Friday, September 4, 2015

International Conference on “Configuring the Common Man: Trends and Perspectives in Contemporary Indian Literature” held on 6th and 7th January 2016 at Amrita University, Coimbatore


CONCEPT NOTE


India as a fast progressing nation is undergoing massive changes in social, economic and political arenas. And in these times of transition, we find a paradigm shift in the literary scene, where it appears that we have lost the soul and spirit of a common man. In contemporary India, writing in English shows more affinity towards either the affluent and the elite or the downtrodden and the vulgar, keeping in the tradition of considering India as a nation of extreme polarities. The huge crux of normal average middle class Indians and their lives are largely ignored. A question arises as to why this is so? Is it because the average common man cannot be imagined as a hero or an antihero? Is it because there are no intrigues in the life of a common man or writing about him/ her does not conform to the fashion of the times? Why is it that only 'the rich, bold and beautiful' on the one hand and 'slum dogs' on the other considered fit for portrayal? Is the 'common man' conceived by R.K Narayan and so clearly and humanely depicted by R.K Laxaman still alive in the pages of Indian writing or has 'he' already become a myth?


The general avoidance and apathy surrounding this issue calls for serious deliberations. In a solemn brainstorming session in the department of English, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, it was strongly felt that since literary studies affect societies and is a magnanimous tool that can bring about tremendous change and transformation, literary experts must convene on a common platform and discuss on the fading out and gradual disappearance of common man in Indian Writing in English. In this context it is relevant to assess Raymond William's view of "culture as a productive process" as is explicit in his deliberations on cultural materialism. We must also analyze whether our writing in English today carries the scent of the Indian soil as it did in 'Malgudi' and 'Kanthapura'. Is writing in English language truly pan-Indian? Why is it that the common man's mind is shaped by the idee-fixes? Can the common man bridge the cross-cultural divide? Are the vain glorious 'Babus' and vulnerable 'Subhas' of Tagore still living?  Why has the simple rustic Indian landscape vanished? Is it because they don't exist anymore or have we weaned ourselves from an agricultural nation altogether? Do we only have 'skyscraper- scapes' and 'slum- scapes'?  It is evident that post colonial discourses do involve discussions on certain aspects like colonial legacy and native ideologies which could provide hints and cues to the questions posted. The scope of study can also include depictions of common man in contemporary films.


The questions are important for our future generations because we need to find out why the average Indian of yesteryears, who was naïve and innocent, has become full of deceit and guile? Why is it that we still hold our stakes of comparison vis-à-vis the west? The colonial legacy of fascination for the foren still wields its fancy.   Is it perhaps the reason that the diaspora writers are more prominently seen in our literary landscape?


The spate of questions that haunts us demands the academicians and scholars to study this largely overlooked area and arrive at a meaningful discourse. A two day International Conference is planned to be conducted between 6th and 7th January 2016 in our Coimbatore campus. This debate will open up a new arena of thinking where the scholars can adopt different perspectives on the theme and mould their thinking on various lines. One such lead would be an attempt to unearth the subtle undercurrents of humor evident in the lives of common man.


We invite abstracts and full papers on the above topic including the following sub themes:


i.                    Celebrating 'Indianness'

ii.                  The urban- rural divide in contemporary Indian writing

iii.                Common man in cyber space

iv.                Homelands and Hinterlands in Indian writing

v.                  ' The Indian' in foreign authors

vi.                India in 'Bhasha' literatures

vii.              Indian and the Diaspora

viii.            The incredible imbroglio of Indian idée-fixes

ix.                The eclectic Indian

x.                  Common man in Indian films

 

Note:

  • Submissions are to be in English with primary source in any of the following areas: Indian writing in English, Indian Diaspora writing and English translations from bhasha literatures etc.
  • The papers must be in English and should cover literature from 1980s to the present.

 

Other details:

Important Dates

Dates of Conference: 6 &7 January, 2016

Abstract & full paper submission: 31 October, 2015

Announcement of Acceptance: 21 November, 2015

 Registration: 1 December, 2015

On the Spot Registrations (only participation): 7 January, 2016

 

Registration

Regular registration fee: Indian delegates: Rs. 2300/- (Including 14% service tax)

For Research Scholars and students: Rs. 1150/- (Including 14% service tax)

Delegates outside India    : USD150 (incl. S.T)

Registration fee is non-refundable.

Interested participants should register by sending the filled in registration form along with the prescribed fee in the form of demand draft drawn in favor of "Amrita Consultancy" payable at Kollam.

The registration fee covers Conference kit, Certificate, and Proceedings. It also includes refreshments and Lunch on both days.

 

Accommodation will be provided on request in any one of the following places:

(i)                 Guest House (with AC facility) – subject to availability

(ii)                Men and Women PG Hostel (NON AC, Single or twin sharing)

 Participants have to pay separately for food and accommodation in their respective place of stay.

 

Guidelines for submission and presentation

Abstract: Around 300 words with maximum five key words.

Full paper: Not exceeding 3000-4000 words. MLA Seventh edition style should be followed.

Email id: The papers should be sent in MS Word format to the following email id:

amritaenglishconf@gmail.com

 

Publication: Proceedings will be published and the select works will be included in a book, to be published later.

Note: The authors whose papers are selected to be published as chapters in a book shall pay an amount separately at a later date.

 

Contact Details

Akhil V.P. –  09445248338    vp_akhil@cb.amrita.edu

Sandhya V – 09042724647    v_sandhya@cb.amrita.edu

Ambika P –  09447057261      p_ambika@cb.amrita.edu 


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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
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