cfp.english.upenn.edu

Proposals are invited for 20-minute papers, comprised panels, and roundtable sessions, which consider any period or genre of literature about, set in, inspired by, or alluding to central and suburban London and its environs, from the city’s roots in pre-Roman times to its imagined futures. While the main focus of the conference will be on literary texts, we actively encourage interdisciplinary contributions relating film, architecture, geography, theories of urban space, etc., to literary representations of London. Papers from postgraduate students are particularly welcome for consideration. While papers on all areas of literary London are welcomed, the conference theme in 2012 is ‘Sports, Games, and Pastimes’. Topics that might be addressed are:

Sport: participation, spectatorship, and sporting events including the three London Olympics
Gambling
Shopping and fashion
Pubs and coffee houses
Games and hobbies
Holidays, downtime, and park-life
Child’s play
Reading and writing as pastimes

Pleanry Speakers include Norma Clarke (Kingston University London), Michael Rosen (Birkbeck College), and Sarah Wardle.

Please submit all proposals for 20-minute papers, comprised panels, and roundtable sessions through the Literary London Society website(http://www.literarylondon.org/conference/cfp.html). All proposals must be received by the deadline of 1 April 2012