Alien/Asian: Enfiguring a Racialized Future

The Circle of Asian American Literary Studies invites papers addressing the
racialization of the Asian subject in works of science fiction.  The panel
seeks innovative, dynamic readings on the perennial "alienness" of the Asian
subject: whether in overlooked Asian American narratives, placed on the
margins for their experimental approaches toward representations of race,
sexuality, class etc.; or in fresh, comparativist approaches to the same
topic.  Papers might examine a text such as Greg Pak's _Robot Stories_,
which uses an almost entirely Asian cast to play overtly with categories of
humanity and machinery, while leaving loudly unspoken the representation of
race.  Alternately or in conjunction, papers might explore the rich
racial-cum-special implications of Grace Park's "colorblind" casting as the
humanoid Lt. Sharon Valerii, a Cylon in the current _Battlestar Galactica_. 
Is the literal dehumanization of the Asian Other in actual effect
dehumanizing, and/or perhaps (paradoxically) metaphorically enabling?  What
kinds of permutations to the interracial romance, discourses of hybridity
and "hapa" identity emerge from these conceits?  Indeed, what happens to the
logics of Orientalism –- i.e., how does one read the bodies of "Aliens
ineligible to citizenship" –- faced with the inhuman? 

Please send an abstract of 250-500 words, accompanied by a C.V., to
ninh_at_asamst.ucsb.edu, by December 1st, 2006.

American Literature Association Conference
May 24-27
Boston, MA

erin Khue Ninh  |  Assistant Professor
Dept of Asian American Studies  |  UC Santa Barbara
5044 Humanities and Social Sciences Building  |  93106-4090
ninh_at_asamst.ucsb.edu   |   805.893.8370

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Received on Sun Nov 05 2006 - 20:37:28 EST