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Call for Papers: World Fairs and Expositions Area
Popular Culture Association Conference
8-11 April 2026, Atlanta

 

World Fairs and Expositions Area, Popular Culture Association, invites proposals for it’s the upcoming National Conference. The Area covers all aspects of research on world’s fairs & universal expositions, from both historical fairs to contemporary iterations. This can also include theme-specific events such as commemorations, horticultural exhibitions, and biennales.

This is a thought-provoking group, and we welcome submissions from a cross disciplinary approach, and to encourage a collegial atmosphere we invite proposals from professors, independent scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates (with the guidance of a professor).

Controversy will not be shunned!

This year, as we will be meeting in Atlanta, the meeting will provide the perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to examine either or both of the city’s international exhibitions, the International Cotton Exhibition of 1881 and the Cotton States and International Exhibition of 1895, both of which sought to reposition and revalidate the South in the wake of the end of Reconstruction. This coming year also marks a significant anniversary for Philadelphia’s two exhibitions, the 150 th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and 100 th anniversary of Sesquicentennial Exhibition, for anyone inclined toward work marking those milestones. Following the serendipitous coincidence of interests between World’s Fairs and Disney Studies areas at last year’s conference in New Orleans, we also especially encourage explorations of the interplay between Disney theme parks and world exhibitions, most evident in the role of Disney Engineers at the New York World’s Fair of 1964-65, but traceable in other ways as well, from the display of Disney films in Brussels to the monorail and geodesic domes. But we are open to papers on any world fair or related event.

Submission Guidelines: In Word (.doc/.docx), Rich Text Format (.rtf), or PDF, 250-word proposals for individual papers, should be submitted through the PCA website. Please note that, per PCA/ACA guidelines, a person may present only one paper at the annual meeting, regardless of subject area.

PCA offers several travel grants for graduate students and new academics, information: www.pcaaca.org. Instructions for submission can be found at www.pcaaca.org/conference/instructions.php and submissions made at http://ncp.pcaaca.org.

Contact Info: 

Any questions about the panel please contact the Area Co-Chairs:

Dr. Tom Prasch: tom.prasch@washburn.edu

Dr. Laurie Dalton: laurie.dalton@acadiau.ca

Important Dates to Remember:

• Database opens for Submissions - Sept. 1, 2025
• Early Bird Registration Begins - Sept. 1, 2025
• Deadline for Paper Proposals - Nov. 30, 2025
• Travel Grant Applications Due - Dec. 15, 2025
• Early Bird Registration Ends for Presenters - Dec. 31, 2025
• Regular Registration Begins for Presenters - Jan. 1, 2026 
• Travel Grant Decisions / Notifications - Jan. 31, 2026
• Regular Registration Ends for Presenters - Jan. 31, 2026
• Late Registration Starts for Presenters - Feb. 1, 2026
• Preliminary Program draft available - Feb. 6, 2026

Those Presenters Not Registered by Feb. 15 Will be Dropped from the Program

CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA, GA - April 8-11, 2026