cfp.english.upenn.edu

The ¿American? West: Transnational, Translinguistic, and Transcultural Connections in the West

The American West has only been American since the mid-nineteenth century. Much of the West was not a part of the United States until well into the twentieth century (Alaska and Hawaii were not states until 1959)/ Before that, it was Spanish, Mexican, French, Russian, Polynesian,Chinese and, first and foremost, Native American. The annexation of various territories, while increasing pressure (often through the pathway to statehood) to conform to the larger United States culture, also increased the number of new immigrants who were arriving, from Ireland, Greece, Poland, Wales, Germany, and China (among other places) to build railroads and work mines. The Western culture is, and always has been, cultures. In keeping with the theme of this year’s conference, “Western Crossroads: Literature, Social Justice, Environment”, we invite abstracts of 250 words for this panel that explore the transnational, translinguistic, or transcultural connections in the American West and the Western genre. Possible subtopics include, but are not limited to:
Uses of languages other than English in Westerns
Transcultural themes, such as masculine honor and how they cross genres
Native American representation of the American West
Immigration issues and conflicts in the West
Explorations of difference in the American Literary West
Classical mythology and myths of frontier masculinity/feminity

Please send abstracts of 250 words to maria.oconnell@ttu.edu by June 20, 2012. Thank you.