To make the Mapping the Magazine conference accessible to as many participants as possible – we have flipped the conference. (Yes, we invented this.) A “flipped” conference is one that is optimized for virtual attendees but has added benefits for those who can attend in person.
This comes from our experience as educators. The pandemic taught us that hybrid approaches shortchange those who are present and those who are virtual. It’s better to have a primary modality. In this case, we’ve chosen to make virtual participation the primary modality in order to welcome as many people as possible to fully participate in the event. However, the pandemic also highlighted the importance of being together in person, so we are providing that option, too.
We expect that the pandemic will still make it difficult for many overseas scholars to travel to the U.S. this summer. We also know that shrinking budgets at many institutions make it harder for some attendees to get financial support for their travel. And as a side benefit, it’s eco-friendly to minimize flying and driving when possible.
Those who can attend in person will have the many benefits of being together: more engagement with each other, casual conversations, social events. There will also be coffee/snack breaks and cocktail hours, and a field trip to Dotdash Meredith, if the pandemic permits.
For more information, check out our FAQ page about this year’s event.
