[Commlist] cfp: Representation and Resonance -- Critical Approaches to Black Media Studies Conference

CRITICAL APPROACHES TO BLACK MEDIA CULTURE
“Representation & Resonance”

New Orleans – Tulane University – February 19-21, 2026
Proposal Deadline: Wednesday, November 1, 2025


Representation matters – but to whom? And how?

This iteration of the Critical Approaches to Black Media Culture 
conference considers the ongoing significance of representational 
analysis as well as the critical possibilities enabled by the turn to 
resonance in Black media and cultural studies. Our theme, Representation 
and Resonance, invites original research into images and storytelling, 
circulation and flows, and reception practices.

While we especially invite papers on this topic, we are open to any and 
all critical inquiry into Black media culture, broadly defined. Our hope 
is to bring together any and all scholars interested and invested in 
Black media culture, regardless of discipline or method.

Hosted by the Tulane University Department of Communication, the 
conference will be held on Tulane’s Uptown campus from February 19-21, 
2026. This year’s keynote speakers are Racquel Gates (Columbia 
University) and Kristen Warner (Cornell University).

We welcome proposals for 15-20 minute presentations that engage with 
Black media culture, broadly defined.

We sincerely regret that the hotel is unable to support remote 
participation.

Topics may include but is not limited to:

• theories of and critical frameworks for Black cinema and media
• intersections with feminist studies, queer studies, disability 
studies, and trans
studies
• images and storytelling
• historiographies and histories of Black film and media
• archival practice and research
• production cultures and media industry studies
• authorship and auteurism
• narratives and genres
• aesthetics and forms
• distribution histories and practices
• circulation of Black media culture
• exhibition histories
• reception histories and audience studies
• social media entertainment and user-generated content
• Black digital spaces and practices
• studies of fans and fandoms
• teaching and pedagogical approaches to Black media culture

Please submit proposals of 250-500 words to this _Google form 
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScijieOQDI6_Y9CoioNAGkZ9gxisNnypZWRn002N7X-qOEpuA/viewform?usp=header>_ by 
November 1, 2025. Individuals who wish to attend but not present are 
encouraged to fill out the form as well, putting N/A where appropriate, 
so that we have a proper head count.

Acceptances will be made by November 15, and a tentative schedule will 
be posted by December 1.

Conference registration for tenured and tenure-track professors will be 
$200 and for precariously employed and independent scholars as well as 
graduate students, it will be $100. Due to catering costs, these rates 
apply to presenters and non-presenters.

This conference is generously supported by the Maurice L. Silverstein 
Cinema Studies Lectureship Fund.

Questions may be directed to the conference organizers – Ava L’Herisse, 
Jerome Dent, and Pete Kunze – at (blackmedia /at/ tulane.edu).


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