IASPR 2012 Conference

The International Association for the Study of Popular Romance (IASPR) is hosting its fourth annual conference in York, United Kingdom in September 27–29, 2012. Titled The Pleasures of Romance, the conference showcases presentations by professors and scholars from all over the world.

"This conference asks one large question: What is the place of pleasure in popular romance? Popular romance—whether romance novels, romantic films, soap operas, fan fiction, advertisements, etc.—has long been both consumed and derided because of the pleasures they impart: pleasures of sentiment, pathos, comfort, arousal, satisfaction, [and] identification.

This conference will consider 'pleasure' in popular romance texts and popular romance studies and [by asking] the following questions:

1.What is pleasure?

2.How is pleasure represented in popular romance?

3.What are the pleasures of the 'text,' whether visual, cinematic, [or] literary?

4.What are the pleasures of consuming a romantic text?

5.How do we theorize the pleasure of viewing and being viewed?

6.Who are the producers of the pleasurable romantic text?"

The detailed conference schedule is available, listing seventeen sessions and panels.