Thursday, 4 January 8:30 a.m.
1. Preconvention Workshop: Become a Certified External Reviewer for the ALD
8:30–11:30 a.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association of Language Departments. Presiding: Maggie Broner, St. Olaf C; Jennifer M. William, Purdue U, West Lafayette
This workshop trains faculty members to become expert external reviewers of departments and programs of world languages, literatures, and cultures and related disciplines. Faculty members who wish to acquire experience in reviewing are strongly encouraged to attend; those with experience will also benefit from the full review of current best practices. Preregistration is required.
2. Preconvention Workshop: Using X and LinkedIn to Advocate for Yourself and Your Program
8:30–11:30 a.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association of Language Departments. Presiding: Araceli Hernández-Laroche, U of South Carolina, Upstate; Americo Mendoza-Mori, Harvard U
How can academics use social media to advocate for themselves and their programs? This workshop explores X and LinkedIn as advocacy platforms for academics and offers strategies, examples, and practical guidance for building a professional presence online. Participants discuss advantages and potential concerns and risks of using social media for professional advancement. Newly acquired skills will be honed through individualized exercises. Preregistration is required.
4. Preconvention Workshop: Become a Certified External Reviewer for the ADE
8:30–11:30 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association of Departments of English. Presiding: Gaurav G. Desai, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Christine A. Wooley, St. Mary's C, MD
This workshop trains faculty members to become expert external reviewers of departments and programs of English. Faculty members who wish to acquire experience in reviewing are strongly encouraged to attend; those with experience will also benefit from the full review of current best practices. Preregistration is required.
Thursday, 4 January 11:45 a.m.
5. Beyond the Professoriat: Career Pathways for Job Seekers in English
11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m., 204B, PCC
Program arranged by the Association of Departments of English. Presiding: Ayanni Cooper, MLA
Speakers: Meaghan Brown, National Endowment for the Humanities; Sarah Buchmeier, Pullman National Monument; Lauren Cox, Obermann Center for Advanced Studies; Kristin Czarnecki, Rockport Art Assn. and Museum; Chris Mustazza, U of Pennsylvania
Representatives from across the humanities ecosystem at different types of institutions and organizations discuss career paths for PhDs and mentoring strategies for today's complex job search. Topics include search mechanics (CVs, letters, interviews), identifying passions and opportunities, developing multiyear job-search and career strategies, negotiating offers, and the roles doctoral preparation and research play in one's day-to-day work life.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/17VSIXCkB7p8awOLgk-w4Mlrbn242VS4z?usp=sharing after 5 Jan.
6. Beyond the Professoriat: Career Pathways for Job Seekers in Languages
11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the Association of Language Departments. Presiding: Mai Hunt, MLA
Speakers: Kathrin DiPaola, Neue Galerie New York; Jocelyn Frelier, Brown U, Washington; Patricia Hswe, The Mellon Foundation; Justin Izzo, Dropbox DocSend; Juan Diego Pérez, Riverdale Country School, NY; María Elizabeth Rodríguez Beltrán, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Speakers address the complex job market, transferable skills from graduate school training, and careers in fields outside the academy: museums and libraries; government, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations; industry and financial services; K–12 teaching; and the language industry. Explore where a humanities PhD can take you beyond the professoriat!
Thursday, 4 January 12:00 noon
7. The Trouble with Literary Nostalgia
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS 20th- and 21st-Century. Presiding: Benjamin Mangrum, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
Speakers: Andrew Lanham, Yale U; Justin Mitchell, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Hayley O'Malley, U of Iowa; Bruce W. Robbins, Columbia U; Elda Maria Roman, U of Southern California
Literary and cultural studies scholars have long been preoccupied with the question of “wasness,” particularly as it relates to their own work. To what extent are those of us who read, teach, and write about literature guilty of nostalgia?
8. Crafting Nation-Based Literary Histories in the Twenty-First Century: The Example of Cuba
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 308, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Jacqueline Loss, U of Connecticut, Storrs; Vicky Unruh, U of Kansas
Speakers: Odette Casamayor-Cisneros, U of Pennsylvania; Daylet Dominguez, U of California, Berkeley; Paloma Duong, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.; Jessica Gordon-Burroughs, U of Edinburgh; Rachel Price, Princeton U; David Tenorio, U of Pittsburgh
Using the example of The Cambridge History of Cuban Literature, forthcoming in mid-2024, panelists examine the complex challenges that such nation- or region-based volumes in English, addressing traditions in languages other than English, pose in conception, design, and execution, in the context of twenty-first-century approaches to literature and culture that challenge concepts of history, nation, and literature.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Nov.
9. Comparative Modernisms in West Asia
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 404, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC West Asian
Speakers: Shir Alon, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; C. Ceyhun Arslan, Koç U; Nergis Ertürk, Penn State U, University Park; Maziyar Faridi, Northwestern U; Elizabeth M. Holt, Bard C; Marie Ostby, Connecticut C
Covering the development of modernism in West Asia from transnational, global, and planetary perspectives, participants address literary production in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and additional West Asian languages in relation to one another.
10. Intersectional Visions of Italianità and Race
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-Century Italian. Presiding: Rachel A. Walsh, U of Denver
1. “Italian-ness and Otherness in Italian Baroque Poetry of Exploration,” Nathalie Hester, U of Oregon
2. “Radical ‘Italian’ Femininity and Masculinity in Giovanni Verga's ‘L'amante di Gramigna,’” Cristina Carnemolla, McGill U
3. “‘Song of the South’: Racialized and Medicalized Discourse in the Operas of Giordano and Leoncavallo,” Jonathan Hiller, Adelphi U
11. Vernacular Science: Discipline, Emotion, Fantasy, and Redemption
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Yiddish. Presiding: Matthew Johnson, Ohio State U, Columbus
1. “Fischel Schneersohn and the Science of Emotions,” Harriet Lisa Murav, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2. “(Un)Enlightened Sex: Yiddish Pamphlets on Sexual Health in the Late Russian Empire,” LeiAnna Hamel, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
3. “Dialectical Materialism for Kids: Using Metaphor to Depict Science for Young Readers in the 1930s,” Matthew Schantz, Harvard U
Respondent: Julian Arnold Levinson, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
12. Sex and Form
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Austin Svedjan, U of Pennsylvania
1. “Group Sex,” Teagan Bradway, State U of New York, Cortland
2. “What Death Drives: Psychoanalysis and the End of the World,” Anna Kornbluh, U of Illinois, Chicago
3. “Bentham's Seedbed,” Yao Ong, U of Chicago
13. Decolonize the Literary Curriculum
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session
Speakers: Ronald Charles, U of Toronto; Katherine Gillen, Texas A&M U, San Antonio; Stefan Helgesson, Stockholm U; Ankhi Mukherjee, U of Oxford; Aarthi Vadde, Duke U
Social ferment must be adjudged the ultimate progenitor of calls for decolonizing the literary curriculum or any curriculum for that matter. How do literary studies respond to the worldwide social protests instigated by the death of George Floyd? Panelists take these as the starting points for discussing various pedagogical methods and procedures for decolonizing the literary curriculum.
14. Chicanx and Latinx Poetics
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Chicana and Chicano. Presiding: Amanda Ellis, U of Houston
1. “Luis Valdez, ‘a Kosmos’: Whitman's Presence in ‘Pensamiento Serpetino,’” Jose Fernandez, U of Iowa
2. “La Llorona as Water Protector in Latinx Poetry,” Regina Pieck, Brown U
3. “The Poetics of Latin Night: Queer and Trans Latinx Mourning, Pleasure, and Liberation in the Literatures,” Marcos Gonsalez, Adelphi U
15. Black Affect, Malungaje, and Political Activism in Afro-Latinamerican and Afro-Latinx Literature
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Yesenia Escobar, Temple U, Philadelphia
1. “Repairing the Legacy of Slavery through Contemporary Afro-Latin American and Caribbean Narratives,” Karyn Mota, Brown U
2. “Terreiro Malungaje: Written Representations of African Orality and History by Candomblé Priestesses,” Jamie Lee Andreson, Penn State U, University Park
3. “Afro-Spirituality, M alungaje, and Queer Activism in Sirena Selena vestida de pena,” Renata Pontes, Temple U, Philadelphia
4. “(In)Visibilization of Black Peru: Resistances and A frorresiliencia in Malambo,” Jeanne Rosine Abomo Edou, Washington U in St. Louis
For related material, write to [email protected].
16. Neurodivergent Romanticisms
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
A special session
Speakers: Mark E. Canuel, U of Illinois, Chicago; Annika Mann, Arizona State U West; Jared S. Richman, Colorado C; Kate Singer, Mt. Holyoke C; Emily Stanback, U of Southern Mississippi; Marguerite Vanderford, U of California, Los Angeles; Fuson Wang, U of California, Riverside
Panelists reconsider the Romantic-era’s renowned reflections on subjectivity, consciousness, memory, and time as expressions and theories of neurodivergence in a period when medical norming of the embodied mind was still developing. We will offer interactive, experiential presentations attuned to a diversity of “bodyminds,” followed by discussion exploring how period authors might offer new forms of nonpathological neurodifference.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Jan.
17. Play and Performance: Party Games in Early Modern Chinese Literature and Art
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Jiayi Chen, Washington U in St. Louis
1. “Playing Cards for Drinking Games: Literary Paradigms for Performative Play,” Suzanne E Wright, U of Tennessee, Knoxville
2. “Banqueting through Improvisation: The Game of Hiding the Hook and the Qing Court Theater,” Jiayi Chen
3. “A Laughing Flower's Guide to the Party: Knowledge, Pleasure, and Pattern in Flowers in the Mirror,” Rania Huntington, U of Wisconsin, Madison
4. “Ludic Heroines, Feminine Mirth: The Courtesans’ Drinking Games in The Dream in the Green Bower,” Li Guo, Utah State U
18. Reconciling Dialect and Standard: Teaching Variation in the Catalan Language Classroom
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Alba Girons, U of Chicago
1. “An Approach to the Standard Language Ideologies among the Future Teachers of Palma and Barcelona,” Ivan Solivellas, U of the Balearic Islands
2. “Treatment of Language Variation by Catalan Teachers: Perspectives and Proposals,” James Ramsburg, U of Minnesota, Twin Cites
3. “Linguistic Variation and Catalan as an Additional Language: Some Observations from Textbooks,” Elga Cremades, U de les Illes Balears
19. Medical Melville
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the Melville Society. Presiding: Ralph Savarese, Grinnell C
Speakers: Stephen Richard Andrews, Grinnell C; David Haven Blake, C of New Jersey; John Bryant, Hofstra U; Jamini Hariharan, U of North Texas; Pilar Martinez Benedi, U of L'Aquila; Christopher Rice, McGill U
A 2008 article in The Journal of Medical Biography refers to “the many ailments of Herman Melville.” The author was keenly interested in conditions of the body and the way that people tried to address them. What kind of doctoring does he advocate? How does Melville stage the drama of treatment? How did his own embodiment affect his art?
For related material, visit www.melvillesociety.org/ after 15 Dec.
20. Suicide and Suicidality in Fiction
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Lee Okan, Lesley U
1. “The Dead Cannot Reply: Émile Durkheim, the British Detective Novel, and the Sociology of Suicide,” Aaron Botwick, Hostos Community C, City U of New York
2. “‘It Was in His Nature to Do It’: Fictions of Child Suicide in Fin de Siècle Great Britain,” Mary Gryctko, Baruch C, City U of New York
3. “Anticipating and Addressing Melancholy: The Fictional Text as Suicide Letter,” Patrick Duane, Virginia Commonwealth U
21. Black Literary Studies after the 1980s
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum TC Race and Ethnicity Studies. Presiding: Habiba Ibrahim, U of Washington, Seattle
1. “Canon Fodder: Consolidating Black Literary Criticism,” James Bliss, U of California
2. “Poiesis as Gestational Violence in Morrison's Beloved,” Sarah Haughn, Iowa State U
3. “Diminishing Returns and Insurgent Forces: Black Feminism in the Academy,” Courtney Thorsson, U of Oregon
22. Curriculum (Re)Design in the Upper Division: Collaborations within Language Departments
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LSL Second-Language Teaching and Learning. Presiding: Cori Crane, U of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
1. “Applied Linguists’ Role in Upper-Division Foreign Language Curriculum Development,” Isabelle Drewelow, U of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
2. “Transforming the Advanced Language Curriculum: Integrating Interdisciplinary Content,” Angela Lee-Smith, Yale U
3. “Challenges and Opportunities of Enhancing the Literature Curriculum through a Linguistic Focus,” Daniela Gutierrez-Flores, U of California, Davis; Claudia Sanchez-Gutierrez, U of California, Davis; Sara de Blas Hernandez, U of California, Davis
23. Leftist Movements from the 1930s to the Present
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century English and Anglophone. Presiding: Juno Jill Richards, Yale U; Nicole Rizzuto, Georgetown U
1. “The Antiglobalization Movement and Literary Internationalism at the End of History,” Anna Zalokostas, Northwestern U
2. “A Prison Writer's Handbook for Liberalism,” Kalyan Nadiminti, Northwestern U
3. “Trans Literature and the Critique of Political Economy,” Jo Giardini, Johns Hopkins U
4. “‘We Old Pioneers’: Revising Narratives of the Black Left,” Ariel Martino, Colgate U
24. The Futures of Climate Joy and Sorrow
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Ecocriticism and Environmental Humanities. Presiding: David Vazquez, American U
1. “‘I Graft a New Tribalism’: Biofuturities and New Terrains of Mestizaje in Gloria Anzaldua,” Karina Vado, Florida Atlantic U
2. “A Queer of Color Eschatology: The Anthropocene and Animality in Adelina Anthony's The Beast of Time,” Cathryn Merla-Watson, U of Texas, Rio Grande Valley
3. “Utopian Opportunity and Dystopian Inevitability in Louise Erdrich's Future Home of the Living God,” Jocelyn Sears, Harvard U
Respondent: Maia Gil'Adí, Boston U
25. Banned Books
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Samuel Cohen, U of Missouri, Columbia
Speakers: Lopamudra B. Basu, U of Wisconsin, Stout; Leonard Cassuto, Fordham U; Samuel Cohen; William Germano, Cooper Union; Brian Goodman, Arizona State U, Tempe; Laura McGrath, Temple U, Philadelphia; Amardeep Singh, Lehigh U
Panelists think about banned books—about reading them, about teaching them, about assigning them under the shadow of political pressure not to, about connections to the discipline, higher education, and society—and discuss readings of banned books in national and international contexts, accounts of responses in and outside the classroom to new legislation, and histories of book banning.
26. Celebration and Sorrow over Time in Catalan Culture
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Catalan Studies
1. “Celebrating the Catalan Past through Joyful Resistance and Melodrama,” Javier Krauel, U of Colorado, Boulder
2. “Collective Grief and Catalan National Identity: Remembrance of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's Dictatorship,” Aina Soley Mateu, U of California, Los Angeles
27. Childhood in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Spanish Culture
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th- and 19th-Century Spanish and Iberian and the International Association of Galdós Scholars. Presiding: Sara Munoz-Muriana, Dartmouth C
Speakers: Beatriz Cobeta, Simmons U; María Luisa Guardiola, Swarthmore C; Erika Rodriguez, U of Maine; Elizabeth Rousselle, Xavier U, LA; Sarah Sierra, Virginia Tech; Nicholas Wolters, Wake Forest U
Panelists discuss the recurrent figure of children in artistic representations in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Iberian culture. Notions of gender and race, disability and disease, joy and suffering, practices of inclusion and exclusion, and the role of children's toys as figures of contemporary social issues will be explored, at a time when infancy was approached as an autonomous and cultural category with a powerful role in the formation of the modern state.
28. Digitally Mapping Literary Space and Place
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association for Computers and the Humanities. Presiding: Brandon Walsh, U of Virginia Library
1. “From Charlotte Smith to Chloramphenicol: Antibiotic Origins and Digital Mapping across Disciplines,” Gillian Andrews, Lehigh U
2. “Place, Memory, Poetry, and the James Emanuel Papers at the Library of Congress,” Tyechia Thompson, Virginia Tech
3. “An Exploratory Data Analysis of Space in Spanish-Language Literature,” Jennifer Isasi, Penn State U, University Park; Joshua Ortiz Baco, U of Tennessee, Knoxville
For related material, visit ach.org after 1 Dec.
