Michael Torregrossa (Bristol Community College)
Carl Sell (University of Pittsburgh)
Explorations of adaptations offer many ways to investigate the theme of Empowering Communities. Adaptations, especially contemporary ones, create opportunities for inclusion that may not have been present in the source. This forges a new space for receivers of the text to connect to its narrative. Highlighting how and why these new works appeal to and have an effect on us can help our students (and ourselves) relate to older material and see the ways that a story can find new relevance.
Topics might include adaptations that recast, reset, and/or restage a text; adaptations that rewrite and/or reboot a text; adaptations that expand texts (such as prequels, midquels, or sequels); and adaptations that present ways to remedy problematic texts and authors.
We welcome investigations of adaptations across all media, as well as adaptation within transmedia franchises/universes.
Adaptations create opportunities for inclusion that may not have been present in the source by forging new spaces to connect to its narrative. Highlighting how and why these new works appeal to and have an effect on us can help our students (and ourselves) relate to older material and see the ways that a story can find new relevance. Topics might include adaptations that recast, reset, and/or restage a text; adaptations that expand a source; or adaptations that present ways to remedy problematic texts and authors.