cfp.english.upenn.edu

http://www.aber.ac.uk/myth2010/

The organisers of Recycling Myths, Inventing Nations would like to invite proposals for panels and papers that explore myth and myth-making in all its guises. The conference will bring together scholars working across creative and critical disciplines, historical periods and theoretical approaches in order to explore the links be-tween story-telling, mythology, histories, identities and ideologies.

Key note speakers include Professor Murray Pittock (University of Glasgow) who will be speaking on the theme "What is a National Culture".

The organisers welcome contributions that engage with current and emerging scholarly dialogues and demonstrate the diverse range of approaches being adopted in the study of mythology, both in contemporary culture and cultures of the past. Proposals should raise new questions and ideas in relation to the cultural, social and political functions of myth; the “recycling” of stories; the formation of “invented” identities and the multivalent relationships between mythology, history, fact and fiction.

Suggested themes include:
The ways in which writers draw on myths to retell the stories of people and nations
The re-inscription of myths in fiction as a challenge to “official” history
The use of myth by writers to represent new kinds of personal or collective identity
Using myth as a way to rethink literary traditions
The links between story-telling, mythology, identity and history
Recycling mythologies to reflect contemporary political, cultural and global crises.

We welcome proposals, in the form of a 250-word abstract on any of these topics, or a related area. The deadline for abstracts is 30 November 2009. Proposals, expressions of interest and enquiries to: myth2010@aber.ac.uk