CALL FOR PAPERS
International Conference on Comparative Literature
Conference Theme: The Wounded Body in Literature
Host: Department of English, Soochow
University
Venue: Soochow University (Waishuanghsi
Campus) , Taipei, Taiwan
Date: November 20, 2010
An almost obsessive
interest in the human body in literary and psychological theory over the past
ten years has explored not just the physical body but the body as metaphor,
political emblem, social construction, and symptom.
Physical
wounds may leave behind markings on the flesh of an individual but oppression
and trauma cut into the tragic body of memory. Titles
such as Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land (by David K. Shipler,1989), and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (by Dee Brown) provide direction indications of the
misunderstandings and conflicts that exist between rival ethnic groups. The
moral outrage expressed in such works resonates with the public, extending the
boundaries of critical discussion. In part the widespread development of such a
theme marks a revival of the tradition of socialist realism in the arts, but it
can also go beyond the socialist tradition, free of party control and the
obligation to serve the purpose of political education for the masses.
In
recent years, the term ÒLiterature of the WoundedÓ has been broadly used to characterize
literary texts that reflect sufferings and struggles in a wide range of conflicting
situations. Though Òthe wounded bodyÓ may be interpreted as mainly focusing on
trauma and oppression and have association with suffering and loss, love and faith
remain essential features.
Sub-topics:
|
Post-colonial
forms of expression and Diaspora |
Trauma/post-traumatic
syndrome |
|
Ethnic literatures
and Minority discourses |
Catastrophe/disaster
literature |
|
Feminist texts
and practice |
Socialist Realism |
|
Political themes
|
Eco-literature |
|
Revolution, war
and civil war |
Wounds and
tattoos |
Abstracts submission:
Prospective contributors should send the title of the
proposed paper, 500-600 word abstract in either English or Chinese, and a brief
CV (containing name, academic experience, institutional affiliation, e-mail
address, postal address, and telephone number) as an e-mail attachment to
Department of English, Soochow University at liaowei@scu.edu.tw
Papers (no longer than 20 pages, 20 minutes presentation) may be submitted in either English or Chinese as there will be panels held in both languages. Papers on comparative topics are encouraged.
Timeline:
Submission deadline for abstracts: March
15, 2010
Notification of accepted abstracts: by
March 30, 2010
Submission deadline for full papers:
October 29, 2010