Dialogues: West's Miss Lonelyhearts; inquiries 3/10/10, papers 8/20/10

full name / name of organization: 
Bryan Vescio / University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
contact email: 

Rodopi Press Amsterdam / Atlanta announces a new series of literary studies entitled Dialogue under the general editorship of Michael J. Meyer. The series will offer new and experienced scholars the opportunity to present alternative readings and approaches to classic texts (those which have received canonical acceptance in either American or Continental Literature). The call for papers will work as follows: The series editor or a guest editor will list several different topics or approaches to the text in question. These topics should have in the past elicited a significant level of disagreement among critics or have an inherent controversial element. Ultimately, the editor will select 6 essays from younger scholars or those with limited publication or more recent PhD degrees and 6 from scholars who are considered experts in the field. The latter scholars may write an essay that responds to the topics listed or may be selected by the editor to respond to the paper of a younger scholar. The goal will be to pair the readings and to establish a dialogue between the two respondents. Another possibility would be to share the senior scholar's response with an emerging scholar to establish a sort of Point / Counterpoint reaction. The major goal of the series would be not only to open the door to voices which are already silenced by the selective nature of academic presses but to encourage new approaches and insights that will both enliven the text and promote further discussion of the work in question. Presently, plans are being made for a volume which will feature Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts, to be edited by Bryan Vescio. Emerging scholars will be defined by the following criteria: MA ABD or recent PHD, Instructor, lecturer or Asst Prof status , publications limited to articles in journals and monographs and / or chapter studies; they will have 6 years or less from the awarding of a doctoral degree. Experienced scholars will demonstrate the following: teach at the Associate Prof level or above, have at least 7 years experience from the awarding of the PHD, be published in book length studies, and are considered to be an authority or well-known commentator on the title or author. For information about the specific topics in this volume, please direct inquiries to Bryan Vescio by email at vesciob@uwgb.edu, or by mail at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311, by no later than March 10, 2010. Completed papers must be submitted by August 20, 2010.