Sunday, July 26, 2015

In the Name of Chughtai: One Hundred Years of Celebration (1915-2015)

In the Name of Chughtai: One Hundred Years of Celebration (1915-2015)

Three-Day International Conference

January 13-14-15, 2016

Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, Kolkata


Ismat Chughtai has been believed to have said that the first word uttered by her was 'why'. The spirit of questioning permeates relentlessly through her oeuvre of eleven novels and novellas, nine short stories and one play.  Her lifelong commitment to freedom in all contexts- personal, sexual, economical and intellectual, her involvement with the Progressive Writers' Movement and the rebellion against its perceived orthodoxy and rigidity, her fearless and outspoken projection of experiences hitherto unheard of in the world of Urdu letters – are stuff that legends are made of. With an abiding belief in mazhab-e-insaniyat, Chughtai carves a niche for herself among her illustrious contemporaries – Rajinder Singh Bedi, Saadat Hasan Manto and Krishan Chander.


In the year of Ismat Chughtai's birth centenary, we would like to revisit the 'Indian' author whose view of life, sense of history and progress, ideas on social justice, religious tolerance, paradigms of human relationship and power structures have undergone continuous transformations since the twentieth century till the present day. Focusing on the pan-Indian literary dialogue initiated by the Progressive Writers' Association, the conference would encourage discussions on the alternative sensibilities of 'national' belonging which emerged from the experimental and iconic works of the PWA. What happens to the spatial, temporal, affective embodied, performative and literary imagination and memory every time one reads, teaches, performs, sees, feels and thinks of the Chughtai's oeuvre? How altered realities have baffled human convictions and have transformed into objects of struggle, transgression and anxiety?  


The 'author' finds herself caught between political tensions, social upheavals, engaging debates between literary styles and diction, possibilities of new forms of expressions, narrative structures, diverse registers of different language systems, dramatic modes and performative gestures. How have the works of Chughtai adhered to or resisted systems belonging to spatially, historically or culturally defined categories and have consequently led to the transmutation of 'traditional' approaches and formation of stylistic invocations? What has been the potential of the imaginative, the ironic and the performative for radical litterateurs? The conference would further explore how have dynamic and radical aesthetic innovations constituted revolutionary feelings and ruptures within literary modes?


The conference therefore invites submissions which explore the 'modern' 'Indian' author within the scope of the critical spaces offered but not restricted by the following:

·         Fundamentalism and Censorship in literary transactions

·         Canon and the popular in literature

·         Linguistic tensions and ambivalence

·         Political movements and literary transactions

·         Myths and Modern Indian Literature

·         Literary history and generic configurations

·         'Tradition' and radical change

·         Transgressive desires and essentialized gender norms

·         'Deviant' sexual practices and identities; heteronormative and compulsory heterosexual frameworks

Conference Coordinators:

·     Ms. Epsita Halder, Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, Kolkata (epsita.halder@gmail.com)

  • Dr. Debashree Dattaray, Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, Kolkata (debashreedattaray@gmail.com)

Abstracts of about 500 words, with a 50-word note on the speaker, must be emailed to the Conference Coordinators before 31 September 2015. Acceptance mails will be sent by 7 October, 2015



--
Thanks & Regards:

Abu Saleh
PhD Research Scholar @ Centre for Comparative Literature (CCL)
School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH), India.
Mobile: +91 94 94 24 26 45

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Telangana Government Overseas Study Scheme for Minorities (OSSM)


This looks an wonderful initiative by the Govt of Telangana. I thank KCR and others for such a brilliant move. Every year 500 minority students of poor families with overseas education will matter a lot. This can bring huge changes. 


The amount sanctioned is just 25 crores which is trivial to Govt. At the rate of 10 lacs per student, it can cover some 250 students per year. If we consider it as per initial 5 lacks instalment then it will cover 500 students. But later they have to release some 25 crores more.

I wish and hope it will continue. 


And yes, please inform others. 

Thanks.

--
Thanks & Regards:

Abu Saleh
PhD Research Scholar @ Centre for Comparative Literature (CCL)
School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH), India.
Mobile: +91 94 94 24 26 45

Friday, July 24, 2015

Plight of Researchers: An Open Letter to Canara Bank & UGC by the Research Scholars of India

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is to bring in your notice about the late disbursement of fellowships which affects many thousands of research scholars of the country. I, Abu Saleh, like most of other scholars solely depend on my fellowship. But since the fellowship amount is not credited timely, like many of my fellow scholars, I too suffer a lot. We literally face times when we do not have money to support ourselves. We feel really dejected that we have been pushed down to the level of beggars who have to cry every month for what we deserve as scholars.

Our problem is that we don't get our fellowship timely. It is ironical that the Canara Bank was chosen over university system for the delivery of scholarship in 'first week of every month' as mentioned in our award letter and everywhere. As no necessary step has been taken to solve this long time grievance of many thousands of scholars, our lives have become a wait. Our energy and time are lost much in this process which can otherwise be utilized for fruitful research. We are not even able to concentrate on our research, as we are constantly worried about the lack of money for our basic needs.

