True Crime CFP - PCA Annual Conference 2027 (PCA)
Boston, MA
Organization: Popular Culture Association
Event: PCA
PCA True Crime CFP 2027
PCA/ACA will be held from March 24-27th, 2027 in Boston, MA
The True Crime area co-chairs invite papers and presentations on all aspects of True Crime, including but not limited to analysis and interpretations across a range of media such as books, podcasts, film/documentaries, and television. Papers may deal with case narratives, psychology of a crime, media literacy, or investigative journalism. We recognize the interdisciplinarity of the True Crime genre, and also welcome submissions that explore topics such as gender/demographics of audiences, perpetrators or victims; media literacy of True Crime; sensationalizing high profile cases; criminology, victimology, and forensics; wrongful convictions and advocacy; prevention of crime, family/victim consent, and survivor stories; crimes against POC, indigenous groups, or marginalized peoples; and more. Presentations should be aware of and respectful to victims and their families as applicable to the specific topic being explored.
Covering a vast expanse of time and an array of potential topics, True Crime offers countless opportunities for interdisciplinary academic study and debate. While opponents of the genre often critique crime stories as being exploitative and potentially traumatic for victims, society’s perennial fascination with stories of crime, murder, and mayhem also provide insight into our collective interests, motivations, and prejudices. Significantly, the presentation of crime stories provides insight into our changing perspectives on criminality, deviant behavior, and the treatment of victims over time. In his Introduction to True Crime: An American Anthology, Harold Schechter writes: “What differs strikingly from era to era is the way such transgressions are interpreted. Acts otherwise analogous have been seen at different times as arising from sin, or irrational thinking, or mental disease, or inarticulate protest against abuse or oppression” (xix). In other words, the study of True Crime is also the study of our culture and its behaviors and beliefs. We look forward to presentations exploring our current moment of True Crime.
Note: Due to the mentioned interdisciplinarity of True Crime, for the 2027 conference we are actively looking for submissions that would work as joint panels with other areas including Mystery & Detective Fiction or Vampire Studies. We encourage topics that explore the mutual influence and exchange between True Crime and crime fiction or the study of cases that involve influences from vampire-based lore. You may indicate in your proposal if you would like your paper to be considered for a joint panel; even if not accepted for a joint panel, your abstract will be considered for our regular True Crime programming.
Submission Requirements: Proposals for single papers and panels should be up to 300 words and must include the following:
1) a title reflecting your argument (or framing concept in case of a panel or roundtable)
2) a clear statement of your argument/thesis and/or key research questions
3) an identification of the corpus that will be the focus of your study
All paper proposals should be submitted directly through the PCA website. If you are organizing a panel of 3-4 speakers, or a roundtable discussion panel of 4-6 participants, please have your panelists submit proposals directly to the PCA website and contact the True Crime co-chairs with a panel proposal identifying your presenters. Otherwise, proposals will be arranged into panel sessions based on critical, disciplinary, or thematic connectivity.
Co-chairs for True Crime: Dr. Lauren Kuryloski, (lkurylos@buffalo.edu) and Dr. Samantha Przybylowicz Axtell, (samantha.przybylowicz@gmail.com).
samantha.przybylowicz@gmail.com
Samantha Axtell