The Disney, Culture and Society Research Network is pleased to announce its Call for Papers for the Second Annual Disney, Culture & Society Research Network Conference: Disney in a Time of Global Transformation.

When: 24–28 June 2024

Where: Online

Abstract Submission Deadline: 31 January 2024

How can, and how should, we use the study of The Walt Disney Company to examine the global era in which we live: a time of tremendous change in terms of how we communicate and understand one another? How is Disney revising itself and its properties to stay relevant in our ever-changing world? What does it mean to “keep moving forward” in a time of cultural re-framing and de-colonialism?

As Walt Disney said: “Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” Disney is constantly on the move, transitioning and transforming as they develop and market the next big thing. As Disney continues to acquire more of the media market, they craft something new: a globalized cultural cauldron with a Disneyfied sheen. To address these questions and issues, the upcoming Disney, Culture and Society Research Network Conference aims to open up a conversation around how Disney survives and thrives while continuously adapting to the glocal media industry.

If you are researching elements of the Walt Disney Company in its wide range of capacities, we want to hear from you. We invite abstract submissions on a diverse range of Disney Studies topics as represented by our Network, including but not limited to: Lucasfilm, Marvel, National Geographic, Pixar, Adaptation, Animation, Art, Audiences, Corporate & Industry, Environment & Animals, Fairy Tales, Fandom, Fashion, Food, Games, History, Live Action, Marketing & Merchandising, Music, Pedagogy, Politics, Princesses, Representation & Identity, Streaming & Technology, Television, Theatre, Theme Parks & Tourism, Villains.

We are aware of the current state of the world with the Covid-19 pandemic, the financial precarity of scholars, the environmental harm, and the difficulties of procuring visas for international travel. We want to make this conference as accessible to as many different Disney scholars as possible, so this will be a free, online conference.

If you would like to submit an abstract for this conference, either as an individual or as a pre-constituted round table (for a round table, you must have 3-6 presenters, and you’ll need all of the personal information for each person), please do so in this Google Form. Members and nonmembers of DisNet are welcome to submit. All submissions must be in English as the conference will also take place in English (see this call in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish).

 You will need to provide the following information (if you’re submitting an individual abstract with multiple authors, you need all of the personal information for each person):

  • Name
  • Email
  • Affiliation
  • Time zone in June
  • Biography (~100 words)
  • Social media handles (optional)
  • Consent to share social media handles and/or email address
  • Consent to be recorded as a speaker and/or an attendee
  • Accessibility requirements you would like to bring to our attention
  • Title
  • Abstract (250-300 words)

For more on DisNet and to remain up to date on all of what DisNet has to offer, please see:

Website: cstonline.netwww.dis-net.org/

If you have any questions, please email disnetconference@gmail.com