I have not been to the Atlanta Marriott Marquis for a long time but it retains memories of both PCA and DragonCon from way back in the day, so many varied memories resurfacing through the hectic days which were marvellous! Great fun with Miss Wendy and old friends like Frenchy and Carol, and such terrific…
Tag: PCA
PCA is going to be Magic!
I could not be more pleased to let you know, PCA folks, that the 2026 Lynn Bartholome Eminent Scholar Recipient is the fabulous AMY HALE! She will be speaking on ‘Understanding This Golden Age of Magic’ about magic and art and popular culture and this moment in which we find ourselves. I am so delighted…
CFP: Divination, Witchcraft, and The Occult
Call for PresentationsDivination, Witchcraft & the Occult *SPECIAL TOPIC*Popular Culture Association Conference8-11 April 2026Atlanta, GA, US The broad interest in divination, witchcraft, and the occult has been part of popular culture for centuries. Scholars’ discomfort with the topic is often palpable: they tend to focus on intersections that feel more legitimate, e.g. legal ramifications (laws…
Open Your Heart of Wild Honey #PCA2025
In lieu of the usual #TarotTuesday Irreverent Tarot I give you a slapped-together live recording of my talk at PCA this past weekend, ‘Open Your Heart of Wild Honey’: Occult Medievalism in Leonora Carrington’s The Hearing Trumpet. I very lightly edited the audio so it’s still full of ahhs and umms and stumbles of various…
CFP: Divination, Witchcraft, and the Occult
Call for Presentations Divination, Witchcraft & the Occult *SPECIAL TOPIC* Popular Culture Association Conference 16-19 April 2025 New Orleans, Louisiana, US The broad interest in divination, witchcraft, and the occult has been part of popular culture for centuries. Scholars’ discomfort with the topic is often palpable: they tend to focus on intersections that feel more…
Chicago & PCA
I am woefully behind on news. I blame losing my job, way of life and all, but at least I am not under literal siege, so there’s that. PCA is always a much anticipated because there are so many people I only see there these days, including the always delightful Miss Wendy, my roommate in…
PCA/ACA in April
The Easter Bunny usually brings a good egg: the PCAACA conference. Virtual again this year for safety’s sake, many of the usual crowd are gathering to bring you great discussions about the popular culture you love. Here’s my schedule including the much-anticipated round table with pals: I’m still digesting Archive 81 and need to check…
MAPACA & Witches
MAPACA kicks off today and the rest of the week will be a blur obviously because of ISSS Surrealisms, too. Yes, I am grateful that my two presentations do not overlap (though both are Saturday, argh). I am grateful, too, that I know ISSS panels will be viewable for a couple weeks after the conference…
#PCAACA21 Virtual ‘Reality’ & Horror
Just about every year since…? 1995? 1996? I have headed off around Easter time to attend the Popular Culture Association National Conference — except last year it was cancelled and this year it was pushed back to June. Everything is off-kilter, eh? It’s a great conference: fun and informative, covering a wide range of topics…
New Orleans & PCA
It’s true that PCA seems to end up in New Orleans a lot. It’s also true that it comes at a kind of awkward point in the semester — just before Easter. We always have our break much earlier, though there is the extra Monday off because we’re no longer a Catholic institution even though…