29. Adaptation: Migration across Form(s)
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Independence III, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Drama and Performance. Presiding: Lisa A. Freeman, U of Illinois, Chicago; Scott Poulson-Bryant, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1. “(Re)Playing Kidwell and Sheppard's Underground Railroad Game,” I. B. Hopkins, U of Texas, Austin
2. “Kate Hamill's Theatrical and Greta Gerwig's Cinematic Little Women,” Kristin Leahey, Boston U
3. “Do You Hear the People Sing? On the Page, on the Stage, on Screens, and on the Streets,” Sharon Lois Mazer, Auckland U of Tech.
4. “Having a Ball with Austen: Minoritarian Reenactment as Adaptation,” Jenna Tamimi, Lewis and Clark C
30. Pluriverses in the Twenty-First Century
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Chad Frisbie, Graduate Center, City U of New York
1. “Reliving Again: The Furrows and Parallel Universes,” Rebekah Waalkes, Tufts U
2. “Pluriverses and Phenomenology in A24 Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Gray (Lianghui) Huang, Binghamton U, State U of New York
3. “Quantum Crows and Feminist Time Loops: Pluriverses, Historical Trauma, and Repair,” Heloise Thomas, Bordeaux Montaigne U
31. The Joy of Representation in Digital Humanities and Archives
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum TC Digital Humanities. Presiding: Gabriela Baeza Ventura, U of Houston
Speakers: Caroline Collins, U of California, Irvine; Maria Montserrat Feu Lopez, Sam Houston State U; Elena Foulis, Texas A&M U, San Antonio; Marisa Hicks-Alcaraz, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Keishla Rivera-Lopez, Princeton U; Carolina Villarroel, U of Houston; Omaris Zamora, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Speakers discuss the significance of centering BIPOC experiences in digital projects. Topics include reparative description, language used in projects and archival materials, metadata, archival practices that include underrepresented people, and equity and ethics of representation.
32. Documentary Chaucer: New Readings
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Chaucer. Presiding: Carissa Harris, Temple U, Philadelphia; Samantha Katz Seal, U of New Hampshire, Durham
Speakers: Christopher Cannon, Johns Hopkins U, MD; Suzanne Edwards, Lehigh U; Katharine Jager, U of Houston, Downtown; Jennifer Jahner, California Inst. of Tech.
Respondent: Sarah Baechle, U of Mississippi
Featuring new readings of Geoffrey Chaucer's poetry and literary technique informed by the recently discovered Chaucer/Chaumpaigne legal documents about raptus and labor, panelists explore service, domestic and sexual labor, gender, will, consent, property, and personhood in Chaucer's poetry as well as in late medieval England.
33. What Are Stories For? Hors-Academy Narrative
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the International Society for the Study of Narrative. Presiding: Rita Charon, Columbia U
1. “The Critical Potential of Literature in the Midst of the Storytelling Boom,” Hanna Meretoja, U of Turku
2. “Autobiographical Storytelling—Âcimisowina: Passing on Knowledge and Worldview,” Deanna Reder, Simon Fraser U
3. “Narrative and Science: The Confluence Method,” Erin James, U of Idaho
34. Bildung Today
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: David Tse-chien Pan, U of California, Irvine
Speakers: Russell A. Berman, Stanford U; Jennifer Ham, U of Wisconsin, Green Bay; Ulrich Kinzel, Christian-Albrechts-U; David Tse-chien Pan; Xudong Zhang, New York U
Panelists consider the contemporary status of Bildung as the focus of debates about education and political and cultural identity.
35. Visionary Journals, Editorial Praxis, and Keeping Pace with Our Fields
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the Council of Editors of Learned Journals. Presiding: Sarah Salter, Texas A&M U, Corpus Christi
1. “Insurrect! Radical Thinking in Early America,” Ittai Orr, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2. “J19: The Journal of Nineteenth-Century Americanists,” Sarah E. Chinn, Hunter C, City U of New York
3. “Post45,” Dan Sinykin, Emory U
Respondent: Eugenia Zuroski, McMaster U
35A. [Postponed from 2023] Adaptation as Reworking (for) Crisis
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 307, Marriott
A special session
1. “Le Guin’s Darkness,” Scott Black, U of Utah
2. “Le Guin’s Interstellar Milton,” Marissa Greenberg, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
3. “Authority on Replay: Henry IV, Succession, and the Spiral of Patriarchy,” Lauren Shohet, Villanova U
4. “Lovecraft Came in through the Back Door,” Belinda Deneen Wallace, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Thursday, 4 January 1:45 p.m.
36. The Mediterranean Compass
1:45–3:00 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Mediterranean. Presiding: Silvia Bermúdez, U of California, Santa Barbara
Speakers: Christina Banalopoulou, Kadir Has U; Eva Kuras, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Karen Sullivan, Bard C; Anna Tybinko, Vanderbilt U
Participants examine how the Mediterranean is connected to distinct spatial and global regional perspectives from across languages and historical periods, from the Middle Ages to the present.
37. New Approaches to Jewishness, Gender, and Power
1:45–3:00 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Jewish American
1. “Shifting Notions of Modern Womanhood in the Photographs of Ellen Auerbach, 1930–50,” Alyssa Bralower, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2. “Jewish American History and the Comic Book Industry,” Andrew Levy, Butler U
Respondent: Hilene Flanzbaum, Butler U
38. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies: Theorizing Complex Embodiment
1:45–3:00 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: William Arguelles, Graduate Center, City U of New York
1. “Dysembodiment: Disability and Body Dysmorphia in Olive,” Christian Lewis, Baruch C, City U of New York
2. “‘Your Body Knows’: Reconsidering and Representing the Traumatized Body,” Maggie Boyd, Boston U
3. “Embodying a Possible Death: Arthur Mervyn and Ailing and Dying Alone,” Rebecca Haddaway, Penn State U, University Park
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Dec.
39. Mapping the Maximalist Novel
1:45–3:00 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Benjamin Bergholtz, Louisiana Tech U
Speakers: Antonio Barrenechea, U of Mary Washington; Daniel Burns, Elon U; Stefano Ercolino, Ca' Foscari U of Venice; Yonina Hoffman, United States Merchant Marine Acad.; Valentina Montero Román, U of California, Irvine; James Zeigler, U of Oklahoma
Whither the maximalist novel? Typically theorized as a (white, male) genre of postmodern American fiction, the last few decades have seen more writers, in more parts of the world, publishing in this encyclopedic and experimental genre. What, panelists ask, are we to make of this shift? What does it tell us about the genre's geographic contours? its gender dynamics? its ethical, imaginative, and political implications?
For related material, write to [email protected] after 3 Jan.
40. Overflows of the Lettered City: Enjoying Collective Reading and Revaluing the Literary
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Oriele Benavides, Princeton U
1. “Public Imaginaries: Street Reading in Latin America,” Marcy Schwartz, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
2. “The Decanting of a Singular Voice into a Plural Body: Literary Feminisms in Margo Glantz’s Work,” Oriele Benavides
3. “The Digital Lives of Andean Literature: Linguistic Communities and Their Points of View on Wikipedia,” Daniel Carrillo Jara, Muhlenberg C
4. “Reading Aloud as a Lively, Nonverbal Practice,” Emily Hind, U of Florida
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Jan.
41. Heine between Hegel and Marx
1:45–3:00 p.m., 404, Marriott
Program arranged by the North American Heine Society. Presiding: Tracie Matysik, U of Texas, Austin
1. “Heine as the First Left Hegelian,” Colby Chubbs, U of Toronto
2. “A Right against Rights: Hegel and Heine on the Human Right to Life,” Jorg Kreienbrock, Northwestern U
Respondent: Tracie Matysik
42. Byron's Legacy, Two Hundred Years On
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
Program arranged by the Byron Society of America. Presiding: Alice J. Levine, Hofstra U
Speakers: John Havard, Binghamton U, State U of New York; Ghislaine Gaye McDayter, Bucknell U; Jerome J. McGann, U of Virginia; Matt Sandler, Columbia U
Panelists examine Byron's legacy in the two hundred years following his death.
43. Online Teaching and Learning: New Approaches, Learning Outcomes, and Programmatic Benefits
1:45–3:00 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the ALD Executive Committee. Presiding: Lydia Tang, MLA
Speakers: Diana Garcia-Denson, City C of San Francisco; Charlotte Gifford, Greenfield Community C, MA; Araceli Hernández-Laroche, U of South Carolina, Upstate; Raúl Rubio, New School; Erika Stevens, Walters State Community C, TN
This discussion of online language instruction explores different approaches (synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid), learner outcomes and their assessment, and benefits to programs, including student retention and curricular variations. Offering perspectives from both four-year schools and community colleges, participants discuss programmatic choices they made before, during, and after the pandemic.
44. The Quixotic Eighteenth Century
1:45–3:00 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Late-18th-Century English. Presiding: Sarah Tindal Kareem, U of California, Los Angeles; Vivasvan Soni, Northwestern U
1. “Novelistic and Romantic Legacies of Eighteenth-Century Reimaginings of the Quixotic,” Donald R. Wehrs, Auburn U
2. “‘The Credit of a Wild Imagination’: Quixotism in Narrative Suspense,” Scott R. MacKenzie, U of Mississippi
3. “Translating The Female Quixote: Circulating Gender, Aesthetics, Politics,” Catherine Marie Jaffe, Texas State U
4. “Don Quixote, Parson Adams, and the Unsettling of Satirical Expectations,” José Luis de Ramón Ruiz, York C of Pennsylvania
45. Literature, Language, and Authorship in the Era of ChatGPT
1:45–3:00 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LSL Linguistics and Literature
1. “The Human-AI Ambivalence: Linguistic and Cultural Consciousness in AI-Generated Urdu Poetry,” Ayesha Akram, U of the Punjab
2. “Large Fiction Models: ‘The Age of LLMs’ as Literary Theory,” Edwin Roland, U of California, Santa Barbara
3. “What AI Can Tell Us about How Literature Works,” Katherine Elkins, Kenyon C
46. Race, Stigma, and the Politics of Black Hair
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Lyzette Wanzer, U of Chicago Graham School
1. “‘My Scalp Was Prickly’: Traumatic Intuition and Black Hair in Toni Morrison’s Work,” Anna Thomas, U of Toronto
2. “Black Hair: Historical and Cultural Manifestations vis-à-vis Hair Salon Deregulation,” Heather Chacon, Greensboro C
3. “Toward Decolonizing Our Roots,” Lyzette Wanzer
47. Alternative Chronologies: Early America, Today
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Early American. Presiding: Michelle Sizemore, U of Kentucky
1. “From Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca's Failed Journey to Hurricane Harvey,” José F. Aranda, Jr., Rice U
2. “Cotton Mather in California,” Kirsten Silva Gruesz, U of California, Santa Cruz
3. “Beginning the Early American Survey with President Obama; or, Providence in the Twenty-First-Century,” Sam Sommers, U of Connecticut, Waterbury
48. Once More with Feeling: Teaching and Creative Writing in the Late Pandemic
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum RCWS Creative Writing. Presiding: Prageeta Sharma, Pomona C; Leah Souffrant, New York U
Speakers: Teresa Carmody, U of Nebraska, Omaha; Michael Leong, Kenyon C; Diana Khoi Nguyen, U of Pittsburgh; Melody Nixon, U of California, Santa Cruz
Participants discuss the values, risks, and potential of creative writing pedagogy in and beyond the writing classroom. Writers share insights on the risks and opportunities of incorporating creative writing into our learning environments, with attention to pandemic-era challenges. What are the risks in amplifying emotion in our learning environments? How do creative writing pedagogies make room for joy in the classroom?
49. Digitality, Postcoloniality, Globality
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global Anglophone. Presiding: Nijah Cunningham, Hunter C, City U of New York; Aarthi Vadde, Duke U
1. “The Not-Quite-Human: Digitality, Subjectivity, and the Technical Production of Difference,” Ranjodh Singh Dhaliwal, U of Notre Dame
2. “The Not-So-Worldwide Web,” Daniella Gáti, New York U, Shanghai
3. “Indigenous Place in Digital Space: StoryMaps of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate,” Christopher Pexa, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
4. “Encoding the Postcolonial Nation into Place,” Carmen Thong, Stanford U
50. Whose South Asia: The Politics of Inclusion
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Aparajita De, U of the District of Columbia
1. “Other South Asias: The Case of the Badi Women of Nepal,” Puspa Damai, Marshall U
2. “Nepalbhasa Andolan: Language Activism, Literary Culture, and Ethnolinguistic Identity in Nepal,” Kritish Rajbhandari, Reed C
3. “Whose South Asia? Framing Sikh Identity, Cultural Capital, and Epistemic Otherness,” Parvinder Mehta, Wayne State U
4. “Identity and Politics in North East Indian Hip-Hop,” Akshara Dafre, Texas A&M U, College Station
Respondent: Umme Al-wazedi, Augustana C
51. Rethinking the Politics of Affect: Ressentiment, Melancholic Historicism, and Diva Attitude
1:45–3:00 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
A special session
1. “Ressentiment, Nietzsche's Medievalism, and the (Im)Possibilities of Solidarity,” Judith P. Haas, Rhodes C
2. “Rethinking Melancholic Historicism,” Francesca Sawaya, William and Mary
3. “Gendered Solidarity and the Shifting Ground of the Black Feminine,” Catherine John, U of Rhode Island
52. Gothic Pain
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Gothic Studies. Presiding: Amanda Alexander, U of Minnesota, Morris
1. “The Power of Spectral Friendship in Elizabeth Gaskell and Neil Gaiman,” Mckenzie Bergan, U of Connecticut, Storrs
2. “Gehrayee: Harnessing Gothic Pain for Ecology,” Aparajita Hazra, Diamond Harbour U
3. “Uncanny Identities: Gothic Confrontations of Dementia,” Laura Kremmel, Niagara U
For related material, visit www.facebook.com/groups/MLAGothicStudies.
53. Estrangement, Remembrance, and Simulacrum in Italian Culture
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Italian. Presiding: Lina N. Insana, U of Pittsburgh
1. “Estranged in Milan: Ortese and Antonioni Question the Cityscape of the Economic Miracle,” Andrea Baldi, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
2. “No Place and Nothingness: Sebastiano Vassalli and the Novarese Pianura,” Meriel Tulante, Thomas Jefferson U
3. “‘L'uomo-città’: City Making in and beyond Elena Ferrante's L'amore molesto,” Gina Mangravite, Scripps C
54. Digital Humanities, Critical Pedagogies
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Elise Arnold-Levene, Mercy C
1. “This Is a Demand: Linguistic Justice in the Virtual Classroom,” Cristina Migliaccio, Medgar Evers C, City U of New York
2. “Texaco Wiki: Engaging Undergraduates in Digital Research on Caribbean Literature and Culture,” Jessica Hutchins, Southern Illinois U, Edwardsville
3. “Podcasting the Latinx Experience: Digital-Project-Based Learning for Heritage Speakers,” Elise Arnold-Levene
For related material, visit digitalhumanitiescriticalpedagogies.mla.hcommons.org.
