Pre-organised panel - submission 4
Panel 4: Theatre Narrates the Anglo-American Relationship.
Theatre has long been a site for exploring the tensions in a country's cultural fabric, often holding up a nation for scrutiny. It has at times, in both Britain and the United States, focused on the Anglo-American relationship, which is uniquely familial due to a common language and common heritage. These have generally, though not always, facilitated easy communication and cultural exchange. In many respects the two countries have travelled the same political and economic trajectory, but after an unprecedented alliance during World War II, relations became strained as the United States replaced Britain as the world's leading power. Tensions necessarily rose, especially in Britain, as politicians manipulated the relationship for their own purposes and as British culture became increasingly “Americanized”.
This panel seeks 15 minute length papers for oral presentation on how British and/or American theatre has explored the problematic Anglo-American narrative; either revealing the parallel courses taken by both countries, or exposing the cultural and political differences that have arisen from time to time.
Dr.Judith Saunders received her doctorate at Indiana University Pennsylvania. Her dissertation focused on British theatre at the turn of the century. She is currently awaiting publication of a book by Bloomsbury Academics entitled Staging the Anglo-American Relationship: Theatre, Politics and Identity. She teaches Critical Thinking through Literature and Composition at Contra Costa College, East Bay, California. She has been published in several journals including Midwest Quarterly, Modern Drama, Pacific Coast Philology, Journal of Contemporary Drama in English (JCDE), Symbiosis and Harold Pinter Review.
She has previously chaired sessions at Comparative Drama Conference “Dramatic Fictions: Fictional Drama” (2023) and “Global Drama” (2024). (Refer to Bill Boles - Director) and spearheaded the panel Drama and Society at Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association (PAMLA) since 2019. (Craig Svonkin - Director).
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Enquiries or submissions should be directed to Judith Saunders judith.saunders1@gmail.com
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