18th Annual EGSA Mardi Gras Conference-Call for papers

We are pleased to announce the 18th Annual EGSA Mardi Gras Conference, titled “Placing Poesis: The Work of Art and the Future of Literary Studies,” to be held at Louisiana State University January 30 – February 1.

We are seeking 15 minute papers or hour long panels that address the current state of literature and literary studies and possibilities for the futures of both. This conference will attempt to re-theorize the nature of literature and current conceptions of art and criticism, while above all paying focused attention to the art-object, its relation to literary and cultural studies, the past, present, and future of aesthetic theory, the role of the critic, and the work of the artist. We also invite literary analytical papers, especially those that provoke unique dialogues about the nature of art. The theme of this conference also holds implications for the humanities in general, especially in terms of the intersections between disciplines and the ways in which English departments often appropriate studies outside of literature. The conference will offer a wide array of panels, ranging from those focused on aesthetic, theoretical and critical reflections to those that consider the creative process itself.

We are very honored to announce Professor Cathy Davidson of Duke University, author of the groundbreaking Revolution and the Word: the Rise of the Novel in America, as this year’s keynote speaker. Professor Davidson’s current work combines theory, state of the art technology issues, and the role of the humanist as public intellectual and civic leader. Her keynote address will situate the study of humanities in our current digital age, pushing the boundaries of how we conceive the roles of the artist and critic.

This year’s conference will inaugurate the Jim Springer Borck Essay Prize. The EGSA will award $50.00 to the author of the winning essay and make a donation of $100.00 in the author’s name to the American Diabetes Association. Details concerning the award and eligibility will be available at the conference website.

Those interested in presenting at the conference are invited to submit an abstract of 200-250 words no later than November 30, 2007, to the email address listed below. Please remember that papers should be 15 minutes in length.


James Ayers and Rich Cooper, Conference Co-Chairs
Department of English, Louisiana State University
egsaconference@gmail.com
http://www.lsu.edu/student_organizations/egsamardigras/