cfp.english.upenn.edu

This panel will explore the ’cognitive turn’ in literary studies as it emerges in contemporary American fiction and non-fiction. Since George H. W. Bush declared the 1990’s the "decade of the brain," there has been a surge of cross-disciplinary work done at the site of cognitive studies, neuroscience and the humanities. For example, scholars such as Lisa Zunshine and Paul John Eakin have called for literary methodologies that account for cognition and perception in their analyses. Additionally, a growing number of fiction and non-fiction texts use cognitive studies and neuroscientific research to upend generic constraints, as well as challenge assumptions about how we construct, perceive, and describe the world and ourselves within it. We welcome papers that explore contemporary American literature’s engagement with cognitive studies and neuroscience. Papers ought to take as their methodological basis particular cognitive and neuroscientific theories such as theory of mind or extended mind theory, affect theory, perceptual systems theory, or memory formation theory.

Send abstracts of no more than 300 words to Genie Giaimo at Geniegiaimo@gmail.com

Deadline: September 30, 2012
Please include with your abstract:
Name and Affiliation
Email address
Postal address
Telephone number
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee with registration)

The 2013 NeMLA convention continues the Association's tradition of sharing innovative scholarship in an engaging and generative location. The 44th annual event will be held in historic Boston, Massachusetts, a city known for its national and maritime history, academic facilities and collections, vibrant art, theatre, and food scenes, and blend of architecture. The Convention, located centrally near Boston Commons and the Theatre District at the Hyatt Regency, will include keynote and guest speakers, literary readings, film screenings, tours and workshops.

Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable.

http://www.nemla.org/convention/2013/cfp.html