Author-focused literary studies have long ruled the roost, but some of the most important books have not had clear authors. Rather than a single author, these books have multiple authors, or false authors, or no author, or we simply do not know who conceived of and wrote
them. Indeed, periodicals, newspapers, menus, folktales, and many other textual forms central to human activity flourish without conventional authorship. This panel seeks to bring together new thinking that explores books or other textual forms with overdetermined or under-determined authorship including but not limited to considering forgeries, anonymous work, pseudonymous work, openly transitioning authors, collaborative authorship, un-authored works, works that resist authorship, works that emphasize authorship alone, or any concept of textual creation that challenges a simplistic model of authorship.

Papers that address both method and history in thinking more carefully about authorship are especially encouraged. Papers may also explore eighteenth-century notions of authorship in light of current topics, such as AI authorship, but are not required to do so. While one need not be a member of SHARP to propose a paper, all presenters must be current members of the Society at the time of the conference. For questions about membership or SHARP, please contact Eleanor Shevlin (eshevlin@wcupa.edu). Proposals or abstracts of 250-words or so are sought; bios or CVs are optional. J.P. Ascher, SHARP/ASECS 2024 panel organizer (jpa4q@virginia.edu).

Formal submissions welcome through "Submission Form, Round 3" at the ASECS Calls for Papers page: https://asecs.org/meetings/asecs-2024-annual-meeting/call-for-proposals/ Inquiries welcome via email.