Call for Papers | PhD and Early Career Conference
“Popular Culture and Democracy: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Way Forward” University of Freiburg, Germany | October 24-26, 2024
Deadline for Submission: July 31, 2024
In 2024, nearly half of the world’s population heads to the polls. State elections in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and numerous other countries will have wide-reaching global consequences. In many places, these elections take place within a landscape in which democracy is threatened, raising questions about the perception and meaning of democratic values against divided voices and worldviews. Russ Castronovo and Dana D. Nelson call for a return to democracy as a political term [i], stressing the importance of analyzing what democracy means and how institutions relate to it. Popular culture facilitates interactions with and representations of democracy through its broad accessibility and mainstream appeal. It therefore offers a plethora of venues to explore how individuals, audiences, industries, and institutions engage with democracy through such diverse objects and mediums as social media platforms, movies, video games, or podcasts. Thus, against the backdrop of the current democratic and anti-democratic developments in the English-speaking world, these interactions present both opportunities and challenges which offer grounds for important academic exploration.
Products and mediums of popular culture influence and are shaped by the discussions surrounding democracy. Popular culture enables a “democracy of enjoyment”, as John Storey explains [ii]. It not only appeals to the masses but is also characterized by immediacy which allows strong connections with audiences. In addition, it facilitates widespread distribution and participation in democratic discourses. Popular culture both struggles with institutions and individuals pushing for certain ideals while also encompassing subversive and “political potential” [iii]. Whether it be fictional and non-fictional politicians featured in television shows, pop songs perpetuating political ideologies, activists using online spaces to critique democratic injustices, or sports stars taking a political stance – popular culture both impacts and is influenced by how its consumers think about and interreact with democracy and democratic practices. These intersections of popular culture and democracy can have lasting negative consequences as well as resounding positive effects. As popular culture engages the civic imagination and fosters a continuous exchange of ideas, representations, and power, it extends its influence on diverse critical areas such as climate change activism, labor rights, the ‘culture war’, and identity politics.
The conference “Popular Culture and Democracy”, organized by PhD candidates in British and North American literary and cultural studies at the University of Freiburg, Germany, warmly welcomes interdisciplinary approaches and contributions on topics targeting the connection of popular culture and democracy in the English-speaking world. Papers can include topics on specific popular culture products and mediums, or a particular approach to the topic from postcolonial studies, gender studies, queer studies, political theory and other perspectives.
We invite proposals for individual papers, on topics that can include, but are not limited to:
Please send proposals of no more than 300 words and a 50-word biography to [email protected] by July 31, 2024 . Speakers will be notified in the first half of August. For up-to-date information, please check the conference website .
The conference will be held in person. We offer a travel bursary and accommodation to all confirmed speakers. Early career researchers associated with international universities are especially encouraged to submit a proposal.
Organizational team: Kübra Aksay, Sophie-Constanze Bantle, Ece Ergin, Klara Machata, Kelly Schmidt, Kristina Seefeldt (English Department, University of Freiburg)
i Castronovo, Russ, and Dana D. Nelson. “Introduction: Materializing Democracy and Other Political Fantasies.” Materializing Democracy: Toward a Revitalized Cultural Politics , Duke University Press, 2002, p. 3. ii Storey, John. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction . 8th ed., Routledge, 2018, p. 273. iii Fiske, John. Reading the Popular . Routledge, 2006, p. x.
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Published - June 27, 2024 06:56 am IST
Delhi CM and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal being brought out of the courtroom at Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: ANI
U.S. issues rare criticism of India in religious freedom report
The United States offered rare criticism of close partner India in a report published Wednesday on religious freedom, while also voicing alarm over rising bigotry worldwide against both Jews and Muslims. Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled the annual report and said that the United States was also facing its own sharp increase of both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in connection to the Gaza war.
Delhi Excise policy case: CBI arrests Arvind Kejriwal, gets three-day custody
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formally arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case on June 26, and was granted three days to interrogate him in its custody. The day also saw Mr. Kejriwal withdraw his petition from the Supreme Court, while promising to return with a fresh challenge against the stay of his statutory bail by the Delhi High Court on June 25.
CBI questions Jharkhand school principal and bank officials in NEET case
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team probing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) paper leak case on Wednesday reached Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh Oasis School over allegations of tampering of question papers. The CBI is conducting a nationwide probe into alleged malpractices in medical entrance exam NEET-UG and has taken over cases probed by the police in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar.
India asks Italy to take prompt action against persons responsible for Indian farm worker’s death
India on Wednesday asked Italy to take prompt action against those responsible for the death of a 31-year-old Indian worker who died after he was dumped on the road without medical assistance by his employer after his arm was severed by heavy farm machinery.
Former Foreign Secretary Muchkund Dubey, at the helm when Cold War ended, passes away
Former Foreign Secretary Muchkund Dubey, who steered India’s foreign affairs establishment towards the end of the Cold War and the post-Cold War phase in the early 1990s, passed away here on Wednesday at a private hospital, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, a think tank he was associated with, announced.
With dummy FIRs and pocket guides, police get ready to switch to new criminal laws
Ahead of the implementation of the new criminal laws from July 1, at least 23 modifications have been made to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS), an online platform used by more than 16,000 police stations across the country to register first information reports. From July 1, the FIRs will be registered under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), instead of Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
India is looking at ‘potential’ institutional reforms: U.S. official
India is looking at “potential” institutional reforms against the backdrop of the Pannun issue and alleged assassination attempts, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell said on June 26, adding that the U.S. seeks “accountability” from the Indian government and has “consistently” asked for updates on the committee investigating the matter.
