INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MINORITY DISCOURSES ACROSS CULTURES...

CALL FOR PAPERS
CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF RAJASTHAN
in collaboration with
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
Announces an
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
MINORITY DISCOURSES ACROSS CULTURES

Dates : 26th - 29th February, 2012
Venue: Central University of Rajasthan, Bandra Sindri,
Near Kishangarh (Ajmer). It is about 80 km from Jaipur, on the High Way

Thematic Statement :
There are minorities of every kind, religious, racial, economic, gender, and the powerless, not only within a nation but also in the international scenario. Power, at times, converts a sizeable population into a minority, a permanent opponent. Political discourses intervene with personal and emotional ones to shift the balance. Dalits, First nations, tribals, aboriginals, religious minorities such as Anglo-Indians, Parsis, Indian Muslims, and small pockets of diaspora all are political and literary minorities. Third world countries where the political power is controlled by big powers and other similar hegemonic structures lead to the creation of new minorities. The Conference would like to reflect upon the nature of power vis-a–vis the powerless, and explore narrative strategies which articulate minority histories, the politics of sameness and difference and the emergence of indigenous structures of knowledge.

Literary questions which stare us in the face are: How do we define minority discourse? What are its aesthetics? Has it created any new forms, dislocated existing ones, or absorbed native traditions of storytelling? Is it possible to develop new theoretical frameworks? Do we work with border theories or psychological ones of non-belonging, shifting subjectivities or look more closely at narratological inventions? How do we look at minority discourses in/and world literature? Here we need to look at publication, marketing, reading publics, and much more significantly equality. How and in what manner do minority discourses interact with mainstream cultures, theories and issues? There is the need to move outside English language literatures to consider minority literatures. Writers from Indian languages and European languages, especially if the particular work is also available in translation, maybe considered. The medium of presentation however will be English.

The following sub-themes have been identified for the conference (Please put it in a single space) :
* Defining Minority Discourse.
* Mainstream political discourses and literary articulations.
* Minority narratives and narratologies.
* Production of counter/ alternative aesthetics.
* Poetics of space in minority writing.
* Minority writing as a means of political assertion and
* Non-fiction and autobiographical writing and the interface with theory.
(Contd. page 2)
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* Role of cinema\ popular media in creating minority-majority divides.
* Between Sameness and Difference.
* Anthropological and Ritual subtexts.
* Intra-cultural and cross-border comparisons.
* Community/History/Nation in Minority Discourse.
* Orality.

Well considered, analytical and comparative papers are invited on any one of the above sub-themes. There will be a special session on sub-continental writing with a focus on inter-relations as reflected in culture, literature and politics. Presentation time is limited to 20 minutes (2500 words or 8 double spaced typed pages). Abstracts of 250-300 words to reach the Conference Organizers latest by 5th November, 2011 at the address given below. Please remember to include your affiliation details, phone number and email ids. Acceptances will be conveyed by 15th November 2011.

The conference will be organized at the permanent site of the University Campus
Central University of Rajasthan, Bandra Sindri, Near Kishangarh, Ajmer (Raj.)

Registration fee for outstation participants: Rs. 1, 500. Local participants: Rs. 1, 000
and foreign participants: US $ 200. Stay and hospitality during the conference days will be provided to the invited participants.

For further information and queries, you are welcome to contact:

Prof. Chandra Mohan, Dr. Supriya Agarwal
General Secretary, Conference Convener,
Comparative Literature Association of India, 2A- Indira Nagar
C-93 (GF), Inderpuri, New Delhi-110012, Tonk Road
Tel. No. 09810683143 (mobile) Jaipur, Rajasthan
Email:c.mohan.7@hotmail.com Tel. No. 09829216363
Email: agarwalsupriya13@gmail.com
englishdepartment.curaj@gmail.com
Co-Convener
Dr. Avinash Jodha , Tel No. 09414358853.
Email: avinashjodha@hotmail.com
Organizing Committee
Dr. Bhumika Sharma
Tel. No. : 09166245919
Mr. Abhigyan Diwedi
Tel. No. : 08058982054