, approx. 10/15 [now an online version
is available, regularly updated by the MLA organization.]
-- Calls for papers: Society for the Study of Narrative Literature;
U of South Carolina French conference;
Nov: Midwest MLA convention (first weekend).
-- 2nd MLA Job Info List published, approx. 11/15.
-- MLA conference program arrives.
-- ACTFL conference: weekend preceding Thanksgiving
-- The December issue of the MLA Job Information List appears
just before Thanksgiving (see MLA Web site for subsequent postings).
Dec: Paper deadline 12/1 for Area Conference for Graduate Students
in Hispanic Literatures (held mid-March).
Dec 27-30: Modern Language Association convention: papers &
job search.
Of course, throughout any given year, various Calls for Papers of other conferences are published, both individually and in journals (e.g. PMLA, Chronicle of Higher Ed).
Rule of thumb: graduate students are advised to keep to a minimum participation in national graduate student conferences and to aim rather for participation in regular professional conferences. However, the practice and networking that occurs at the graduate student conferences can be valuable, so judge your selections prudently and carefully.