55. Affect and Performance in Francophone Spaces
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Francophone. Presiding: Maya Angela Smith, U of Washington, Seattle
1. “Dany Laferrière, the French Academy, and Legacies of Colonialism,” Chloé Brault MacKinnon, Stanford U
2. “Showing Up with Color and Rhythm: The Persistence of Contemporary Senegalese Women Artists in Music,” Fatima Seck, U of Maryland, College Park
3. “Mixed Identities, Mixed Emotions in Yamina Benguigui,” Azza Ben Youssef, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
4. “Filming for Feeling French: Analyzing Affect and Interpreting Identities through Film and Filmmaking,” Michael DeSalvo, Carnegie Mellon U
56. Cervantes on the Brink: Trauma, Violence, and Extremity in His Time and Ours
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the Cervantes Society of America. Presiding: Paul Michael Johnson, DePauw U
1. “No quiero acordarme: Trauma and Lacunae in Cervantes,” Stephen Hessel, Ball State U
2. “Extremity and Quixotism in Early and Late Modernity,” Bradley Nelson, Concordia U, Sir George Williams Campus
3. “La fuerza que habito: Almodóvar and the Golden Age,” Bruce R. Burningham, Illinois State U
57. Rethinking Woolf and Race
1:45–3:00 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
Program arranged by the International Virginia Woolf Society
1. “How Should One Read a Prank? Race and the Dreadnought Hoax,” Danell Jones, independent scholar
2. “‘Restorying’ Virginia Woolf: Bloomsbury, Race, and the Critical Reimagining of Woolf Studies,” Alice Keane, Queens C, City U of New York
3. “‘Inky Blackness’: Race and Writing in Orlando,” Ryan Tracy, Knox C
4. “Teaching Critical Race Theory with Orlando and the Dreadnought Hoax,” Rachel V. Trousdale, Framingham State U
58. Joyful Transfeminisms: Resisting Sorrow and Trauma, Embodying Radical Hope
1:45–3:00 p.m., Independence III, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Janet Werther, Graduate Center, City U of New York
1. “Trans Becoming in Kate Bornstein's Virtually Yours,” Rye Gentleman, New York U
2. “A Day at Lia García's Elementary School,” Annie Sansonetti, New York U
3. “Notes on a Straight Affect,” Patty Gone, U of California, Los Angeles
59. Between Europe and Asia: Circulation, Exchanges, and Early Modernity
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-Century English and the forum LLC Ming and Qing Chinese. Presiding: Su Fang Ng, Virginia Tech
1. “Chinese Sea Novels and the Making of the Modern World,” S.E. Kile, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2. “China in the Moon: Technology, Cosmology, and Orientalism in Francis Godwin's Lunar Voyage,” Andrea Yang, U of California, Davis
3. “The Empire's Watery Ways: The Grand Canal in Chinese Painting, Dutch Travelogues, and French Thought,” Pieter Keulemans, Princeton U
4. “Metaphor as Method,” David L. Porter, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
60. Writing Futures, Programmatic Futures
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the Council of Writing Program Administrators
1. “Learning from Disruption: Reveling in the Opportunities of Reflective Writing,” Bump Halbritter, Michigan State U; Julie Lindquist, Michigan State U
2. “Fostering Future Solidarity in a Writing Major,” Eric Detweiler, Middle Tennessee State U
3. “Mapping ChatGPT's Impact on Our Writing Processes,” Anuj Gupta, U of Arizona; Susan Miller-Cochran, U of Arizona
4. “Composing as Style and Dialectic: A Neo-Post-Retro Manifesto,” Keith Rhodes, U of Denver
61. The Speculative American West
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the Western Literature Association
1. “The Speculative Wests of Stephen Graham Jones,” Billy J. Stratton, U of Denver
2. “The Desert as Story That Hath Different Meanings,” Diane Glancy, Macalester C
3. “Imagining Galaxies Far, Far Away: Steven Paul Judd and Popular Culture,” Steven Sexton, U of Nevada, Las Vegas
4. “The (Final) Final Frontier: Indigenous Visions of the Postapocalyptic West,” Miriam Brown Spiers, Kennesaw State U
62. Transtemporal Methodologies in the Study of Late Medieval English Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Middle English. Presiding: Robert J. Meyer-Lee, Agnes Scott C
1. “Spoiled Attachments,” Shoshana Adler, Vanderbilt U
2. “Black Feminist Frameworks for Medieval Misogynist Verse Anthologies,” Carissa Harris, Temple U
3. “Speaking Otherwise: Kristeva's Medievalist Methodologies,” Erin Felicia Labbie, Bowling Green State U
4. “X before X,” Julie Orlemanski, U of Chicago
63. Shaping and Shaped Forces: Emotional Embeddedness, Engendering, and Enactment in Late Imperial China and Beyond
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Maram Epstein, U of Oregon
1. “Confronting Wartime Experience with a Sense of Humor: Joy and Horror in Hong Mai's Yijian zhi,” Xiao Rao, U of North Carolina, Greensboro
2. “Emotive Engendering: Anger and Masculinities in the Water Margin Story Cycle,” Zhaokun Xin, U of Manchester
3. “Spirituality, Storytelling, and Participatory Emotional Authoring in Premodern East Asia,” Casey Schoenberger, Jr., Rice U
Respondent: Maram Epstein
For related material, write to [email protected] after 4 Dec.
64. Black Feminist Theory and Latinx Literature: A Transatlantic Gaze
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the Feministas Unidas. Presiding: Ana Simon Alegre, Adelphi U
1. “This Bridge Called My Back: A Contemporary Reanalysis of Black Feminist Thought and Intersectionality,” Devona Mallory, Albany State U
2. “Afro-Latinx Coalitions in the Gloria Evangelina Anzaldúa Papers,” Rebeca Hey-Colon, Temple U, Philadelphia
3. “Fluid Genealogies and the Decolonial Imaginary in Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro's Works,” Elena Valdez, Christopher Newport U
For related material, visit feministas-unidas.org/.
65. BIPOC and Indigenous Writing, Pedagogy, and Social Justice
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on the Literatures of People of Color in the United States and Canada. Presiding: Lynn Itagaki, U of Missouri, Columbia
1. “Indigenous Literatures, Decolonizing Pedagogies, and Wâhkôhtowin,” Joanie Crandall, Yorkville U
2. “Teaching US Ethnic and Indigenous Literatures: History, Racialization, Resistance,” Martin J. Ponce, Ohio State U, Columbus
3. “Doing What Must Be Done When It Must Be Done,” Dorothy Randall Tsuruta, San Francisco State U
4. “Counter ‘Colonial Unknowing’ through Writings by BIPOC,” Xiaojing Zhou, U of the Pacific
66. What's “Special” about Special Collections? An Insider Look with the 2023–24 ATBL Transatlantic Fellows
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Presiding: Barbara Shailor, American Trust for the British Library
Speakers: Faith Acker, Signum U; Nick Devlin, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Elizabeth Hines, U of Chicago; Matthew Keagle, Fort Ticonderoga Museum; Louise de Mello, U Pablo de Olavide
Respondent: Elizabeth Berkowitz, American Trust for the British Library
Working with special collections on both sides of the Atlantic, speakers share research stories and “lessons learned” and answer questions regarding the use of such materials. Fellows hail from all stages of an academic, library, or curatorial career and represent a diversity of experiences as well as the commonalities learned in reading rooms around the globe.
67. Fat Bodies in Speculative Space
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Kendall Dinniene, Southern Methodist U
1. “Ungendering the Fat Body: Girlhood, Eating Disorders, and Transubstantiation,” Ana Quiring, Washington U in St. Louis
2. “‘Love the Body You Do Have or the One You Create for Yourself’: Fat Liberation in Juliet Takes a Breath,” Sam Sorensen, Lehigh U
3. “Fat Margins in Nalo Hopkinson's Speculative Short Fiction,” Kendall Dinniene
4. “Cut Guts, ‘Eight Bites,’ and Fat Futures,” Maggie O'Leary, Cornell U
68. Politics of Sports in the Modern and Postmodern World
1:45–3:00 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Abhik Banerjee, Georgia State U
1. “Disruption of Colonial Hegemony within the Enunciatory Space of Cricket in James's Beyond a Boundary,” Abhik Banerjee
2. “The Politics of the Corset at the End of the Nineteenth Century in Latin America,” Nathalie Bouzaglo, Northwestern U
3. “‘I'm Not Here to Talk about Football’: Ted Lasso, Sports, and Culture,” Richard Johnston, United States Air Force Acad.
Thursday, 4 January 3:30 p.m.
69. Rereading Ourselves and Others
3:30–4:45 p.m., 308, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Age Studies. Presiding: Shawn Lisa Maurer, C of the Holy Cross
1. “‘This Is What I Have Made of It’: Rereading Time and Age in the Classroom,” Cynthia Port, Coastal Carolina U
2. “Morality, Mortality, and Sexual Mores: Rereading Joyce's Dubliners,” Paige Reynolds, C of the Holy Cross
3. “The Truth about Rereading: Returning to Ourselves and Others,” Cecilia Feilla, Marymount Manhattan C
4. “Rereading Age Criticism, Reading Myself: The Difference Age Makes,” Kathleen Woodward, U of Washington, Seattle
70. Expanding Global Jewish Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global Jewish. Presiding: Laini Kavaloski, State U of New York, Canton
1. “Monstrous Domesticity: Posthumanist Houses in Contemporary Jewish Fantasy,” Marissa Herzig, U of Toronto
2. “‘I Am a Myth’: Jewish Resistance in Babette Deutsch's Adaptive Poetry,” Brian Shields, Temple U, Philadelphia
3. “Shadows on the Rio de la Plata: Isaac Bashevis Singer in Latin America,” Jacob Wilkenfeld, Northwestern U
71. Why Do Students Major in English? Helping Students Find What They Love in a Time of “Crisis”—and a Job Doing It
3:30–4:45 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the ADE Executive Committee. Presiding: Genelle Gertz, Washington and Lee U
Speakers: Rachel Arteaga, U of Washington, Seattle; Gayle Rogers, U of Pittsburgh; Jené Schoenfeld, Kenyon C; Felicia Jean Steele, C of New Jersey; Lissette Lopez Szwydky, U of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Undergraduates continue to major in English because they love it, even as they feel they are not always prepared for careers. But many cite experiences that allow them to combine passion with preparation. An ADE report notes the need for career initiatives not just to bolster enrollments but to fulfill an ethical imperative to prepare students for meaningful work. Panelists look at how students resist the “crisis” narrative and how departments prepare them for careers.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MxmPuI73bTb4xTiN_NIPRlasougu23Uo?usp=sharing after 3 Jan.
72. Speculative Fiction and Work: Histories, Futures, and Resilience
3:30–4:45 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Sagnika Chanda, Georgia Inst. of Tech
1. “Labor and Psychic Autonomy in Samuel Delany's Stars,” Smaran Dayal, Stevens Inst. of Tech.
2. “Automating Asian Obsolescence,” Leland Tabares, Colorado C
3. “Digital Labor and Shared Precarity: Possibilities for Cross-Border Solidarity,” Sagnika Chanda
73. Global Periodizations
3:30–4:45 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Pre-14th-Century Chinese and the forum TC History and Literature. Presiding: Bruce Holsinger, U of Virginia
Speakers: Jack W. Chen, U of Virginia; Eric Hayot, Penn State U, University Park; Sierra Lomuto, Rowan U; Ingrid Nelson, Amherst C
Respondent: Caroline E. Levine, Cornell U
Taking up the continuing theoretical relevance and viability of periodization in the context of various global turns in the humanities, where periodizing models are deployed in strategic and nonessentializing ways, participants discuss the afterlife of periodization in frameworks such as global antiquity, the global Middle Ages, the global early modern, and global modernisms.
74. South-South Movements in Latin America
3:30–4:45 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Latin American. Presiding: Anne Garland Mahler, U of Virginia
1. “Racial Capitalism, Political Community, and the Anti-Imperialist League of the Americas,” Anne Garland Mahler
2. “The Politics of Solidarity and Affect of the Latin American New Song Movement during the Concert for Peace (1983) in Managua,” Sophie Esch, Rice U
3. “Afro-Caribbean Workers and the 1925 and 1932 Rent Strikes in Panama,” Jacob Zumoff, New Jersey City U
75. Reading Matter: The Labor of Textual Analysis and Interpretation
3:30–4:45 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Claudia Brodsky, Princeton U
1. “Shelley's Alastor; or, The Spirit of Solitude and the Necessary Labor of Analytic Reading,” John Park, U of Washington, Seattle
2. “Subjects by Negation: Premchand's Rangbhoomi and Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway,” Paresh Chandra, Williams C
3. “Surplus Values of Meaning: Analysis, Resistance, Recognition,” Claudia Brodsky
4. “‘The Generation that Squandered Its Poets’: Reading Mayakovsky with Roman Jakobson,” Marjorie Gabrielle Perloff, Stanford U
For related material, write to [email protected].
76. William Galperin's Romanticism: Critical Double Takes
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC English Romantic. Presiding: Colin Jager, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Nancy Yousef, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Speakers: Mary Favret, Johns Hopkins U, MD; Jacques Khalip, Brown U; Jonathan Kramnick, Yale U; Adam Potkay, William and Mary; Orrin N. C. Wang, U of Maryland, College Park; Susan J. Wolfson, Princeton U
Participants discuss the contributions of William Galperin, a distinguished scholar of Romanticism, visual culture, poetics, and Jane Austen.
77. Affect and Utopia in Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Modern and Contemporary Chinese. Presiding: Jiwei Xiao, Fairfield U
1. “Filiality as an Affective Category,” Christopher M. Lupke, U of Alberta
2. “Sexual Love in Zhang Ailing's Lust, Caution,” Sijia Yao, Soka U of America
3. “Manufacturing Emotions: A Utopia Fantasia in 1920s China,” Kexin Zhang, Beijing Normal U
4. “The Technology of Mourning in Xia Jia's ‘Chinese Encyclopedia–Shejiang,’” Yihan Wang, Washington U in St. Louis
78. Real-World Interfaces with Romance Linguistics
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LSL Romance Linguistics. Presiding: Randall Guess, Carleton U; Carla Suhr, U of California, Los Angeles
1. “Defining and Defying the Roof Language: Officiality, Recognition, and Existence of Minority Romance Lan,” Kevin Reynolds, York U
2. “Gender Agreement in Italian Compounds with Capo,” Irene Lami, Lund U
3. “Spanish Heritage Language Learners’ Attitudes in Vocabulary Learning,” Amàlia Llombart, California State Polytechnic U, Pomona
4. “Teaching Register in Spanish through Community-Engaged Learning,” Carla Suhr
79. Carceral Narratives and the Carceral State
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Joseph Lockard, Arizona State U, Tempe
1. “The Novel and the Politics of Political Imprisonment: Budd Schulberg's Sanctuary V,” Gordon N. Hutner, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2. “The View from Within: Prison Photography and 1970s Pictorial Narratives,” Josh Ellenbogen, U of Pittsburgh; Adam Jolles, Florida State U
80. Postcoloniality and Conditions of Dispossession
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin D, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Postcolonial Studies. Presiding: Najnin Islam, U of Connecticut, Waterbury
Speakers: Matthew Brauer, U of Tennessee, Knoxville; Nico Millman, U of Pennsylvania; Kaneesha Parsard, U of Chicago; Neelofer Qadir, U of North Carolina, Greensboro; Haider Shahbaz, U of California, Los Angeles; Rebecca Weaver-Hightower, Virginia Tech
Panelists reflect on postcolonial engagements with historical and contemporary conditions of dispossession. How has postcolonial studies, in conversation with other fields, attended to entanglements of dispossession, capitalism, race, caste, indigeneity, and carcerality?
81. Editing the Nineteenth Century
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century American. Presiding: Jesse Alemán, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Speakers: Brenna Casey, U of Massachusetts, Amherst; Sanjana Chowdhury, Texas Christian U; Mollie Godfrey, James Madison U; Kadin Henningsen, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Wesley Raabe, Kent State U, Kent; Sarah Ruffing Robbins, Texas Christian U
Addressing the editing of nineteenth-century American literary texts, panelists discuss Shakespeare-related annotations in Uncle Tom's Cabin, teaching strategies that involve undergraduates in editing processes, photographic images as a codex for textual editions, the problem of “a readable text” as ableist medicalization, and insights from a community-university partnership to edit a novel by a Black resident of Harrisonburg, Virginia.
