THE IMAGE OF REBIRTH in Literature, Media, and Society. 

For 25 years, a popular conference (Society for the Interdisciplinary Study of Social Imagery - SISSI) was held every spring in Colorado Springs, CO.  The conference founder, Will Wright, retired and passed the torch to the School of Communication at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley who, with the founder’s permission, rebranded it as SASSI!  Each year, the conference addresses the influence of images with a new and different thematic focus, including The Image of Violence, The Image of Technology, The Image of the Outsider, etc.

In honor of the resurrection of SISSI – now SASSI – the theme for 2017 explores the image of REBIRTH - in culture, literature, philosophy, history, politics, economics, film, television, art, music, social theory, and business. All versions of rebirth are included – new beginnings, transformation, reincarnation, epiphanies, rebranding, reboots, etc. All eras and cultures are appropriate. All aspects of rebirth and all contrasts with rebirth (stagnation, termination, etc.) are relevant. Possible topics include:

  • Rebirth in literature, art: short stories, novels, statues, paintings, exhibits.
  • Rebirth in popular culture: movies, television, songs, comics/graphic novels.
  • Rebirth and class, culture, ethnicity; the issues of race, power, social control.
  • Religion and rebirth: saints, martyrs, prophets, saviors, life after death, reincarnation.
  • Myths and legends of rebirth: spirit animals, folklore, super heroes. 
  • Rebirth and society: social movements, protests, political life, trends, fashion.
  • Marketing rebirth: nostalgia campaigns, new product reveals, “new and improved.” 
  • Other imaginative variations - eclectic and innovative approaches are encouraged.

Conference Proceedings will be published. Details will be provided in registration materials. Anticipated fees are, for presenters, $95 early bird (pre-Feb. 15) and $115 after.  Additional $45 for proceedings.  Non-presenters (family/friends): $45.   Graduate students are welcome and organized panels are encouraged.  Acceptance of paper assumes attendance at the conference. 

Please submit a one-page abstract or a one-page panel proposal with brief individual abstracts to SASSI[at]unco.edu.  For further information contact conference host Thomas Endres at SASSI[at]unco.edu. Sponsored by the UNC School of Communication, Greeley, CO.  Greeley is located approximately an hour north of Denver.