Call for Papers

Session Title: Postcolonial Ecopoetics of Disaster

45th Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)
April 3-6, 2014
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Host: Susquehanna University

Description:
This session will discuss the intersections between ecocriticism and
postcolonial literatures of disaster. Imperialism and neoliberal
globalization have led to disproportionate social and environmental
devastation in the Global South. We build from Anthony Carrigan’s assertion
that understanding cultural representations of postcolonial disaster is
integral to social and environmental reconstruction.

We are interested in the mutual influence between postcolonial disasters
and ecocriticism: how do disaster narratives provoke ecological
considerations, and how does ecocriticism offer ways to interpret
catastrophic events? We hope to identify common ecological tropes in
postcolonial narratives: What figures re-occur in the literature of
disaster? What ecological poetics are deployed in response to disasters?
How are postcolonial environmentalisms manifested or tested in periods of
crisis?

In particular, we hope to explore the strategies postcolonial writers use
to avoid enforcing the stigmatization of their home countries as
"disaster-ridden." How do postcolonial writers use the disaster narrative
to explore un-sensational forms of violence and localized environmental
ethics? Papers may consider "disaster" in broad terms: from floods,
earthquakes, and hurricanes to colonization, war, and terrorism. Papers are
also encouraged to explore the ways the singular disaster exposes
re-occurring forms of violence and oppression.

Please send a 300-500 word abstract and brief bio to Liam O'Loughlin,
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*Deadline for submission: September 30, 2013*

Please also include with your abstract:

Name and Affiliation
Email address
Postal address
Telephone number
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee with registration)

Conference info:

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

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Molly Nichols
Dept of English
University of Pittsburgh
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