Call for Papers:
45th Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)
April 3-6, 2014
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Host: Susquehanna University
Two decades ago, Judith Butler’s “Critically Queer” asked what it might mean to make “queer” an object of critical inquiry and, equally, what it might mean for the queer to become critical of her identification as queer. “Comically Queer” echoes Butler’s formulation in order to ask how the comic might be deployed to do queer work and how the queer can be located in relation to the comic. This panel welcomes papers that draw from queer theory as well as disability, post-colonial, and critical race studies in order to query normative regimes that determine what it means to be (and which bodies are) taken seriously. In particular, this panel aims to ask how laughter and the comic might work to disrupt or (re)configure the category of, to borrow another phrase from Butler, the “recognizably human.” Please send 250-word abstracts to James Mulder at jamie.mulder@tufts.edu by September 30, 2013.
Deadline: September 30, 2013
Please include with your abstract:
Name and affiliation
Email address
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee with registration)
The 2014 NeMLA convention continues the Association’s tradition of sharing innovative scholarship in an engaging and generative location. This capitol city set on the Susquehanna River is known for its vibrant restaurant scene, historical sites, the National Civil War museum, and nearby Amish Country, antique shops and Hershey Park. NeMLA has arranged low hotel rates of $104-$124.
The 2014 event will include guest speakers, literary readings, professional events, and workshops. A reading by George Saunders will open the Convention. His 2013 collection of short fiction, The Tenth of December, has been acclaimed by the New York Times as “the best book you’ll read this year.” The Keynote speaker will be David Staller of Project Shaw.
Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable. http://www.nemla.org/convention/2014/cfp.html
James Mulder
English Department
Tufts University
Email: jamie.mulder@tufts.edu