National Young Researchers’ Seminar...

CALL FOR PAPERS:

National Young Researchers’ Seminar

on

“Travelling Genres: English in India, India in English”

UGC Special Assistance Programme (DRS Phase II)

Centre for English Studies

School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies

Jawaharlal Nehru University

New Delhi – 110067, India

January 11-13th, 2012

sap.ces@gmail.com

English in India may be viewed today as a mode of formulating a transitional space, creating a bridge between cultures, spaces and genres that are in constant flux themselves.  For years, the touchstones of English in India came under a common umbrella, but increasing diversification has led to a veritable explosion of genres. Also, the simultaneous usage of English itself for assertion and repression across the subcontinent makes for the creation of a variegated space of conflict and also, possibilities for resolution. The relationship between the Indian cultural sub space and the development of English dominance, first as a colonial imperative and then as a shifting adaptive post-prescriptive dialogue, has been a complex and fraught one, which has seen constant change, never more than over the last decade, when Indian academic analysis of its role has become increasingly mainstream. This seminar invites papers that seek to examine the growing interest in, and nexus of, interdisciplinary cultural studies in India that try to negotiate the strands of the evolving dynamics in literary, cinematic, performative and new media areas (to name just a few) that have been highlighted in recent research on popular culture, technoculture, identity formation/negotiation, (re)visions of the canon etc.

The Centre for English Studies, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU is pleased to invite papers for a seminar focussing on new research in these and associated fields. The seminar will be conducted on a panel-respondent model, where we hope to invite experts on the various focus areas to critique the research papers presented. Papers of about 3000 words will be submitted in advance so that the concerned respondent will be able to formulate their critique so that the exchange of ideas in this area can be maximized. Given the format of the seminar, we are looking to engage with participants with research experience so that discussion may be taken to the next level, critically and creatively. The proceedings of the seminar will also be published.

Abstracts must be submitted by 1^st November to sap.ces@gmail.com to be considered. The deadline for full papers is the 30^thNovember, 2011. Papers can be structured around any of the following focus areas or intersections thereof:

·         Indian Writing in English: Emerging Genres

·         The Canon : Resurrections/Insurrections

·         Identity Formation/Negotiation: National/Subnational Assertions etc

·         Alternate/Minority/Dalit/Tribal: Spaces/Voices/Discourses

·         Gender (re)visions/Queer-ies

·         Histories

·         Performance Studies

·         Popular Culture Studies

·         New Media : But what’s the Matter?

·         Genres in Travel: Strange new Worlds