82. Women's Narratives of Political Conflicts in the Global South
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Saumya Lal, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge
1. “Queer Ecofeminism in Arundhati Roy's Walking with the Comrades,” Shazia Rahman, U of Dayton
2. “The Revolution Is an Incarcerated Woman: Poetics of Dissent and Resilience in Syrian Drama,” Lava Asaad, Auburn U
3. “Empathy in Conflict: A Feminist Reckoning with the Postapartheid in The Cry of Winnie Mandela,” Saumya Lal
4. “Intertextual Melancholia: Birangonas, Paul Celan, and the Ethical Subject,” Supurna Dasgupta, U of Chicago
83. Eleanor Traylor and the Practice of Black Aesthetics
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Dagmawi Woubshet, U of Pennsylvania
1. “The Black World of Sound: The Performance of Black Aesthetics as the Black Freedom Impulse,” Margo Natalie Crawford, U of Pennsylvania
2. “A Backward Glance at the Future of African American Literary Studies: The Aesthetic Vision of Eleanor Traylor,” Dana A. Williams, Howard U
84. Gothic Pleasure
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Gothic Studies. Presiding: Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Central Michigan U
1. “Sweet Relief: The Restorative Powers of Hunger, Rage, and Pleasure,” Alexa Broemmer, St. Louis U
2. “A Diachronic Analysis of the Validity of Gothic Pleasure,” Jason Carney, Christopher Newport U
3. “Gothic Pleasure and the Embrace of Mortality in José de Espronceda,” Rhi Johnson, Indiana U, Bloomington
4. “Lovely Viscera and the Symbiotic: On Body Snatching,” J. Blackwood, Boston U
For related material, visit www.facebook.com/groups/MLAGothicStudies.
85. Postcolonial Digital Humanities
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Waseem Anwar, Kinnaird C for Women, Lahore
1. “Digital Approaches to South Asian Literature: Conception, Critique, and Analysis,” Fatima Syeda, Forman Christian C, Lahore
2. “Digital Humanities and Multimodal Composition in ESL Classrooms: A Perspective from Pakistan,” Adeel Khalid, Forman Christian C, Lahore
3. “Unmapping the Indies: Jemima Kindersley and Digital Cartography,” Shruti Jain, Binghamton U, State U of New York
4. “Remigration of Pakistani Diaspora: Showcasing a Digital Archive,” Zunaira Yousaf, Binghamton U, State U of New York
For related material, visit pocodhumanities.hcommons.org.
86. The Time of Festival in the Nineteenth Century
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Romantic and 19th-Century. Presiding: Emily Sun, Barnard C
1. “‘Living Calendar’: Joy and Festival in Revolutionary Time(s),” Joseph Albernaz, Columbia U
2. “The Urbanization of Carnival: Nikolai Gogol's ‘The Fair at Sorochyntsi’ versus ‘Nevsky Prospekt,’” Marianna Petiaskina, U of California, Los Angeles
3. “Wreaths, Seasons, Cycles: Walter Pater and Virginia Woolf,” Rachel Kravetz, U of Virginia
Respondent: Peter J. Manning, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
87. Itinerants and Itineraries: Mobilities in and of Korean Literature and Media
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Korean. Presiding: I Jonathan Kief, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; So-Rim Lee, U of Pennsylvania
1. “From Print to Propagation: Tracing the Circulation of Blackness in Missionary Texts,” Jang Wook Huh, U of Washington, Seattle
2. “Fugitives in the Censored Text: Korean Literature on the Border to China in the 1930s,” Minseung Kim, U of California, Los Angeles
3. “The Mobility of Past Images in Korean Digital Media,” Han Sang Kim, Ajou U
4. “Hyphenated Literature: The Peony (Hambak-kkot’) and Literary Border Crossing,” Jinaeng Choi, U of Houston
88. Somatic Reading
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Cognitive and Affect Studies
1. “The Bodily Dangers of Narrative and How to Reduce Them,” Emily Troscianko, U of Oxford
2. “Unnatural Feeling: Reading the Decolonizing Body,” Michaela Hulstyn, Stanford U
3. “Dancing Minds: Toward Intersectional Empathy,” Aili Pettersson Peeker, U of California, Santa Barbara
4. “Multimodal Imagery: Reading with the Mind's Full Body,” Laura Christine Otis, Emory U
89. Vegetal Afterlives
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Courtney Ryan, U at Albany, State U of New York. Presiding: Alicia J. Carroll, Auburn U
Speakers: Mia Alafaireet, U of Rochester; Benjamin Hulett, Columbia U; Melissa Parrish, Smith C; MacKenzie Patterson, Boston U; Kathryn Van Wert, U of Minnesota, Duluth
Advancing recent work in critical plant studies, asking how plants offer vibrant models of resistance to environmental destruction through their persistent attempts to create a Plantocene, and building on Michael Marder's concept of “vegetal afterlives,” panelists focus on the theme of vegetal resistance, considering how plants can offer models of resistance for human crises like systemic racism, unnatural disasters, and climate change.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
90. Music and the Body
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Occitan. Presiding: María Sánchez-Reyes, Hamilton C
1. “Music and Health in Medieval Occitania,” Wendy E. Pfeffer, U of Louisville
2. “‘Suau parlem’: Listening for Silence and Song in Chansonniers R and G,” Alana Kilcoyne, Fordham U, Bronx
3. “From Parrot Hands to Songbook Voices in the Novas del papagay,” Joseph Johnson, Georgetown U
91. Celebrations and Challenges of Queer Aging in Contemporary Spain
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Chris Carter, U of Castilla–La Mancha
1. “The Evolution of Cinematic Representations of Queer Aging in Post-Franco Spain,” Chris Carter, U of Castilla–La Mancha
2. “Aging and Lesbian Tribalism in Elogio del Happy End, by Isabel Franc,” Garbine Vidal-Torreira, Hendrix C
3. “And the Ghosts Danced with Us: Honoring Queer Elders and Performing Intergenerational Bonds in Aimar,” Isaias Fanlo, U of Cambridge
4. “Barcelona as a Queer Space for Aging Communities in Lluís Maria Todó's Doce fábulas,” Heather Jeronimo, U of Northern Iowa
92. The Micropolitics of Environmental Media
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand L, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Screen Arts and Culture. Presiding: Alenda Chang, U of California, Santa Barbara
1. “Synthetic Futures: Plastic, Petroleum, and Personhood in the Cultural Imagination,” Elizabeth Swanstrom, U of Utah
2. “Composing Landscapes: Daguerreotype and the Asian American Outdoors,” Heidi Amin-Hong, U of California, Santa Barbara
3. “Modeling Growth and Degrowth in Digital Games,” Alenda Chang
4. “The Climate Stories Incubator,” Allison Carruth, Princeton U
93. Indigenous Knowledge in Early Modern Writing
3:30–4:45 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-Century French. Presiding: Katherine Ibbett, U of Oxford
1. “‘Il y a cela de defaut en ces peinteresses Ameriquaines’: Indigenous Graphein in Léry and Montaigne,” Chad Córdova, Emory U
2. “The Canoe and the Stanza: Haudenosaunee Technology and Andrew Marvell's ‘Upon Appleton House,’” John Kuhn, Binghamton U, State U of New York
3. “Santa Taquionga: Colonial Negotiation and the Andean Holy Women of Taki Onqoy,” Molly Borowitz, Georgetown U
94. In Times of Sorrow, for Added Joy in Happiness: The Drama of Eugene O'Neill
3:30–4:45 p.m., Independence III, Marriott
Program arranged by the Eugene O'Neill Society
1. “Sundry White Devils and Little Formless Fears: Joy and Sorrow in Marita Bonner and Eugene O'Neill,” Bess Rowen, Villanova U
2. “Elegiac Nostalgia as Tragedy,” Nicole Tabor, independent scholar
3. “‘Between the Idea and the Reality’: American Families and Economics in O'Neill and Letts,” Reagan Venturi, Villanova U
4. “‘Happiness Hates the Timid’: O'Neill's ‘Great Game’ with August Wilson,” Donald P. Gagnon, Western Connecticut State U
95. The Emergence of the Modern Pedagogical Essay: Between Rhetoric, Literature, and Composition
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Kara Wittman, Pomona C
1. “The Essay and the Theme, 1790–1850,” Thomas Karshan, U of East Anglia
2. “Rhetorical and Literary Conflicts in the Academic Essay, 1860–1920,” Jon Klancher, Carnegie Mellon U
3. “Educating Americans through the Essay from 1866 to 2016,” Nicole B. Wallack, Columbia U
96. Periodical Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Late-19th- and Early-20th-Century American. Presiding: Travis M. Foster, Villanova U
1. “African American Poetry in The Christian Recorder: Albery Allson Whitman in a Chorus of Black Women,” Magdalena Zapędowska, Smith C
2. “Envisioning Citizenship in Indigenous Periodicals,” Annemarie Ewing, U of Maryland, College Park
3. “Looking for Anna Leach: Superabundance and Trash Art,” Brad Evans, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
For related material, write to [email protected].
97. Interrogating Race as an Analytic
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum TC Race and Ethnicity Studies
1. “Coalition, Multiculturalism, and Intersectionality: The Shifting Horizons of Racial Solidarity in Theorizing US Literature,” Francisco Robles, U of Notre Dame
2. “Black Power, Philosophy, and Theory,” Mark Christian Thompson, Johns Hopkins U, MD
3. “Analytic of the Beautiful, the Racial, and the Material,” Walter Benn Michaels, U of Illinois, Chicago
Respondent: Brittney Michelle Edmonds, U of Wisconsin, Madison
98. Ecstasies of Youth in French and Francophone Media
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Amber Sweat, U of California, Berkeley
1. “‘L'iguifou’; or, The Ecstasies of Hunger in Iguifou of Scholastique Mukasonga,” Hugo Bujon, Rutgers U, Camden
2. “Ecstasy and Voyeurism in La graine et le mulet (2007),” Miranda Hoegberg, U of California, Los Angeles
3. “The Dance of Joy and Pain: Indigenous Youth on Screen in Quebec Cinema,” Milena Santoro, Georgetown U
99. Scripting the Global Hispanophone in the Iberian Colonial World
3:30–4:45 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Colonial Latin American and the forum CLCS Global Hispanophone. Presiding: Santa Arias, U of Arizona, Tucson
1. “Neo-Roman Republicanism at the ‘Genesis’ of a Transatlantic World: Good Government in Felipe Guamán,” Mario Alexis Hernando Cubas, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Reinventing Imperial Report through Postcolonial Testimonio,” Ahmed Idrissi Alami, Purdue U, West Lafayette
3. “The Collapse of the Spanish Colonial Narratives in the Failed Conquest of China,” Yangyou Fang, Princeton U
99A. Reconsidering Eighteenth-Century Texts as Data through the Gale Digital Scholar Lab
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Adam Kozaczka, Texas A&M International U
1. “Material Forms: Voicing Disability in Eighteenth-Century Print Culture,” Jared S. Richman, Colorado C
2. “Chance Medley, Manslaughter, and the Duelist’s Literary Character,” Adam Kozaczka
3. “Quantifying the Virtuous Body in Eighteenth-Century Women’s Literature,” Heather Heckman-McKenna, U of Missouri, Columbia
Respondent: Roger Strong, Gale-Cengage Group
Thursday, 4 January 5:15 p.m.
100. Queer and Trans Multispecies Justice
5:15–6:30 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Harlan Weaver, Kansas State U
Speakers: Davy Knittle, U of Delaware, Newark; Aylin Malcolm, U of Guelph; Milo Obourn, State U of New York, Brockport; Nathaniel Otjen, Princeton U; Ela Przybylo, Illinois State U; Shui-yin Yam, U of Kentucky
Seeking to describe modes of justice that produce cohabitable worlds for multispecies communities, presenters consider how bringing queer and trans studies and multispecies studies together can support recent efforts to conceptualize justice as an antinormative project shared among species.
101. Non-Anglophone European and Modern Indian Drama: Cross-Cultural Encounters and Adaptations
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Suddhaseel Sen, Indian Inst. of Tech., Bombay
1. “Realism and Indian Theater: An Ibsenian Profile,” Aparna Dharwadker, U of Wisconsin, Madison
2. “Progressive Thoughts, Modernist Aesthetics, and Postcolonial Politics: Urdu Adaptations of Brecht,” Nishat Zaidi, Jamia Milia Islamia
3. “‘Silent Screams’ and Songs of Mothers: Heisnam Kanhailal's Pebet and Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage,” Natasa Thoudam, Indian Inst. of Tech., Jodhpur
102. New Science
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Victorian and Early-20th-Century English. Presiding: Dennis Denisoff, U of Tulsa
Speakers: Suvendu Ghatak, U of Florida; Pamela K. Gilbert, U of Florida; Benjamin Kahan, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge; Matthew Rowlinson, U of Western Ontario; Lorenzo Servitje, Lehigh U; Bassam Sidiki, U of Texas, Austin; Anne Stiles, St. Louis U
The scientific and medical humanities have expanded in step with recent developments in global studies, undisciplinary approaches, the environmental humanities, gender and sexuality studies, and other fields. But do such interdisciplinary perspectives risk erasing the insights of historical “new” sciences themselves? Panelists explore science and medicine of the Victorian period and early twentieth century through Anglo and other literatures addressing local and global politics.
103. Postcolonial Joys
5:15–6:30 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC African since 1990
1. “Transgressive Humor for Collective Cultural Joy,” 'Yẹmí Ajíṣebútú, Northwestern U
2. “Miraculous Laughter: Subversions through Humor and Pleasure in Monique Truong's The Book of Salt,” Debakanya Haldar, U of Florida
3. “If That's How It Is, It Is: Strategic Ironic Silences in Bapsi Sidhwa's Ice-Candy Man and Shyam Selv,” Vaishnavi Dube, U of Edinburgh
4. “Prisoners and the Subject of Joy,” V Lundquist, Rice U
104. Provincialisms
5:15–6:30 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM Literary Criticism. Presiding: Anahid Nersessian, U of California, Los Angeles
1. “Comparatively Provincial,” Victoria Baena, Cambridge U
2. “How Digital Humanities Can Help Deprovincialize Literary Studies,” Sayan Bhattacharyya, Yale U
3. “Erasing the Mexican in Mexican Gothic,” Cara Kinnally, Purdue U, West Lafayette
105. Boccaccio's Progeny: The Decameron's Afterlife in German Literature and Film
5:15–6:30 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the Goethe Society of North America. Presiding: Claire Baldwin, Colgate U
1. “Story Collections, Frame Narratives, and Schwänke: From the Late Middle Ages to the Early Modern Age,” Albrecht Classen, U of Arizona, Tucson
2. “Aesthetic Healing of Divisiveness or Aesthetic Evasion of Politics: Goethe's Unterhaltungen,” Donald R. Wehrs, Auburn U
3. “Collective Kritik: Deutschland im Herbst and the Trauma of 1977,” Harry Louis Roddy, Jr., U of South Alabama
For related material, visit collective.mla.hcommons.org.
106. Celebrating Translation in Multilingual South Asia
5:15–6:30 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC South Asian and South Asian Diasporic. Presiding: Debali Mookerjea-Leonard, James Madison U
Speakers: Amit Baishya, U of Oklahoma; Vinay Dharwadker, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Asif Iqbal, Oberlin C; Rini Bhattacharya Mehta, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Afsar Mohammad, U of Pennsylvania
Participants reflect on their work as translators and look at translations from and within South Asian languages, exploring different aspects of translation: Is translation close reading? Or is its function interpretative? Are some texts untranslatable? Can digital humanities improve the quality of translations?
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Dec.
107. New Entanglements of English, Agency, and Global Economies
5:15–6:30 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LSL Global English. Presiding: Katherine S. Flowers, U of Massachusetts, Lowell
1. “‘Speaking in Dollars’: The Costs of Language as Cultural Capital,” Joyce Milambiling, U of Northern Iowa
2. “The ‘Unremarkableness’ of English: Lived Experiences of a Multilingual South Asian Diaspora,” Suneeta Thomas, Missouri State U
3. “Strategic English: Identity and Agency in South Korean ESL Writing Strategies,” Justin G. Whitney, Tennessee State U
For related material, write to [email protected].
