'Disasters — Remembering, Reclaiming, Rebuilding' Theme of 2027 Delta Symposium
JONESBORO – The Department of English, Philosophy, and World Languages at Arkansas State University is accepting papers and presentations for the 32nd annual Delta Symposium.
The Delta Symposium will take place April 7-10, 2027, at A-State, and will feature a wide variety of scholarship and creative work focused on the Delta’s history and culture.
Individual and panel presentations on topics relevant to the history and culture of the Arkansas and Mississippi Deltas and surrounding regions are welcome. The symposium is an in-person event held at the university; however, online options are available for presenters who cannot attend.
“Disasters — Remembering, Reclaiming, Rebuilding” is the theme for the 2027 symposium, with special consideration given to proposals that address it.
“This theme was sparked by the 100 year anniversary of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The event is a defining element of 20th century history, and the symposium organizers invite contemporary research on the cataclysm. Focusing on the event’s history can provide new insights into the region, but what of its legacy?,” said Dr. Gregory Hansen, professor of English and folklore and one of the tri-coordinators of the Delta Symposium committee.
The Delta has endured numerous tragedies over the years. Dr. Kristen Ruccio, assistant professor and tri-coordinator, said the symposium explores how communities recover, rebuild and adapt in the aftermath of those events.
“The area has endured calamities such as earthquakes, infestations, tornadoes and other man-made disasters,” said Ruccio. “How is historical memory connected to contemporary ways we commemorate these events? How did the rebuilding of cities, towns and landscapes reclaim what was lost? What has irrevocably been lost?”
Presenters are invited to submit perspectives from a wide range of interests. The theme lends itself well to presentations spanning the region’s early history to contemporary times. The Delta Symposium features presentations from fields such as literary criticism, cultural studies, history, anthropology, folklore, ethnomusicology, sociology, speech communication, arts and art history, and heritage studies.
“Proposals with connections to Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta are especially welcome, but general proposals addressing the theme within Southern history, culture and heritage will also be considered,” said instructor and tri-coordinator Leslie Reed.
The event will conclude Saturday, April 10, with the Arkansas Roots Music Festival hosted by KASU-FM and A-State’s Heritage Sites.
The deadline to submit entries is Dec. 18. Each entry should include the following: the presenter’s name and affiliation, a 150-word abstract of the presentation, and a current curriculum vitae, limited to two pages. Please include an address, phone number, email address and any technical needs for the presentation. Proposals can be sent via mail or email.
For more information, please email Hansen.
