[Discussion] Call for Papers: Myth and History in Contemporary Balkan Literatures

Wed, 23 Mar 2005 23:28:03 +0200

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Call for Papers: Myth and History in Contemporary Balkan Literatures

Special Session
MLA Convention, December 27-30, 2005
Washington, DC

We are soliciting proposals for a special session at the MLA in =
Washington D.C., on the topic of myth and history in contemporary Balkan =
literatures, film, and theory.

>From Bram Stoker's Dracula, to the multitude of texts dealing with the =
symbolism of the Balkan bridges, and Balkans as a bridge, the region has =
been created as an archetypal locale in which myth and history seem to =
be inextricably linked. In this session we would like to discuss the =
ways in which contemporary Balkan texts use the mythical or traditional =
body of knowledge to underline historical processes. Through literary =
renditions and theoretical elaborations of myths created in the region, =
as well as those created about the region, by literary texts, film =
industry, and media, we will delve into the problematic of memory, =
identity, ethnicity, gender, body, the gaze, totalitarianism, violence, =
exile, to name but a few.

One-page proposals are invited for papers dealing with, but not limited =
to, any aspects of the following:
- convergences and/or divergences between myth and history;
- myth as unofficial rewriting of history;
- cultural appropriation, use and reinvention of myths across cultures;
- uncertainty of memory versus the verifiable 'truth' of the book;
- the concepts of 'belated modernity'/modernity and postmodernity in =
relation to literary movements in the Balkans;
- the public and the private spheres;
- orality and textuality;
- the Balkan bridges and the Balkans as a bridge;
- poetry, fiction and Balkan landscape;
- locating the nation: East, West, North, South;
- poetry, fiction and architecture in the Balkans;
- resistance to myth and mythopoiisis (myth-making).

Please submit proposals by March 20 to:
Tatjana Aleksic, atatjana@rci.rutgers.edu
Marinos Pourgouris, marinos@rci.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University
Program in Comparative Literature
205 RAB
131 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

REMINDER: All participants must be members of the MLA by April 7.

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<DIV><FONT face=3DSylfaen><STRONG>Call for Papers: Myth and History in=20
Contemporary Balkan Literatures<BR><BR>Special Session<BR>MLA =
Convention,=20
December 27-30, 2005<BR>Washington, DC</STRONG><BR><BR>We are soliciting =

proposals for a special session at the MLA in Washington D.C., on the =
topic of=20
myth and history in contemporary Balkan literatures, film, and=20
theory. From Bram Stoker's Dracula, to the multitude of texts =
dealing=20
with the symbolism of the Balkan bridges, and Balkans as a bridge, the =
region=20
has been created as an archetypal locale in which myth and history seem =
to be=20
inextricably linked. In this session we would like to discuss the ways =
in which=20
contemporary Balkan texts use the mythical or traditional body of =
knowledge to=20
underline historical processes. Through literary renditions and =
theoretical=20
elaborations of myths created in the region, as well as those created =
about the=20
region, by literary texts, film industry, and media, we will delve into =
the=20
problematic of memory, identity, ethnicity, gender, body, the gaze,=20
totalitarianism, violence, exile, to name but a few. One-page =
proposals=20
are invited for papers dealing with, but not limited to, any aspects of =
the=20
following: - convergences and/or divergences between myth and =
history; -=20
myth as unofficial rewriting of history; - cultural appropriation, =
use and=20
reinvention of myths across cultures; - uncertainty of memory versus =
the=20
verifiable 'truth' of the book; - the concepts of 'belated=20
modernity'/modernity and postmodernity in relation to literary movements =
in the=20
Balkans; - the public and the private spheres; - orality and=20
textuality; - the Balkan bridges and the Balkans as a bridge; - =
poetry,=20
fiction and Balkan landscape; - locating the nation: East, West, =
North,=20
South; - poetry, fiction and architecture in the Balkans; - =
resistance to=20
myth and mythopoiisis (myth-making). Please submit proposals by =
March 20=20
to: Tatjana Aleksic, <A =
href=3D"mailto:atatjana@rci.rutgers.edu"><FONT=20
face=3DSylfaen>atatjana@rci.rutgers.edu</A> Marinos=20
Pourgouris, <A href=3D"mailto:marinos@rci.rutgers.edu"><FONT=20
face=3DSylfaen>marinos@rci.rutgers.edu</A> Rutgers=20
University Program in Comparative Literature 205 RAB 131 George =

Street<BR>New Brunswick, NJ 08901<BR><BR>REMINDER: All participants must =
be=20
members of the MLA by April =
7.<BR><BR><BR><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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