WrestlePosium V Conference – Call for Papers
Professional Wrestling Studies Association
When: April 13th 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Where: Fully Online Through Zoom
Costs: Free for all attendees
The Professional Wrestling Studies Association is pleased to announce our fifth fully online conference. We invite scholars, researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts from all disciplines to submit their work for consideration.
The Professional Wrestling Studies Association celebrates the critical analysis of pro wrestling in all of its forms. We believe that professional wrestling is an important form of cultural expression deserving of academic inquiry. WrestlePosium aims to explore the complex intersections and convergences of pro wrestling with political, social, economic, and religious aspects of culture and identity. We aim to use academically sound, interdisciplinary approaches to better understand and appreciate this dynamic and multifaceted industry.
Submissions may address a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
• Historical perspectives on pro wrestling
• Critical analyses of storylines, angles, and characters
• The socio-cultural impact of pro wrestling
• Gender, race, sexual identity, and representation in pro wrestling
• The economics of pro wrestling
• Global and regional variations in pro wrestling
• Fan studies and exploration of the pro wrestling community
• Wrestling and its impact on media formats
• The art and aesthetics of pro wrestling
• The physical labor of pro wrestling
Submission Guidelines:
Abstracts: Please submit a 200 – 300 word abstract that clearly outlines the focus, methodology, and/or contribution of your paper or presentation. Include your name, institutional affiliation (if applicable), contact information, and a brief bio (100 words or less).
Panel Proposals: While you are welcome to submit as an individual presenter and have us slot you into an appropriate panel with other solo contributors, we encourage panel submissions with multiple presenters when possible. These should include a 200 – 300 word panel abstract, individual abstracts from each presenter and the contact information and bios for all presenters.
Submission Deadline: March 1st 2024
Please send your abstracts and panel proposals as email attachments to Lowery.Woodall@millersville.edu
Submissions should be in Word or PDF format. In the subject line, please include “WrestlePosium V Submission.”
Publication Opportunities: Selected papers from WrestlePosium may be considered for publication in the PWSA’s scholarly journal, the Professional Wrestling Studies Journal.
Registration: All presenters must register for the conference. Registration is free. All registration details and information can be found at the following link: Registration.
We look forward to your contributions and to exploring the rich and diverse world of professional wrestling in a welcoming and inclusive academic space.
We hope to see you (virtually) at WrestlePosium V in 2024!
Warmly Yours,
Dr. Lowery A. Woodall III
President, PWSA
And the entire PWSA Executive Council