The inaugural SCMS Virtual Symposium will be held on December 1-2, 2023 and will consist of SIG and Caucus meetings, Committee Meetings, the Institutional Chairs Meeting, the Members Business Meeting, Seminars, Special Events and other organizational or professional meetings.
The SCMS Virtual Symposium is one way that our organization has sought to support members during and beyond the pandemic. In 2021 and 2022, SCMS hosted its annual conferences on a virtual platform (Pathable); the preconference ensured that Caucus, SIG, and other group meetings would not conflict with the primary conference schedule. In addition to various additional benefits, this virtual event facilitated the continued engagement of members who were unable to attend the in-person conference, enabling their active participation in their respective affiliate and internal SCMS groups. SCMS returned to its in-person conference in 2023, but retained the virtual preconference because it seemed beneficial for members. While staffing the virtual preconference and in-person conference was challenging, the biggest hurdle for our team was the unexpected closure of our chosen virtual conference platform (Pathable) in February 2023.
In preparation for SCMS 2024 in Boston, our small staff is in the challenging position of simultaneously addressing two critical tasks: constructing a "preconference platform" to replace Pathable while organizing an earlier than usual in-person conference. We are reconfiguring SCMS's preconference event to minimize the adverse impact on staff while sustaining a virtual society event and providing year-round benefits and opportunities for building connections and presenting/discussing cutting-edge scholarship and emerging themes.
The inaugural SCMS Virtual Symposium (December 1-2, 2023) aims to foster scholarly discourse, facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote collaboration within the field of cinema and media studies. By shifting this event to December, we hope to further establish a standalone event that helps to expand SCMS into a year-round experience for all members.
All current SCMS members will be granted access to the Virtual Symposium. There is no additional registration for this event; your membership dues allow you to attend all meetings and to participate in or join the audience for seminars. Anyone who wishes to attend either the virtual symposium or participate in the in-person conference must be a current member. Therefore, be sure to renew your membership.
Mark your calendars for December 1-2, 2023, and stay tuned for more information regarding sign-ups for Caucus/SIG, GSO, PLO, and committee meetings as well as a finalized event schedule.
SCMS remains committed to serving our diverse community of scholars, and we appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these changes. We wanted to get this information out as soon as possible; we will be in touch with Caucuses and SIGs regarding any adjustments to the membership year schedule.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to advancing cinema and media studies, and we eagerly anticipate the transformative discussions that lie ahead!
