Call for Papers
A book of collected essays on humour
Edited by Dr Vivienne Westbrook (National Taiwan University, Taiwan) and Dr Shun-liang Chao (National Chengchi University, Taiwan)

We are looking for one classical and one Romantic scholar who could contribute an article on a case study of humour in antiquity and in the Romantic age, respectively, to a book of collected essays on humour we are putting together. We plan to shape the book into chronological essays ranging from antiquity to modern times. It will include chapters on the Classics, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, Victorian, Twentieth-century and Twenty-first century. The volume will include an introduction that will weave the papers together to demonstrate what each of the articles is contributing to the current state of the field. Each chapter will have a broad introduction to humour as it emerges in each of the periods and then a focused essay on virtually anything that the contributor wants to work with, primarily in the areas of art and literature. Whilst the volume will include aspects of humour theory, it will not be dominated by philosophies of humour or aim to achieve any single philosophy of humour. What we hope to achieve is a humour framework for contributing new readings to the literary, historical and cultural history fields.

We're currently writing a book proposal to send to leading publishers in the US and UK. We are looking for 8,000 word articles (including footnotes and works cited) and would need them by 2012/13. We are aiming for a 2013/14 publication launch and conference. Profs Jonathan Wilcox (Iowa) and Peter Sands (UM-Milwaukee), amongst others, have agreed to take part.

If you are interested, please email a 500-word abstract to Dr Shun-liang Chao at sleon.chao@gmail.com by March 16, 2012.