This year the Political Geography and Sexuality and Space Specialty Groups are co-sponsoring a pre-conference on the University of Washington Tacoma campus immediately prior to the start of the Association of American Geographers conference in Seattle. We have extended the submission deadline for this pre-conference for one more week. The new deadline is March 8, 2011. We have some great papers and panels thus far. We welcome additional paper and panel proposals on a wide range of topics related to political geography, sexuality and space, and/or the overlaps and interconnections between the two. Participation is not limited to specialty group members. To submit a paper or session proposal, please send a title, abstract, and complete author/organizer contact information ! to Larry Knopp (knoppl@uw.edu) or Mark Pendras (pendras@uw.edu) no later than March 8, 2011.

The pre-conference will begin midday on Sunday, April 10 and will feature a Keynote Address by Dr. Lynn Staeheli, Professor of Geography at Durham University in the United Kingdom. The conference will continue through Monday, April 11. Additional registration details, including fee and fee payment details, are available at http://www.tacoma.uw.edu/events/pgs.

The University of Washington Tacoma campus is located in downtown Tacoma’s vibrant and beautifully renovated museum district. Accommodations within walking distance include the Courtyard by Marriott (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/travel/seatd-courtyard-tacoma-downtown/) and the Hotel Murano (http://www.hotelmuranotacoma.com/). The Best Western Tacoma Dome (http://www.bestwesternwashington.com/hotels/best-western-tacoma-dome-hotel/) is a very short (2-3 minute) free tram ride away. All three of! fer room rates that are considerably cheaper than hotel rates ! in downtown Seattle (including AAG conference rates). In addition, downtown Seattle and Tacoma are accessible to one another via commuter train and express busses from early morning until late evening. The trip takes less than an hour.

Special thanks to the two specialty groups, UW-Tacoma administration, and the UW-Tacoma Office of Advancement, for their support of this pre-conference. Thanks also to the local organizing committee comprised of geographers and fellow-travelers in the Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences and Urban Studies programs at UW-Tacoma and the Department of Geography at UW-Seattle.