GLOBALISING THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

SPECIAL ISSUE OF ENGLISH STUDIES IN AFRICA (2004)

Deadline for submissions: 1 SEPTEMBER 2004

Deadline for proposals/abstracts: 1 MAY 2004

Guest editor: Pier Paolo Frassinelli (University of the Witwatersrand)

This issue will host papers that address the issue of globalisation in =
relation to the new directions in teaching and research in the field of =
Renaissance Literature, Drama and Cultural Studies.

Globalisation has changed the way we think about the canon in the =
English curriculum. 'English literature' is no longer a signifier =
associated with a national culture, but is now part of the multiplicity =
of interconnected cultural and literary traditions commonly identified =
as world literatures in English.=20

=20

The term globalisation itself, however, has become a site of sustained =
political and theoretical contestation. The emergence of what is =
commonly called a 'global culture' has often been theorised in terms of =
a one-way flow from the centre to the periphery. Conversely, a number of =
critics have argued that this approach obliterates concrete instances of =
resistance to the processes that globalisation has engendered. =
Furthermore, by evoking a seemingly shapeless, homogeneous world, the =
concept of globalisation can be seen to erase the neo-colonial =
structures of domination and the hierarchies of sex, race and class that =
cut across the present world system.

Within this framework, then, we would be interested in publishing papers =
that analyse and discuss the ways in which canonical Renaissance texts =
are re-used, in teaching and research, in ever changing, multicultural =
contexts, where they confront the tension between the homogeneising =
impetus of globalisation and the survival and resistance of local =
cultural forms and practices.=20

Canonical texts and authors, especially Shakespeare, also circulate in =
the global market in form of books, films, works in electronic media and =
other kinds of cultural commodities. Another area of interest of this =
issue, therefore, is the production, circulation and consumption of =
Renaissance works within the contemporary transnational culture =
industry. Analyses of specific case studies, as well as more general or =
theoretical discussions, would be welcome contributions.

Thirdly, we would welcome contributions that examine specific texts or =
cultural phenomena in the English Renaissance in the light of the =
various theorisations of globalisation, early modern colonialism and the =
emergence of commercial capitalism.

For submissions and further information, please contact:=20

Dr Pier Paolo Frassinelli

Discipline of English

School of Literature and Language Studies

University of the Witwatersrand

2050 Johannesburg

South Africa

E-mail: ppf_at_languages.wits.ac.za

         ===============================================
         From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
                      CFP_at_english.upenn.edu
                       Full Information at
                http://www.english.upenn.edu/CFP/
          or write Erika Lin: elin_at_english.upenn.edu
         ===============================================
Received on Mon Apr 12 2004 - 21:36:56 EDT