MLA

[Timshel]

This may sound like a stupid question, but I am planning on attending the MLA conference in Boston in January even though I am not presenting. I have never attended a conference where I was not presenting, so I'm not sure about the protocol. Do I still have to register? Is anyone else planning on being there?

[rems]

I'm not planning at this moment to attend (maybe if I can find the money), but I do believe you still need to register even if you just plan on attending. I asked a prof this a couple weeks ago about a conference at a college near me, and she said it varies from conference to conference. If it's a small one and more casual, then you probably can just walk right in and no one will know the difference or care. However, at larger more "official" conferences (AKA MLA) you might be expected to cough up some bucks if you plan to attend.

I think the best thing would be to email them and ask because it does vary depending on the conference.

[Isidore]

I'm definitely going - how could I pass it up, being so close? While I walked into the ALA last year without registering, I'm assuming everyone actually does have to register for something like the MLA.

[Silent_G]

I definitely hope to go, especially since I'll be living in Boston. I checked out the website, and it looks like everyone has to register to attend, and registration opens in September. I'm not a member yet, as I'm waiting until I'm officially registered as a grad student so that I can get the student membership. Then I plan to register for the conference. Other than that, I'm not sure how it works.

[jma310]

Conferences are weird like that. My bf walked right into the PCA last week without registering.

[ComeBackZinc]

One of the advantages of registering at a conference of MLA's size is that you'll need your badge to get into the convention space where you can get free books and swag.

[Timshel]

My husband has come with me to conferences before, and he never registered himself, he just walked in, but those weren't MLA. I thought MLA might be different. Plus, MLA is about networking, too, so it might be better to be official and have a name tag and what not.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Timshel

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

When do you have to register for it? I imagine I would be back in Buffalo for early January, and getting to Boston would be pretty easy for me. I'd be interested in going, if I could make it work!

[Stately Plump]

I'll be there

Registering sometimes has its perks, like free food. However, MLA is also notorious for the "check-nametag-and-ignore" routine; if you aren't important, you may be dismissed by some professors you (once thought you might) admire. Just a warning.

Note that not all are like that, but I've heard that the MLA in particular is kinda know for that type of thing.

[user_name]

I'll be presenting at the special forum on Occupy....never done a conference before, so yeah...

[bfat]

I just submitted a session proposal for NeMLA next March (cross your fingers), which is also in Boston. Are these conferences very different? Strange that they're just 2 months apart in the same city...

[Doctor Cleveland]

Yes, MLA insists on the name tags, to the point that there are often people at the doors of panels checking for them. I've had an experience where a job candidate who didn't register needed me to leave the interview room so I could come get him past a security person.

MLA can be overwhelming. Doing any successful networking there requires specific planning and the willingness to accept limited goals. You can see people whose work you admire give papers, but you'll have to plan ahead to find their panels. And you'll often be able to introduce yourself briefly to speakers, but they might not have time for much more because MLA is crazy for them, too.

Smaller conferences can be better while you're building an early grad-school network, not least because you can count on almost everyone at such a conference being in your subfield (and therefore someone you're likely to see at another conference relatively soon).

[anxious_aspirant]

Anyone else want to go for *ahem* fun? I'd go for the "swag" alone. Sounds like a nerd's dream (Isidore, we should confer as the date gets closer, since we'd be going from the same area.)

Anyone else know what kind of perks MLA membership gets us as students? Out of curiosity - I've been out of the English/academia game for a few. (Glad to be back, of course.)

[dazedandbemused]

I would LOVE to go to this just for fun. Does everyone get an equal grab at the swag? Coming from a completely unranked Midwestern school, I know nothing about these conferences.

[ComeBackZinc]

Depends. Often, if you have a grad student's badge, they'll just hand you a book. Sometimes they'll make you fill out a form and give it to you, sometimes you fill out a form and they'll send you one in the mail (typically, only to a departmental address). Now, how honest you are in all of that is up to you. Most of the time, the forms indicate that you're getting the book because you're interested in teaching it, and you'll have to sort of indicate that such is the case. In practice, they usually don't care, but you can keep the pretense going in the conversation. I mean, I'm teaching a freshman composition learning community, but I still got a free copy of Ovid's Metamorphoses. I don't think there's anybody who was "fooled" by my ordering a desk copy for evaluation for a class. That's just the protocol.

At the booths at big conferences it can depend a lot. Usually, be polite, be upfront about wanting a free copy of a specific book, and you'll get it. At C's this year I asked for a copy of the Rhetorical Tradition, which is like $80, and the lady just handed it to me without question, or a form, or anything.

[JeremiahParadise]

Speaking of MLA/Boston/conferences -- will any of you be heading to the Boston College Joyce and Religions forum? Might be worth peeping.

http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/centers/ila/events/joyce.html

[Stately Plump]

Speaking of MLA/Boston/conferences -- will any of you be heading to the Boston College Joyce and Religions forum? Might be worth peeping.

http://www.bc.edu/co...ents/joyce.html

Omg. I didn't know about this. And I won't be in Boston for it. ARG.

+ = +

[Sparrowing]

I will be there, presenting on a panel alongside two tenured professors. I've conferenced before, but not at this level. I'm pretty much terrified.

[Timshel]

i don't know who is on my roundtable yet, but it's still terrifying. we'll all have to make sure & check out each others panels for support! and, of course, have drinks after since all our nerves will be shot...

For sure! I won't be presenting, so I won't be nervous. I just want to hear some great panels, meet some great panels, and definitely have some drinks with some GCers!

[Sparrowing]

i don't know who is on my roundtable yet, but it's still terrifying. we'll all have to make sure & check out each others panels for support! and, of course, have drinks after since all our nerves will be shot...

Agreed!

[wreckofthehope]

I've had my paper accepted to a special panel, but the panel hasn't been accepted yet. So I don't know how likely it is that I'll actually be presenting. I really hope I get to, especially because this panel is soooo exciting to me and I really want to meet the other people that are working on the topic.

I'll be attending in either case, because I live in Boston and am already an MLA member - it would be kind of silly not to, I think

[user_name]

I'm in the same boat, wreckorthehope. What panel?

[wreckofthehope]

I'm in the same boat, wreckorthehope. What panel?

I've PM-ed you - feel a bit weird writing it here when it's still up in the air, sorry

[lazaria]

Me too, user_name and wreckorthehope! I'm really hoping that my panel is approved. Good luck to both of you, too!