Call for Papers

ALA 2017, Boston, MA.
May 25-28 2017
Organized by the Melville Society

Melville and the Historical Imagination

This panel will focus on Melville’s varied engagements with history and historical transformation. How does Melville imagine the emplotment of History; its causal forces, determinant conjunctures, or contingent ruptures? How does Melville make use of the aesthetic dimensions of historical thought, and how does his work innovate narrative and poetic forms, literary genres, or dramatic modes in its exploration of historical representation? How does Melville’s work engage with histories of colonialism and imperialism, of laws and nation-states? Finally, how are these engagements related to Melville’s treatment of other social issues, such as class, race, gender, and sexuality? Topics include: aesthetic, political, and rhetorical dimensions of historical imagination; historical materialism and dialectics; determinism and agency; history and theory of the novel; uneven development; colonialism and imperialism; law and sovereignty.
Please send abstract and brief cv to Hoang Gia Phan: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Melville and Literary Influence: Reframing Tradition

Emboldened by the innovative new work being done on the question of literary influence and intertextuality, this panel seeks papers that explore both Herman Melville's engagements with other writers and texts and the dynamics of influence and intertextual practice. While Melville's engagements with English literary tradition will no doubt be a central topic, the panel is open to the fullest range of possible topics related to these questions. Proposals with a strong commitment to aesthetic and theoretical approaches will be especially welcome, as will proposals that engage with the intersections of influence and race, class, gender, and sexuality. To propose a paper, please send an abstract (300 word maximum) and a CV to the panel's Chair, David Greven, at this email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Deadline: January 6, 2017.