108. American Literature and Reparations: New Approaches
5:15–6:30 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century American. Presiding: Dean Joseph Franco, Wake Forest U
1. “The Black US Presidency: A Form of Reparations?,” William Pruitt, U of California, Los Angeles
2. “No Cure, No Closure: The Reparative Aesthetic in Contemporary Literature,” Maggie Boyd, Boston U
3. “Insurgent Reparation: The Infrastructural Imaginary and Forms of Repair,” Henry Ivry, U of Glasgow
109. Postcolonial Aesthetics, Decolonization, and Dispossession
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Postcolonial Studies. Presiding: Kalyan Nadiminti, Northwestern U
Speakers: Sophia Azeb, U of California, Santa Cruz; Upasana Dutta, U of Chicago; Alexandra Meany, U of Washington; Govind Narayan, Northwestern U; Sheshalatha Reddy, Howard U; Preeti Singh, Dartmouth C; Jini Kim Watson, New York U
How has postcolonial aesthetics addressed the persistence of marginalized peoples’ dispossession in the wake of decolonization? Panelists discuss post-1940s literary and cultural meditations on national consolidation, securitization, neoliberal extractivism, and developmentalist enclosure.
110. Sounding a Life
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum GS Life Writing. Presiding: Kimberly Mack, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
1. “Real Love and Loss: Rewriting Genre in Mary J. Blige's What's the 411?,” Aneeka Ayanna Henderson, Amherst C
2. “A Life Live: Leonard Cohen's Autobiographical Show,” David Shumway, Carnegie Mellon U
3. “Labelle's Chameleon: ‘Get You Somebody New,’” Kyra Gaunt, U at Albany, State U of New York
4. “‘Spirit of My Silence I Can Hear You’: Sufjan Stevens's Story of Grief and Gratitude on Carrie and Lowell,” Helena Marzec-Gołąb, U of Warsaw; Aneta Ostaszewska, U of Warsaw
111. MLA Institutes on Reading and Writing Pedagogy: Outcomes, Lessons Learned, and Paths Forward
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Programs. Presiding: Jason Rhody, MLA
1. “The Evolving Curriculum of the MLA Institutes on Reading and Writing Pedagogy,” Howard B. Tinberg, Bristol Community C, MA
2. “How to Support Reading and Writing Pedagogy and Research Initiatives during an AI Revolution,” Nicole B. Wallack, Columbia U
3. “Learning the Lingo: Introducing Special Concepts for Teaching and Learning at Access-Oriented Institutions,” Stacey Lee Donohue, Central Oregon Community C
4. “MLA Institutes on Reading and Writing Pedagogy: Tracking Outcomes and Impact through Assessment Data,” Mai Hunt, MLA
For related material, visit pedagogyinstitutes.mla.hcommons.org/.
112. Advocating for the Humanities at the State House, on Capitol Hill, and Beyond
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Office of the Executive Director. Presiding: Paula M. Krebs, MLA
Speakers: Samantha Booth, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Beatrice Gurwitz, National Humanities Alliance; Rebecca L. Walkowitz, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Learn how to make a better case for funding language and literature programs. This session features advice from government relations officers and administrators as well as from the National Humanities Alliance, which lobbies for the National Endowment for the Humanities and Title VI and Fulbright-Hays funding.
113. Teaching Scholarly Editions
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Scholarly Editions. Presiding: Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick, Indiana U–Purdue U, Columbus
Speakers: Donna M. Campbell, Washington State U, Pullman; Damiano Consilvio, Camden County C, NJ; Amy Earhart, Texas A&M U, College Station; J. Gerald Kennedy, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge; Carol J. Singley, Rutgers U, Camden; Michael Thurston, Smith C
Presenters consider the hallmarks or features of a scholarly edition that are necessary or desirable for success in the classroom and discuss effective approaches to teaching scholarly editions.
114. Indigenous Thought and the Environmental Crisis in Brazil
5:15–6:30 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Luso-Brazilian. Presiding: Tania Martuscelli, U of Colorado, Boulder
1. “Counternarratives and Cultural Clashes in Verenilde Pereira and Denilson Baniwa: New Emergent Ontologies,” Rodrigo Simon de Moraes, Princeton U
2. “Representation of Indigenous Resistance in the Graphic Novel Os donos da terra,” Laura Vieira, U of Georgia
3. “Listening with Amazonian Waterways and Banana Trees in the Works of Márcia Kambeba and Gustavo Caboco,” Kevin Ennis, Brown U
4. “Amazonian Indigenous Filmmaking as Environmental Activism,” Patrícia Vieira, U of Coimbra
115. Celebrating East Asian Literatures in the World
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC East Asian. Presiding: Jina Kim, U of Oregon
1. “Translation, Global Circulation, and Reciprocity: Can Xue's Fiction as World Literature,” Annelise Finegan, New York U
2. “Performing Recognition: Ōshiro Tatsuhiro's ‘Cocktail Party’ and Its Awarding of the Akutagawa Prize,” Xiaoyu Wang, Middlebury C
3. “Han Kang, Cold War Memory, and World Literature,” Adhy Kim, Harvard U
4. “Translators Who Write the Future: Chinese Science Fiction in Circulation,” Yijun Liu, Binghamton U, State U of New York
116. Once Again on the Culture of Climate Change
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM Literary and Cultural Theory. Presiding: Surya Parekh, Binghamton U, State U of New York
1. “Cultures of Climate Change: The View from South Africa,” Isabel Hofmeyr, U of Witwatersrand
2. “Nature's Creature: Human,” Yohann C. Ripert, Stetson U
3. “On the Figures of Climate Change,” Sonya Posmentier, New York U
117. Arabic Literary Theory: Poetic Standards against Another
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Lara Harb, Princeton U
1. “Between Poetic Theft and Poetic Beauty: Intertextual Tensions in al-Mutanabbī,” Jeson Ng, U of Chicago
2. “Mummifying the Decayed Body of Literature? Al-Muwaylihī and al-Maqāmah,” Xena Amro, Northwestern U
3. “Mashriqi and Maghrebi Poetics in Seventeenth-Century Biographical Anthologies,” Hasan Alsulami, Umm al-Qura U
118. The Joy of Information: Data Visualization and Storytelling
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Maria Dikcis, Harvard U
1. “The Spatial Intertextuality of Paris between Gaskell's French Life and Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities,” Lisu Wang, U of Leicester
2. “Visualizing the Radio Career of Juano Hernandez,” Nicholas Sabo, U of Mississippi
3. “Citational Resonances: Gathering Caribbean Feminist Creative Writing from the 1990s,” Warren Harding, Binghamton U, State U of New York
4. “Black Data Matters: Mimi Onuoha's The Library of Missing Datasets and Archival Restoration,” Maria Dikcis
119. Twenty-First-Century Forms
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Bradley Fest, Hartwick C
Speakers: Andrew Ferguson, U of Virginia; Aislinn McDougall, U of Regina; Élika Ortega, U of Colorado, Boulder; Kimberly Southwick-Thompson, Jacksonville State U; Kaushik Tekur, Binghamton U, State U of New York; Anna Torres Cacoullos, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Zach Wagner, Binghamton U, State U of New York
If one might argue that the novel and lyric poem have become residual forms, what literary forms are emerging in contemporaneity? Panelists explore emergent literary forms of the twenty-first century and their relationship with, instantiation in, or remediation by other (digital) media: Internet writing, social media, print-digital books, film, television, and other hybrid and multimodal narrative and poetic forms.
120. Beyond the Classroom Walls: Practicing Community as Celebration of Cultural Capital
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand L, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Adrienne Merritt, U of Colorado, Boulder
1. “Engaging Latinx Communities inside and outside the HBCU Classroom,” Ada Vilageliu-Diaz, U of the District of Columbia
2. “How New Technologies Are Challenging Traditional Rhetoric and Writing Studies,” Cornelius Fortune, Bowling Green State U
3. “Classroom Community: The Syllabus as Hospitable Practice,” Daniel Hengel, Graduate Center, City U of New York
4. “‘Then You Read’ Ron Rash: Facing Addiction and Foraging Recovery among Formerly Incarcerated Women,” Martha Greene Eads, Eastern Mennonite U
121. Challenges to the Freedom to Read, Write, and Teach: Current Conditions and Professional Responses
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Rights and Responsibilities. Presiding: C. P. Haun Saussy, U of Chicago
1. “Why the College Seminar Is So Important,” Paula Marantz Cohen, Drexel U
2. “Defending the Freedom to Think: Educational Gag Orders and Their Implications for Academic Freedom,” Summer Lopez, PEN America
3. “Tenure, Unions, and the Future of Humanistic Inquiry,” Kenneth W. Warren, U of Chicago
4. “Attacks on Academic Freedom and Their International Context,” Phoebe Alpern, Scholars at Risk
Legislation seeking to exclude controversial topics from classroom discussion and to enforce a particular version of history, identity, sexuality, religion, and the like, is on the rise in the United States and presents a clear threat to the freedom to read, write, and teach. Beyond the US, as well, scholarship is increasingly threatened. Panelists will speak from their experience as academics, writers, organizers, and activists.
122. The Aesthetics of Accessibility: Reconsidering Accessibility
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Disability Issues in the Profession. Presiding: Jason Farr, Marquette U
1. “The Ethical Efficacy of Joy,” Andrew David King, U of California, Berkeley
2. “Opening Access: Rethinking Disability, Family, and Community in La Famille Belier and CODA,” E. Nicole Meyer, Augusta U
3. “‘Take Care, Sam’: Death Stranding, Embodied Play, and the Aesthetics of Accessibility,” Jarred Wiehe, Texas A&M U, Corpus Christi
For related material, write to [email protected] after 28 Dec.
123. Effective Approaches to Professional Development for Language Teaching Faculty Members
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the ALD Executive Committee. Presiding: Jennifer M. William, Purdue U, West Lafayette
Speakers: John Baskerville, Jr., US Military Acad.; Diana Garcia-Denson, City C of San Francisco; Suwako Watanabe, Portland State U
With an emphasis on contingent faculty members, this session addresses effective approaches to professional development for language teaching faculty members to ensure they continue to grow and flourish in their current positions and are adequately prepared for potential future advancement.
124. Mapping Spanish and Iberian Comics and Graphic Narratives
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Comics and Graphic Narratives and the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Spanish and Iberian
1. “The “Golden Age” of Spanish Graphic Narrative and Its Contradictions,” Xavier Dapena, Iowa State U
2. “Seeing Elephants: Countering the Colonial Gaze in Hispanophone Comics,” Caroline Colquhoun, U of Alaska, Fairbanks
3. “The Spanish Odalisque in the Works of Ana Miralles,” Nadiyah Aamer, U of Miami
4. “Spain beyond Spain: The Tourist Gaze in Contemporary Spanish Graphic Travelogues,” Kathy Korcheck, Central C
Respondent: Joanne Britland, Framingham State U
125. Intention
5:15–6:30 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the forum TM Bibliography and Scholarly Editing. Presiding: Marissa Nicosia, Penn State U, Abington
Speakers: Ariel Leutheusser, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Ali Madani, Emory U; Clare Mullaney, Clemson U; Misha Teramura, U of Toronto; Rachel Wilson, Yale U
Respondent: Sarah Neville, Ohio State U, Columbus
Authorial intention has long been rejected as a viable constraint on literary interpretation, but to what extent is it still operative as a viable constraint on textual scholarship? Speakers address topics such as textual theory, collaboration, coercion, publishing, historiography, and the nature of textual evidence.
126. Communities of Love, Communities of Hate, and the Middle Ages
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Medieval. Presiding: Sierra Lomuto, Rowan U
Speakers: Averie Basch, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Chris Buonanno, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Sarah LaVoy-Brunette, Cornell U; Mariah Min, Brown U; Patrick Naeve, Cornell U; Leila Norako, U of Washington, Seattle; Karen Sullivan, Bard C
Communities come together through ideologies of love and inclusion but also through ideologies of hate and exclusion. How are communities formed in the middle ages? How are communities of knowledge produced today? Participants explore these questions and tackle community formation through a range of medieval texts.
127. The American Interwar Magazine Market
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Adam McKible, John Jay C of Criminal Justice, City U of New York
Speakers: Amy L. Blair, Marquette U; Shawn A. Christian, Florida International U; David Earle, U of West Florida; Adam McKible; Noreen O'Connor, King’s C; Jesse W. Schwartz, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York
Magazines were essential to the development of American tastes and ideologies during the interwar period. Panelists explore the roles played by the editors, writers, and readers who participated in this print ecology and consider how magazines function as material culture, as ideological engines, and, now, as objects of study.
128. Edith Wharton and Celebration
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the Edith Wharton Society. Presiding: Myrto Drizou, Nord U
1. “Edith Wharton's ‘Musical Fervour’ and the Rewards of Friendship,” Frederick Wegener, California State U, Long Beach
2. “Beyond the Unpleasant and the Lack of Surprise: Affective Spaces in The Age of Innocence,” Shiyuan Zhang, Nanjing U
3. “Edith Wharton and la Vie Bohème,” Joanna Dale Levin, Chapman U
4. “The Cultural Work of the Festival in Edith Wharton's Travel Writing,” Gary Totten, U of Nevada, Las Vegas
129. Toni Morrison: Sites of Memory and Black Feminist Curation
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington C, Loews
A special session
Speakers: Margo Natalie Crawford, U of Pennsylvania; Erica Edwards, Yale U; Evie Shockley, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; C. Riley Snorton, U of Chicago; Courtney Thorsson, U of Oregon; Autumn Womack, Princeton U
The groundbreaking exhibition Toni Morrison: Sites of Memory, curated by Autumn Womack and on display in 2023 at Princeton University, animates the creative process and practice that Morrison wrote and spoke about but whose parts—or sites—have until now only existed as the invisible infrastructure of her work. Panelists explore the layers of the Morrison archive uncovered in the 2023 exhibition.
130. Milton's Networks, Transhistorical and Global
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the Milton Society of America
1. “Thomas Tillam's The Unequall Yoke Unloosed: A Miltonic Doctrine of Divorce,” Madison Wolfert, Princeton U
2. “Early Intersemiotic Translators of Milton in Brazil: Claudio Manuel da Costa and Junqueira Freire,” Miriam Mansur Andrade, Federal U of Minais Gerais; Luiz Fernando Sá, Federal U of Minas Gerais
3. “Miltonic Fruit as Joycean Temptation in ‘Calypso,’” Noam Flinker, U of Haifa
131. On the Necessity and Power of the Humanities: Critiques of Enlightenment-Aged Specialization
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the G. E. Lessing Society. Presiding: Sally Gray, Mississippi State U
1. “Aural Cultural Diversity and Interdisciplinarity in Enlightenment Texts of Culture and Language,” Tanvi Solanki, Yonsei U, Underwood International C
2. “Agriculture, Culture, Permaculture: From the Enlightenment to the Enlivenment,” Josh Alvizu, U of Maryland, College Park
3. “Slicing Nature to Disciplinary Pieces: On the Sanity of Kleist's Kant Crisis,” Sally Gray
4. “Interdisciplinary Necessity in the Age of the Enlightenment,” Mary Bricker, Southern Illinois U, Carbondale
132. Careers in English at Community Colleges and the Job Search
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the Association of Departments of English. Presiding: Wendy Lym, Austin Community C, Rio Grande, TX
Speakers: Grisel Y. Acosta, Bronx Community C, City U of New York; Ria Banerjee, Guttman Community C, City U of New York; Reid Sagara, C of the Desert, CA
Faculty members in community college English departments address careers and the job search and discuss application processes and materials, advice for the interview and teaching presentation, teaching loads, service expectations, and essential measures to promote and ensure diversity and equity.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HS6bAho0xKzAaWQLvh7KUL86hacRJpz4?usp=sharing.
133. Beyond Magical Realism: Revindicating the Irreal in Contemporary South America
5:15–6:30 p.m., 307, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Braden Clinger, Boston U
1. “The Folkloric Irreal in Zarratea's Kalaíto Pombéro,” Braden Clinger
2. “Shadowy Terrors: Occult Necropolitics and Dictatorial Violence in Twentieth-Century Argentina,” Laura Colaneri, U of Chicago
3. “Psychedelic Realities: Past and Future Traumas in Edmundo Paz Soldán’s Amazonia,” Eduardo Leão, U of Chicago
Thursday, 4 January 7:00 p.m.
