For the last two decades, critical approaches to literature of the global south have taken for granted the importance of history in shaping the present. The ongoing consequences of colonialism, nationalism, partitions, civil wars and other forms of actual and epistemic violence have been taken as key optics for understanding the crises and possibilities of the present. On the other hand, in many cases the discourse of futurity has been usurped by the proponents of neoliberalism who imagine that capitalism will release the formerly colonized countries from history’s handcuffs and pave the way toward a bold new future.

"…a little formalism turns one away from History, but...a lot brings one back to it."

–Roland Barthes

'The academic world as literary exploration in Hispanic and Portuguese literatures'
48th Annual NeMLA Convention in Baltimore, MD (March 24-27, 2017).

CFP: 30 years of Pixar Animation Studios – Symposium

Saturday 10th December 2016, King’s College London

From April 5-7, 2017, the interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Humanities CLUE+ at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam organises a three-day international conference on resonances of the work of the critical theorist and philosopher Judith Butler.

Critical Theory in the Humanities: Resonances of the Work of Judith Butler

Special guest speakers: Judith Butler, Achille Mbembe, Jean-Luc Nancy

Keynote speakers: Adriana Cavarero, Erika Fischer-Lichte, Amelia Jones, Charlotte Witt

The Environment and the Energy Humanities

Seeking presenters for a panel proposal for the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment Biennial Conference in Detroit, MI, June 20-24, 2017

Convincing students who are resistant to feminist ideology—most often the white, straight, cisgender, male student—that feminism is relevant to their lives and the lives of those around them is an uphill battle. More often than not, composition classes are required courses, which means that the students do not want to be there in the first place. Add a feminist theme into the mix, and it can often be a recipe for disaster. This roundtable invites participants to explore the techniques and methods for teaching composition through a feminist lens, particularly focusing on how to combat negativity, while also seeking to invite those resistant students to join the conversation.