100 Years Strong but Forever 16: Reclaiming and Expanding Teen Entertainment History
A Symposium at the University of Notre Dame
April 2–3, 2027
Deadline for submissions:
Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (US Eastern Daylight Time)
Acceptance notifications: mid-January 2027
Until recently, the history of teen entertainment has been dominated by studies of U.S. films and television shows that feature white, heterosexual, able-bodied, middle-class youth. Minimal attention has been given to other countries, other entertainment media, and other ways of identifying and being a “teen.” Bringing together faculty and student scholars from around the world, this symposium aims not only to expand the field of teen entertainment history but also to honor and promote the research of scholars working to enrich this unique field of study.
The Program Committee is interested in promoting research on the history of teen entertainment, which we define broadly as popular literature, plays, films, radio programs, television series, comic books, and video games, as well as music, musicians, and other entertainers. Proposals that expand the study of teen entertainment history via attention to non-normative identities, intersectional perspectives, non-Western national frameworks, and/or globalization are especially welcome. Proposals focused on current teen entertainment are welcome but should take a historical perspective.