Instructions for Submitting a Thematic Conversation

Thematic Conversations offer an alternative place to pose new questions for research, explore new trends and approaches to old questions, meet like-minded scholars, and engage in open academic exchange in an unstructured space. They are meant to encourage discussion across disciplines and regions at the annual meeting. The "conversation" should be a dialogue already in progress, perhaps on an electronic discussion list, and there should be an intent to have it be a multi-meeting "conversation," spanning a minimum of two consecutive MESA annual meetings, although not necessarily directed or attended by the same individual(s).

A complete submission includes:

1. thematic conversation details form and position paper (from the organizer)
2. thematic conversation participant details form and responses (one from each participant)
3. session leader details form (from the session leader)
4. current MESA membership for the session leader, current MESA membership for participants who previously have been MESA members, and pre-registration for ALL participants (membership | registration)

When your submission is complete, staff at the Secretariat will assemble it, make the necessary photocopies, and forward it to the reveiw committee.

All of the above must be electronically submitted to MESA by 5:00 p.m. MST on Thursday, May 1, 2008. Late submissions will not be considered.

Questons? Contact Mark Lowder at mlowder@u.arizona.edu or 520-626-6290.

Guidelines for submissions

1. There will be no more than one "conversation" for each panel time slot of the meeting, and this may be further limited by the number of available meeting rooms.

2. The room arrangement will be conference style, with seating restricted to 25-30 maximum; attendance will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

3. Each conversation should have an organizer, or a referee, and no more than 5 specifically designated discussants who would presumably set the agenda for discussion. Not all discussants need be MESA members, but organizers or referees must be. All participants must pay the appropriate category of annual meeting pre-registration in accordance with MESA regulations.

4. There should be some evidence of a debate or dialogue already in progress (i.e., circulating position paper, discussion list, previous panels, perhaps a mini-conference elsewhere, etc.)

5. The MESA Newsletter could also be considered as a place to call for participation, or to announce a thematic conversation.

6. There should also be an intention to carry on the conversation for two MESA meetings, three at a maximum.

7. A one-page typed position paper, with one page of responses or further elaboration by discussants, and supporting materials indicating that the conversation is on-going should be submitted to the MESA Secretariat by the deadline date which is May 1 so that the proposed "thematic conversations" can be included in the preliminary program. Date of arrival before the deadline will constitute priority for placement on the program should there be an excess number. Organizer should submit a "thematic conversation details form" and each participant in the thematic conversation should submit a thematic conversation participant details form. Unlike other categories of participation, thematic conversations are not subject to the "blind review" process by MESA's Program Committee.

8. The Program Chair in consultation with Program Committee and/or Board members in relevant fields will review submissions only for duplication of effort and clarity.

9. Thematic conversations will be distributed across the meeting, with an eye to preventing conflicts with related panels where possible, and will be listed with roundtables and regular panels, as well as on a separate page in the program.

10. Per MESA’s regulations, no individual may participate in more than two sessions, including panels, roundtables, and thematic conversations. Each member may propose only one abstract for a formal paper presentation.

11. Due to the unstructured nature of thematic conversations, submissions in this category are not eligible for sponsorship by an organization.