I don't know whom to blame? Is the assigned Canara Bank which is more worried about their business and generating money out of interest or the bureaucracy of UGC responsible for all these? We call and beg you (Canara Bank and UGC) almost every day for the money we deserve and when you leave us baffled with a mutual blame game, we do not know what to do to get our problem resolved. We wait almost endlessly every month but the hostel authorities will not wait for the mess fees to be remitted; the university authorities will not wait for the tuition fees to be remitted; the labs and our work cannot wait for the essential chemicals, tools and instruments to be used from time to time.

I know this might sound little emotional but this is the ground reality of the researchers in India. Sometime we wonder and regret of our choice of research over other promising career which would have at least not left us in this situation. Please imagine when you don't get your salary during the first week of the month. And we just wait and wait. Please do not punish us more for choosing to face the challenges of a career in research to contribute to the academic development of the country.

I request the concerned authorities at UGC and Canara Bank to look in to the pathetic situation and do the needful at the earliest to resolve the late disbursement of our fellowship. Please act immediately to solve our problem; please give us our monthly fellowship at least within the first week of every month; please let us do our work peacefully and properly.

 

Thank You

Abu Saleh (on behalf of myself and other research scholars of the country like me)


--
Thanks & Regards:

Abu Saleh
PhD Research Scholar @ Centre for Comparative Literature (CCL)
School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH), India.
Mobile: +91 94 94 24 26 45

Fwd: Deadline extended to 31st August: 15th INTERNATIONAL MELOW CONFERENCE

Kindly note that the deadline for the Feb 2016 conference has been extended to 31st August 2015.



MELOW

(The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the World)

 

CONFERENCE CALL

 

 

15th INTERNATIONAL MELOW CONFERENCE

Title: Towards Praxis: Literature, Society and Politics

To be hosted by Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India

Tentative dates: 12-14 Feb 2016

 

We live in a fast-paced age with our attention distracted by high-tech gadgets, computers, smart phones, and other devices that are meant to provide a short cut to 'success.' At the same time, we have become suspicious of all ideas, all concepts, that attempt to map this fast-paced life. Being unable to live with the notion of 'essences', we live now in a world of cognitive incertitude. From Prufrock's "It is impossible to say just what I mean," we, in our postmodernist technology-savvy world, have graduated to rejoice not only at our growing command over technology, but surprisingly also at our inability to 'mean'.

Where, in this hurly burly of life, this 'chaosmos', does literature stand today? Is it totally irrelevant or does it still serve a serious purpose, refining our finer sensibilities, adding an 'aesthetic' touch to human life, keeping it connected with the 'higher' aspects of life? To modify the question Auden asked, does literature make anything happen? Does it make us better human beings? Does it have a civilizing effect on society? Or is it absolutely irrelevant in today's world, in spite of the gender, race, class, caste, and ecological issues that it often raises?

For centuries, we have been debating whether literature just reflects life or really transforms us by reflecting on life. Does a literary text change the way we think, or live, or act? Does it address the issue of our 'constructedness'? Does it only show us the possibilities for future, or does it give us a direction, too? Does it help us adapt to changes that have already taken place, or does it help us change the world through 'the ethics of resilience.' The issue of 'human transformation' becomes more significant in the supposedly post-humanist universe that we are supposed to be already in, or perhaps entering.

The MELOW 2016 conference would focus on the relevance of literature and on how effective a literary text is in changing the social fabric of the world. It will explore the innate power of literature to transform the world and debate on related issues. Abstracts not exceeding 250 words are invited on the issues listed below. They should be sent to the respective panel heads (email ids given) by the 1st of August 2015.

1.    Theoretical considerations: Is literature relevant in today's world? Is it possible for literary texts to change the world/society? What is the relationship between literature and active politics? Send abstracts to Prof Anil Raina aneelraina@gmail.com

2.    Books that changed the world: Literary landmarks written with a specific social agenda.  Send abstracts to Dr Roshan Sharma. roshanlal.sharma@gmail.com  

3.    Children's Literature: fairy tales, adventure stories, moral tales and nonsense literature. What purpose do they serve? Send abstracts to Prof Manju Jaidka. mjaidka@gmail.com

4.    The uses of escapist literature:  Fantasy, science fiction, gothic and horror stories.  Utopias and Dystopias. Send abstracts to Dr. Manpreet Kang. roohipannu@yahoo.co.uk

5.    Science and speculative fiction: the futuristic and the posthuman. Send abstracts to Prof. Ashis Sengupta. ashmit_2003@yahoo.com    

 

 

Instructions to all prospective delegates:

Your abstract (of about 250 words) should be sent in the TEXT BOX of the email (not as attachment). The following information, in the given format, should be sent along with the abstract:

Name of Delegate

Official designation

Address and email id

MELUS/MELOW conferences attended earlier (in which year and where)

Are you currently a member of MELUS or MELOW? Or do you need a fresh / renewed membership? Please specify.

