CFP: Literature Travels (UK) (3/11/05; BCLA, 9/12/05-9/14/05)

Literature Travels: Literature and Cross-Cultural Exchange
Call for Papers
British Comparative Literature Association
Workshop Conference
12-14 September 2005
University of Wolverhampton (Telford Campus)

A workshop conference, sponsored by the British Comparative Literature =
Association and the History & Governance Research Institute, University =
of Wolverhampton

Call for papers, special session proposals and workshop proposals

(a) Call for papers

In recent times travel writing has acquired prominence as an object of =
study by scholars across the broad academic and international community =
of literary and cultural studies. This conference focuses on the =
relationships between literature and travel, not only in terms of travel =
writing but also considering literature that participates in =
cross-cultural exchange in the widest sense. It will cover three broad =
aspects of this relationship:=20
        * travel writing=20
        * travel as a theme and metaphor in literature=20
        * how literature travels (e.g. reception, diffusion, intermediaries).
Our title reflects the multivalent relationship between literature and =
travel. Literature travels as a condition of its being, defining itself =
as 'literature' by testing and transgressing the boundaries of =
communities. Yet literature also travels in various material forms, such =
as travel literature, translation, holiday fiction, or contraband. And =
literature travels with travellers, readers, reviewers, expatriates - =
human agents of cultural transmission and exchange - who help create new =
reading communities that spill over national boundaries.

'Literature Travels', then, will examine such cross-cultural agents and =
products of transmission and exchange in European Literature and print =
culture. Among other things, it explores the contact zones that =
literature travels in and to.

Although the following list is not intended to be prescriptive, we =
welcome papers on such topics as:=20
        * Travel fiction and fictional travels=20
        * Literary tourism and tours by literary travellers=20
        * Literature for or accompanying those in transit (e.g. translation, =
guidebooks, periodicals, railway novels, holiday reading, gifts to =
travellers of national/local literature)=20
        * Sites of cross-cultural literary exchange (e.g. salons, communities =
of exiles and expatriates, coteries, foreign-language reading rooms and =
libraries)=20
        * Intermediaries as literary travel agents, text traffickers, custom =
officers and immigration officials=20
        * Literary text as honoured guest, asylum seeker or illegal immigrant=20
        * Cross-border and cosmopolitan literary movements and identities=20
        * Gender and national/international identity in literature and travel =
writing=20
        * Reception and reviewing of translation or foreign-language =
publications (e.g. reviews of reviews)=20
        * Cosmopolitan cities in literature and travel writing (e.g. Paris, =
London, Rome, Vienna)=20
        * Literature and migration=20
        * Travel and journey as literary image/metaphor/symbol=20
        * Translation as journey=20
        * Translation as change of citizenship.
Proposals for 20-minute papers should be submitted by 11 March 2005 in =
the form of an abstract not exceeding 300 words.

(b) Proposals for special sessions

We also welcome proposals for special sessions. Convenors of special =
sessions are requested to submit a title and abstracts of three =
20-minute papers by 11 March 2005.

(c) Proposals for workshops

We also hope to devote at least one parallel session to a series of =
discussion workshops on an aspect of the conference theme.=20

Each workshop will be run by a leader or two co-leaders who will give a =
short introductory presentation and then lead an intensive group =
discussion of their chosen texts. These texts might be from any genre, =
discipline or language community, though we think the success of the =
workshop will depend on choosing works or excerpts that are also =
sufficiently brief (Texts will be made electronically available to =
participants).=20

If you would like to propose and lead a workshop, please submit by 11 =
March 2005 a short description of what you would like to accomplish and =
a preliminary list of discussion materials.=20

After the selection of leaders, topics will be announced on the =
conference website and delegates will be asked to sign up for a session =
of their choice.

Submission of proposals

On-line
Proposals can be submitted on line. Please see our web site at =
www.wlv.ac.uk/literature-travels =
<http://www.wlv.ac.uk/literature-travels>.=20

E-mail
Alternatively you may e-mail your proposals for papers or workshops =
(approximately 300 words) by Friday 11 March 2005 to the conference =
organisers: Dr Benjamin Colbert or Dr Glyn Hambrook =
(literature-travels_at_wlv.ac.uk <mailto:G.Hambrook_at_wlv.ac.uk>).

Post
Those who do not have access to e-mail may submit by post to the =
following address:

Literature Travels Conference
C/o Dr Benjamin Colbert & Dr Glyn Hambrook
History & Governance Research Institute
University of Wolverhampton
Millennium City Building
Wolverhampton
West Midlands
WV1 1SB
United Kingdom

Please use these contact details for any other enquiries you may have =
concerning the conference.

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Received on Tue Dec 07 2004 - 09:51:19 EST