Who We Are

The Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) is a non-profit organization of teachers and scholars of literature, language, and culture.

A regional affiliate of the Modern Language Association (MLA), NeMLA provides a forum for the dissemination of scholarship and the advancement of teaching in modern languages and literatures. Every year, the NeMLA Convention affords NeMLA’s principal opportunity to carry on a tradition of lively research and pedagogical exchange. This four-day long event showcases different areas of inquiry and includes regular panels, roundtables, seminars, interactive workshops, special events, caucus meetings, literary readings, film screenings, and guest speakers.

Building on a rich tradition of excellence, the University at Buffalo supports the mission of NeMLA by serving as its institutional and administrative host. In addition, each NeMLA Annual Convention is sponsored by a local host institution.

History

NeMLA was officially recognized after growing out of a New York-Pennsylvania association of faculty organized by William A. Wehmeyer (St. Bonaventure University) at the 1967 Modern Language Association (MLA). He and other MLA members were interested in continuing scholarly discourse at annual conventions smaller than those hosted by the MLA. With F. M. Burelbach as the editor of the NeMLA Newsletter (later Modern Language Studies), Wehmeyer organized conferences in April 1968 and in April 1969 at St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan Catholic university in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, within the Diocese of Buffalo, New York. In 1969, the organization moved to wider regional membership, election of officers, formal affiliation with MLA, and adoption of its present name.

On April 3, 1970, the Inaugural NeMLA Annual Convention took place in Buffalo, NY.

In 2013, NeMLA came back to its original home when the University at Buffalo signed a 4-year contract to serve as NeMLA’s administrative host institution. In 2017, the contract was renewed for three years.

Most members of NeMLA today are professors, graduate students, and independent scholars from colleges and universities in the Northeast, including Delaware, New England, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and eastern Canada.

For its 50th Anniversary Convention, NeMLA inaugurated its very first Undergraduate Forum!

Administrative Host Institution

Local Host Institutions

Past Conventions

Below are the links to information about past conventions, including programs and lists of presenters.

2020

51st Annual Convention
Boston, Massachusetts
March 5-8, 2020
Download the Program (PDF)

2019

50th Anniversary Annual Convention
Washington DC
March 21 - 24, 2019
Download the Program (PDF)

2018

49th Annual Convention
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 12 - 15, 2018
Download the Program pdf(10.6 MB) (PDF)

2017

48th Annual Convention
Baltimore, Maryland
March 23 - March 26, 2017
Download the Program pdf (3.9 MB) (PDF)

2016

47th Annual Convention
Hartford, Connecticut
March 17 - March 20, 2016
Download the Program pdf (3.9 MB) (PDF)

2015

46th Annual Convention
Toronto, Ontario
April 30 - May 3, 2015
Download the Program pdf (3.5 MB) (PDF)

2014

45th Annual Convention
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
April 3 - April 6, 2014
Download the ProgramDownload pdf(2.1 MB) (PDF)

2013

44th Annual Convention
Boston, Massachusetts
March 21 - March 24, 2013
Download the Program pdf (2.7 MB) (PDF)

2012

43rd Annual Convention
Rochester, New York
March 15 - March 18, 2012
Download the Program pdf (3.3 MB) (PDF)

2011

42nd Annual Convention
New Brunswick, New Jersey
April 7 - April 10, 2011
Download the Program pdf (3.5 MB) (PDF)

2010

41st Annual Convention
Montreal, Quebec
April 8 - April 11, 2010
Download the Program pdf (3.7 MB) (PDF)

2009  

40th Annual Convention
Boston, MA
February 26-March 1, 2009
Download the program pdf (10.9 MB) (PDF)

2008

39th Annual Convention
Buffalo, NY
April 10-13, 2008
Download the program pdf (3.9 MB) (PDF)

2007

38th Annual Convention
Baltimore, MD
March 1-4, 2007
Download the program pdf (319 KB) (PDF)

2006

37th Annual Convention
Philadelphia, PA
March 2-5, 2006

2005

36th Annual Convention
Cambridge, MA
March 31-April 2

2004

35th Annual Convention
Pittsburgh, PA
March 4-7

2003

34th Annual Convention
Boston, MA
March 6-9

2002

33rd Annual Convention
Toronto, ON
April 12-13

2001

32nd Annual Convention
Hartford, CT
March 30-31

2000

31st Annual Convention
Buffalo, NY
April 7-8

1999

30th Annual Convention
Pittsburgh, PA
April 16-17

1998

29th Annual Convention
Baltimore, MD
April 17-18

1997

28th Annual Convention
Philadelphia, PA
April 4-5

1996

27th Annual Convention
Montreal, QC
April 19-20

1995

26th Annual Convention
Boston, MA
March 1-April 1

1994

25th Annual Convention
Pittsburgh, PA
April 8-9

1993

24th Annual Convention
Philadelphia, PA
March 26-28

1992

23rd Annual Convention
Buffalo, NY
April 3-5

1991

22nd Annual Convention
Hartford, CT
April 5-7

1990

21st Annual Convention
Toronto, ON
April 6-8

1989

20th Annual Convention
Wilmington, DE
March 31-April 2​

1988

19th Annual Convention
Providence, RI
March 24-26

1987

18th Annual Convention
Boston, MA
April 2-4

1986

17th Annual Convention
New Brunswick, NJ
April 3-5

1985

16th Annual Convention
Hartford, CT
March 27-30

1984

15th Annual Convention
Philadelphia, PA
March 29-31

1983

14th Annual Convention
Erie, PA
April 14-16

1982

13th Annual Convention
New York City, NY
April 3-5

1981

12th Annual Convention
Montreal, QC
April 9-11

1980

11th Annual Convention
North Dartmouth, MA
March 20-22

1979

10th Annual Convention
Hartford, CT
March 29-31 

1978

9th Annual Convention
Albany, NY
March 30-April 1

1977

8th Annual Convention
Pittsburgh, PA
April 21-23

1976

7th Annual Convention
Burlington, VT
April 8-10

1975

6th Annual Convention
Montreal, QC
April 3-5

1974

5th Annual Convention
University Park, PA
April 4-6

1973

4th Annual Convention
Boston, MA
April 6-8

1972

3rd Annual Convention
Saratoga Springs, NY
April 6-8

1971

2nd Annual Convention
Philadelphia, PA
April 2-3

1970

1st Annual Convention
Buffalo, NY
April 3-4​