Announcing
LauraPalooza 2017
Little Houses, Mighty Legacy: Celebrating 150 Years of Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association is pleased to sponsor the fourth LauraPalooza conference, to be held at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Missouri on July 12–14, 2017.
Additional location, lodging, and registration information will be released at a later date. We will open a block of rooms with special group rates in plenty of time for you to book your room ahead of the conference!
Call for Papers:
We now invite submissions of paper, panel, and workshop proposals for review and possible acceptance for presentation.
The theme of this year’s conference captures the 150th anniversary of Laura’s birth – a sesquicentennial to celebrate! Presentations may wish to focus on lasting impacts of Laura’s life and legacy in all related subject areas. Of course, we also welcome viewpoints on those who were closest to Laura – her husband and daughter, the Ingalls family members, and Laura’s friends and sphere of influence. Potential presenters are welcome to interpret the theme as they like.
“LauraPalooza” embodies the community spirit, work ethic, and social interaction embraced by the Ingalls and Wilder families. Academic presentations mingle with dime socials and spelling bees. Join scholars, writers, and professionals who specialize in Ingalls and Wilder literary, historical, and cultural impacts.
Topics may include:
- Recognition of the impact of Laura Ingalls Wilder on society, culture, history, education, and other areas of interest
- The broad influence that the “Little House” stories have had on American popular culture
- The history and imagery of the books and their cultural, educational, political, and social influences
- The preservation of American folk music, food, and handwork
- The strategic and political influence of farming and farming culture in American history
- The long-term ramifications of the 1862 Homestead Act on American culture
- The intersection of the Ingalls and Wilder families with Missouri’s culture and history
- The ever–widening circle of Rose’s politically Libertarian belief structures
- Historical racism and its lasting effects
- New discoveries in individual research that add to the legacies of Laura, the Ingalls family, and the Wilder family
- Any other way you might interpret the legacies of the Ingalls and Wilder families
Submit your proposal in the form of a 200- to 1,000-word abstract, outlining your idea and research, by the end of the day on Rose Wilder Lane’s birthday: December 5, 2016. All proposals should include a 200-word bio as would be appropriate for the conference program. Panel proposals should include bios for all panelists and his/her topic of discussion. Workshop proposals should include an outline of the workshop curriculum and materials or room setup needed. Be sure to include all contact information.
Abstracts should be sent via email to Dr. Barbara Mayes Boustead, conference co-chair, at [email protected]. Acceptance notifications will be sent out via email on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s birthday: February 7, 2017. Those with accepted proposals will be expected to register for and attend the LauraPalooza 2017 conference.
More information about the conference, including logistical information such as meeting location and registration, featured speakers, and other announcements will be posted at www.laurapalooza.com and www.beyondlittlehouse.com.
Announcing LauraPalooza 2017
History Geek with a Silly Streak.