Oral Poetics and Oral Traditions

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UCR (dis)junctions

Since the development of Oral-Formulaic Theory by Milman Parry and Albert Lord, the field of Oral Poetics and Oral Traditions has continued to grow and to have its ideas applied to an increasingly wide set of literatures, cultures, and traditions. This special session seeks to encourage further work in the area of Oral Traditions and Oral poetics of all kinds, especially with an eye to creative, innovative and under- or un-explored readings. Papers may look at a wide range of time periods and cultures, including, but not limited to, Classical, Old and Middle English, Eastern European and other historic Oral Traditional literatures, living/contemporary Oral Traditions, and the concept of Secondary Orality. They may also engage with the ideas of Oral Poetics and Oral Traditions to work on overlooked, surprising, controversial, or otherwise non-canonical poetry and literature, any tradition which, as John Miles Foley wrote, "works like language, only more so."

The theme of 21st annual (dis)junctions conference, hosted by UC Riverside, is "irreverent readings," featuring keynote speakers Virginia Jackson (UC Irvine) and Constance Pendley (UC Santa Barbara). Abstracts of 250 to 300 words should be submitted via the form at www.disjunctions2014.org by February 10th, 2014.