McKenna Middleton (University of California - Los Angeles)
mrmi@****.com (Log-in to reveal)

"Beyond Binaries” papers explore liminal identity formations, physical geographies, hybridities, and simultaneities that do not fall neatly within binary oppositions. While binary oppositions remain useful instruments, they may only reflect extremes on a spectrum, and risk becoming simplistic or fixed essentialisms. Binaries too often become regulatory mechanisms and defining standards of normalcy and acceptability. This session analyzes topics that move beyond binaries, complicating issues of identity, aesthetics, ideology, religion, region, politics, nationality, immigration status, sexuality, class, species, family, ethnicity, race, and gender, among others. This session especially welcomes topics related to the PAMLA 2026 theme, “Our Ruling Classes: Culture, Power, Conflict.”

"Beyond Binaries” papers explore liminal identity formations, physical geographies, hybridities, and simultaneities that do not fall neatly within binary oppositions. While binary oppositions remain useful instruments, they may only reflect extremes on a spectrum, and risk becoming simplistic or fixed essentialisms. Binaries too often become regulatory mechanisms and defining standards of normalcy and acceptability. This session analyzes topics that move beyond binaries, complicating issues of identity, aesthetics, ideology, religion, region, politics, nationality, immigration status, sexuality, class, species, family, ethnicity, race, and gender, among others. This session especially welcomes topics related to the PAMLA 2026 theme, “Our Ruling Classes: Culture, Power, Conflict.”