As academic conferences start to return to face-to-face events, scholars who are unable to participate in those venues due to various barriers to access will find themselves locked out of these scholarly networks (again!).

The last few years have shown how many talented scholars there are in the world who were never able to attend traditional events scheduled in large (expensive) cities. However, there are some conference organizers planning to shift to hybrid modes and/or considering scheduling at least some virtual events in coming years.

If you are interested in presenting your work on J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, its reception, including transformative works and adaptations, and can only attend, or would like to attend, a virtual conference this fall, please consider submitting a proposal to the Northeast Popular Culture Association (NEPCA) 2022 Virtual Conference, October 20-22, 2022.

Robin Anne Reid (robinareid@fastmail) is interested in facilitating sessions for a Tolkien Studies Track at the Virtual NEPCA Conference this year. Tolkien studies includes, but is not limited to, the Legendarium, adaptations and transformative works, translations, reader reception and fan studies, source studies, literary studies, cultural studies, tourism studies, medieval and medievalist studies, media and marketing, and religious studies.

Robin will be working with the NEPCA area chairs whose areas would naturally include scholarship on Tolkien by putting together proposals for paper sessions and roundtables.

Presentations will appear in sessions scheduled under one of the two NEPCA areas:

• Fan, Fandoms, and Celebrity Studies

Current Chair: Shelly Jones, SUNY Delhi, jonesmc@delhi.edu

• Fantasy and Science Fiction

Current Chair: Amie Doughty, SUNY Oneonta, Amie.Doughty@oneonta.edu

Robin is happy to read draft proposals and make suggestions during July as the proposal due date (August 1) approaches.

For more information check out NEPCA’s conference page or to submit your proposal, check out the submission form. Deadline is August 1, 2022 (end of day!).