Writing Europe 2001: Migrant Cartographies

Cultural Travellers and New Literatures

Call for Papers

University of Leiden - University of Amsterdam
The Netherlands
22 - 24 March 2001
International Conference

Research School CNWS, School of Asian, African, and Amerindian Studies
Research School OSL, Onderzoekschool Literatuurwetenschap
Belle van Zuylen, Research Institute for Multicultural and Comparative
Gender Studies

Increasing mass migration is redefining actors, places, and languages in
European writing. These cultural shifts are magnified in the writing of
cosmopolitans, expatriates, exiled as all migrants. By and large, the
languages of the most powerful ex-colonisers (English and French) have been
the privileged medium of expressing straddling nations, cultures and
identities. However, other migrant traditions (such as those expressed in
minor ex-colonial languages or vernaculars) are mapping new literary and
cultural spaces. At the dawn of the new millennium it is important to assess
the different material backgrounds that colour all these texts and
acknowledge in what way they contribute to rewriting, expanding and
subverting existing notions of European identity and citizenship.
We invite papers addressing the conundrum of these new power relationships
and creative forces. We are particularly interested in presentations that
explore the wide array of migrant literatures within Europe in their
colonial, social, religious and linguistic interchanges.

Invited keynote speaker
Prof. Dr. Paul Gilroy (Yale University)


TOPICS AND THEMES:

Identity Politics & Multiculturalism
Literary Canons and New Voices
Urban Space and Lifestyles The
Migrant in Hypertext
Gender and Ethnicity

Deadline: due by 30 September 2000
Please mail a copy of your 250 word abstract to:

Conference and Programme Organisers:
Dr. Daniela Merolla                        Dr. Sandra Ponzanesi
Merolla@Rullet.LeidenUniv.nl               Ponzanesi@pscw.uva.nl
ALW, University of Leiden               Belle van Zuylen Institute
Van Wijkplaats 2                            University of Amsterdam
2300 RA Leiden               Rokin 84-90, 1012KX Amsterdam
The Netherlands                The Netherlands