CALL FOR PAPERS

Proposed Edited Volume 

Beyond the Mainstream: Dalit Narratives and Narratives of Social Exclusion from Eastern and North-Eastern India

Editors

Dr. Roshni Subba

Assistant Professor, Department of English

University of Calcutta

Injam Ahmed Molla

Independent Researcher(UGC NET Qualified)

About the Volume

The primary idea of this edited volume is to examine works from the eastern and north-eastern regions of India. These regions have so far not been adequately represented in the discussions on Dalit literature because they largely focus on studies of broader ethnic identities. Although Dalit studies have grown significantly over the last few decades, the field continues to be dominated by narratives from Maharashtra, Hindi-speaking regions and South India. As a result, Dalit writings from the eastern and north-eastern part of India, remain comparatively underrepresented.  Literary works from Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Sikkim, and the Darjeeling hills engage with caste, marginality, and exclusion in ways shaped by regional histories such as Partition, migration, ethnicity, and linguistic diversity. Even in communities, where the classical varna system is not formally present, structures of exclusion continue to operate in different forms in these regions.

This volume will study the unregulated power nexus that has led to a systemic oppression of Dalits and forms of social exclusion in the eastern and north-eastern parts of India. It will focus on works written in English, in Indian languages, and in translation. We acknowledge that translation functions as a central medium through which these voices are circulated to global readerships; therefore, a special emphasis on translated works will be placed in this edited volume. Additionally, the volume aims to explore how translation mediates experience, alters narrative voice, negotiates culturally specific terms, and enhances the literatures and languages from these regions that still remain peripheral to mainstream narratives.

The volume calls for papers on works written in English, in translation or in any of the Indian languages. An international academic publisher has expressed interest in this proposed volume. Final publication details will be announced at a later stage.

Suggested Themes for Submission

Abstracts may incorporate the following themes but not limited to :

1. Dalit writings from eastern and north-eastern regions of India

2. Dalit protest theatre and performance traditions in eastern and north-eastern regions of India

3. Dalit consciousness in writings from eastern and north-eastern regions of India

4. Namasudra history, Partition, and refugee memory in literary representation

5. Archival recovery and translation of neglected Dalit texts from eastern and north-eastern regions of India

6. Caste and social stratification in writings of eastern and north-eastern regions of India

7. Intersections of caste, ethnicity, and indigeneity in eastern and north-eastern regions of India

8. Marriage, kinship, and exclusionary practices in eastern and north-eastern communities

9. Caste beyond the Hindu varna framework in eastern and north-eastern texts

10. Gendered dimensions of caste in regional and translated works

11. Mulnivasi/Bahujan identity frameworks in literary production

12. Caste, food, and body politics in eastern and north-eastern texts

13. Digital cultures, social media, and new Dalit voices from the region

14. Translation as a conceptual framework in Dalit literature from eastern and north-eastern India

15. Negotiating culturally specific caste terms across languages from eastern and north-eastern regions of India

Submission Guidelines

What to Submit

• An abstract of 200-300 words outlining the argument, methodology, and  primary texts.

• A short biographical note (100–150 words)

• 5-6 keywords

Full Chapters

Selected contributors will be invited to submit full chapters of 6,000–8,000 words (including notes and references). Chapters may engage with primary texts written in English or in translation; essays that closely engage with original-language texts alongside their translated versions are particularly welcome.

Language and Format

• Submissions should be in English

• Use MLA 9th. citation style 

• File format: MS Word (.docx)

Important Dates

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 27 April 2026

• Notification of Acceptance: Within two weeks after submission deadline

• Full Chapter Submission: To be communicated to selected contributors

How to Submit

Please send your abstract and biographical note to following email address:

dalitvolume.cfp@gmail.com 

Please use the subject line: "Abstract Submission – Beyond the Mainstream"

For any queries, please feel free to write to the editors. We look forward to receiving your proposals.