UMass EGO

April 17th, 2010
The University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Conference Website

Submissions are closed.

Performativity is inescapable; we all take part in it. Linguist J.L. Austin's notion of the performative speech act, "I do" in a marriage ceremony, for instance, does rather than describes, a theory that has re-shaped our thinking about the power of language. Immensely productive in its broad, interdisciplinary applications, performativity has influenced projects engaged in configuring identities in non-essentialist ways, as well as focused scholarly attention on how performativity is manifest in everyday and staged performances. Judith Butler's expansion of Austin's performativity to the areas of sex, gender, and subject formation has prompted questions regarding how (or if) regulatory discourse brings subjects into being. Performativity has asked us to consider the extent to which identities are performed and maintained through discourse. What are the political and artistic implications, then, for language and culture? This conference seeks to explore how performativity and performance intersect in everyday behaviors as well as in performances in literature, theatre, language, visual culture, and politics.

Sponsored by:

The English Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
The English Graduate Organization
The Graduate School
The College of Humanities and Fine Arts
The Graduate Student Senate

The Annual UMass English Graduate Conference is hosted by the English Graduate Organization (EGO).

Please visit this page at a later time for the itinerary of the day's events.

Participants $25
Includes presentation fee, admission, lunch, coffee, and the reception.

Attendees $12
Includes admission to all panels, lunch, coffee, and the reception.

Reception Only: $7 or 5 books
Includes reception. Books will be used towards fund raising for next year's conference. We will gladly take donations.

By Car
From the North
From I-91 South, take exit 25 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp, turn left and follow road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Go 1 mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow 8 miles to the UMass exit.

From the East
From Route 2 West, take exit 16 (Belchertown/Amherst). Follow Route 202 for about 15 miles to blinking light at Route 9 and 116 Amherst exit (Pelham). Turn right and follow for 7 miles to Amherst center. Follow signs to UMass.

From I-90 (Mass Pike), take exit 4 (West Springfield). Follow I-91 North to Exit 19. From the exit ramp, turn right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North (turn left at traffic lights). UMass exit is 1 mile.

From the South
From I-91 North, take Exit 19 in Northampton. From the exit ramp, turn right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North (turn left at traffic lights). UMass exit is 1 mile.

From the West
From Route 2 East, follow to Greenfield/I-91 exit. Take I-91 South to exit 25 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp turn left and follow the road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Go 1 mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow for 8 miles to the UMass exit.

By Air
Airports
Bradley International Airport Bradley (Hartford/Springfield) is 45 miles south of the University.
Logan International Airport Logan (Boston) is 90 miles east of the University.

Transportation from Airports
Valley Transporter (800.872.8752) provides airport transportation services.
Seemo Shuttle (413.586.1120) provides shuttle service to and from Bradley, Logan and New York airports.
Exclusive Car Service Inc (877.695.4665) provides private car service to and from Bradley, Logan, and New York airports.
Bluebird Transportation (413.221.4512) provides airport shuttle and car service from Bradley, Logan and J.F.K. airports.

We may also be able to pick up from and drop off at Bradley International Airport. Please email the committee if you would like us to try to arrange for one of us to pick you up and / or drop you off.

By Bus
Greyhound (800.229.9424) serves Springfield, MA.
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (413.586.5806) local service is free to students during the school year.
Peter Pan Bus Lines (800.343.9999) serves Amherst, MA.

By Train
Amtrak for schedules, or call 800.872.7245.

umassengconf AT gmail.com
http://www.umass.edu/umassego