cfp.english.upenn.edu

MELUS-INDIA

(The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United =
States - India Chapter)

&

MELOW

(The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the World)

will hold a conference on LITERATURE IN TIMES OF VIOLENCE

 in Chandigarh, on: 22-24 March 2007

=20

      =20

      THEME FOR MELUS-INDIA: =20

      "LITERATURE IN TIMES OF VIOLENCE: THE AMERICAN RESPONSE"

      The Keynote Address will be delivered by=20
      Prof Emory Elliott=20
      Distinguished Professor of English
      University of California
      Riverside, CA
      =20

      THEME FOR MELOW:

      "CONTEMPORARY WORLD LITERATURES IN TIMES OF VIOLENCE"

       =20

      This will be the Eighth International Conference of MELUS-INDIA =
and the Second International Conference of MELOW. The MELOW Conference =
will dove-tail into the MELUS-India Conference.=20

       The major theme:=20

      Out of the quarrels with ourselves, if we believe Yeats, =
literature is created. In fact it is not just the quarrel with =
ourselves but also the turbulence of the times that is responsible for =
the production of literature. These are times of upheaval and violence - =
when one is assaulted physically, emotionally and psychologically from =
all quarters. Despite the trauma, however, one survives and carries on =
the best way possible. Artists continue to produce works of art, =
musicians create music and writers compose their masterpieces. But, one =
may ask, how does literature respond to the legacy of mass violence and =
political conflict? Does the creative mind buckle under the pressures or =
does it rise above them all to create mournful music? And how does the =
reader respond to the various tensions that go into the making of great =
literature? What models are available for understanding these literary =
responses to the turbulence of the times? Do poetry, fiction, drama and =
film help us find words and images to understand national catastrophe? =
Can literature narrate mass violence? Does it try to escape violence? =
Can it be a substitute for violence? Is it a cure or a panacea?=20

      We are looking for papers that discuss the theme, problem, object, =
or practice of violence.

      =20

      The MELUS-India 2007 Conference will explore these and related =
issues, taking up diverse genres - literature, cinema, theatre, media, =
popular culture, etc. The focus will be American Literature but papers =
which cross borders and disciplines are encouraged. 250-word abstracts =
related to the theme are invited.=20

      =20

      Tentatively, the conference will be divided into (but not =
restricted to) the following panels:=20

      The American Frontier--violence and conquest

      The Civil War--Edmund Wilson's Patriotic Gore

      Racial Violence--Black Experience

      Domestic Violence-confessional women's poetry

      Vietnam Experience

      Film and Fiction after 9/11

      Violence and Visual Interpretation

      Violence and Hollywood Film/Reggae and hate music=20

      Empire and Egalitarianism-Issues of History, Empire and Culture in =
American Literature

      =20

      The MELOW 2007 Conference will explore the same issues, focusing =
on literatures of the world. 250-word abstracts are invited, related to =
literature of the last fifty years.=20

      =20

      The tentative division of panels will be:

      Ethnic violence

      Gender related violence

      Violence of Partitions and Borders

      Revolutionary Violence

      Violence of Exile and Displacement

      Violence and the African Experience

      Relationship between boundaries and violence

      The Holocaust experience

      Violence of exile

      =20

      For both conferences we are seeking papers that deal with issues =
related - but not confined - to race, ethnicity, identity, and gender, =
in literary texts, films, popular culture, media. Comparatist and =
interdisciplinary perspectives are encouraged. 250 word abstracts may be =
emailed latest by Sept 30, 2006, (as part of the text and NOT as =
attachment) to mjaidka_at_sify.com, with a copy to anilraina_at_glide.net.in=20

       Members and non-members of MELUS-India / MELOW may submit =
abstracts (with the understanding that they will attend the conference). =
Abstracts received will then be examined by the Conference Committee. =
Delegates whose abstracts are accepted will be invited to submit =
individual papers. =20

      =20

      Abstracts may be submitted on any topic that relates to the themes =
of MELUS-India or MELOW but only one abstract will be accepted from an =
individual. All abstracts should include the following information:=20

      Name, brief CV and contact information of the participant.

      Whether the abstract is being proposed for MELUS-India or MELOW.

      Title of the proposed paper.=20

      Main issues to be examined in the paper. =20

      =20

      NOTE: Membership of MELUS-India / MELOW is not required at the =
time when abstracts are submitted. Non-members may join the Association =
after the acceptance of their papers.=20

      =20

      Deadlines:=20

      Abstracts of Individual papers to be sent by: August 30, 2006

      Acceptance of Individual abstracts will be dispatched by: Oct 1, =
2006.

      =20

      For any clarification contact:=20

      Manju Jaidka (Secretary, MELUS-India, MELOW) Email: =
mjaidka_at_sify.com =20

      Or=20

      Anil Raina (Treasurer) Email: anilraina_at_glide.net.in =20

      our website: www.melus-melow.org=20
    =20

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Received on Sun Jul 09 2006 - 09:29:03 EDT