We invite papers for our special session at the 48th International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo, MI (May 9-12, 2013): "On the Borders: Reconceptualizing the Literature of Late Medieval/Early Modern Scotland."

We are interested in seeing proposals on any topic concerning the still under-studied literature of late medieval and/or early modern Scotland, but especially those that address the challenges to conventional periodization that the authors of this notoriously "in-between" period represent (roughly 1425-1525, but with no strict boundaries on either side). Papers might focus on any of the following areas, although they are certainly not restricted to them:

The 2013 Conference of the French Shakespeare Society will take place in Paris in March 21-23, 2013.

ENTER SHAKESPEARE, PAINTED FULL OF TONGUES…

This panel explores extracurricular writing practices during the nineteenth century and beyond. What writing practices occur(red) by way of extracurricular genres such as letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, etc.? What alternative understandings of writing (possibly in relation to race, gender, or class) do these practices promote? How does extracurricular writing contribute to rhetorical education, civic literacy, or social change? Send abstracts of 200-400 words and brief biographical statement to Grace Wetzel at wetzelge@wfu.edu

The academic fraternity world over is preoccupied with various ways of understanding language, literature and culture. In addition to their interrelations and interdependence, the new ideas and approaches emerging from various disciplines like literary theory, philosophy, anthropology, linguistics, pragmatics and discourse analysis alongside technological revolution and socio-cultural transformations, have a bearing on our perception of language and literature. The conference aims at exploring this dynamics with a focus on the complimentary nature of language, literature and culture and their centrality in human life.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:

If you'd like to contribute to an edited volume on Joseph Conrad, published in the Critical Insights series of EBSCO Publishing's Salem Press, send an abstract by June 29th, 2012, 10 a.m., to Agata Szczeszak-Brewer (brewera@wabash.edu). I am seeking original, previously unpublished 7000-word papers that engage commonly studied topics and texts that will serve as a guide for advanced high school and undergraduate students and their teachers. After the abstract review process, the full papers will be due on November 1st, 2012. Each contributor will receive a $300 honorarium.

Feel free to get in touch with me with any questions!

Benjamin's Figures:
Dialogues on the Vocation of the Humanities

Ever since Theodor Adorno's famous pronouncement that there could be no more poetry after Auschwitz, the 'crisis in the humanities' has been a commonplace, and that for varying reasons. Today we find this notion reinforced, however, by the global financial crisis that is scourging the humanities faculties of universities worldwide. How can the humanities justify their existence in an academic environment facing ubiquitous cutbacks – an environment where, as Stanley Fish argues, productivity, efficiency and consumer satisfaction appear to be the only relevant criteria anyway?

CALL FOR RESEARCH PAPERS ON
1) PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN MEDIA AND LITERATURE
2) FICTIONAL WORLD OF CHETAN BHAGAT
Editors
Dr. Arvind Nawale
Dr. Shivani Vashist
(No Contribution/Subscription fees. Papers will be accepted and published free of cost and only on basis of quality and each contributor will get a free complimentary copy from publisher)
Last date of submission: 1st July 2012.
Thematic Focus of the Volume:
1)PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN MEDIA AND LITERATURE