CALL FOR PAPERS

8th International State of Mark Twain Studies Conference

“The Assault of Laughter”

Elmira College

Elmira, NY

3-6 August 2017

Established in 1989, the Elmira College “International State of Mark Twain Studies” conference is the oldest and largest academic gathering devoted to all things Twain.  The 8th quadrennial conference, centered around the theme, “The Assault of Laughter,” will take place 3-6 August 2017.  We invite papers on any aspect of Mark Twain’s work and legacy, but have a particular interest in the topics listed below:

MT and Satire

MT: Insult and Invective

MT and Politics—Then and Now

MT as Cultural Icon: Use and Abuse

MT and Home

MT and the Art of Irreverence

MT and Gender

MT: Friends and Enemies

MT and Talk

MT and Grief

MT, Correspondent: Public and Private

MT and Immigration

MT and Violence

MT and Vernacular

MT and Public Discourse

MT and The Seduction of Laughter

MT and Political (In) Correctness

MT Visions and Revisions

MT and His Demons

MT and the Quaker City Cruise

MT and Economics

“Twain’s End”: Reassessments

MT and Education

MT in Theory

The State of MT Biography

MT and Realism

The complete Autobiography

Developed abstracts (700 words) should be sent as an electronic attachment to twaincenter@elmira.edu by Monday 6 February 2017. Include a cover letter containing your contact information (name, mailing address, etc.) in the body of the email.  Final papers must be suitable for 20-minute presentation.  Proposals will be reviewed anonymously by members of the conference planning committee.