The Rise and Development of Dystopia in YA Literature

Young Adult (YA) Literature has always featured a variety of sub-genres working in conjunction with familiar tropes (beauty, sexuality, identity, etc.). In the last decade, there has been a steady rise in popularity of the dystopia sub-genre (e.g., Divergent, The Hunger Games, The Selection, Uglies), particularly in the emergence of strong female heroines. While each series has its own distinctive features and developments, a question remains when we look closely at the genre: is there any originality left when we know the pattern of events and characters? This roundtable looks to examine the rise and development of the dystopia sub-genre from its origins to the current climate.

The conference is through the Northeast Modern Language Association and will take place March 17-20, 2016 in Hartford, CT.

Submissions are due: September 30, 2015

NeMLA uses a user-based system to process abstract submissions. Interested scholars should submit 250 word abstracts to Lindsay Bryde through the NeMLA website using the link below: https://www.cfplist.com/nemla/Home/S/15632

For questions about the new submission system, you can contact NeMLA web support here: websupport@nemla.org.

Questions specific to the roundtable can be sent to Lindsay.Bryde@gmail.com