cfp.english.upenn.edu

The Lit&Tour: International Conference on Literature and Tourism will be hosted by the Centre for Comparative Studies of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Lisbon, in collaboration with the School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism of the University of the Algarve. The theme of the Conference is the relationship between literature and tourism. The Conference will focus on the various forms and approaches of this relationship.

The last three decades have been fruitful in studies and publications on travel literature. The relationship between literature and tourism has not, however, been the target of an intensive and systematic study.

Although in Portugal literary itineraries and other forms of connection between literature and tourism are scarce, there are many and varied initiatives in this field in other countries. The fact that these have significantly multiplied over the latest years illustrates the growing interest in this type of tourism. Besides, the recent establishment by UNESCO of a list of "Cities of Literature" is also relevant and an expression of this growing interest.

The way a place is mentioned and described in a literary text can be of great relevance for the construction of its image, a kind of reading protocol. This is relevant given that the image/memory of the place is central to the process of its transformation into a tourist product. The tourist place/destination cannot be experienced by the consumer before its purchase, therefore it is a product which value depends entirely on the imaginary, on the memories evoked by others on their descriptions, on the way they describe the experiences and emotions offered by a destination or lived in it. The descriptions presented by authors for centuries, the way they describe their own experiences or the experiences of their characters, create a memory of the place that can be used in the process of converting it into a tourist product.

Structure:
The conference will include plenary sessions, designed to invited guest speakers, followed by submitted paper parallel sessions.

Keynote speakers:
Professor Harald Hendrix (Utrecht University)
Professor Helena Carvalhão Buescu (Lisbon University)

Submissions:
Presentations on, but not limited to, the following subjects are encouraged:
• Representations of tourism in literature (different types of tourism destinations represented and associated heritage);
• Representations of the tourist and of tourist experiences in the literature (writer tourist / reader tourist/ cultural tourist);
• Literary tourism.

Presentations will be 20 minutes long.

Please submit abstracts of 250-500 words, in a Microsoft Word file, no later than June 14th, 2012, to the following e-mail address lit&tour@fl.ul.pt Please mention any technology needed for your presentation.
Abstracts and Presentations may be in Portuguese or in English.
Together with the abstract, a short bio note (1500 character limit) should be sent.

Notification of acceptance: 31st July 2012

Full articles should be submitted by January 2013 to allow for review, revision, and publication. Author guidelines are available at:
http://www.comparatistas.edu.pt/images/docs/normasparaautores.doc

Conference fees:
With presentation: until September the 10th - 60 Euros. Late registrations - 100 Euros.
Without presentation: until September the 10th - 30 Euros. Late registrations - 50 Euros.
Free admission for those who do not wish to receive the information and support pack, FLUL PhD students, and ESGHT Master Students.
Registration will only be valid after the payment of the conference fee.

Scientific Advisory Board:
 Ana Filipa Prata (FLUL)
 Cláudia Henriques (ESGHT – UAlg)
 Isabel Dâmaso Santos (FLUL)
 Isilda Leitão (ESHTE)
 José Figueiredo Santos (ESGHT – UAlg)
 Raquel Baltazar (FLUL)
 Rita Baleiro (ESGHT – UAlg)
 Sílvia Quinteiro (ESGHT – UAlg/ CEC)

Organizing committee:
 Ana Filipa Prata (FLUL)
 Cláudia Henriques (ESGHT – UAlg)
 Isabel Dâmaso Santos (FLUL)
 Isilda Leitão (ESHTE)
 José Figueiredo Santos (ESGHT – UAlg)
 Raquel Baltazar (FLUL)
 Rita Baleiro (ESGHT – UAlg)
 Sílvia Quinteiro (ESGHT – UAlg/ CEC)

Contact:
Lit&Tour: International Conference on Literature and Tourism
Centro de Estudos Comparatistas
Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa
Alameda da Universidade
1600-214 Lisboa
Portugal

Telephone: (351) 21 792 00 85
Fax: (351) 21 796 00 63
E-Mail: lit&tour@fl.ul.pt
cec@fl.ul.pt