134. Literatures of (De-)Partition
7:00–8:15 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Hebrew
1. “A Phone Call from 1947: On Yoram Kaniuk and the Palestinians,” Adia Mendelson Maoz, Open U of Israel
2. “Jewishness and the Memory of the 1948 War,” Ariel Horowitz, Stanford U
3. “Alterman, Yizhar, and 1948,” Ethan Pack, U of California, Los Angeles
4. “‘I Wrote Home in Praise of the Land’: The Path to Avot Yeshurun's Poem ‘Passover on Caves,’” Omer Waldman, Hebrew U of Jerusalem
135. Migration Ecologies across the Americas
7:00–8:15 p.m., 307, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Cristina E. Pardo Porto, Syracuse U
1. “Border Rivers and Indigenous Cosmologies,” Emily Celeste Vazquez Enriquez, U of California, Davis
2. “Migration, Orientability, and the Novel Form,” Pavel Andrade, Texas Tech U
3. “An Ecology of Wonder: Poetry and the Environment in Gloria Gervitz,” Perla Masi, Princeton U
4. “Afro-Pacific Teratology: La tunda and the Idiom for Violence in the Ecuador-Colombia Border,” Juan Suárez, Bryn Mawr C
136. Trauma-Informed Pedagogy and Policies in the English Department
7:00–8:15 p.m., 203, PCC
Program arranged by the Association of Departments of English. Presiding: Wendy Lym, Austin Community C, Rio Grande, TX
Speakers: Amily Marie, Central Connecticut State U; Jodi R. Cressman, Dominican U; Aimee Pozorski, Central Connecticut State U; Thomas Spitzer-Hanks, Baylor U; Jeanie Tietjen, MassBay Community C, MA
This session focuses on the ways trauma-informed pedagogy and policies can be deployed compassionately and effectively in English departments and on how chairs can support colleagues and students wishing to advocate for trauma-informed approaches within the department and beyond.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1N-LKpV1MDw2KSc1c3x9VD93Dizdbh9XO?usp=sharing after 3 Jan.
137. Criticism, the Novel, and Theology
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
A special session
1. “Secular Form and Religious Imagination,” Farah Bakaari, Cornell U
2. “Quantum Simultaneity and Novelistic Time: Using Maggie Nelson to Read Jennifer Egan,” Timothy Bewes, Brown U
3. “On Being Convinced: Revelation and Aesthetic Judgment in the Experience of Criticism,” Pardis Dabashi, Bryn Mawr C
138. World Literature and the Victorian Empire
7:00–8:15 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Sezen Unluonen, Tel Aviv U
1. “Decadence as World Literature,” Matthew Potolsky, U of Utah
2. “Realism and World Literature: The Case of Sea Fiction,” Kyle McAuley, Seton Hall U
3. “Fatma Aliye: An Ottoman Theory of World Literature,” Sezen Unluonen
139. Scandal and Sermon in Early Drama
7:00–8:15 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society. Presiding: Maggie Solberg, Bowdoin C
1. “Dom Juan and the Scandal of Illiberal Libertines,” Noah Guynn, U of California, Davis
2. “Dr. Faustus and the Scandal of Free Will,” John Parker, U of Virginia
3. “Ghostly Manslaughter,” H. M. Cushman, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
140. Transfeminist Bondings with Indigenous and Black Knowledges
7:00–8:15 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Women's and Gender Studies
1. “The Black of Trans Feminism, the Trans of Black Feminism,” Marquis Bey, Northwestern U
2. “Subverting the Coloniality of Vision: Mapuche Postpornographies,” Mathilda Shepard, Texas Tech U
3. “Transfeminist Theory for the Analysis of Male Violence and the Nonviolent Reconstruction of the Social Fabric in Contemporary Mexico,” Sayak Valencia, C de la Frontera Norte
Respondent: Olga Rodríguez-Ulloa, Indiana U, Bloomington
141. Postcolonial Southeast Asia? Limits and Possibilities
7:00–8:15 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Southeast Asian and Southeast Asian Diasporic. Presiding: Ryan Ku, Swarthmore C
1. “Humanities Journals as Postcolonial Counterpublics in Southeast Asia,” Elmo Gonzaga, Chinese U of Hong Kong
2. “Singapore as Global Asia: A Wayward Postcolonialism,” Cheryl Narumi Naruse, Tulane U
3. “Reading Modernity in the ‘Postcolonial Noncolonial’ Thailand: Non-synchronism and Moments of Disjuncture in Modern Thai Literature,” Phrae Chittiphalangsri, Chulalongkorn U
4. “The Tagalog Guerrilla Novel and the Limits of Postcolonial Analogy,” Chris Cañete Rodriguez Kelly, U of Wisconsin, Madison
142. Rebellious Affects: Black Joy, Pleasure, and Happiness as Counterabjection
7:00–8:15 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Joanna Davis-McElligatt, U of North Texas
Speakers: Julia Brown, U of Houston; Sarah Buckner, Allegheny C; Joanna Davis-McElligatt; Anna Hinton, U of North Texas; Lauryn Jones, Cornell U; William Mosley, U of Maryland, College Park; Alexandra Omogbadegun, Howard U
How have Black folk turned their attention to forms of joy as a critical affectual response to the logics of Black death? How can we describe and make meaningful the radical potential of Black happiness and pleasure as antidotes to the logics of Black death? Panelists confront representations of Black bliss, tenderness, pleasure, jubilation, mirth, and exhilaration as life-affirming, rebellious, and meaningful counters to the violent systems of Black death.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 20 Dec.
143. Teaching Dickinson: In the Classroom and Beyond
7:00–8:15 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Emily Dickinson International Society. Presiding: Vivian R. Pollak, Washington U in St. Louis
1. “‘Clasp Hemispheres, and Homes’: Educator Collaboration to Engage Young Writers with Dickinson,” Cheryl Weaver, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
2. “The Somatic Dickinson: Listening and Movement as Analytic Tools,” Christina Katopodis, Graduate Center, City U of New York
3. “Adjusting to Midnight: Teaching Dickinson through the History of Psychology,” Amanda Gailey, U of Nebraska, Lincoln
Respondent: Vivian R. Pollak
144. Empire at Sea
7:00–8:15 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Alexander Sherman, Stanford U
Speakers: Samuel Baker, U of Texas, Austin; Jeremy Chow, Bucknell U; Adriana Craciun, Boston U; Meg Dobbins, Eastern Michigan U; Grace King, Penn State U, University Park; Elizabeth Winter, Northwestern U; Paola Yuli, Howard U
How might we better understand colonialism, and ways of being and knowing against or outside of it, by foregrounding the maritime? “Water is the first thing in my imagination,” writes Dionne Brand, to introduce the “haunt[ing]” that “had something to do with the Door of No Return and the sea.” Following Brand's method, panelists propose that approaching colonialism, especially Anglo-American empire, by way of the sea can help us see it better and imagine paths past it.
145. No Longer for Kids: Children's Literature and Higher Education
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the Children's Literature Association and the forum TM Libraries and Research. Presiding: Noah Mullens, U of Florida
1. “Confronting Slavery's Gothic Legacy in Children's and Young Adult Literature,” Maude Hines, Portland State U
2. “Circumventing the Genre: The Politics of Art, Readership, and the Representation of Tara Books,” Sayanti Mondal, Illinois State U
3. “Puerto Rican Solidarity: Empire and Colonial Relationship in Hurricane Narratives,” Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez, Illinois State U
146. Teaching Black and Queer Studies beyond the Classroom
7:00–8:15 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM The Teaching of Literature
Speakers: Amanda Alexander, U of Minnesota, Morris; Margaret Banks, Columbia U; Melissa Benbow, U of Delaware, Newark; Britney Henry, U of Delaware, Newark
Panelists engage public humanities methodologies and critical pedagogy to propose ways to teach Black literature beyond classrooms, in resistance to attacks on academic freedom. Topics include the storytelling capabilities of tabletop role-playing games, transgressive Black girlhood as explored at summer camp and in public art education, and the curation and preservation of Black collections.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/the-teaching-of-literature/ after 1 Dec.
147. Inclusive Citation Practices in Research and Editing
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the Advisory Committee on the MLA International Bibliography. Presiding: Allison Bernard, Columbia U; Gregory Grazevich, MLA International Bibliography
Speakers: Cheryl E. Ball, Council of Editors of Learned Journals; Yuemin He, Northern Virginia Community C; Orchid Mazurkiewicz, Hispanic American Periodicals Index
Drawing on practices and examples in humanities and social science disciplines and venues, this workshop guides participants through a series of guidelines to help scholars and editors be more inclusive, diverse, and equitable in their citation practices during research and peer review. Participants will have an opportunity to create actionable steps for their own writing or editing.
148. Ethics and Practice of AIs in the Academy
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Information Technology. Presiding: Avery J. Wiscomb, Virginia Tech
1. “How AI Large Language Models like GPT Are Disrupting, Redefining, and Revitalizing the Academy,” Jon Chun, Kenyon C
2. “The Archive Effect: Philology in the Large Language Model Era,” Gabriel Hankins, Clemson U
3. “TextGenEd Live: Revising Public, Real-World Genres with ChatGPT,” Carly Schnitzler, Johns Hopkins U, MD
Respondent: Rita Raley, U of California, Santa Barbara
For related material, visit infotech.mla.hcommons.org after 2 Jan.
149. Death and Mourning in Medieval and Renaissance Italian Literature
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval and Renaissance Italian. Presiding: Gianni Cicali, Georgetown U
1. “The Use of Epideictic Rhetoric in the Funeral Orations of the Italian Renaissance,” Joseph D. Falvo, U of Maryland, College Park
2. “The Massacre of the Innocents in Renaissance and Baroque Theater,” Gianni Cicali
3. “American Writers, Sculptors, and Artists: Recognizing the Secularized Religious Artifact in Venice,” Harold Henry Hellwig, Idaho State U
4. “Desolare, desolatus: Grief, Desolation, and Epitaphial Ekphrases in Francesco Petrarca, Gaspara Stampa, and Isabella di Morra,” Alani Hicks-Bartlett, Brown U
150. The Real Sucks: Why Are We Still Writing (and Reading) Novels?
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Kate Marshall, U of Notre Dame
Speakers: Stephanie Foote, West Virginia U, Morgantown; Geoffrey Gilbert, American U of Paris; David S. Kurnick, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Christina Lupton, U of Copenhagen; Chamara Moore, Queens C, City U of New York; Dominique Vargas, California Lutheran U
Respondent: Pamela Thurschwell, U of Sussex
Panelists consider twenty-first-century realist and hybrid genre novels in relation to the fracturing of realism as a form under the crisis-strewn psychic and political realities of the present day.
151. Biopolitics, War, Medicine
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Yasuko Kase, U of the Ryukyus
1. “The Future Will Not Be Sentimentalized: Black Nurses and the US Civil War,” Heather Chacon, Greensboro C
2. “Beyond Medicalization: Indigenous Healing and Modern Military Medicine in Darcy Tamayose's Odori,” Yasuko Kase
3. “Most Likely Shit: The Fecopoetical Imagination in Anuk Arudpragasam's The Story of a Brief Marriage,” Michael Sackur, U of Oxford, Merton C
4. “A Researchable Lyric: Claudia Rankine's Coalitional Attachments in the Era of Homeland Security,” Melissa Parrish, Smith C
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
152. The Afterlives of Sources in Ming and Qing Literature (Sixteenth to Nineteenth Centuries)
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Ming and Qing Chinese. Presiding: Maria Franca Sibau, Emory U
1. “Sources of Early Huaben Stories,” Xiaoqiao Ling, Arizona State U, Tempe
2. “Sourcing Huaben as a Field of Study,” Maria Franca Sibau
3. “Manuscripts as Sources: Examples from Shandong,” Zhenzhen Lu, Bates C
4. “Late Imperial Sources as Hypergraph: Exploring the Intertextual Accretion of Meaning in Digital Corpora,” Paul Vierthaler, William and Mary
153. “Kubla Khan” All Over Again
7:00–8:15 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC English Romantic. Presiding: Elizabeth Fay, U of Massachusetts, Boston
1. “Coleridgesplaining,” Vidyan Ravinthiran, Harvard U
2. “Engineering Romanticism by Decree and Device,” Michele Speitz, Furman U
Respondent: Nasser Mufti, U of Illinois, Chicago
154. Religion in Modern Spanish Memoir and Autofiction
7:00–8:15 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Religion and Literature. Presiding: Elizabeth Scarlett, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
1. “Secularization, Self, and the Laws of the Spirit in Elena Fortún and Carmen Laforet,” Noël Valis, Yale U
2. “Desperately Looking for Redemption: Ascent, Descent, and Confession in Celebrity Memoir,” Jorge Pérez, U of Texas, Austin
3. “3. The Ethics of Cruelty in the Autofictions of José Ovejero and Miguel Ángel Oeste,” Virginia Rademacher, Babson C
4. “Pardon My Skepticism: Autofiction and Belief in the Novels of Javier Marías,” Elizabeth Scarlett
155. Afrofuturism in the Black French Atlantic
7:00–8:15 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century French. Presiding: Johanna Montlouis-Gabriel, North Carolina State U
1. “Petroleum Futures in Sony Labou Tansi's Je, soussigné cardiaque,” Ninon Vessier, Emory U
2. “Afrofuturism, Vodou, and Contemporary Haitian Art,” Shanna Jean-Baptiste, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
3. “Afrofuturism, Digital Intimacy, and World-Building in Laura Nsafou's Work,” Johanna Montlouis-Gabriel
4. “The Day after the End of the World: Thinking Afropessimism Alongside Afrofuturism,” Fania Noel, New School
156. Bad Feelings across the Middle Ages: Sorrow, Shame, and Queerness
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the Society for Medieval Feminist Scholarship. Presiding: Kersti Francis, U of California, Los Angeles
1. “Happy Nowhere: Of Giants and Trans Feelings in Bárðar Saga Snæfellsáss,” Basil Price, U of York
2. “On Being a Hermaphrodite and Feeling Bad: Trans Maladjustment and Race in The Travels of Sir John Mandeville,” Nat Rivkin, U of Pennsylvania
3. “Queer Shame? Negative Affect and Transgressive Desire in Melusine,” Jane Bonsall, U of St Andrews
4. “‘Bother Hoccleve!’: Bad Feelings between Frederick J. Furnivall and Thomas Hoccleve,” Christopher Queen, U of California, Riverside
157. Trans Joy!
7:00–8:15 p.m., Tubman, Loews
A special session
1. “Banning Trans Joy: Exuberant Embodiment in Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer,” Karen Hammer, Southern Illinois U, Carbondale
2. “Let Me See Those Abs: Elliot Page and the Spectacle of Trans Joy,” Jude Hayward-Jansen, Mount Holyoke C
3. “‘It Looks Great to Be a Pregnant Man’: Media Representations of Trans Masculinity and Pregnancy,” Mel Monier, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
4. “More Humor, Less Shame: Trans and Disabled Access beyond Narratives of Suffering,” Milo Obourn, State U of New York, Brockport
158. Pushing Past Formalism: Composition, Rhetoric, and Writing Studies, Then and Now
7:00–8:15 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum RCWS History and Theory of Composition
1. “How Creative Writing and Filmmaking Help Us Craft Unforgettable Scholarship,” Alexandra Hidalgo, U of Pittsburgh
2. “Translingual Thinking and Professional Genres for Social Change,” Elizabeth Kimball, Drexel U
3. “Toward an Embodied Rhetorical Methodology: Language, Culture, and Race,” Tom Do, U of Arizona, Tucson
159. Revisiting Sexual Science
7:00–8:15 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Late-19th- and Early-20th-Century American. Presiding: Laura Fisher, Toronto Metropolitan U
Speakers: Melanie V. Dawson, William and Mary; Eagan Dean, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Gabriel Ojeda-Sague, U of Chicago; Stephanie Peebles Tavera, Texas A&M U, Kingsville; Arielle Zibrak, U of Wyoming
Participants examine the literary and cultural dimensions of sexual science in the late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century United States, 150 years after the Comstock Act.
