Abu Saleh: Seminar on Exploring the Home and the World: Rabindranath and Comparative Literature

Seminar on

Exploring the Home and the World: Rabindranath and Comparative Literature

Organised by

Centre for Comparative Literature,

Bhasha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati

Dates: 6 & 7 February, 2015

A Concept Note:

During the turbulent days of 1907, almost fifty-nine years after Matthew Arnold's use of the phrase 'comparative literature', a minute reader of Arnold delivered a series of lectures on Comparative Literature in India. However, instead of literally translating the phrase 'Comparative Literature' into Bangla, he chose to use a different term,Visvasahitya, literatures of the world. The choice – which later has been subject to much deliberations and confusion – was significant, especially because the reader was none other than Rabindranath Thakur. Being a voracious reader, Rabindranath was also familiar with the works of Goethe. Hence, his use of the term Visvasahitya has often been linked to Goethe's Weltliteratur. Nevertheless, a close reading of Rabindranath's four lectures on Comparative Literature could reveal his attempts at redefining Literary Studies which was, perhaps, inspired by the concept of Comparative Literature. Read in relation to the Poet's philosophy in general – for instance, his ideas of pedagogy or internationalism, or rural reconstruction – these essays on CL can offer interesting insights into our understanding of Comparative Literature as well as the works of Rabindranath.

In spite of its extensive scope, the journey of Comparative Literature, has not been smooth in most places of the world. In the Poet's own country the discipline Comparative Literature has never been widely accepted. For a long time Jadavpur University was the only Indian university to have a full-fledged Department of Comparative Literature; but gradually some other universities are following suit. And it is only in 2013 – ten years after the proclamation of the death of the discipline – that the Poet's own university has established a Centre for Comparative Literature (CCL)! At the face of such surreal reality, we at CCL, seek to deliberate on the past, present and future of Comparative Literature in and outside India. Is Comparative Literature, in any way, related to Visvasahitya? What exactly was Rabindranath's contribution to Comparative Literature? Have we been able to develop an Indian school of Comparative Literature? Is there a problem with the nomenclature Comparative Literature? What is the future of CL in our home university/state/country and in the outside world? Can Visvasahitya /World Literature / Cultural Studies be an alternative to Comparative Literature? Far from being dead, is CL not becoming more and more relevant every day? These are some of the pressing questions we would like to address.

Abstracts (300 words, maximum) of papers, related to the broad theme of the seminar, are invited from Post graduate students, researchers and young faculty members of Comparative Literature, by November 16, 2014. The Broad Areas mentioned below are only suggestive. Presentation time will be 15-20 minutes.

Due to our stringent budget, only a limited number of papers will be accepted. All abstracts will be peer-reviewed and selected participants will receive an acceptance letter by December 10, 2014. Scholars are also encouraged to seek funding from their home university.

Broad Areas

Comparative Literature: Method? Discipline?

Visva Sahitya vs. World Literature

Challenges of Comparative Literature in India

Comparative Indian Literature: A plausible Trajectory?

Reception of Rabindranath in India and beyond

Please email your abstract, along with your complete contact details to any of the coordinators:

Nilanjana Bhattacharya (nilanjanasubha@gmail.com)

Soma Mukherjee (mamos1975@yahoo.co.in)

Dheeman Bhattacharyya (dheemanbhattacharyya@gmail.com)

Thanks & Regards:

Abu Saleh