Coup attempt in Bolivia fails as president urges people to mobilize against democracy threat
Armoured vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia’s government palace Wednesday in an apparent coup attempt against President Luis Arce, but he vowed to stand firm and named a new army commander who ordered troops to stand down. The soldiers later pulled back as supporters of Arce waved Bolivian flags and cheered in a central square.
Sri Lanka seals debt deal with Official Creditor Committee after financial crisis
In what it termed a significant milestone, Sri Lanka on Wednesday sealed a deal with the Official Creditor Committee [OCC], to restructure the debt owed to its bilateral lenders including India, and signed a separate agreement with China for debt treatment.
Kenya’s president withdraws finance bill that prompted deadly protests
Kenyan President William Ruto said on June 26 he won’t sign into law a finance bill proposing new taxes, a day after protesters stormed parliament and several people were shot dead. It was the biggest assault on Kenya’s government in decades. The government wanted to raise funds to pay off debt, but Kenyans said the bill caused more economic pain as millions struggle to get by. The chaos on Tuesday led the government to deploy the military, and Ruto called protesters’ actions “treasonous.”
Apple supplier Foxconn said to reject married women from India iPhone jobs
A Reuters investigation has found that Foxconn has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main iPhone assembly plant on the grounds they have more family responsibilities than their unmarried counterparts. S. Paul, a former human-resources executive at Foxconn India, said the company’s executives verbally convey the recruitment rules to its Indian hiring agencies, which Foxconn tasks with scouting for candidates, bringing them in for interviews and employing them.
ICC T20 rankings: Travis Head replaces Suryakumar Yadav as top T20 batter, Jasprit Bumrah moves to 24
Australia opener Travis head on June 26 toppled India’s Suryakumar Yadav as the number one batter in the latest ICC T20 rankings. Suryakumar was holding the number one spot since December 2023 but Head’s splendid run at the T20 World Cup catapulted him to the top even as his team has been knocked out.
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The debate will conclude with Trump delivering the final word, a strategic decision following a coin toss won by the Biden campaign, which chose podium placement and the order of closing statements.
In a historic face-off, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the two oldest candidates ever to run for US president, are set to meet on Thursday (Friday IST) for a televised debate that promises unprecedented drama and critical discussions. With fewer than five months until the November 5 election, both the candidates are essentially tied in national opinion polls, making this debate a pivotal moment for undecided voters.
Here is what to watch for in the first 2024 presidential debate broadcast
The fitness of both candidates to serve is expected to be a central topic. Trump, 78, has consistently claimed that Biden, 81, is physically and mentally unfit for office, labeling him "senile" and corrupt. Biden, on the other hand, has called Trump "unhinged" and a danger to democracy, citing Trump's role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The scrutiny on Biden's age and mental acuity has intensified, with critics pointing to verbal slip-ups as evidence of his declining capabilities. However, Biden's allies argue that he remains sharp and fully capable of performing his presidential duties. Trump's tendency to go off on tangents and occasionally mix up names, including confusing Biden with former President Barack Obama, has also raised questions about his focus and stamina.
Both Biden and Trump are known for their strong tempers and impatience, traits that could influence their debate performance. In the 2020 presidential debates, Biden's ability to rattle Trump led to a perceived poor performance by Trump, who repeatedly interrupted and argued with the moderator. Trump, who has a history of aggressive debate tactics, will need to balance assertiveness with decorum to avoid alienating moderate voters.
Trump is notorious for making exaggerated or false claims during his speeches, necessitating extensive fact-checking. Biden, too, has been known to embellish stories. The challenge for both candidates will be to present their arguments clearly and truthfully within the limited debate time, leaving fact-checking to campaign aides and media outlets.
Biden might be tempted to focus on Trump's recent conviction in New York for his involvement in a hush money scheme. However, political consultants warn that this could backfire, reinforcing Trump's narrative of being a victim of political persecution. Instead, Biden should highlight his policy achievements while acknowledging ongoing economic challenges.
Trump, meanwhile, must avoid statements that reinforce Biden's portrayal of him as a threat to democratic norms. His frequent complaints about being targeted by political conspiracies might not resonate with undecided voters, who are more concerned with personal economic issues like high grocery and housing prices.
In a significant departure from previous debates, there will be no studio audience, which could impact both candidates' performances. Trump, who thrives on crowd energy, might find the format challenging. Conversely, Biden, who is experienced in delivering speeches without an audience, might adapt more easily. The absence of real-time audience reactions could lead to a more substantive debate focused on policy rather than theatrics.
CNN has structured the debate to minimise interruptions, including turning off candidates' microphones when it's not their turn to speak. This rule could test Trump's ability to stay composed and respectful. As a former reality TV star, Trump has deep experience in studio settings, while Biden's challenge will be to connect emotionally with viewers at home.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Kalki 2898 AD has broken box office records, making Rs 180 crore on its opening day in India and surpassing the collections of previous hits like KGF Chapter 2 and Jawan. The film, released in multiple languages, collected the most from its Telugu version. With a star-studded cast and high anticipation, it is predicted to have a strong weekend and potentially reach Rs 500 crore.
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