[Commlist] Call for sessions –Tenth Finnish Conference of Cultural Studies “Joy”, 8th –10th December 2021

Tenth Finnish Conference of Cultural Studies - "Joy", Joensuu 8th – 
10th December 2021 

  

The Society for Cultural Studies in Finland and the School of Humanities 
of University of Eastern Finland invite researchers, teachers, students, 
and other experts to the tenth Finnish Conference of Cultural Studies to 
be held in Joensuu on the 8th – 10th December 2021. Organized since 
2003, the conference is the most significant national cultural studies 
event in Finland. The theme for the 10th conference is joy. We are now 
announcing a call for panels. Call for papers and registration for the 
conference will be announced later. 

 

 

Call for Panels 

  

During this first call proposals for panels can be 
submitted until 31st March 2021.  

 

Information on the proposed session (chair(s) of the session, title of 
the session, description of the session, and language of the session) is 
submitted through an 
online form. https://registration.contio.fi/uef/Registration/Login?id=2256-KULTUT_2021-2875 
<https://registration.contio.fi/uef/Registration/Login?id=2256-KULTUT_2021-2875>   

 

Whether the proposal is accepted to be part of the conference is 
announced in the end of April. Later, an additional call 
for panels and call for papers will be held.  

 

The language of the proposed session can be either Finnish or English. 
The theme of the session does not need to be limited by the overall 
theme of the conference, but the sessions can address other significant 
or current themes and points of view of cultural studies.  

 

 

The Conference Program 

  

The Conference starts on the Wednesday (8.12.) with an evening together. 
We offer light snacks and cultural program.   

  

The sessions will be held from Thursday morning (9.12.) 9 AM to Friday 
afternoon (10.12.) 4 PM. We recommend that participants arriving outside 
of Joensuu should arrange their travel to the city at the latest on 
Wednesday evening to be able to participate to the sessions held on 
Thursday morning. Additionally, on Wednesday (8.12.) we arrange a 
workshop on article publication aimed for doctoral students working on 
their dissertation. More information on the workshop will be provided 
later.   

 

The Keynote speakers of the conference are Professor of 
Ethnomusicology Jocelyn Guilbalt (University of California, Berkeley), 
Professor of Social and Public Policy Eeva Jokinen (University of 
Eastern Finland), and Professor of Media 
Studies Susanna Paasonen (University of Turku). 

 

Theme of the Conference: Joy 

 

The theme of the 2021 conference is joy. 

 

As a socio-political academic discipline, cultural studies have a 
reputation as a keen critic of the contemporary society, addressing 
issues such as hidden power structures, shining a light to the 
significance of mundane phenomena, and giving a voice to the experiences 
and ways of life of marginalized groups. Although cultural studies have 
been at times accused of focusing on light topics and even of cultural 
populism, critical research often leads scholars of the field to examine 
societal flaws and to arrive to gloomy conclusions. As the critical 
examiner of contemporary society, it often seems that the role of 
cultural studies scholars is to throw a spanner in the works and to be 
the designated killjoy.   

 

Joy is a politically ambivalent emotion, thus there are good reasons to 
act as the killer of it.  Joy as a ritual act can force a smile 
on persons face, while they are being oppressed and unconsciously 
recreating existing societal hierarchies. Cultural expressions of joy 
become hegemonized and thus part of the dynamics of maintaining power 
and control. For instance, in the early 2020s self-help guides filled 
with positive psychology and polarized neuroscientific discussion direct 
their readers to put up a smile when facing hard times, to see 
challenges as opportunities, to swallow their anger rather than to show 
it, and to be the complying “good guys” instead of questioning 
troublemakers in the workplace. On the other hand, it can be difficult 
to find joy in today’s world, ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, which 
has put an effective stop to life as we have come to know it. At the 
same time, constantly present ecological crisis is causing unprecedented 
anxiety.   

 

Amid dark times, joy can be a mask we put on to escape from our gloomy 
reality to more gleeful, although fictional, existence. It can also be a 
sign of surrendering to the unconditional circumstances we are forced to 
face. Is it possible that joy is more than just this? 

 

Can joy act as a critical and creative emotion, thus a producer of new 
knowledge? In what type of cultures of joy we can observe to have 
potential to be a force enacting utopias and push critical thinking 
forward today? At last; what are the reasons for joy for scholars of 
cultural studies in the 2020s? 

 

We invite papers and chairs of sessions to reflect on cultures of joy 
and joy of cultural studies. Themes and points of view for this 
reflection can be, but are not limited to: 

 

  *

    How joy and being the killjoy are present and presented in different
    areas of cultural studies research? 

  *

    How would joy look as a method or affective quality for research in
    cultural studies?  

  *

    What cultural
    studies can offer for the understanding different aspects of joy in
    public discussions which are dominated by clinical research and
    neurobiology? 

  *

    What and how is joy used as a method to control? 

  *

    How can joy act as a point of view for understanding vast cultural
    shifts? 

  *

    How reasons and opportunities for enjoyment are polarized in society
    (nationally and internationally)? 

  *

    How modern technology and cultures formed around them have shaped
    the meaning and ways of utilizing joy? 

  *

    How joy (or lack of it) is thematically present and presented in art
    and cultural production? 

  *

    What is the relationship between joy and, for instance, hope,
    pleasure, and satisfaction? 

 

 

Covid-19 and Potential Influence on the Conference 

 

The organizers of the conference actively follow and assess the 
potential influence of the Covid-19 pandemic to the health and security 
of arranging the conference in Joensuu. As of now, we are organizing the 
conference in Joensuu. However, if necessary, the conference is moved to 
be held either in a hybrid format (with online as well as 
on-site participation) or fully online. Any potential changes will be 
informed to the participants well in advance.  

 

For more information, contact the Chair of the Organizing 
Committee Tuomas Järvenpää, (tuomas.jarvenpaa /at/ uef.fi) 
<mailto:(tuomas.jarvenpaa /at/ uef.fi)> 

 

Event in Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/165353985280363/ 
<https://www.facebook.com/events/165353985280363/>  

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