Dear AIS Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of Wayne State University in the heart of Detroit, Michigan, we look forward to welcoming you to the 40th Association for Interdisciplinary Studies Conference: October 11-13, 2018. Yes, we will be celebrating 40 years of AIS, and we hope that you will join us for this special anniversary conference. The Call for Proposals is accessible on this website.

Wayne State University (WSU) has a rich history and tradition, and 2018 marks its 150th anniversary. AIS is proud to be part of that celebration. WSU has made great strides in multidisciplinary, often interdisciplinary, research, teaching, and scholarship across its 13 colleges and schools, offering 370 academic programs, including a new Global Studies Program: “WSU is home to [28,000] students from nearly every state and 60 countries — the most diverse student body among Michigan’s 15 public universities and a microcosm of the real world . . . Academic excellence and pioneering research are central to our mission and a primary reason why graduate and undergraduate students alike choose to attend Wayne State. [And very important,] Wayne State . . . [is] a driving force behind the city’s resurgence” (For more information, visit “About – Wayne State”).

Wayne State University and Detroit have much to offer conference goers. Some attractions are within walking distance of our conference hotel, the Crowne Plaza Detroit—such as the Detroit River Walk and Campus Martius. Some destinations are within a short bus, trolley, or taxi ride. The Detroit Institute of Arts awaits you as do the Motown Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Eastern Market, the Fox Theater, Comerica Park (where our Tigers are at home), the Fisher Theater, the Wayne State University Hilberry and Bonstelle Theaters, and so much more. Arrive early or stay late. Our hotel will accommodate you at the conference rate.  And check this out: “Detroit is the No. 2 city in the world to visit, Lonely Planet says” (Freep)

The 2018 conference theme is “‘Inter/diversities’: Intersecting Race, Gender, Class, Abilities, Theories, and Disciplines.” The term, “Inter/diversities,” has been explored at previous AIS conferences, displaying both broad appeal and depth of meaning. It is an important, relevant, and timely conference theme for 2018.

With warm regards,

Roslyn Abt Schindler, Associate Professor Emerita, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures