Feminism and Psychoanalysis in 20th Century Literature

This call for papers is for a proposed panel to be held at (dis)junctions:
Malappropriation Nation, the University of California, Riverside's
fourteenth annual graduate humanities conference on April 6-7, 2007.

The framework for (dis)junctions 2007: Malappropriation Nation might be
imagined in relation to what the 20th century American poet Susan Howe calls
the
idea of "Lawlessness," the acting outside of acceptable boundaries and
ideologies. In developing this year's theme, we are hoping to formulate
panels
in which conventional or popular theories are used and in turn
reworked/rethought/re-imagined in ways that may be more useful/empowering.
How
can we think of theories outside of their original intent? Correspondingly,
where do we witness artists/writers/theorists restructuring the conventions
of
tradition? Also, how can theories, ideas and artistic objects be used
against
their intended purposes; how can a theory be used against the author's
objective? We thus imagine this idea of "malappropriation" as being both
empowering and dis-empowering.

With this theme in mind, the panel on feminism and psychoanalysis will
explore the critique and appropriation of psychoanalysis by feminist
critical theorists and authors. How has psychoanalysis been
(mal)appropriated in 20th century American literature and literary theory?
How have masculinist texts been rethought/reread in terms of a feminist
psychoanalytic sensibility? Is psychoanalysis still a viable critical
method? Has its revision by contemporary feminists proven to be
useful/empowering in terms of literary production/interpretation or has the
appropriation of phallocentric theories proven disempowering? What does it
mean to read a literary work through a critical lens unintended by the
author? What does it mean if the critical lens has, itself, been reworked
into a theory beyond or outside of the original theorist's intention?

Some possible topics may include:

Feminist critique/revision of Freudian or Lacanian psychoanalytic theories
Psychoanalytic interpretations of 20th c. American literature
Masculinist literary figures, feminism, and psychoanalysis (i.e. Hemingway,
Kerouac, etc.)
Abjection
Redefinition and appropriation of the concept of lack and/or the phallus

Please email abstracts (250 words) to laura.westengard_at_email.ucr.edu Also,
please note any A/V needs you may have - we can obtain VCRs, DVDs, and
projectors for laptops. Less standard equipment is possible (although not
guaranteed) upon request.

For further information, please visit last year's website and also check for
new updates on this year's conference.
http://www.english.ucr.edu/gsea/disjunctions/index.html

         ==========================================================
              From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
                        CFP_at_english.upenn.edu
                         Full Information at
                     http://cfp.english.upenn.edu
         or write Jennifer Higginbotham: higginbj_at_english.upenn.edu
         ==========================================================
Received on Sat Dec 09 2006 - 17:47:58 EST