Call for Papers from the Carson McCullers Society

American Literature Association Annual Convention, May 20-23, 2026, Chicago, IL

The Short Fiction of Carson McCullers: New Directions in Scholarship

The Carson McCullers Society invites abstract submissions for a panel session focused on new scholarship on McCullers’s short fiction, including her short stories, poetry, novellas, and/or plays. Panelists will offer presentations on their works-in-progress, which may include dissertation research, articles, essay collections, or monographs. We invite papers that explore how McCullers’s short fiction intersects with new developments in literary and interdisciplinary studies, including LGBTQ+ studies, disability studies, biography, feminist theory and gender studies, and other areas. Please submit abstracts of 150 words and a short bio to Erin Bell, bellee@udmercy.edu, and Kristen Proehl, kproehl@brockport.edu, by January 9, 2026.