Over the course of two evenings, Fairfield University’s 9th Annual American Studies Conference will bring together undergraduate and graduate students along with guest keynote speaker Megan Goodwin, PhD, of Northeastern University, to consider this year's theme, "Outsiders and Monsters in American Culture."

The interdisciplinary conference is open to students, the University community, and the general public. Undergratuate and graduate student scholarly presentations will take place in a virtual panel format on Monday, March 28 from 5:50 until 8 p.m., each followed by audience Q&As.

On Thursday, March 31, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Kelley Center Presentation Room, the conference will host an in-person keynote address, "Making the American Religious Monster," by Dr. Goodwin, visiting lecturer of religion and program director of Sacred Writes at Northeastern University. The lecture will be followed by a reception. 

Dr. Goodwin is a scholar of gender, race, sexuality, politics, and American religions. She is the author of Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions (Rutgers 2020). With Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst, she cohosts the "Keeping It 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion" podcast. Dr. Goodwin is the co-chair of the American Academy of Religion’s Teaching Against Islamophobia program unit. 

For more detailed information about the conference and to register (for individual sessions or for the entire conference), please visit the event website. 

For any questions in advance of the event, please contact Gwendoline Alphonso, PhD, director of American Studies, at galphonso@fairfield.edu. If attending the in-person event, please visit the University website before arriving on campus, for the latest Covid-19 guidance: fairfield.edu/healthycampus.

Learn more about American Studies at Fairfield University or apply to the undergraduate or graduate programs here.