> In preparation for the next AAAS (Assoc'n of Asian American Studies)
conference, submissions are invited for the following panel." South Asian
Americas: Community Building Across "National Lines".
>
>The next AAAS conference(Association of Asian American Studies) focuses
specifically on the experience of community building both within the US and
in a global sense. Thinking specifically about the category "America", and
focusing on literature/ film that foregrounds the position of the South
Asian diasporic subject, how can we theorize the "experience" of South
Asian American communities through the lens of film, literature, testimonial
etc?
>
> What models for community alliance are posited by South Asian American
writers? Specifically, what types of coalitional alliances are forged
within the "American" contexts of the Caribbean and South America? Within
Asian American studies, we often privelige the experience of South Asians in
the United States such as Chitra Divakaruni, Abraham Verghese, Sara Suleri,
Meena Alexander and Bharati Mukherjee. Increasingly, South Asian authors in
Canada such as Shyam Selvadurai, Shani Mootoo, Rohinton Mistry, M.G.
Vassanji and Michael Ondaatje are discussed within Asian American Studies.
But clearly, looking only at US and Canadian authors, priveliges the notion
that America is synonymous with North America.
>
>My aim in proposing this panel is to suggest that through the lens of
diaspora, it will be possible to identify commonalities between the
experience of immigrant literature within a North American context and that
of immigrant literature in other American contexts. At the same time, it
might also be interesting to work comparatively with South Asian Australian
literature or Fijian Indian or African Indian authors. Focuses can be on
specific authors, (papers on less known authors from the Caribbean and South
America will be of particular interest) , groups of authors, particular
efforts at community building across the Americas and so on. The connections
will hopefully be implicit through the breadth of subjects discussed by
panelists.
>
>Papers emphasizing approaches from various disciplines and approaches such
as queer studies, cultural studies, ethnic studies, film studies,
anthropology, sociology etc are welcome.
>
>If you have an interest in presenting a paper (not exceeding 15 minutes)
on this panel, please submit a brief description of your paper to me via
e-mail (amannur@complit.umass.edu) asap.
>
>One page abstracts and cv should be submitted to the address below by
August 15th. E-mail is preferrable.
Anita Mannur
Comparative Literature
303 South College
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
USA
Office Hours for Com Lit 233: Fantasy and World Literature
Time and location:Wed 11am - 1 pm: Bartlett 15.
(413) 253 0381 (home don't call after 11pm)
(413) 545 0929 (department)
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