To present at the conference, submit an abstract using this form!
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Rachel Hartnett Presents: "(Post)Colonial Monsters: Zombies and Vampires and Dragons, Oh My!"
Rachel M. Hartnett, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of English in the Department of Arts and Sciences at the College of Coastal Georgia. Her research interests include American literature, postcolonialism, U.S. empire, popular culture, and adaptation studies. She has been published in the Journal of Popular Culture, Adaptation Today, eTropic, and South Atlantic Review in the “Whose Adaptation is It Anyway?” essay cluster, which she co-edited. Currently, she has a forthcoming chapter on Trinidadian vampire myths and American military occupation in The Palgrave Handbook of Monsters and Monstrous Bodies. She is also co-editing an anthology, (Re)Making Multiplicities: Twenty-First Century Adaptations of Multiethnic American Literatures, under advanced contract with SUNY Press; other upcoming work includes a monograph project on race and postcolonialism in the A Song of Ice and Fire series as well as a co-written project on representations of masculinity in American war adaptations.
In his seminal work on monster theory, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen proposes a “method of reading cultures from the monster they engender” (3). In his seven theses, Cohen builds from the idea that the “monstrous body is pure culture” which “always signifies something other than itself” (4). Since the monster does not truly exist, they symbolically serve as representations of a culture’s fears and anxieties. However, these representations are never static; they morph and transform as societies and cultures do the same. Such adaptations continue to build on monster mythos, adding new shapes and dimensions to familiar fantastic figures as well as placing them within Julie Grossman’s concept of elastextity. Reading adaptation as a monstrously malleable act, as Grossman argues, allows us to read cultural texts beyond their initial form to see their “‘hideous progeny’” in conversation with adapted forms that ask “new questions about fundamental issues of human and textual identities” (2).
Building from postcolonial theorists such as Edward Said and Robert Stam, as well as the work of Cohen and Grossman, I will look at some of the most popular monsters associated with postcolonialism—zombies and vampires—to determine what these monstrous bodies can tell us about coloniality and decolonial resistance. Additionally, I will explore the complex and compelling figure of the dragon and how it has been adapted from a representation of war and military might into a figure of postcolonial struggle. From ancient mythologies across the globe to the dragons of J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin, how do dragons refuse simple classification within systems of culture, gender, or species?
Dr. Shawn Miller Presents: “Beasts in the Machine: Wild Life and Wild Agency at the Dawn of the Anthropocene” Since 1970, global wildlife numbers have declined by an average 73 percent: mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, and even insects. In Latin America, the drop in the same period was 95 percent. We are on the verge of a Sixth Extinction in large part because while humanists have shown that humans have expressed some rather radical, positive changes in attitudes towards animals since the middle of the twentieth century, our actual relationships and interactions with nonhuman lives still reflect deep historical roots. In other words, most humans behave toward the animal world largely as we always have, just that now we do it on an unprecedented scale.
What has been our historical relationship with animals? Animals have been the raw material for our industries, a source of our food, contributors to our labor, and our tireless entertainers. How has our relationship with them changed over time, and under what influences? What agency have animals had in this relationship? Today, we collectively express more positive and benign attitudes towards animal life and have set aside more space for them, in national parks and wilderness reserves, than at any time in the past, yet their declines only seem to continue to accelerate. This address will offer a few case studies of how animals have been used in Latin America, some unique examples of changed human behavior, and consider the challenges that remain to sustaining our age-old relationships with the non-human world.
Travel Information
Transportation
For Travel Grant Recipients
Those receiving a travel grant will have travel expenses reimbursed up to the amount they have been rewarded. These grants may be used to pay for any of these travel options, whether that be to purchase bus or plane tickets, or pay for gas. Be mindful of the cost of each option as you will be responsible for any expenses that exceed your grant amount. You must be able to present receipts for expenses you wish to have reimbursed.
Getting to the Conference
Travelling by Car
The easiest transportation method will be driving and/or carpooling with anyone else travelling from your school. Be mindful of the location and prices of gas pumps in less populated areas and plan parking ahead of time.
Travelling by Air
Those travelling from different states may prefer travelling by air. Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) is approximately 15 minutes from campus. .
- GJT provides direct flights to and from states like Texas, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.
- Public transportation options are available just outside.
- Several hotel options nearby.
Travelling by Bus
For those coming from other Colorado areas who don’t have the option to drive, Bustang is an inexpensive option for transportation to Grand Junction.
