CALL FOR PAPERS

The Louisiana State University English Graduate Student Association (EGSA)
would like to announce its 16th Annual Mardi Gras Conference, February
10--11, 2006 in Baton Rouge, LA:

Text and the Provisionality of Meaning:
Theory into Action

Keynote Speaker: Terry Eagleton, Professor of Cultural Theory and the John
Rylands Fellow, The University of Manchester, England.
Selected Publications: Literary Theory: An Introduction (1983/1996), The
Gatekeeper: A Memoir (2001), After Theory (2004)

?There can be no reflexive life without theory,? writes Terry Eagleton.
With this in mind, we are seeking papers that use theory to provide new
ideas and insights into human experience.

The EGSA encourages paper submissions by graduate students, faculty,
independent scholars, and activists that explore literary works and
community literacy practices via an established theoretical approach such
as formalism, semiotics, hermeneutics, narratology, psychoanalysis,
reception theory, phenomenology, structuralism, psychoanalytic,
poststructuralism, Marxism, feminism, queer theory, historicism,
postcolonial studies, etc. The conference hopes to answer questions about a
broad array of fundamental issues pertaining to the reading and
interpretation of literature, culture, tradition, nationalism, genre,
gender, meaning, paraphrase, originality, intertextuality, authorial
intention and the unconscious, literary education, rhetoric, mimesis,
representation, and truth. The conference is designed to examine the place
of theory in academia, but more importantly, to place theory in a broader
context. We will question established theoretical models by considering
their ability to convey meaning and shape the way we read.

To establish a meaningful connection between theory and action, the
conference will also involve a strong community literacy component;
therefore, papers that seek to conjoin theory with literacy are also
encouraged. Papers addressing topics such as adult literacy, prisoner
literacy, and literacy programs in the public schools are especially
welcome. The conference will feature a forum designed to introduce
attendees to various local community programs that work to bolster literacy
levels. The forum is intended to unify people and programs within the
profession, develop resources, share ideas, share research, and generally
come together to discuss how city- and statewide programs can aid one
another in the goal of increased literacy rates. We are working to confirm
the publication of a conference proceedings that will include select
presentations concerned with community literacy.

Creative works that explore theoretical concepts relating to literacy are
also encouraged. All genres are welcome. Accepted works will be read at
an event that is free and open to the public, and the best creative work
will receive the first annual EGSA Mardi Gras Imagination (MGI) Award.

Submission deadline: December 1, 2005. Papers should about 15 minutes
duration. Please send an abstract of no more than 200 words and your CV by
attachment or in the body of an email to esgamardigras_at_lsu.edu

http://www.lsu.edu/student_organizations/egsamardigras

LSU is accessible by the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

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Received on Fri Sep 16 2005 - 11:11:53 EDT