Conference Call
25th MELOW International Conference to be held at Kathmandu
University, NEPAL
27-29 September 2024
on
Echoes of the Earth: Interplay of Literature and Landscape
Throughout history, terrestrial landscapes have captivated human curiosity,
serving as a significant muse for creative practitioners. Whether it be the
enigmatic allure of towering mountains, the mystical charm of dense forests, or
the vast expanse of oceans, the natural environment has served as a symbolic
platform for portraying human existence, emotive expression, and contemplation
of the human condition.
The dynamic relationship between literature and landscape is multifaceted,
serving as both a backdrop for narrative events and a vehicle for emotional
expression. In fictional works, landscapes such as the untamed wilderness in
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the tropical setting of Kerala in
Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things not only provide a physical
setting but also reflect the thematic elements of the narratives. Eugene
O'Neill's The Emperor Jones exemplifies how the landscape, like
the jungle, can symbolize the psychological state of characters. In poetry, the
landscape serves as a vehicle for memory and emotional expression, as seen in
William Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey" and Siddhicharan Shrestha's "Mero
Pyaro Okhaldhunga." Additionally, in argumentative writings such as
Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, the
relationship between humans and nature is explored, emphasizing the urgency of
environmental conservation.
The September 2024 MELOW International Conference will explore the
relationship between literature and landscapes, investigating both the
depiction of landscapes in literature and literature's role in enhancing our
understanding of landscapes.
The conference will address the following sub-themes:
1.
Theoretical considerations
2.
Environment, indigeneity, and spirituality
3.
Forests and fantasies, woods, and wilderness
4.
Landscapes –urban and rural: aesthetics and
identity
5.
Low-lying locations: plains and possibilities,
deserts and desolation
6.
Mountains, mountaineering, mystery and menace
7.
Water bodies: rivers and reflections, oceans, and
odyssey
The thrust
of each panel will be on Literature and its relationship with Nature.
Important Dates
Announcement/Call for Abstract: 15 April
Abstract Submission: 20 May 2024
Notification to Authors: 15 June 2024
Full-length papers due (those competing for the ISM
Award*): 15 Aug 2024
Full-length Paper Due (those who wish to publish in
the MELOW journal: 1 Sept 2024
Programme to be finalized: 10 Sept 2024
MODE OF ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
The subject line of your message should be: ABSTRACT
NEPAL 2024 [YOUR NAME]
If you’re competing for the ISM Award*: state clearly “Indian citizen
below 40 competing for the ISM Award”
Abstracts may be sent in the format given below.
|
1. THEME under which
abstract may be considered (1 to 7 as given above): Note: Please send only ONE
abstract. Double submissions will not be considered. |
|
2. MELOW conferences
attended earlier (in which year and where): |
|
3. Are you currently
a member of MELOW? Or do you need a fresh / renewed membership? Please
specify. |
|
4. Competing for ISM
Award*: YES or NO |
|
5. PPT presentation
YES or NO |
|
6. Name of Delegate Official designation
(Designation/Dept/College/University) Email id |
|
7. Title of Abstract |
|
8. ABSTRACT [Text]
200-250 words |
|
9. |
Send your abstract to melusmelow@gmail.com with a copy to khagendra@ku.edu.np
Deadline for receipt of abstracts is 20 May 2024
Presenters need to be at least postgraduate research scholars, teachers,
or independent scholars.
All abstracts will be peer-reviewed before they are accepted.
This is an in-person conference. Online sessions may be considered for
delegates from outside India/Nepal/Bangladesh.
All paper presenters need to be members of MELOW. In case you are not a
member, you may send your abstract now and apply for membership once it is
accepted.
Details of membership/registration fees will be sent along with the
acceptance letter.
* ISAAC SEQUEIRA MEMORIAL AWARD:
In memory of the
late Prof Isaac Sequeira, MELOW annually awards a prize for the best paper
presented by a young scholar (below forty at the time of the conference) at its
conference. The award comprises a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 5,000. The
competition is open to Indian citizens who are members of MELOW. The abstract
and paper should be submitted by the stipulated deadline in the required
format. Joint entries will not be accepted for the ISM Award.
Our website: www.melow.in
ABOUT
MELOW
MELOW (The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the World) was first set up in 1997 as MELUS-India. It is an academic organization, among the foremost of its kind in India. The members are college and university teachers, scholars and critics interested in literature, particularly in world literatures, and literary connections across borders of time and space. The organization meets every year over an international conference. It seeks to maintain academic standards, encourages younger scholars, and provides a forum for a fruitful exchange between upcoming and senior scholars in literature.
MEJO, The MELOW journal has existed in hard print for more than a decade. It is now published annually online.
Current Office Bearers of MELOW
The Governing Body
President: Manju Jaidka, former
Prof of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh
Vice-President: Debarati
Bandyopadhyay, Prof, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, WB
Secretary: Manpreet Kaur
Kang, Prof, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi
Jt. Secretary: Roshan Lal Sharma, Prof,
C.U. of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala
Treasurer: Aneel Kumar Raina,
former Prof of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh
Regional Representatives:
Prof
Sushila Singh (Varanasi)
Prof Sachidananda Mohanty (Orissa, India)
Prof
Dipankar Purkayastha (Silchar)
Prof
Jap Preet Bhangu (Longowal, Pb)
Prof
Sanjay Mukherjee (Gujarat)
Prof Kalpana Purohit (Rajasthan)
Dr
Neela Sarkar (Kolkata)
Dr Meenu Gupta (Chandigarh)
International Advisory Board
Prof Giorgio Mariani (U of Rome, Italy)
Prof Rajeshwari Pandharipande (U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,
USA)
Prof Mukesh Williams (Soka University, Japan)
Prof Pawel Jędrzejko (U of Silesia, Katowice, Poland)
Assistant
International Advisors
Dr Ui Terramoto
(Japan)
Dr Khagendra
Acharya (Nepal)
Reach us on: www.melow.in, www.melusmelow.blogspot.in
and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003036474708&fref=ts
Email:
melusmelow@gmail.com
ABOUT
THE HOST INSTITUTION
Kathmandu University (KU) is an autonomous, not-for-profit, self-funding public institution
established by an Act of Parliament in December 1991. It is an institution of
higher learning dedicated to maintaining the standard of academic excellence in
various classical and professional disciplines. The mission statement of the
University is “to provide quality education for leadership”.
The vision is “to become a world-class university devoted to
bringing knowledge and technology to the service of mankind”.
The University aspires to serve the nation by fulfilling the needs of the
society through the motto of taking knowledge and skills “from the campus to
the community.”
Established in 1951 as Nepal's pioneering women's campus, Padma Kanya Multiple Campus (PKMC), affiliated with Tribhuvan University (TU) has evolved from its humble beginnings into a beacon of empowerment for women. Initially focusing on humanities, PKMC now offers a diverse range of bachelor’s and master’s programs, preparing students for the challenges of the modern global market. Rooted in the vision of women's empowerment, PKMC strives to equip its students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a sustainable and prosperous future. Looking ahead, PKMC envisions transformation into a fully-fledged Women’s University with its mission of providing quality education, vesting women to lead the future with competence.
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