English Teachers’ Forum, Himachal Pradesh, in collaboration with Government College Bassa (Gohar), District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh invites original, unpublished research papers on Contemporary Indian Literature in English for National Conference being organised at Government College Bassa (Gohar) on August 03-04, 2018.
About the Conference:
General Theme: Contemporary Indian Literature in English
Sub Themes:
1. The Indianness of Indian Literature
In the rapid flux of ‘isms’ and ‘post-isms’ perpetuated by the western academy which tends to usurp the concept of literature and literariness (if such concepts still exist), are there any specific qualities and characteristics of contemporary Indian Literature in English which may be construed as Indian? As a case in point, does the contemporary literature still voice the philosophical foundations of Indian Literature based on the four-fold Purusharthas or aims of life viz. Dharama, Artha, Kama and Moksha as a continuum.
2. The Dynamics of Form in Contemporary Indian Literature
The structuralist idea of form as the informing and organising principle of literary works along with the various disruptions of form in the post-structuralist/ post-modernist as well as the post-truth era as well as other western models of form as applicable to contemporary Indian Writing in English might form the basis of the papers under this sub-theme. However, it would be both challenging and intellectually intriguing to explore and crystallise the concept of form vis-Ã -vis ‘the great Indian Narrative which is rooted in the oral and folklorist tradition, the epical lineage of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata with their numerous adaptations across languages and cultures of the sub-continent as well as the diversity of literatures in different Indian languages.
3. The Construction/Expression of Gender and Marginality in Contemporary Indian Literature
The paper submitted in this category may be based on the commonly accepted norms of the Deconstruction theory, Feminism, Post-Colonialism, Diaspora and Dalit philosophy. However, it may again be interrogated whether these theoretical foundations are central to the form and content of contemporary Indian literature in English or merely mime these western constructs as academic fads.
4. Contemporary Indian Writing in English Translation
Some of the papers under this sub-theme may be devoted to explore the need and efficacy of translating the regional Indian literatures in English with a view to facilitate a comprehensive perspective on the aesthetic and technical aspects of contemporary Indian Literature.
5. East-West Inter-literariness: Comparative Perspective on Indian and Western Poetics
It might be interesting to explore the possibility of evolving a poetics of Indian English Literature which might be postulated not only on the basis of Sanskritic, Upanishadic or Puranic traditions, but also the western models thereof in the contemporary literary scenario.
It might be useful if the focus of proposed research papers is on Indian authors whose works are generally prescribed for study in the Indian Universities so that the deliberations of the conference may be distilled into classroom discussions thereof.
Acceptance of Abstracts: To be notified by e-mail on or before July 05 2018.
Online submission of Full Papers: Please submit your full paper by e-mail at the given mail id on or before July 30 2018. Please use the font and size as specified for the abstract and follow MLA format of documentation (Eighth edition).
Delegate Fee (For outstation Delegates): Rs. 2000/-.
The fee will cover expenses towards their boarding and lodging, meals and refreshments. The delegate fee may be transferred through NEFT to the Savings Bank Account of English Teachers’ Forum by the date to be specified along with acceptance letter of abstracts submitted for the conference.
Delegate Fee (For Local Delegates who do not require accommodation): Rs. 1500/-.
Important Dates:
Submission of Abstracts: An abstract of 250 words (main body only) along with prominent keywords of the proposed paper may be mailed at etfhimachal.2018@gmail.com by June 25 2018.
The title of the paper may be mentioned in bold face Times New Roman, font size 14. Use Times New Roman, font size 12, for the main body of the abstract. Do remember to mention your Title (Prof./Dr./Mr./Ms.), Full name and institutional affiliation in your abstract.
(Please note that no proposal for paper presentation will be accepted if the abstract of the same is not submitted by due date. However, teachers/ scholars may participate in the conference in the capacity of non-paper presenters.)
