[Commlist] CFP: EUPOP 2026 – Spectacle Revisited

Individual paper and panel contributions are invited for the thirteenth 
annual international conference of the *European Popular Culture 
Association (EPCA)*, to be held at Satakunta University of Applied 
Sciences, Pori, Finland, July 1–3, 2026.

The theme of the conference is *Spectacle Revisited; r*eturning to Guy 
Debord’s widely cited work /The Society of the Spectacle/, the 
conference welcomes contributions addressing the spectacular—that is, 
the mediatization of cultural forms, (mega)events, performance, and the 
allure of “the popular.” In line with the conference’s main theme, 
particular emphasis will be placed on the production and remediation of 
events, including music festivals, sports events, blockbuster films, and 
exhibitions. In addition, the organizers encourage proposals exploring 
fans and fan communities as producers, interpreters, and challengers of 
the spectacular. Other possible themes include rethinking the 
spectacular in the digital age, especially the new expressions and 
aesthetics brought forth by the rapid development of open-access, 
easy-to-use AI tools. The aforementioned topics, however, are not 
exclusive, and the organizers also welcome proposals within the broader 
popular cultural framework, including—but not limited to—media, fashion, 
celebrity culture, and popular literature and comics.

All individual papers and complete panels will be subject to peer 
review. Proposals for individual presentations should be suitable for 
20-minute papers; panel proposals are limited to 90 minutes in total. 
For panel proposals, please provide a short description of the panel 
along with individual abstracts. Poster presentations and video 
projections are also warmly welcomed.

There will be opportunities for networking and publishing within the 
EPCA. Presenters at EUPOP 2026 will be encouraged to develop their 
papers for publication in several Intellect journals, including the 
EPCA’s /Journal of European Popular Culture/. Journal editors will work 
closely with strand convenors. A full list of Intellect journals is 
available at: http://www.intellectbooks.com 
<http://www.intellectbooks.com/>.

Proposals—consisting of a maximum 300-word abstract, your full name, 
affiliation, and contact details (as a Word file, not a PDF)—should be 
submitted to *Dr. Kimi Kärki* ((kimi.karki /at/ uniarts.fi)) by *28 February 
2026*. Receipt of all proposals will be acknowledged by e-mail. The 
draft conference programme will be announced in May 2026, along with 
registration and accommodation details. The conference fee will be *200 
euros* (students) and *250 euros* (others). The fee includes coffee 
breaks, lunches, an evening reception and dinner, and EPCA membership 
(including one sample issue of the /Journal of European Popular 
Culture/, Intellect Books). For information about fee payment, please 
contact *EPCA Treasurer Tommi Iivonen* ((ttiivo /at/ utu.fi) 
<mailto:(ttiivo /at/ utu.fi)>).

EUPOP 2026 keynote speakers will be announced in February 2026.

*The European Popular Culture Association*

The European Popular Culture Association (EPCA) promotes the study of 
popular culture from, in, and about Europe. Popular culture involves a 
wide range of activities, material forms and audiences. EPCA aims to 
examine and discuss these different aspects as they relate both to 
Europe and to Europeans across the globe, whether contemporary or 
historical.

*EUPOP 2026 is organised by:*

European Popular Culture Association (EPCA): https://epcablog.wordpress.com/

International Institute for Popular Culture (IIPC): http://iipc.utu.fi/ 
<http://iipc.utu.fi/>

Degree Programme in Digital Culture, Landscape and Cultural Heritage 
(University of Turku, Pori University Consortium)

Research project Pori Jazz – Makers, Places, and Heritage (University of 
Turku, dir. Petri Saarikoski)

EPCA President, Kimi Kärki, (kimi.karki /at/ uniarts.fi)

EPCA Vice-President, Pamela Church Gibson, (pamelachurchgibson /at/ gmail.com)

EPCA Secretary, Anna Peltomäki, (ankpel /at/ utu.fi)

EPCA Treasurer, Tommi Iivonen, (ttiivo /at/ utu.fi)

EPCA Membership Secretary, Graham Roberts, (graham.roberts /at/ univ-lille.fr)

*Pori *

Pori is a coastal city in western Finland. The city sits along the 
Kokemäenjoki River and hosts major annual events such as the 
internationally recognized Pori Jazz Festival. Pori combines a strong 
industrial heritage with growing strengths in technology, 
sustainability, and creative industries. The city is reached by regular 
bus and rail connections from major Finnish cities, including Helsinki 
and Tampere. The conference venue is located within a walking distance 
of the city center.


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