Corn! - September 20, 21, 22 - Call for Presentations

Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance

Corn!

Friday, Saturday & Sunday - September 20, 21 & 22, 2013
Kendall College, Chicago, Illinois

Call for Presentations:

Greater Midwest Foodways presents its sixth symposium examining Midwestern Corn as a foodstuff, an energy source, a source of controversy and a dominate economic engine. This event will include lectures and panel discussions, book signings and, of course, delicious tastings throughout that will illustrate the ideas discussed. We seek presentations based on research, fieldwork, scholarship and professional experience, though geared to a informed popular audience.

Greater Midwest Foodways welcomes any interesting presentation related to Corn. Power Point presentations, audio and video excerpts are encouraged and welcomed by our audience of educators, food enthusiasts, media, history buffs and students.

Some ideas to consider:

1. Corn varieties: Those used by Native Americans, including sweet corn and corn fungus aka huitlacoche. How corn was adopted by immigrants to America: who fed themselves, their animals and developed new uses. Corn’s use abroad in many food cultures. Where corn mush is polenta in Italy, Mamalinga in Romania and Xiaowotou, a steamed cornmeal cake, in China.

2. Corn production: family farm to industrials farms, hybrid seed, the pros and cons of GMO’s, Growing methods and related equipment up to and after the Dust Bowl. Corn as a commodity and the market forces driving it.

3. Corn’s use seemingly everywhere: From corn syrup to high fructose corn syrup to ethanol and biodegradable plastics to food products and corn-based product brands Orville Redenbacher, Argo Starch, Kellogg’s, Karo and Chelsea Milling Company.

4. Representation of corn in art, photography, literature and architecture.

5. Surprise us with unexpected topics and information.

Proposals should be one page in length and contain the following:

• Name of the presenter along with two professional references concerning presentation skills and qualifications-just names and email addresses will do and include a short bio on yourself;
• Title or theme of the presentation;
• Brief description of the subject matter to be discussed;
• Preferred presentation format, i.e., interactive lecture, panel discussion, group presentation. Mix it up and make it audience friendly with product examples, photographs, audio and film clips. No corn borers!
• Presentation length 20 to 30 minutes.

Proposals should be submitted no later than June 28, 2013 to GreaterMidwestFoodways@gmail.com. For more information, contact Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance by email or call 312/380-1665. For past conferences, visit http://www.GreaterMidwestFoodways.com. Programs are recorded for broadcast on demand by WBEZ Radio.

Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance celebrates preserves and promotes the diverse food cultures of the American Midwest from the Great Lakes to the Great Plains.