SWPACA Summer Salon 2026: Shondaland (SWPACA Summer Salon 2026)
fully virtual over Zoom
Organization: Southwest Popular / American Culture Association (SWPACA)
Event: SWPACA Summer Salon 2026
Call for Papers
SHONDALAND
Southwest Popular / American Culture Association (SWPACA)
2026 SWPACA Summer Salon
June 25-27, 2026
Virtual Conference
https://swpaca.org/
Submissions open on March 30, 2026
Proposal submission deadline: April 27, 2026
Proposals for papers are now being accepted for the SWPACA Summer Salon. SWPACA offers nearly 70 subject areas in a variety of categories encompassing the following: Film, Television, Music, & Visual Media; Historic & Contemporary Cultures; Identities & Cultures; Language & Literature; Science Fiction & Fantasy; and Pedagogy & Popular Culture. For a full list of subject areas, area descriptions, and Area Chairs, please visit https://swpaca.org/subject-areas/
This Area seeks submissions that explore the creative and cultural impact of Shondaland productions–from Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal to Bridgerton, The Residence, and beyond. Led by Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland shows have generated critical acclaim for practicing inclusive casting and tackling complex societal issues, as well as Rhimes’ own positionality as a Black female showrunner in a historically white- and male-dominated industry. This Area welcomes proposals that examine topics related to Shondaland from a variety of perspectives and disciplines.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Non-traditional casting practices
- Innovations and stylistic experimentation in storytelling and genre
- Identity and representations of race, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.
- Narrative, authorship, and design (costumes, set, music, etc.)
- Audience engagement and fan cultures surrounding different series
- Television production practices
- Marketing strategies and distribution in post-network and streaming eras
- Dynamics of race, gender, and power in showrunning and media leadership
- Historical revisionism and reimaginings
- Representations of workplace cultures, professionalism, crime, etc.
All proposals must be submitted through the conference’s database at https://swpaca.org/app
For details on using the submission database and on the application process in general, please see the Summer Salon FAQs and Tips page at https://swpaca.org/faq-summer-salon/
Registration information for the conference will be available at https://swpaca.org/summer-salon/
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer any financial assistance for the Summer Salon.
Individual proposals for 15-minute papers must include an abstract of approximately 200-500 words. Only one proposal per person, please; unfortunately, we cannot accommodate roundtables for the Summer Salon.
If you have any questions about the Shondaland area, please contact its Area Chair, Stephanie Lim, at slim@swpaca.org. If you have general questions about the conference, please contact us at support@southwestpca.org, and a member of the executive team will get back to you.
We look forward to receiving your submissions!
Stephanie Lim