Title of Abstract

ABSTRACT [Text] 250 words max.

 

·       The subject line of your message should read thus:

•        ABSTRACT 2016: [YOUR NAME] and [If applicable, state if you are an Indian citizen below 40, competing for the ISM award]*

•        Deadline for receipt of abstracts is  31 Aug 2015 

All abstracts will be peer-reviewed before they are accepted. Do not send full papers. Once acceptance letters are sent full papers (approx 3,000 words) will be invited only from participants (under 40 years of age) competing for the Isaac Sequeira Memorial Award. The rest need to bring their complete papers along at the time of the conference.

 

 *   ISAAC SEQUEIRA MEMORIAL AWARD:

In the memory of our patron, Prof Isaac Sequeira, MELUS-India / MELOW annually awards a prize for the best paper presented at its conference. The award will comprise a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 5,000.

The competition is open to Indian citizens who are members of MELUS-India or MELOW. The competing participant / delegate should be less than forty years of age at the time of the conference. The abstract and complete paper should be submitted by the stipulated deadlines before it is presented at the conference.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

GRACLS Conference Call for Papers: "Corporeality: Performing the Body across Literatures, Cultures, Media, and the Arts"

Twelfth Annual
Corporeality: Performing the Body across Literatures, Cultures, Media, and the Arts

29 - 31 October 2015
University of Texas at Austin





--
Thanks & Regards:

Abu Saleh
PhD Research Scholar @ Centre for Comparative Literature (CCL)
School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH), India.
Mobile: +91 94 94 24 26 45

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

GNOSIS (An International Journal of English Language & Literature)

Dear All
We are now inviting the articles/ papers for Fourth issue of GNOSIS (An International Journal of English Language and Literature) (ISSN: 2394-0131) which is likely to be published in July 2015.
The Articles not exceeding 3000 - 3500 words on A4 size paper and adhering to 7th Edition MLA style formatting with a certificate that the article/paper is original and unpublished are solicited.Please attach an abstract along with 4-5 key words.
Please attach a brief bio-note & home address with Pin code along with the paper.
Please mail your submissions to: saikattublu2008@gmail.com
For more details please visit our website: www.thegnosisjournal.com
Last Date for Submission is May 31, 2015 (for July 2015 Issue).
Please see the attachment.



-- 
Saikat Banerjee
Assistant Professor
Dr. K.N. Modi University
Ph-9529386461
&
Editor
GNOSIS (An International Journal of English Language & Literature)
(ISSN: 2394-0131) 
&
Member of Press
All India Human Rights Association
&
Guest Author for Daily e-newspaper Udaipur Times

--
Thanks & Regards:

Abu Saleh
PhD Research Scholar @ Centre for Comparative Literature (CCL)
School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH), India.
Mobile: +91 94 94 24 26 45 (India) +351 920 446 895 (Portugal)

CFP: The International Journal Of Culture, Literature and Criticism (ISSN: 0976-1608)

Dear All

I am happy to announce that 11th issue of The International Journal Of Culture, Literature and Criticism (ISSN: 0976-1608) was published in April 2015 copy of which is posted to members.


We are now inviting the articles/ papers for 12th issue of The International Journal Of Culture, Literature and Criticism (ISSN: 0976-1608)  which is likely to be published in October 2015

The Articles not exceeding 4000 words on A4 size paper and adhering to MLA style formatting with a certificate that the article /paper is original and unpublished are solicited

Please attach a brief bio-note & home address with Pin code along with the paper

Last date is 28th August 2015




Dr Jyotsna Sinha,
Assistant Professor 
Department of Humanities & Social Sciences,
Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology,
Allahabad-211004. (U.P.), India. 

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Fwd: IJHCS Call for Papers

International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies Call for Papers (Volume 2, Issue 2 September 2015)

 
The International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies (ISSN 2356-5926) invites original, unpublished, quality research articles/case studies in the fields of humanities, anthropology, business studies, communication studies, criminology, cross-cultural studies, development studies, economics, education, ethics, geography, history, international relations, linguistics, media studies, methodology, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, literature, discourse studies, performing arts (music, theatre & dance), religious studies, visual arts, women and gender studies, queer studies etc…for the September  2015 Issue (Volume Two, Issue Two). Manuscripts Submission Deadline: August  20, 2015. Issue Publication Date: September  2015. For more details on the manuscripts and submission guidelines, please visit the Submission Guidelines webpage:
http://ijhcschiefeditor.wix.com/ijhcs…


Contributions have to be sent to: ijhcs.chief.editor@gmail.com
Journal's website:
http://ijhcschiefeditor.wix.com/ijhcs
NB: Papers should be preferably in English but articles in French language are also accepted.