Description: We invite submissions for the conference, “East Meets West: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on America’s Changing Image,” which will examine how America’s global image has transformed in recent years. In the 21st century, representations of America are undergoing significant shifts. Once central to narratives of liberty and opportunity, its image is now examined through a diverse range of literary, cultural, philosophical lenses, including perspectives from both within America and regions such as Central and Eastern Europe and Asia and beyond.
This interdisciplinary conference will explore these evolving perspectives and how they are reflected in literature, media, cultural narratives and food studies. What does it mean for the American identity and its global reputation when the long-held narrative of being the “promised land” is questioned? How are cross-cultural exchanges between America and the East, particularly Central and Eastern Europe, represented?
We welcome papers that address these and related questions, offering fresh perspectives on how America’s image is being reshaped in today’s globalized and interconnected world:
Shifting Perspectives in American Literature, Culture, and Media
How do contemporary American novels, films, and cultural texts reflect these shifting narratives? How are these shifting perspectives represented across various cultural forms, and what impact do they have on America’s global image?
Philosophical Reflections on American Identity
How do contemporary philosophical perspectives reflect the evolving nature of American values and identity? How do critical theories, including post-postmodernism, critical race theory, gender related theories and eco-philosophy, analyze current social, political, and ethical challenges?
Central and Eastern European Perspectives on America
What roles do literature and media from Central and Eastern Europe play in reimagining America’s global image? How do these regions, historically shaped by American influence during the Cold War, now perceive America in the context of modern geopolitical changes?
Freedom, Democracy, and the American Dream in Crisis
How has the concept of the American Dream evolved in contemporary cultural narratives? What role does this iconic idea play in shaping America’s image both domestically and internationally, and how is it critiqued and replaced in today’s global culture?
Literary and Cultural Representations of America
How do novels, films, and visual media depict the decline or persistence of America in the21st century? Are there new symbols or metaphors that represent America’s changing role on the world stage?
Transnational Perspectives on American Identity
How do immigrant and diaspora writers in America contribute to or challenge the shifting global perspectives on American identity? How do cross-cultural narratives portray the complex relationship between Eastern and Western values, and what does this reveal about American identity in a global context?
International relations and collaboration
How are recent developments reflected in international relations and the American involvement in the Eastern European region and beyond?
Interdisciplinary Contributions
This conference invites interdisciplinary insights from the fields of literary studies, cultural studies, media studies, linguistics, philosophy, political theory, international relations, and related disciplines. We encourage papers that explore the cultural, historical, and linguistic dimensions of these shifts, with a particular focus on literature, media representations, and cross-cultural dialogues.
Submission guidelines: We invite submissions from a broad range of disciplines, including but not limited to international relations, literature, cultural studies, history, and media studies. Papers that engage critically with cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives will be given priority.
Proposals should include:
- A title and abstract (300-500 words) outlining the focus and argument
- of the proposed paper.
- A brief bio (150 words) of the author, including institutional affiliation.
- Please submit your abstract and bio via e-mail to: ea**********************@gm***.com
Abstract submission deadline: April 30th, 2025
Notification of acceptance: May 30th, 2025
Conference date: September 12th-13th, 2025
Institution: Czech and Slovak Association for American Studies & the Department of British and American Studies, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University
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