Abu Saleh: XII CLAI BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on CULTURE, ARTS AND SOCIO-POLITICAL MOVEMENTS IN SOUTH ASIA: COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES

CALL FOR PAPERS

XII CLAI BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

CULTURE, ARTS AND SOCIO-POLITICAL MOVEMENTS IN SOUTH ASIA: COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES

March 1-4, 2015

Organised by

Centre for Rajasthan Studies and Department of Urdu and Persian

University of Rajasthan, Jaipur

in collaboration with

Comparative Literature Association of India

Concept Note

A distinctly definable conglomeration of nations, broadly called South Asia, has emerged as a major site of critical inquiry in the recent past. It has engaged serious academic attention in the areas of society, polity, and economy; arts, culture, and philosophy, to name some of the more important ones. The individual identity of each nation within this geographical region is as remarkable as the collective identity of the nations put together in a larger frame of references. Considerable amounts of shared historical predicaments, common political cultures, approximating social formations, comparable cultural institutions, and nearly identical expressions in the domains of art, literature and philosophy render it into an eminently viable field of inquiry, which the current interest and the remarkable growth of scholarship in this area have amply shown. Furthermore, as South Asia has had a unique history of negotiating multiplicities and pluralities, it is on the one hand a significant site of difference for Europe to engage with, and on the other, a postcolonial imperative calling for interdisciplinary inquiries into a variety of markers that distinguish this region.

In order to develop a broader discourse on South Asia as a space of multiple configurations, the conference proposes to engage with issues relating to diverse aspects of culture, arts, and socio-political movements. These will include discussions on the evolution of South Asian nations through pre-colonial and colonial times, as also post-colonial and neo-colonial phases, configurations of tradition and ethnicity, religious and secular movements and movements of resistance and affirmation. Focusing on literary and cultural texts produced by nationalist and reformist movements, sufi and bhakti traditions, tribal, dalit and women's interventions, to identify some of them, efforts will be made to trace the points of intersection between society and culture during the phases of their development. It may also be posited that since the exponential economic growth, technological advancements, and broadening political bases in the age of globalization have curiously impacted the domains of art, literature and culture in South Asia, these aspects may also be examined in a broader context. In addition, issues relating to ideological constructions and philosophical debates, growth of knowledge systems, as well as conditions contributing to the writing of personal narratives, literary texts, treatises, and such other subjects of contemporary relevance will be undertaken for closer examination. All these issues may be examined with reference to the tools and techniques of comparative studies. Keeping close to the areas mentioned above, Abstracts may be developed for submission on the following sub-themes:

Sub Themes

The Idea of Nation in Relation to Culture
Nationalist and sub-nationalist movements and state formation
Protest Movements and Arts
The Problematic of Ideology and Art Forms
Polity-economy-culture-arts-literature interface
Religious/Philosophical Movements: Interface with Literature
Non-Violence as a Creed and South Asia
Tribal and Dalit Literary Aesthetics
Art and Counter Discourse
Socio-political movements and fragmentation of composite culture
Ecology and Literary Production
New Media and Socio-cultural Formations
Arts/Literary Movements and Social Change
Area Studies as a mode of social knowledge and reinforcing regional identities
Literary and Cultural Relationship Between India, its Neighbouring Countries and the World
Translation as Transmission of Cultures in South Asia
Cultural and Historical Perspectives of Rajasthan
Any other topic directly related to broad theme of the conference

Other Relevant Details

Abstracts of about 300 words in English in Times New Roman (12 point, single space), along with the presenter's designation, affiliation, and email id, mentioned at the end of the Abstract, may be sent to :

Professor K.G. Sharma, Director, Centre for Rajasthan Studies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004 (email id: rajstudycentre@gmail.com, Mobile: 09460124663)

Apart from English, papers may also be presented in Hindi, or Urdu which must be mentioned at the time of submission of Abstract.
All presentations must be completed within 15-20 minutes.
There will be a special plenary session on Methodology of Comparative Literature.
ICLA Research Committee panels relating to Literary and Cultural Interrelationships Between India, its Neighboring Countries and the World. (Coordinator: Dr. Chandra Mohan) and the Literature, Religion and Ethics (Coordinator, Dr. Kitty Millet), will be made within the broad theme of the conference and abstracts / papers will be welcome.
Best Paper Award to Students at the Conference

Beginning from 2015, the Comparative Literature Association of India will institute two prizes at its annual conferences, one for the best paper presented by an MA student from any literature discipline, and one for the best paper presented by a research student at the MPhil and PhD level in Comparative Literature. Participants under the age of 35, registered for MA, MPhil and PhD courses in Indian and foreign universities are eligible to compete, provided:

(1) They indicate their desire to compete in the designated place in the conference registration form;

(2) Submit proof of studentship along with the completed registration form and abstract.

Once notified that their abstract has been selected for inclusion in the conference programme, MA, MPhil and PhD students wishing to compete must submit the complete paper two months before the conference date in order to be considered for the prize. Six papers (three from each category) will be shortlisted for presentation at a special session of the conference. Final selection will include both written paper and its presentation at the special session.

It is to be noted that the members who sent abstracts during last year, are requested to send their updated and revised abstracts again.
The members are requested to ensure that the papers relate to Comparative Literary Studies and to the theme of the Conference in particular.
Registration fees shall be applicable as follows:

Outstation participants - Rs. 2500/=
Local Participants - Rs. 1500/=
Research scholars - Rs. 1500/=
Students - Rs. 1000/=
Foreign participants - US $ 200/=

Important Dates

· Submission of abstracts: November 15, 2014

· Communication of acceptance: December 15, 2014

· Completion of registration: January 15, 2015

Contacts :

Professor K.G. Sharma, Director, Centre for Rajasthan Studies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004 (email id: rajstudycentre@gmail.com, Mobile: 09460124663)
Dr. Sangeeta Sharma, Department of History & Indian Culture, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 302004 (email id: sangeeta2597@gmail.com, Mobile: 09414066800)
Dr. Surayya Khanam, Head, Department of Urdu and Persian, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302001 (email id: surayyakhanam@yahoo.com , Mobile: 09214018768)
Professor Chandra Mohan, General Secretary, Comparative Literature Association of India (CLAI), C-93 (GF) Inder Puri, New Delhi-110012 (email id: c.mohan.7@hotmail.com , Mobile: 09810683143)