The Upper Midwest is full of many diverse languages, cultures, histories, and traditions. Do you want to learn more about these languages and cultures of the Upper Midwest? Do you want to share your knowledge or personal experience about these topics? Is there a cultural tradition in your life that you are passionate about and would be interested in sharing? The Cultural Connections: Languages and Cultures of the Upper Midwest conference at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire will spotlight the diversity of the Upper Midwest and we are seeking your expertise and knowledge!
Students at UW–Eau Claire, in partnership with students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, are looking for research presentations about the diverse cultures and languages of the people of the Upper Midwest. Undergraduate students are encouraged to submit research, art, or other scholarship about the arts, languages, folklore, or cultural traditions in the Upper Midwest or from the cultures of people who now live in the Upper Midwest. We are especially interested in themes such as:
- How different cultural traditions in the Upper Midwest interact and coexist with each other both now and in the past, including but not limited to: history, heritage, food, migration, and art
- How social and political movements/issues have interacted and continue to do so in the Upper Midwest
- How COVID-19 has affected cultures and languages
- Folklore and modern politics
- Cultural and language revitalization in Indigenous and immigrant communities
- Impact of colonization on Indigenous cultures
Projects can be any student work, past or current, that reflects the themes above or other culture and language-related themes. Students should plan to present their research to their fellow peers. The full schedule of events will be available to presenters after project abstracts are approved.
The conference will be held on Friday, April 8, 2022, on the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire campus. In addition to the presentations on Friday, researchers are invited to attend the Wahlstrom Nordic Workshop at Beaver Creek Nature Reserve in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, on Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10. While the workshops on Saturday and Sunday will be primarily Nordic, we encourage all to attend.
All presenters must submit their project abstracts by February 28, 2022, for review. Your submission should include your name, pronouns, email, and school or organization affiliation. The abstract should be 100–200 words long and describe the main themes of your project/ presentation. Once the symposium committee has reviewed all submitted projects, presenters will be notified of their acceptance soon thereafter, and receive more information about the symposium and steps for moving forward. Please send abstracts to midwestcultures@gmail.com
Additional questions? Contact student organizers, Mattie, Maya, Molly, and Sydney at midwestcultures@gmail.com or Drs. Anna Rue and Marcus Cederström at folklife@letsci.wisc.edu.