In recent years, the processes, flows, forces, and trends which could be called "globalisms" or "globalization," as well as theories surrounding these developments, have contributed to renewed interest in the connections within and among America, the Americas, and the rest of the world. With this in mind, this conference brings together student scholars from various disciplines around the central theme of the national imaginary and how it relates to the global imaginary.

How do we articulate the "states" we are in-- politically, intellectually, aesthetically, ethnically, emotionally, sexually, psychologically-- and what difference might these articulations make? What exactly is a "national imaginary" in today's world where the nation-state seems to be increasingly diffuse and deterritorialized? How do cultural forces influence a nation's sense of itself, and how do those same forces influence how nations view each other and the world as a whole? How are political and economic decisions being determined or influenced by broader cultural ideologies or forms? What does it mean to imagine one's self as a citizen in a purportedly "globalized" world? How do identity politics interact with aesthetic formations of the self in an era where national identity is merely one of many competing subjectivities? All of these questions are merely the beginning of a series of inquiries this conference hopes to explore.

Up and coming scholars from various humanities and fine arts departments in the UC system and across the nation are presenting papers on topics as divers as Philipino-American spoken word performance, female Indonesian dancers, and American literature survey courses. A faculty panel will hold a rountable discussion on the topic as well: Susan Koshy (Asian American Studies), Jacqueline Stevens(Law and Society), Chris Newfield (English) and, tentatively, Kumkum Bhavnani (Sociology) will hash out issues of the national imaginary. English Department doctoral candidate Emily Davis will moderate the discussion. In addition, artists from our university community will show selected works in Centennial House that day.