Dear list members,
please find below a Call for Papers for a postgraduate workshop on
contemporary literature/book market, which will take place at the
University of Manchester in November. The workshop has a primary
focus on the post-Soviet space (although we are happy to receive
abstracts from other areas too,in order to stimulate discussion and
comparisons).
Please forward this to anyone that could be interested in this event,
and feel free to contact me for any information
Best wishes,
Elisa Coati
PhD Candidate
Department of Russian and East European Studies
University of Manchester
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POSTGRADUATE WORKSHOP:
Same Old Story?
New Trends in Books, Literature and Reading in the New Millennium
Friday, 5 November 2010
University of Manchester
Plenary Speaker:
Prof. Stephen Hutchings
School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures
The advent of digital technologies has had an enormous impact on the
way we generate and perceive literature. The book as a material object
is now facing significant pressure as a result of competition with
less traditional means of creating and distributing texts such as the
Internet. The authority of the writer is also being challenged by new
possibilities to enter into dialogue with the reader. Last but not
least, the digital evolution has had an impact on the book market
itself, demanding new marketing strategies and new means of
communication between the author, the reader and the publisher.
While some perceive these trends with enthusiasm, others react to this
changing literary environment in a more sceptical way, predicting not
only the death of the book, but also the diminishing role literature
will play in society. The aim of this workshop is to look into how the
role of literature, readers and books has changed in recent years.
What significant trends are emerging? Has there been a shift in our
perception of literary works and their creators? Is the digital
evolution a threat to the printed book or does it encourage an
alternative reading culture, co-existing with the traditional one? The
primary focus of the workshop is on the Post-Soviet space, where the
digital revolution has coincided with major societal transformations.
We also welcome abstracts on relevant topics outside the Post-Soviet
area.
Possible topics may include (but are not limited to):
Changes in the role of the book in print form
Changes in the role of the reader
New literary genres
Impact of new media on the printed book
Reader/author communication
Extra-textual factors influencing the book market
Translation and the canon
Politics of the book market
Changing boundaries of the high and low dichotomy
The concept of the bestseller
Please send a 300-word abstract and a short academic CV to Elisa Coati at
[log in to unmask] or to Manuela Kovalev at
[log in to unmask]
by Friday, 2 July 2010.
You can view the CfP also at http://workshop-manch.livejournal.com/
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