42nd Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)

April 7-10, 2011

New Brunswick, NJ – Hyatt New Brunswick

Host Institution: Rutgers University

Rethinking the Postmodern Monster

This panel seeks papers on theories of monstrosity. How does monstrosity occlude or benefit theories of genre/ gender/ nation? How do theories of monstrosity deal with the post-human/ post-national? How can monster theory be circumscribed as a unique ontology? This panel also seeks papers that apply monster theories in unique ways.

Topics may include:

- The monster theories of Cohen, Auerbach, Williams, Halberstam, Zizek etc.
- Infection narratives and physical/ mental illness as monstrosity
- Monstrous/ hybrid texts (ie: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters)
- Teratology and theories of classifying monsters (Pliny, curiosity cabinets, encyclopedias, bestiaries)
- Monsters in performance (theories on freak shows, spectacular monsters, public monstrosities, etc.)
- Monsters and colonialism/ reverse colonialism
- New trends in popular monster narratives
- Monster theory and the posthuman/ postnational

Please submit 250-500 word abstracts on any aspect of the postmodern monster by September 30, 2010 to h.cyr@queensu.ca.

The 42nd Annual Convention will feature approximately 360 sessions, as well as pre-conference workshops, dynamic speakers and cultural events. Details and the complete Call for Papers for the 2011 Convention: www.nemla.org.

Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable. Do not accept a slot if you may cancel to present on another session.