cfp.english.upenn.edu

It has become apparent with the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and the tenth anniversary of 9/11, that major traumatic events continue to resonate in both the individual and social consciousness - perhaps more in the 21st century than ever before. Remembering, rethinking, reworking, and reimagining are just a few of the ways in which authors and artists, historians and critics, audiences and citizens have explored their own traumatic experiences, as well as the traumatic events that continue to impact larger communities. Stemming from its basis in psychoanalysis, trauma studies and trauma theory have opened up unique pathways in literature, as well as other media, by exploring the stress and shock associated with wounds, be they physical, psychological, emotional or cultural.

Cambridge University Press has expressed interest in publishing a collected volume of essays pertaining to trauma and culture. The editors seek article-length (20-25 page) submissions pertaining to the following topics for inclusion in the volume:
-Comedy
-Literature
-9/11
-Film
-Art/Photography

Please submit a one- to two-page proposal, which includes a summary of the proposed article, an outline for expansion, and what contribution your work stands to make to the fields of trauma and/or cultural studies. Proposals selected for possible inclusion in the volume will then have two months to submit an article-length essay. Accepted proposals are provisionally accepted to the collection; full acceptance will depend on Cambridge University Press' peer review process.

Submit proposals for 9/11, Film, and Art to Amanda Wicks (awicks4@lsu.edu), for Comedy and Literature to Andrew Banecker (abanec1@lsu.edu).

Deadline for proposals: January 1, 2012