Friday November 14th, 2025
Glucksman Library, University of Limerick
Symposium Theme: “They’re Not Like Us”
This postgraduate symposium seeks to explore the multifaceted phenomenon of “othering”
within the context of American Studies. Taking inspiration from Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl
LVI performance and its layered commentary on identity and belonging, we invite postgraduate
researchers to critically engage with the historical and contemporary processes through which
individuals and groups within and beyond the borders of the United States have been
constructed as “other.”
The concept of “othering” – the process of defining a group as different and subordinate
to a dominant group – has profoundly shaped the American experience. This symposium aims
to examine how this process manifests across various dimensions, including but not limited to:
• Race and Ethnicity
• Gender and Sexuality
• Class and Socioeconomic Status
• Religion
• Nationality and Immigration
• Disability
We encourage submissions that explore these themes through diverse disciplinary lenses,
including literature, history, sociology, political science, cultural studies, film studies, and
more. Potential topics may include, but are not limited to:
• The historical construction of racial and ethnic “others” in American history and culture.
• Representations of marginalized groups in American literature, film, and media.
• The impact of immigration policies and rhetoric on the formation of “otherness.”
• The role of gender and sexuality in processes of marginalization.
• Experiences of othering related to class, religion, and disability.
• Resistance to and subversion of othering through activism, art, and community building.
• Comparative perspectives on othering within and beyond the United States.
• The theoretical frameworks for understanding “othering” in American Studies.
Submission Guidelines
Postgraduate students are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 300 words for individual
presentations (15 minutes). Please include your name, university affiliation, email address, and
a brief biographical note (max. 150 words). Submissions should be shared with
clodagh.guerin@ul.ie and charlotte.troy@ucc.ie via email.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday 19th October at midday.
Symposium Bursaries
The IAAS also offers two bursaries of €50 each to scholars based in Ireland/N. Ireland who are
travelling to present a paper at the symposium. Applications should be submitted along with
abstracts. For more information, and to download an application form, please visit
https://iaas.ie/bursaries/