Irish Association for American Studies
Postgraduate Symposium
“They’re Not Like Us”
University of Limerick
In-person event
14th November 2025
Organisers: Clodagh Guerin and Charlotte Troy , IAAS PG Caucus co-chairs
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/