MELOW
(The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic
Literatures of the World)
CONFERENCE CALL
15th
INTERNATIONAL MELOW CONFERENCE
Title: Towards Praxis:
Literature, Society and Politics
To be hosted by Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
Tentative dates: 19-21 Feb 2016
We live in a fast-paced age with our attention distracted by
high-tech gadgets, computers, smart phones, and other devices that are meant to
provide a short cut to ‘success.’ At the same time, we have become suspicious
of all ideas, all concepts, that attempt to map this fast-paced life. Being
unable to live with the notion of ‘essences’, we live now in a world of
cognitive incertitude. From Prufrock’s “It is impossible to say just what I
mean,” we, in our postmodernist technology-savvy world, have graduated to
rejoice not only at our growing command over technology, but surprisingly also
at our inability to ‘mean’.
Where, in this hurly burly of life, this ‘chaosmos’, does
literature stand today? Is it totally irrelevant or does it still serve a
serious purpose, refining our finer sensibilities, adding an ‘aesthetic’ touch
to human life, keeping it connected with the ‘higher’ aspects of life? To
modify the question Auden asked, does literature make anything happen? Does it
make us better human beings? Does it have a civilizing effect on society? Or is
it absolutely irrelevant in today’s world, in spite of the gender, race, class,
caste, and ecological issues that it often raises?
For centuries, we have been debating whether literature just
reflects life or really transforms us by reflecting on life. Does a literary
text change the way we think, or live, or act? Does it address the issue of our
‘constructedness’? Does it only show us the possibilities for future, or does
it give us a direction, too? Does it help us adapt to changes that have already
taken place, or does it help us change the world through ‘the ethics of
resilience.’ The issue of ‘human transformation’ becomes more significant in
the supposedly post-humanist universe that we are supposed to be already in, or
perhaps entering.
The MELOW 2016 conference would focus on the relevance of
literature and on how effective a literary text is in changing the social
fabric of the world. It will explore the innate power of literature to
transform the world and debate on related issues. Abstracts not exceeding 250
words are invited on the issues listed below. They
should be sent to the respective panel heads (email ids given) by the 31st of
August 2015.
1. Theoretical
considerations: Is literature relevant in today’s world? Is it possible for
literary texts to change the world/society? What is the relationship between
literature and active politics? Send abstracts to Prof Anil Raina aneelraina@gmail.com
2. Books
that changed the world: Literary landmarks written with a
specific social agenda. Send abstracts to Dr Roshan Sharma. roshanlal.sharma@
3. Children’s
Literature: fairy tales, adventure stories, moral tales and nonsense
literature. What purpose do they serve? Send abstracts to Prof Manju
Jaidka. mjaidka@gmail.com
4. The
uses of escapist literature: Fantasy, science
fiction, gothic and horror stories. Utopias and Dystopias. Send
abstracts to Dr. Manpreet Kang. roohipannu@yahoo.co.uk
5. Science
and speculative fiction: the futuristic and the posthuman. Send
abstracts to Prof. Ashis Sengupta. ashmit_2003@yahoo.com
Instructions to all prospective delegates:
Your abstract (of about 250 words) should be sent in
the TEXT BOX of the email (not as attachment). The following information, in
the given format, should be sent along with the abstract:
Name of Delegate
Official designation
Email id
|
MELUS/MELOW conferences
attended earlier (in which year and where)
|
Are you currently a
member of MELUS or MELOW? Or do you need a fresh / renewed membership? Please
specify.
|
Title of Abstract
|
ABSTRACT [Text] 250
words max.
|
· The subject line of
your message should read thus:
• ABSTRACT
2016: [YOUR NAME] and [If applicable, state if you are an Indian citizen below
40, competing for the ISM award]*
• Deadline
for receipt of abstracts is 31 Aug 2015
All abstracts will be peer-reviewed before
they are accepted. Do not send full
papers. Once acceptance letters are sent full papers (approx 3,000 words)
will be invited only from participants (under 40 years of age) competing for
the Isaac Sequeira Memorial Award. The rest need to bring their complete papers
along at the time of the conference.
*
ISAAC SEQUEIRA MEMORIAL AWARD:
In the memory of our patron, Prof Isaac Sequeira, MELUS-India /
MELOW annually awards a prize for the best paper presented at its conference.
The award will comprise a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 5,000.
The competition is open to Indian citizens who are members of
MELUS-India or MELOW. The competing participant / delegate should be less than
forty years of age at the time of the conference. The abstract and complete
paper should be submitted by the stipulated deadlines before it is presented at
the conference.
