The Rise of World Literatures
The First Congress of the World Literature Association
Venue: Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
Dates: June 30- July 3, 2011

Call for Papers

With the growth of new media and new modes of circulation, the rise of World Literatures is one of the most noticeable cultural phenomena of the 21st century. In recognition of these developments, a new, global association for the study of world literature is being formed, with its headquarters at Peking University's Institute for World Literature. Its inaugural congress will convene in Beijing to formally begin the Association's work of developing research paradigms and teaching methodologies for World Literatures and to explore the possibility of theorizing literary studies from a genuinely global perspective. It will take place at Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China on June 30- July 3, 2011.

The congress themes will be:

A. Theories of World Literature
B. Themes of World Literature
C. Major Writers and World Literature
D. Minor Languages and World Literature
E. National Literature as World Literature
F. Writing of World Literary History

The congress will be divided into parallel sessions on these major themes, with all congress participants attending Keynote Speeches and Plenary Forums which address key issues of each of our themes. We welcome papers in such areas as "American Literature and World Literature", "The Global South", "Third World Literature", "The World of Isms: Cosmopolitanism, Globalism, Internationalism, Worldism". Seminar, panel, and workshop organizers are advised to contact the congress chair before submitting group proposals. We especially encourage universities, institutes and associations from every continent to serve as our co-sponsors and collaborators and to join us in launching a new organization – the World Literature Association (WLA) – in Beijing.

Presentations will be about 20 minutes long each. Registration, accommodation, congress website and other information will be emailed to you upon inquiry. Those wishing to make presentations should send a 300-word abstract, a 100-word brief bio and CV to Congress Chair Professor Zhao Baisheng (bszhao@pku.edu.cn)and cngress secretary Mr. Chen Guangchen (worldlit2011@gmail.com ) by 5 April 2011.