popular culture

10th Biennial EASA Conference: Dis/solutions: the Future of the Past in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
22-25 September 2009, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

For further information, please visit:

http://www.uib.cat/depart/dfe/easa2009

States of Crisis
Friday, 9 October 2009
Brandeis University
Department of English and American Literature
Seventh Annual Graduate Conference

Since its origin in the ancient Greek krisis, "decision," related to krites, a judge, the term crisis has referred to ideas of discernment, evaluation, criticism, and sifting of evidence. In literary studies, for example, one can see moments of crisis in shifting aesthetics and changing genres as well as in literary tradition(s), character representation, and ideas of narrative. Drawing on interdisciplinary approaches and scholarship, this conference will explore different responses to the idea of crisis in the humanities and social sciences.

This panel is open to any paper submissions dealing with the reading, adaptation, pedagogical use or critical interpretation of children's literature.

Paper topics may include, but are not limited to:
Themes in children's literature, past to present
Role of friends and enemies
Adults as villains
Evolving ideologies of children's literature
Classroom use of children's literature (elementary, secondary or higher education curriculums)
Reception of children's literature, past and present
Adaptation of children's literature into film or television
Critical studies on specific genres and/or periods of children's literature

H.G. Wells was convinced that writing must communicate a direct social purpose and that its aesthetic qualities must be joined inextricably with it, which put him, necessarily, at odds with much of the Modernist aesthetics of the early 20th century (especially the idea of art for art's sake). And yet, Wells' rejection of certain aspects of emerging Modernism was not a disavowal of writing that concerns itself with beauty, truth, and pleasure (the realm of aesthetics); nor was it an implicit critique of aesthetic sensibility and its socio-historical significance. Rather, for Wells, to abstract the realm of the aesthetic from everyday life, from the here and now, was to make it largely irrelevant.

The passing of the writer David Foster Wallace in September 2008 presents not only a tragic and significant loss to the literary world, but also an important opportunity to consider the impact and magnitude of the remarkable body of work he leaves us. From the irreverency and piercing social commentary of his journalism in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again and Consider The Lobster to the monumental, sprawling majesty of his gargantuan novel Infinite Jest, Wallace's writing is increasingly considered to be one of the most significant literary canons of the second half of the twentieth century.

The extended deadline is now Friday 27th March.

Glasgow University's postgraduate journal eSharp is currently accepting submissions for its 13th issue on Atlantic Exchanges.

This issue emphasises cross-cultural Atlantic exchanges, noting that the ocean has served not to separate but to connect
the peoples of the Atlantic continents - Africa, South America, the Caribbean, North America and Europe - from 1492 to the present day. 'Atlantic Exchanges' seeks to encourage inter-cultural perspectives in a variety of disciplines.

eSharp welcomes submissions from postgraduate students at any stage of their research and contributors are invited to interpret the theme broadly.

Subjects may include, but are not limited to:

Call for Entries

Buster Keaton Celebration Student Presentation Competition

The 17th Annual Buster Keaton Celebration, which will be held September 25 and 26, 2009, is hosting its second annual Student Presentation Competition. The winner will receive a spot on the schedule of respected film and cultural authorities who are asked to take part in the celebration each year, and will receive a stipend of $100 and travel expenses up to $400 (airfare or mileage) to facilitate his/her attendance. The student presenter will be expected to present a 30- to 40-minute presentation to the Celebration audience in PowerPoint format (with images—either still or moving) and so must be able to attend the conference as scheduled.

PAMLA 2009
107th Annual Conference
San Francisco

Topics related to studies of Folkore and Mythology

Deadline: March 15, 2009
Proposals of 500 words and a 50-word abstract must be submitted online in the following webaddress:

http://www.pamla.org/2009/cfp

Transforming Visions in African American Literature and Rhetoric

This is an open call for presentations at the Permanent Session on African American Literature. We invite papers that respond broadly the conference theme of "migration." Projects may treat literary, rhetorical, theoretical, and/or pedagogical concerns raised by the work of African American authors from any period. Papers that pursue transnational analytics or concerns are encouraged. Projects that intersect with feminist, queer, disability, and religious/spiritual inquiries are especially welcome. Proposals due by April 20 to T J Geiger at geiger.tj@gmail.com.

51st Annual Convention of the Midwest Modern Language Association