JOSEPH CONRAD NETWORKED WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AND WITHOUT

JOSEPH CONRAD SOCIETY OF AMERICA

Joseph Conrad’s biographical social and literary networks, as well as within his works—Polish, French, English, global—have been well-mapped by Conrad scholars. This panel invites further explorations of such traditional literary examinations of social networks and social distances but extends conceptualization to less well-travelled connections. Papers on the topic Conrad’s distance and closeness from contemporary audiences are especially welcome, particularly on teaching Conrad in today’s classroom. What strategies have been effective in your classroom for introducing a new generation of readers and students to Conrad’s explorations of global imperialism? What pedagogical resources, methodologies, and approaches ameliorate the impasse that his intricate and challenging texts often present to the newcomer? What intertexts, such as the video game Spec Ops: The Line (2012) based on Heart of Darkness, the documentary King Leopold’s Ghosts (2006), or film adaptations such as The Duellist (dir. Ridley Scott, 1977) or Almayer’s Folly (dir. Chantal Ackerman, 2011) can bridge the gap between early-twentieth and early-twenty-first century audiences, between written texts and new media formations? Finally, in light of pressing needs to diversify curricula--and Michael Eric Dyson's call to demote Heart of Darkness from the canon (New York Times, 7 June 2020)--carefully researched and reasoned examinations of whether, why, and what Conrad should continue be taught are also invited. Papers on the topic of teaching Conrad may be considered for a proposed special issue of Conradiana. Please submit proposals of 300 words and 100-word biographies by July 15, 2021 to Jana M. Giles, giles@ulm.edu.