160. Challenges and Opportunities: The Work of Applied Linguists in Language Programs in 2024
7:00–8:15 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LSL Applied Linguistics. Presiding: Richard G. Kern, U of California, Berkeley; Gillian Lord, U of Florida
1. “The Evolution of the Role of the Applied Linguist in Language Departments over the Past Two Decades,” Stacey Katz Bourns, Northeastern U
2. “Fostering Creativity, Growing Learner Communities: Lessons from the French Language Classroom,” Vesna Rodic, U of California, Berkeley
3. “Languages across the Curriculum: Bridging Disciplinary Study and Critical Applied Linguistics,” Emma Britton, Cornell U; Angelika N. Kraemer, Cornell U
161. Digital Humanities and Inclusive Pedagogy: Collaborative Construction in Practice
7:00–8:15 p.m., Virtual
A special session
1. “Black Feminist Praxis and Ethics in Digital Humanities Pedagogy in the Undergraduate Classroom,” Ravynn Stringfield, U of Richmond
2. “The (Un)Mixable Practices in the English Literature Classroom: Close Reading and Making Numbers,” June Young Oh, U of Texas, Tyler
3. “Community Engagement, Comics as Data, and Wikidata in the Digital Humanities Classroom,” Justin Wigard, U of Richmond
4. “Creativity in the Time of COVID-19: Constructing the Digital Archive through Student-Community Collaboration,” Soohyun Cho, Michigan State U
162. Asian American Souths
7:00–8:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Southern United States. Presiding: Frank Cha, Virginia Commonwealth U
1. “Southern Hostilities: Navigating Hospitality, Guesthood, and the Gift of Freedom in Contemporary Asian American Narratives,” Joanmarie Bañez, U of California, San Diego
2. “Minor Diaspora: Tracing the Productivity of the Comfort Woman,” Yei Won Lim, U of Oregon
3. “Orientalization and Ethnic Tourism in Latin American Asiantowns: Peruvian Chinatown and Brazilian Japantown,” Henrique Yagui Takahashi, Ohio State U, Columbus
163. Sex, Law, Else(where)
7:00–8:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Sexuality Studies. Presiding: Gillian H. Harkins, U of Washington, Seattle
Speakers: Jin Haritaworn, York U; Maja Horn, Barnard C; Rushaan Kumar, Colorado C; Marco Wan, U of Hong Kong; Hershini Young, U of Texas, Austin
Discussing “law” as it convenes and contravenes sexuality and gender across geopolitical landscapes, participants focus on distinctive genealogies and investments of post- and anticolonial and queer and sexuality studies as divergent ventures and historiographic domains.
164. Social Media and the Novel
7:00–8:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum CLCS 20th- and 21st-Century. Presiding: Ainehi Edoro, U of Wisconsin, Madison
1. “Social Media Novels and Forms of the Self,” Kimberly Hall, Wofford C
2. “Spaces of Resistance between Social Media and the Novel,” Daniella Gáti, New York U, Shanghai
3. “The Secret after Surveillance Capitalism,” James Draney, Duke U
4. “Popular Enough: Commercial Fiction and the Algorithmic Middlebrow,” Lindsay Thomas, U of Miami
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
165. The Adaptability of Race on Film
7:00–8:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Adaptation Studies
Speakers: Deena Al-halabieh, U of California, Santa Barbara; Vanessa Corredera, Andrews U; Alycia Gilbert, U of Washington, Seattle; Arianna James, U of Pennsylvania; Chloé Luu, U of Southern California; Alexandra Rodriguez, Texas A&M U, San Antonio
Exploring the intersections of race and adaptation and focusing particularly on film and how filmic adaptations convey, obscure, and transform racial meanings, panelists discuss race in cinematic adaptations and how race, racism, and anti-racism adapt to changing conditions, manifesting in new forms in new social contexts.
Friday, 5 January 8:30 a.m.
166. The Sounds and Affects of Lament
8:30–9:45 a.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Opera and Musical Performance. Presiding: Paul Edwards, New York U
1. “Lamenting Nuptials: Music, Meteorology, and the Decorum of Mourning,” Katharina Natalia Piechocki, U of British Columbia
2. “Lament Is to Elegy as Music Is to Words,” Ellen Beard, independent scholar
3. “Repurposing Language through Lament in M. NourbeSe Philip's Zong!,” Gabriella Pishotti, West Virginia U, Morgantown
4. “Antigone's Lamentations: Violeta Luna's Performance of Mourning in ‘Réquiem #3: Fosas Cuerpo,’” Christina Baker, Temple U, Philadelphia
167. Classical Reception in a Global Context
8:30–9:45 a.m., 308, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Classical and Modern. Presiding: Alexander Beecroft, U of South Carolina, Columbia
Speakers: Terri DeYoung, U of Washington, Seattle; Maddalena Italia, University C London; Leihua Weng, Kalamazoo C; Michelle Zerba, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge
Current debates about classics as a discipline focused on the literature and culture of the ancient Mediterranean emphasize a broader understanding of the role that Greek and Latin texts have played, not just in Europe and North America but globally as well. Less attention has been payed to the parallel question of the global reception of texts in other ancient languages. Panelists engage both topics in order to refresh and invigorate each conversation.
168. Wallace Stevens and Modern-Day Poetry
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Wallace Stevens Society. Presiding: Alexandra Gold, Harvard U
Speakers: Andrew Epstein, Florida State U; Jon Hoel, U of Massachusetts, Amherst; Michael Pontacoloni, U of Mississippi; Noa Saunders, Boston U; Ian Tan, Nanyang Technological U
Panelists consider Stevens in relation to today's poets and poetry, thinking about his influence on the poetry that came after him.
169. The Shoah in the Sephardic World
8:30–9:45 a.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Sephardic. Presiding: Monique Rodrigues Balbuena, U of Oregon
Speakers: Margaux Fitoussi, Columbia U; Hazel Gold, Emory U; Monique Rodrigues Balbuena; Teresa M. Vilarós, Texas A&M U, College Station; Carlos Yebra López, University C London
Despite recent scholarly attention, the main Holocaust narrative still greatly overlooks the Sephardic experience, and the literary history of the Holocaust barely considers the Sephardic contribution. Scholars from different fields of linguistics and literature address this skewed representation in the history and the literary corpus of the Shoah.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/deposits/item/hc:57651/.
170. Discussion Group on Setting Mid-Career Priorities
8:30–9:45 a.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Daniel Fried, U of Alberta; Christine A. Wooley, St. Mary's C, MD
The path to tenure is long and arduous, but it has a clear end with a definite marker of achievement. The post-tenure path can wiggle and branch, and many faculty members lose focus or direction. This discussion is a space for mid-career faculty members to share stories and advice and then to set a goal or two.
171. Mentoring New Editors into Scholarly Journal Publishing
8:30–9:45 a.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Scholarly Communication. Presiding: Cheryl E. Ball, Council of Editors of Learned Journals
Speakers: Rick Bonus, U of Washington, Seattle; Karen Dutoi, U of Tulsa; Brent Hayes Edwards, Columbia U
Interested in taking on editorial responsibilities with a journal? Looking to learn how to onboard a new editor? Join us for this interactive session, which concludes with small-group breakout discussions, as experienced editors of scholarly journals offer training, mentoring, and tips for becoming and training an editor. Scholars of all ranks are welcome.
172. Keywords for Health Humanities
8:30–9:45 a.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Sari Altschuler, Northeastern U
Speakers: Rachel Adams, Columbia U; Rita Charon, Columbia U; Sayantani Dasgupta, Columbia U; Deborah Jenson, Duke U; Nancy Tomes, Stony Brook U, State U of New York; Kym Weed, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Kathleen Woodward, U of Washington, Seattle
Authors from the soon-to-be-published Keywords for Health Humanities discuss one keyword for the field—narrative, medicine, patient, microbe, cognition, emotion, care—and together reflect on the kind of conceptual architecture keywords can provide for teaching and research in the field of health humanities.
173. Jerks
8:30–9:45 a.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century English and Anglophone. Presiding: Nasser Mufti, U of Illinois, Chicago
Speakers: Salvador I. Ayala Camarillo, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Natalia Cecire, U of Sussex; Shwetha Chandrashekhar, U of Massachusetts, Amherst; Rivky Mondal, U of Chicago; Kaneesha Parsard, U of Chicago; Lily Saint, Wesleyan U
The dyspeptic, cantankerous, and disagreeable are fixtures in literature. How might the pantheons of negativity be useful for thinking our bleak worlds? Speakers aim not to redeem these difficult figures but to consider what critical purchase jerks might have for criticism and the range of negativity's objects and aims.
174. The Archival Turn and the Nineteenth Century
8:30–9:45 a.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century Latin American. Presiding: Vanesa Miseres, U of Notre Dame
1. “Eugenics Scripted: Reading Disability in the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut Theatre Archive,” Carlos Gustavo Halaburda, U of Toronto
2. “Josefa Acevedo's Marginal Archive,” Catalina Rodriguez, Northwestern U
3. “Writing Science in South America: An Archive of Women Publishers, Editors, and Translators,” Veronica Ramirez, U Adolfo Ibáñez
4. “How an Author Is Made: The Bolivar Author against Its Sources,” Eduardo Febres Munoz, U of Notre Dame
175. Celebrating Twenty-First-Century Indigenous Literatures
8:30–9:45 a.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Indigenous Literatures of the United States and Canada. Presiding: Eric Gary Anderson, George Mason U; Sarah Henzi, Simon Fraser U
Speakers: John Casey, Jr., U of Illinois, Chicago; Vanessa Evans, York U; Joan Kane, Harvard U; Kaitlin Moore, U of Wisconsin, Madison; River Pruitt, U of Hawai‘i, Mānoa; Rebecca Rosen, Murray State U
Panelists discuss and celebrate twenty-first-century Indigenous literatures.
176. Medical Humanities: A Pandemic State of the Field
8:30–11:30 a.m., Tubman, Loews
A seminar. Presiding: James Phelan, Ohio State U, Columbus
Participants: Kim Adams, Penn State U, University Park; Eleni Eva Coundouriotis, U of Connecticut, Storrs; Martha Cutter, U of Connecticut, Storrs; Roxana Delbene, C of New Jersey; Katja Herges, U of Wroclaw; Emily Hyde, Rowan U; Anne Hudson Jones, U of Texas Medical Branch; Andrew David King, U of California, Berkeley; Jess Libow, Haverford C; Sarah Nance, United States Air Force Acad.; Sowon S. Park, U of California, Santa Barbara; Neus Rotger, U Oberta de Catalunya; Claire Seiler, Dickinson C; Christin Zurbach, U of California, Berkeley
This seminar explores shifts in medical humanities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seminar participants from all career stages have read position papers in advance for an opportunity to give and receive substantive feedback and to connect with others working on similar topics. The session is open only to seminar participants.
178. On Poe's Longer Works
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Poe Studies Association. Presiding: Emron Esplin, Brigham Young U, UT
1. “‘Some Civilized Footsteps’: Colonial Hypochondria in The Journal of Julius Rodman,” William Hunt, Barton C
2. “‘Unity of Effect’ as a Self-Destruct Button in Edgar Allan Poe's Eureka,” Dania Haidar, U Paris-Est Créteil
3. “Eureka and the Aesthetics of the Cosmos: From Poe's Unity of Effect to Divine Adaptation,” Bessem Chaouachi, U de la Manouba
4. “At Length: Poe, Duration, and ‘The Mystery of Marie Rogêt,’” Stephen Rachman, Michigan State U
179. Defining Emplaced Humanities Methods: Clinic of the Soul I
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Katharine G. Trostel, Ursuline C
Participants: Deniz Gündoğan Ibrisim, Sabancı U; Young Jung, George Mason U; Natalie Kopp, Ohio State U, Columbus; Nevena Martinovic, Queen's U; Andy Oler, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U; Eric Touya de Marenne, Clemson U; Shu Wan, U at Buffalo, State U of New York; Valentino Zullo, Ursuline C
This working group moves toward a collaborative understanding of emplaced humanities methods and asks the following: How do we create room for community engagement in physical space and in the digital realm? How can public art or readings disrupt the way we see space or move us toward a more inclusive understanding of specific sites? How does space affect critical making? How do we think about stories and narratives in place?
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/emplaced-humanities-methods/.
For the other meeting of the working group, see 445.
180. Reading #BlackJoy before 1800
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Early American
1. “Belinda's Ecology of Spicy Forests and Complete Felicity,” Elizabeth Polcha, Drexel U
2. “The Winning Rhetoric of Elizabeth Key Grinstead,” Donald Holmes II, U of Pittsburgh
3. “John Tyley and the Pleasures of Botanical Illustration,” Julie Chun Kim, Fordham U
4. “Textual Performance: Locating Embodied Practice and Scripting Black Colonial America,” Alyssa Smith, U of Iowa
181. The Agricultural Imaginary
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Victorian and Early-20th-Century English. Presiding: Sukanya Banerjee, U of California, Berkeley
Speakers: Dennis Denisoff, U of Tulsa; Yangjung Lee, U of Seattle; Carolyn Lesjak, Simon Fraser U; Ella Mershon, Newcastle U; M.a. Miller, Washington State U, Pullman; Meghna Sapui, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Kate Thomas, Bryn Mawr C
Participants consider how agricultural rhythms, laws, and practices inflected the aesthetics and figurations through which Victorians—widely conceived—inhabited their worlds, real and imagined, in the epoch of the colonial, industrial modern, focusing on Britain and the empire to discuss open-field politics, desertification, plantation monoculture, queer/trans ecologies, soil science, the suburbs, and the figure of the Indian ryot (“cultivator”).
182. World Literature from the Global South and Human Rights
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ted Laros, Open U of the Netherlands
1. “Rights and Rank: Rethinking Inequality and Development in the Postcolonial Bildungsroman,” Arielle Stambler, U of California, Los Angeles
2. “Slow Violences, Exiles, and Exclusions of Citizenship: Problematizing ‘Statelessness’ in Behrouz Boo,” Maira Rehman, McGill U
3. “Exercising Existence and Everyday Resistance in Fatima Bhutto's and Jamil Kochai's Fiction,” Muhammad Farooq, Seton Hall U
183. Laokoon beyond the Crossroads
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the G. E. Lessing Society. Presiding: Ellwood H. Wiggins, Jr., U of Washington, Seattle
1. “‘Winged Words’ and Poetic Trespass,” Nicholas A. Rennie, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
2. “The Sound of the Wounded Body: The Afterlife of Lessing's Laokoon in Contemporary Theater,” Teresa Kovacs, Indiana U, Bloomington
3. “Theatrical Resistance to Signification in Heiner Müller's Bildbeschreibung,” Andre Fischer, Washington U in St. Louis
4. “The Politicization of an Aesthetic Rule: Lukács's Appropriation of Lessing's Critique of Description,” Martin Wagner, U of Calgary
For related material, visit docs.google.com/document/d/1jSpDistEgc8wmiIlSy5QId2u2ujaWjLlsNS1rlUcf0o/edit.
