MCLC: Traumatic Memory--cfp

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: kirk (denton.2 at osu.edu)
Subject: Traumatic Memory--cfp
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Call for Papers
Traumatic Memory and Cultural Representation: How Literature Writes History
An International Conference

May 26-29, 2013
College of Language and Literature, Capital Normal University, Beijing

In the midst of the deafening noise from information explosion and spurred
by a prevailing materialistic and utilitarian urge, contemporary
humanities often find themselves at a loss keeping track of happenings
truly worthy of remembering.  Amnesia threatens to break the mirror
reflecting the past human suffering as well as progress, and the gradual
obscuring of the sediments of civilization in memory also undermines the
basis of our human and cultural identity.  Complacent with the pleasures
of the present, we tend to lose sight of ourselves as historical beings
and cannot see far into the future.  As Solzhenitsyn puts it, he becomes
blind who forgets the past.

Literature, in China and elsewhere, has been a vehicle of preserving and
interpreting history against amnesia.  A lot of efforts have been made by
writers, especially since the end of the Second World War, to record in
narrative forms traumatic events haunting the 20th century.  However, in
contrast to the West, China has been lagging behind in its contemporary
literature reflecting and representing major events of the recent past in
national life.  What has been accomplished in writing is rather
inadequate, incompatible with the materials of enormous historical
significance.  A comparison of Chinese writing and that of elsewhere can
be illuminating in this regard.

The Departments of Modern Chinese Literature, Literary Theory, and
Comparative and World Literature are sponsoring an international
conference entitled “Traumatic Memory and Cultural Representation: How
Literature Writes History.” With a deep appreciation of your literary
scholarship, we hope you may join us at the conference.

Suggested paper topics include:

Theoretical inquiry into the relationship between literature and traumatic
memory
Representation of major historical events (especially wars) of the 20th
century in Chinese literature
Investigation of the recent rise of fictional accounts of the Cultural
Revolution and the Anti-Rightist Campaign
Historical perspective on Taiwanese literature
Traumatic memory in memoirs and literary reportage
Educated youths in literature, films, and TV series
“Red memory” in popular culture

Conference schedule: registration on the evening of May 26, 2013;
conference sessions on May 27-28; adjournment and departure on May 29,
2013.

Conference location: Yujinxiang Wenquan Garden, Beijing.  Transportation
to the conference site is available at the east gate of the Capital Normal
University’s main campus at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on May 26, 2013.

Participants are responsible for traveling and lodging expenses.  Other
expenses will be covered by the conference sponsor.  Please respond with
an abstract of your paper by February 28, 2013.

Contacts:
 HYPERLINK "mailto:Dftao1959 at 163.com" Dftao1959 at 163.com
Zhangzhizhong at solcnu.net
linjinghua at solcnu.net

Organizer:
the College of Language and Literature at the Capital Normal University,
the Department of Modern Chinese Literature
the Department of Literary Theory
the Department of Comparative and World Literature
the College of Language and Literature
Capital Normal University












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