STORIES THRU THEORIES/THEORIES THRU STORIES :

NATIVE AMERICAN STORYTELLING AND CRITIQUE

Papers are invited for a volume on the creative relationship between =
Native American storytelling and literary critique.=20

In Baudrillard's view, all critique is haunted by that which it attempts =
to negate. Similarly, Derrida states that "we can pronounce not a single =
destructive proposition which has not already had to slip into the form, =
the logic, and the implicit postulations of precisely what it seeks to =
contest." Such negating and contesting motivations have often =
characterized theoretical interpretations of Native texts as well as =
subversive responses to the institutional authority of those =
interpretations, often in the form of stories. Hence, current literary =
critique operates as a kind of negation of story, and stories may =
operate as a negation of critique. However, all attempts at negating the =
other will ultimately affirm its presence, for substitution only =
outlines implication. Although according to Gerald Vizenor, "the most =
tragic experience in the world is theory," its presence in his own =
writing and teaching, just like the narrative traces inherent in all =
theoretical accounts of literature prove the impossibility of negation.=20

In this line of reasoning, this project encourages creative dialogues =
between storytelling and criticism concerning Native American texts. We =
are looking for "the(st)ories," including the story of theory and the =
theory of story, story as theory and theory as story. Essays may be =
written in a theoretical, biographical, creative or hybrid format. From =
a literary critical perspective, contributors may want to use =
terminology which will bring them into a story. On the other hand, =
writers may want to deny theory and offer narrative analogs or =
figurations to address the concerns of criticism. The tension between =
experience and theory may be addressed by means of a discussion of the =
way texts try to convey experience through sympathetic, empathetic and =
emphatic strategies.=20

Contributors may also consider:=20

-the textual relationships between negation and affirmation, absence and =
presence;=20

-the ways in which theory includes traces of stories to support =
assumptions of critical theory;=20

-the institutionalization of theory as a primary activity in the study =
of literature in the academy and its possible subversion;=20

-the way stories presuppose theory or show a familiarity with the =
concerns of theory;=20

-the uses of story as critique, i.e., as a response to a literary work;=20

-the juxtaposition of story elements from different sources in a kind of =
fusion or chain of stories as interpretive response;=20

-the relationship between writer, text, reader, and critic.

Please submit an abstract proposal of 750 words by December 15, 2004. We =
prefer to receive abstracts electronically; please send electronic =
copies to all three editors:=20

Gordon Henry, Michigan State University (henryg_at_msu.edu)

Silvia Mart=EDnez-Falquina, University of Zaragoza (smfalqui_at_unizar.es)

Nieves Pascual, University of Ja=E9n (npascual_at_ujaen.es)

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Received on Sat Sep 04 2004 - 23:50:59 EDT