General Info

The MNSU Graduate Scholars of English Association (GSEA) students are excited to announce the 2026 GSEA Conference. Our hybrid conference will take place on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

This year's conference theme, “Language, Power, Belonging,” refers to how language shapes identity, relationships, and access to opportunities. The words we use—and the languages we value—affect how people see themselves and how they are seen by others. In schools, language can be a source of confidence and connection, but it can also create exclusion, silence, or inequality.

This could involve discussions on:

1. The power of language in social change: How literature, poetry, and rhetoric have historically been used to address societal issues, challenge injustices, and promote unity.

2. Language as a means of understanding: How language facilitates cross-cultural communication and empathy, helping people overcome misunderstandings rooted in cultural, linguistic, or ideological differences.

3. The role of language in healing trauma: Examining how language can be used therapeutically to mend communities torn by war, political strife, or personal loss.

4. The challenges and limitations of language: Considering whether language can truly bridge deep divides or if its power is overstated, particularly in contexts where communication barriers (like language differences or mistrust) are entrenched.

The conference invites scholars to reflect on language's limitations and potential as a means to repair society's fractures and bring people together. Topics could include literary analysis, linguistic theory, philosophy, political discourse, and more, all within the context of the central theme of unity and healing.