“Isn’t it really quite extraordinary to see that, since man took his first step, no one has asked himself why he walks, how he walks, if he has ever walked, if he could walk better, what he achieves in walking. . . questions that are tied to all the philosophical, psychological, and political systems which preoccupy the world” - Honoré de Balzac
Human experience is marked by movement and change. In cultural production we see mobility and mutability in light of progress, class mobility, and a shifting episteme. In literature and the arts these terms transform into migrations, monsters and character growth—in genres ranging from the epic to science fiction, or from the picaresque to cowboy poetry. Considering mobility and mutability, the following questions arise: How do mobility and mutability mark the evolution of life and the arts? How do we understand intermediality and dystopian futures in these terms? Why do founding myths of peoples around the world reflect exodus or displacement? How do terms mutate in the formation or new fields of study? We invite papers that explore mobility and mutation both in and of texts.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
Duality and Döppelgangers
Communication and Mobility
Time and Space in Literature
Crip theory and Disability studies
Immigration and Migration
Please submit abstracts of 200-250 words for individual presentation or panel proposals to rsgsabu@gmail.com. We welcome papers in English, French, or Spanish. The language of the proposal should match the language of the presentation. The deadline for submission is January 20th. Submission decisions will be sent out no later than February 12.