Authors Meet Critics (AMC) Proposals
Authors Meet Critics sessions are limited to, at most, five (5) accepted proposals at our annual convening. These sessions, often referred to as AMCs, follow the format of a “traditional” panel and includes the author of a written work published between a particular time period as well as three invited “critics”, one of whom may serve as a moderator or chair of the discussion. AMCs follow the presentation format of a panel submission.
Authors Meet Critics sessions are designed to bring authors of recent, cutting-edge books, deemed to be important contributions to the field of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies (WGSS), together with discussants chosen to provide a variety of viewpoints. NWSA members are invited to nominate books published between 2024 and 2026. Both single-authored books and edited collections that are the result of collaborative engagement among the contributors will be considered. Only NWSA members may submit nominations, including self-nominations; nominations by presses or agents will not be accepted.
What makes a Strong AMC Proposal?
We especially welcome Authors Meet Critics proposals that:
- thoughtfully developed integration of how the publication aligns with or speaks to the invitations and (sub)themes of the Conference Call for Proposals
- provide clear exploration of the discussion's goals, desired outcomes for the audience, and how each invited critic contributes to the conversation
- attend to the structure and flow of the sessions; AMC sessions differ from traditional panel presentations and warrant more structure
Generally strong proposals offer:
"Clear tie in between feminist texts and the proposal (for example, a direct quotation; a brief description of the main theory or theories that are used within the proposal; a justification for why this text or historical/contemporary figure was chosen as it related to feminist movements). Intersectional, decolonial, and/or queer perspectives are interwoven throughout the proposal, and not simply tacked on at the end." - Melinda Chen, NWSA Member-at-Large
"A strong proposal uses clear, accessible language that can be understood by an interdisciplinary audience of readers. A strong proposal should clearly articulate the paper's topic, argument, and methodology or evidence. A strong proposal should cite relevant sources in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and should explain the relationship of the paper to the conference theme or subthemes." - Kristina Gupta, NWSA Vice President