cfp.english.upenn.edu

The Society for American Travel Writing invites proposals for papers on the topic of “Eco-Travel Writing” for the 2011 American Literature Association Conference, May 26-9, 2011 in Boston.

In common parlance, ecotravel suggests environmentally conscious vacationing that is often coupled with service activities intended to clean up pollution or improve sustainability. While travel explicitly organized around environmental concerns may be a relatively new development, respect for alien environments and cultures was not invented in 1980. The SATW invites proposals for papers that explore forerunners to “ECOTRAVEL” that occur throughout American literary history.

While we will not rule out treatments of contemporary works, we will favor studies that make connections to literary forebears. We’d like to put together a panel that represents research across the spectrum of America’s cultural and literary heritage. Send proposals by January 15, 2011, to Jon Volkmer at jvolkmer@ursinus.edu or Andrew Vogel at vogel@kutztown.edu.