“Human and Non-Human Animals in 19th century English Literature.”

According to John Berger in his famous essay, “Why Look at Animals?” (1977), there was a fundamental shift in the ways in which Europeans imagined and interacted with non-human animals (domesticated and wild) in the 19th century. The nature of this shift, Berger argues, was a symptomatic consequence of the social, cultural, and demographic transformations brought about by industrialization, urbanization, and capitalism. 

Without necessarily engaging with Berger’s argument, I am seeking conference presentations that will consider the representation and interactions of Human, Non-Human Animals in 19th century English Literature. What does the literature of the period reveal about the relationships between humans and non- human animals? How and why were animals represented and what might these representations signify? 

The 2022 MMLA Convention will be held on November 16-21, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

Please send a brief abstract (250 words), bio, and C.V. to Kevin Swafford at swafford@fsmail.bradley.edu. Deadline: April 15, 2022