cfp.english.upenn.edu

Poe & World Literature, Poe as World Literature

In their preface to the recent republication of Julio Cortázar’s famous Spanish translations of Edgar Allan Poe’s tales—Cuentos completos: Edición comentada—editors Jorge Volpi and Fernando Iwasaki claim that “todos somos descendientes de Edgar Allan Poe. Somos Poe & cia” [we are all descendants of Edgar Allan Poe. We are Poe & Company” (14). Poe’s current world popularity—as manifested in the widespread celebration of his recent bicentennial in 2009— suggests a resounding global confirmation of Volpi’s and Iwasaki’s claim. Regardless of any assertions made by the cities of Boston, Richmond, Philadelphia, New York, or Baltimore, Poe’s legacy now belongs to the world. “Poe & World Literature, Poe as World Literature” hopes to continue the fruitful discussion of Poe’s relationship to the world and to world literature that grew out of a seminar from last year’s ACLA convention entitled “Cosmopolitan Poe.” We invite proposals from former and new participants that treat Poe as an international writer.

Paper topics could include:
*Comparative readings of Poe alongside various world writers
*Examinations of Poe translations in any language and/or comparisons of translations of Poe
*Considerations of how Poe relates to the conceptualization, study, and/or teaching of world literature and vice versa
*Analyses of Poe’s international biographies
*Discussions of any of the Poe bicentennial celebrations

In short, we are interested in any essay that looks at Poe and/as world literature.

The American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA)annual meeting will be held from March 31-April 1, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. ACLA’s annual convention uses a seminar format in which 8-12 participants meet together for 2-3 days to share their papers. To submit a paper, go to the ACLA website at www.acla.org, click on the Vancouver, Canada (2011) link under ACLA Annual Meetings, click on Propose a Paper, then fill out the proposal form and make sure that to select “Poe & World Literature, Poe as World Literature” in the Seminar drop box. (ACLA is currently updating the site with new seminars. “Poe & World Literature, Poe as World Literature” will appear in the drop box list by Friday September 24.) The deadline for submissions is November 1.

Emron Esplin
Assistant Professor of English and American Studies
Kennesaw State University
eesplin@kennesaw.edu

Caroline Egan
B.A./M.A. Candidate
The Department of Comparative Literature
The Pennsylvania State University
Graduate Assistant
The Global Studies Institute
cre130@psu.edu