<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1385641737;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:675705900 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:1401099378;
mso-list-template-ids:99626552;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Please excuse any cross-posting.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The Regional History Center at NIU Libraries invites proposals for papers, sessions, panels, and multi-media presentations for the Northern Illinois History and Cultural Heritage Conference. Themed “At the
Crossroads of the Urban-Rural Divide: A Conference on Northern Illinois History and Cultural Heritage”, the meeting will take place
<b>at the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb, IL, on Saturday, April 22, 2023</b>. Please see below for more details.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Identified in recent scholarship and commentary as perhaps the most consequential political fracture line in American society, the urban-rural divide has factored into national identity, governance, and public
policy since this country’s founding. The Northern Illinois region—representing a swath of land north of Interstate 80 and extending west from Chicagoland to the Mississippi River—offers numerous opportunities to understand how historic change and continuity
have shaped the current political and ideological dynamic playing out across the United States. Collectively, the region exemplifies the tension and conflict of the urban-rural dichotomy, where the influence of a major metropolitan agglomeration looms large
over the individual communities and interests found within.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">As the urban, suburban, and peri-urban landscape expands, the resulting demographic and cultural variance reconfigures traditional patterns and notions of political affiliation, cultural expression, community
values, and shared experience. In other words, the fracture lines become less clear and conventional wisdom about the divide is continuously tested and reformulated. This Conference seeks to temporarily shift focus from topics well-covered in historical discussions
about Illinois to bring attention to community stories and historical narratives that are frequently overlooked and underappreciated yet have profound implications for the trajectory of this state and nation. Like many other rapidly changing regions, Northern
Illinois represents a crossroads with a unique history that can inform our present and future understanding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The Conference organizers hope to engage a diverse audience of scholars, practitioners, students, hobbyists, community leaders, and others to examine the urban-rural divide through a regional and local lens.
We invite proposals from professionals and amateurs across disciplines that address some aspect of this urban-rural dynamic in the context of Northern Illinois history and culture. The presentation format is open and both group and individual session proposals
will be considered. We welcome topics that include (but are not limited to) the following areas:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Historic political and ideological tensions between town and country<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Labor and opportunity in the post-industrial global economy<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Indigenous history, culture, and knowledges<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Suburban sprawl, rural contraction, and evolving land use<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Race, justice, and diversifying communities<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Immigration, migration, and demographic shifts<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Gender, sexuality, and women’s history<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Technology, climate change, and environmental history<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Radicalization, polarization, and rural/urban decline<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Memory institutions, community identity, and the telling of local/regional history<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Historiography trends, gaps, and discourses<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Teaching regional and local history at the elementary, secondary, and college levels<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Historic people, places, and events in regional popular culture or folklore<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Institutional networks, historic tourism, and the heritage industry<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Documenting and curating local and regional history<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">For the purpose of this conference, the Northern Illinois Region is defined by the NIU Regional History Center’s geographic collecting scope, which encompasses the northernmost counties in the state of Illinois
outside of Cook County. Preference will be given to presenters and topics originating within this approximate geographic region. However, there is no residency requirement and topics outside of the geographic focus will be considered if the proposal aligns
significantly with the other thematic elements of the conference.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Proposals should include contact information, presentation/paper title, and a 200-300 word abstract that describes your topic and how it will be presented. These can be submitted to Associate Professor Bradley
J. Wiles at <a href="mailto:bwiles@niu.edu">bwiles@niu.edu</a>. The deadline for proposals is<b> Friday, December 31, 2022</b>, and all individuals submitting proposals will be notified with an acceptance decision by Monday, January 31, 2023.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121;background:white">Eric A. Edwards</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121"><br>
<span style="background:white">Interlibrary Loan Librarian</span><br>
<span style="background:white">Illinois State Library</span><br>
<span style="background:white">Gwendolyn Brooks Building</span><br>
<span style="background:white">300 S. 2nd Street</span><br>
<span style="background:white">Springfield, Illinois 62701-1796</span><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><a href="mailto:eedwards@ilsos.gov">eedwards@ilsos.gov</a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121"><br>
<span style="background:white">(217) 558-1928</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>