- Their west line will take you from Denver Union Station to Grand Junction.
- Both Grand Junction stops have access to buses to take you to campus and/or your hotel.
- Tickets are $43 for a one-way trip Denver to GJ and can be paid for via their app or in cash.
Getting Around Town
Public Transportation
If you are arriving in town without a car, you can use Grand Valley Transit (GVT), Grand Junction’s public transportation.
- One-way fares are $1.50 and day passes are $3.75, they can be purchased via the Token Transit app or with cash.
- For route information and real-time bus locations please visit the Grand Valley Transit website.
Rideshares, Taxis, and Other Options
- Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are available in town. Rides can be booked through their app. Be mindful that these apps implement surge pricing, meaning prices will increase during busier times of the day.
- Sunshine Rides is a 24/7 taxi service. Call or text 970-777-7777 to book a ride.
- Lime Scooters are also available across town; they can be paid for and located via their app.
Places to Stay
Below are hotel options recommended by officers of the conference.
Prices listed here are subject to change. When booking a room, always check across different booking websites (Expedia, Trivago, Booking.com, ect), as prices may vary. Keep in mind that earlier hotel bookings tend to be more affordable.
Hotel Maverick
840 Kennedy Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501
- Around $175 per night for those attending the conference
- On-campus
- Certain dates are locked to a two-night stay
- Refined hotel and atmosphere
- Hot tub
Days Inn by Wyndham Grand Junction
708 Horizon Dr, Grand Junction, CO 81506
- Around $61 per night
- 4-minute drive to campus
- Price-friendly
- Outdoor pool
- Complimentary breakfast
Grand Vista Hotel
2790 Crossroads Blvd, Grand Junction, CO 81506
- Around $87 per night
- 6-minute drive to campus
- Year-round pool and hot tub
- Breakfast options ($)
- Pet-friendly
La Quinta Inn & Suites
2761 Crossroads Blvd, Grand Junction, CO 81506
- Around $113 per night
- 7-minute drive to campus
- Outdoor pool
- Complimentary breakfast
Tru by Hilton
243 Colorado Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501
- 7-minute drive to campus
- Pet-friendly
- Complimentary breakfast
- Near many local restaurants and shops
On-Campus Food
Colorado Mesa University has many food options right on campus. They are listed by their location.
University Center
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Chick-Fil-A
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Starbucks
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Wave at Arcadia (Dirty sodas, pretzels, and other drinks and snacks)
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Flat Top Grill (Burgers, chicken nuggets, and other foods)
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Rowdy’s (A convenience store with snacks and supplies)
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Umai Bowls and Rolls (Fresh sushi and Umai bowls inside of Rowdy’s)
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The Caf (CMU Dining hall)
Tomlinson Library
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Qdoba
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Einstein Bros
Ember Eatery
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Jamba Juice
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Panera Bread
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Unbranded Grill (Smashburgers)
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Fire Ramen (Ramen bowls)
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Eat Market (Similar to Rowdy’s)
Hotel Maverick
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Betty’s Gourmet Coffee (Breakfast and lunch located on first floor of the Hotel Maverick)
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Devil’s Kitchen ($$) (Upscale dining with American cuisine and regionally-inspired dishes)
North Ave (Southwest Corner of Campus)
- Bravo’s Pizza (Pizza, Gyros, and other Mediterranean and Italian foods)
- Sugar and Ice (Fro-yo, Italian sodas, coffee, and breakfast foods)
Local Eats
Grand Junction has an array of quality local restaurants, here are some of our nearby favorites.
Trail Life Brewing Company ($)
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Downtown Grand Junction
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5-minute drive from campus
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Patio seating
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Craft Beers
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Elevated Pub food
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Vegetarian and Vegan options available
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Lively, Casual Atmosphere
Pablo's Pizza ($)
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Downtown Grand Junction
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5-minute drive from campus
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Specialty pizzas, salads, and more
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Casual, Quirky Atmosphere
Fiesta Guadalajara ($)
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Casual dining
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Mexican cuisine
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Walking distance to campus
Jimmy’z Hamburgers ($)
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Walking distance to campus
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Price-friendly
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Casual dining with old-school feel
The Rockslide Brew Pub ($)
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Pub food with outdoor seating
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Located in the heart of downtown
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5-minute drive from campus
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Bustling atmosphere
Koi Ramen and Sushi ($)
- Japanese cuisine
- Relaxed and sleek atmosphere
- 5-minute drive from campus
Applications are due September 1st