184. Remixing Traditions: Neo-Baroque World-Building in Global Chinese Speculative Genres
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Modern and Contemporary Chinese and the forum GS Speculative Fiction. Presiding: Nathaniel Isaacson, North Carolina State U
1. “Ornamentalism and the Male Gaze in Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction,” Cara Healey, Wabash C
2. “Memory, Dream, and Science Fictionality in Chen Chuncheng's Short Stories,” Hua Li, Montana State U, Bozeman
3. “Can We Read Liu Cixin's Three-Body Trilogy as a Nonbinary Text?,” Mingwei Song, Wellesley C
4. “Repressed Modernities and Transnational Coproductions of Kamen Rider in Hong Kong and Taiwan,” Nathaniel Isaacson
185. The Other's (In)Visibility
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS European Regions. Presiding: Joanne Britland, Framingham State U
1. “The Limits of the Self, the Limits of Empathy: Cristina Durán and Miguel Ángel Giner Bou,” Mikel Bermello Isusi, Ohio State U, Columbus
2. “The Hyphenated Writer: Between Nation and Nowhere,” Benjamin Paloff, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
186. Health, Care, and Disability in the Early Modern Francophone World
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-Century French. Presiding: Tracy Rutler, Penn State U, University Park
1. “Pre-Cartesian Medical Theory and Practice in the Correspondence of Madame de Sévigné (1646–96),” Allison Stedman, U of North Carolina, Charlotte
2. “None Monstrous but All Infirm: Montaigne and the Secularized Figuration of the Body Politic,” Corinne Noirot, Virginia Tech
3. “Careless Charity in Abraham Bosse's Oeuvres de Miséricorde,” Peadar Kavanagh, U of Chicago
4. “Love, Loss, and Care in Racine's Bérénice,” Ian Curtis, Kenyon C
187. Palestine and the Rhetoric of Human Rights
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand K, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Karim Mattar, U of Colorado, Boulder
Speakers: Amanda Batarseh, U of California, San Diego; Nouri Gana, U of California, Los Angeles; Stephanie Kraver, U of Chicago; Karim Mattar; Jeffrey Sacks, U of California, Riverside
Panelists draw on Palestinian literary and cultural production since 1948 to critically examine the international human rights framework and to shed light on lived realities often occluded by Enlightenment humanism.
188. Revising Shakespeare / Shakespeare as Reviser
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum TM Bibliography and Scholarly Editing. Presiding: Sarah Neville, Ohio State U, Columbus
1. “Shakespeare at Work from 1594 to 1598: Revising 2 Henry VI,” Meghan C. Andrews, Lycoming C
2. “‘Newly Corrected’ and ‘Newly Augmented’: Shakespeare, Andrew Wise, and the Question of Revision,” Alan B. Farmer, Ohio State U, Columbus
3. “Shakespeare's Intentional Darkness: Revising Goodness Out of the Bad Quartos,” Steven S. Urkowitz, City C, City U of New York
4. “Censorship as Extraauthorial Revision in Early Modern History Plays,” Qingyu Wang, Peking U
189. Using Literature to Teach World Languages and Cultures: Case Studies from French, Korean, and Spanish
8:30–9:45 a.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Publications Committee. Presiding: Ricia Anne Chansky, U of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez
Speakers: Rori I. Bloom, U of Florida; Michelle Chilcoat, Union C; John A. Ochoa, Penn State U, University Park; Janet Poole, U of Toronto; Joyce Tolliver, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
What are our experiences of the pedagogical opportunities afforded by teaching literary texts in their original languages in language acquisitions and literature courses?
190. Reading Generative AI: Theory, Data, Critique
8:30–11:30 a.m., Jefferson, Loews
A seminar. Presiding: Matthew Kirschenbaum, U of Maryland, College Park; Rita Raley, U of California, Santa Barbara
Participants: Katherine Bode, Australian National U; Charlotte Bradley, Australian National U; Katherine Elkins, Kenyon C; Andrew Ferguson, U of Virginia; Junting Huang, Harvard U; Tim Laquintano, Lafayette U; Eduardo Ledesma, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Ji Eun Lee, Sungkyunkwan U; Meredith Martin, Princeton U; Seth Perlow, Georgetown U; Tyler Shoemaker, U of California, Davis; Aarthi Vadde, Duke U; Annette Vee, U of Pittsburgh; Kevin Windhauser, Washington U in St. Louis
This seminar explores the cultural, historical, theoretical, and material conditions of generative AI such as ChatGPT. Seminar participants from all career stages have read position papers in advance for an opportunity to give and receive substantive feedback and to connect with others working on similar topics. The session is open only to seminar participants.
191. James Baldwin: Then and Now
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the Conference on Christianity and Literature. Presiding: Mark Andrew Eaton, Claremont Graduate U
1. “James Baldwin's Critique of Christian Nationalism,” Michael Lackey, U of Minnesota, Morris
2. “The Self-Confrontation of Prayer: The Christian Right in James Baldwin's Later Essays,” Bryan Santin, Concordia U
3. “James Baldwin and the Culture Wars,” Mark Andrew Eaton
192. Nabokov against the Grain: Reading against the Author's Instructions
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the International Vladimir Nabokov Society. Presiding: Sara Pankenier Weld, U of California, Santa Barbara
1. “Reading Instructions Closely,” Katherina Kokinova, Bulgarian Acad. of Sciences
2. “For and against His Voice: Nabokov on the Telephone,” Thomas Karshan, U of East Anglia
3. “The Potter and His Mark: Reading Speak, Memory Archivally,” Olga Voronina, Bard C
For related material, write to [email protected].
193. Sociology of International Circulation of Literature I
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Tristan Leperlier, CNRS
Participants: Sarah Bowskill, Queen's U Belfast; Elisabet Carbo, Fundacio per a la U Oberta de Catalunya; Tao Huang, U of Hong Kong; Nancy Linthicum, U of South Carolina, Columbia; Anna Muenchrath, Appalachian State U; Miaina Razakamanantsoa, U Münster; Diana Roig Sanz, Fundacio per a la U Oberta de Catalunya
This working group aims to propose an eight-article special issue for a journal in comparative literature, featuring case studies that span translating, publishing, international literary prizes and festivals, on English, French, Chinese, Latin American, Arabic, or Turkish examples. Discussion of the precirculated articles will focus on theoretical and methodological issues.
For related material, visit www.dropbox.com/sh/knvo37s3i6tzw22/AAClj4VWREwBaqMhWdfTQ9kEa?dl=0.
For the other meetings of the working group, see 462 and 658.
194. Lacan and the Event: Papers in Honor of Mari Ruti
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and Literature. Presiding: Sheldon George, Simmons U
1. “The Event and Ideology,” Hilary L. Neroni, U of Vermont
2. “Irritating Lacan: Irritation and Its Discontents in Psychoanalytic Discourse,” Jean-Michel Rabaté, U of Pennsylvania
3. “The Event of the Death Drive,” Todd McGowan, U of Vermont
195. Contemporary Representations of Afro-Latin American Women
8:30–9:45 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Nicole Bonino, U of Virginia; Rosita Scerbo, Georgia State U
1. “A Portrait of Black Women as Slavery Actors,” Karyn Mota, Brown U
2. “Sonic Homeplaces for Afro-Latin American Women,” Aned Ladino, Georgetown U
3. “Afro-Cuban Theater: Reimagining National Scenarios,” Michelle Tennyson, U of Connecticut, Storrs
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/members/nb3hf/ after 1 Dec.
196. Queer Pop in Global Asias
8:30–9:45 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Jamie J. Zhao, City U of Hong Kong
1. “Queer Stardom in Sinophone Hong Kong: Mirror,” Alvin K. Wong, U of Hong Kong
2. “Queering Youth, Envisioning Global Popular Culture: BTS's Transpacific Pastiche,” Michelle Cho, U of Toronto
3. “The Queer Convergence of Global TV Formats and K-Pop Girl Group Idol Cultures in Contemporary China,” Jamie J. Zhao
For related material, write to [email protected] after 25 Dec.
Friday, 5 January 9:00 a.m.
198. Language and Literature Program Innovation Room
9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon, 204C, PCC
Program arranged by the Association of Language Departments and the Association of Departments of English. Presiding: Lydia Tang, MLA
1. “Radiant Intertextuality,” Jeongoh Kim, Vanderbilt U
2. “ChatGPT as Literacy Practice,” Persephone Braham, U of Delaware, Newark; Meghan Dabkowski, U of Delaware, Newark; Meghan McInnis-Domínguez, U of Delaware, Newark
3. “‘Let's Go!’: Russian Prefixed Verbs of Motion in Virtual Reality,” Kristin Bidoshi, Union C, NY
4. “The Ground beneath Our Feet: A Place-Based, Experiential Approach to the English Major,” Sarah Blackwood, Pace U, NY; Kelley Kreitz, Pace U, NY
5. “Literature and STEM: An Integrative Approach to Languages for the Professions,” Megan Echevarria, U of Rhode Island
6. “Fossil-Fueled Fictions: Teaching the Energy Humanities in Contemporary American Literature Courses,” Megan Cole Lyle, U of California, Irvine
7. “Go Intercultural: Increasing Intercultural Competence for Undergraduate Students through Curricular Redesign and High-Impact Practices,” Anna Froula, East Carolina U; Purificación Martínez, East Carolina U
8. “What Are You Going to Do with That? Knowledge Transfer and Public Practice in the Humanities,” Deneen Senasi, Mercer U
9. “‘The Ivory Tower Boiler Room’; or, How to Create a LGBTQ+ Public Humanities Podcast?,” Andrew Rimby, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
10. “‘Apollon’: Journal, Course, Practicum,” Sara Diaz, Fairfield U; Shannon Kelley, Fairfield U
11. “The Gaze We Inherited: Deconstructing Dominant Tropes on Africans through Film,” Ramon Fonkoue, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
12. “Celebrating Diverse Voices through Deep Reading and Writing Practices in the Classroom,” Eman Al-Drous, U of Delaware, Newark
13. “Diversifying the Curriculum for the Spanish for Healthcare Program: Inclusive Practices, Global Awareness, and Human Rights,” Edurne Beltran de Heredia, Coastal Carolina U
14. “Supporting New Directions: Connecting Learning Assessment to Creating New Work Cultures,” Emily Mattingly, U of the Arts
15. “Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning: Vertically Integrated Projects in the Humanities (Part II),” Leah Misemer, Georgia Inst. of Tech.
16. “Francophone Community Partnership: Decolonizing the French Curriculum through Community Engagement,” Elizabeth Collins, U of Pennsylvania
17. “Green Power,” Mary McAleer Balkun, Seton Hall U
18. “The Hugemanities Project: Bridging Two- and Four-Year Institutions,” Molly Campbell, U of New Hampshire, Durham; Krista Jackman, U of New Hampshire, Durham
19. “Lives in Translation at Rutgers University, Newark: Promoting Multilingualism and Social Equity through a Community-Based Translation and Interpreting Program,” Jennifer Austin, Rutgers U, Newark; Stephanie Rodriguez, Rutgers U, Newark
20. “Using Hypothes.is in Online Literature Courses,” Nicole Blair, U of Washington, Tacoma
21. “Italian in Wonderland: A Curriculum Redesign on an Open Education Digital Platform,” Maria Letizia Bellocchio, U of Arizona, Tucson; Borbala Gaspar, U of Arizona, Tucson
22. “MLA Pathways: Recruitment, Retention, and Career Readiness,” Ayanni Cooper, MLA; Jason Rhody, MLA
23. “Decolonizing the Introductory Linguistics Curriculum,” Amanda Hamilton-Hollaway, U of Western Australia
Showcase presenters share models of curriculum reform—including new programs, credentials, courses, and initiatives—in areas such as experiential learning, digital humanities, public humanities, and career diversity. The event, a poster-style session with each presenter at an individual station, allows audience members to drop by any time while the Innovation Room is in session and spend as much time as desired exploring the showcase.
Friday, 5 January 10:15 a.m.
199. Presidential Plenary: The Poetics of Celebration
10:15 a.m.–12:00 noon, Liberty, Marriott
Presiding: Frieda Ekotto, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Robin Coste Lewis, U of Southern California, Los Angeles; Simon Gikandi, Princeton U; Ato Quayson, Stanford U; Evie Shockley, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Celebration is often a counterintuitive move in academia. Fields like postcolonial studies and literary studies are invested in the acts of reclamation, demystification, deconstruction, decolonization. Bringing in celebration as an analytic changes the direction of the conversation and poses a provocative challenge, shifting the discursive field toward a poetics of articulating what the work of reclamation, demystification, and analytic inquiry seeks to excavate. Celebration, though essential, is not easy when it moves the conversation forward while carrying the fruits of the labor that generations of dissident writers have performed. It grates against fluid ideas of critique that are the speech acts necessary for academic work to be rigorous.
For linked sessions, see meetings 541 and 615.
200. Storied Spaces: Italian Literary Placemaking
10:15–11:30 a.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Italian. Presiding: Letizia Modena, Vanderbilt U
1. “Rewriting the Nation: Black Spaces and Affective Citizenship in Djarah Kan's Ladri di denti,” Stefano Bellin, U of Warwick
2. “Ghostscape as Urban Rupture: Ubah Cristina Ali Farah's Novel Il comandante del fiume (2014),” Qian Liu, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
3. “Displacing Alice: Gianni Celati's Alice Disambientata and Literary Placemaking in the Italian 1970s,” Federica Parodi, Yale U
4. “Mapping a Foreign Home: Cultural Geography and Environmental Ethics in Vincenzo Consolo,” Salvatore Pappalardo, Towson U
201. Rethinking the National Subject: From Celebration to Critique
10:15–11:30 a.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Hebrew
1. “Christianity and Mediterranean Locality in Israeli Fiction of 1948 Heroism,” Tamar S. Hess, Hebrew U of Jerusalem
2. “Poetic Memoirs and the New Subjects of Israeli Poetry,” Shira Stav, Ben-Gurion U of the Negev
3. “The Arab Businessman-Entrepreneur in Israeli Literature and the Limits of Neoliberal Imagination,” Rachel Green, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
4. “Mapping a Decolonial Hebrew Poetics: From Palestine/Israel to Australia,” Stephanie Kraver, U of Chicago
202. Discussion Group on the Use of Inclusive Language in Our Classrooms and Programs
10:15–11:30 a.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Maggie Broner, St. Olaf C; Luciana Fellin, Duke U
Does inclusive language further the work of inclusion in the world language classroom? How has the topic been approached in the countries that speak your language? What models and resources exist for navigating challenges posed by normative rules and disciplinary standards about “correct” language use? This discussion group seeks to engage participants in an honest and open dialogue about why and how to incorporate inclusive language in the classroom.
203. How to Get Published
10:15–11:30 a.m., Exhibit Hall, Ballroom AB, PCC
Program arranged by the Council of Editors of Learned Journals. Presiding: Susan Tomlinson, U of Massachusetts, Boston
Speakers: Christina Cedillo, U of Houston, Clear Lake; Brigitte Fielder, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Nathan Grant, St. Louis U; Faye S. Halpern, U of Calgary
Editors address various aspects of the journal article process: drafting, revising, submitting, and publishing. Topics include selecting a journal that fits, decoding submission guidelines, processing and acting on reader reports, and navigating the revise-and-resubmit process. The session includes an interactive component where participants read an introduction to an article and discuss why an editor suggested a revise and resubmit.
204. Nonnarrative Forms of Storytelling in Literature
10:15–11:30 a.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Shuang Shen, Penn State U, University Park
Speakers: Guangchen Chen, Emory U; Milo Hicks, Indiana U, Bloomington; Pieter Keulemans, Princeton U; Joshua Landy, Stanford U; Victoria Saramago, U of Chicago; Renren Yang, U of British Columbia
Panelists discuss the diverse forms of nonnarrative storytelling in literature, as well as the aesthetic, intellectual, and sociopolitical stakes in nonnarrative storytelling. What strategies, devices, and elements could energize or inhibit nonnarrative storytelling? How might nonnarrative forms of storytelling challenge and reshape understandings of literary tradition, narrative capacity, subjectivity formation, and historical contingency?
205. Climate Futures and Cities of the Global South
10:15–11:30 a.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global South
1. “Speculating Water Justice and Climate Futures in Mumbai and Cape Town,” Ben Jamieson Stanley, U of Delaware, Newark
2. “Genres of the Changing City: Climate Change in Two Global South Novels,” Rebecca Oh, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
3. “Reproducing the Storm: Tacloban City, Typhoon Yolanda, and Filipina Feminist Cultural Forms,” Alden Sajor Marte-Wood, Rice U
206. A Century of Latin American Antifascism
10:15–11:30 a.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Latin American. Presiding: Daniel Doncel, U of Virginia
1. “Guerrilla Inheritances: Anticolonialism and Antifascism in the Works of Alberto Bayo and Che Guevara,” Daniel Doncel
2. “(Un)Veiling Antifascism in Argentina: Fanon, Négritude, and La hora de los hornos,” Gianna Bacchetta, Tufts U
3. “Antifascist De-Objectivization in Poeta en Nueva York and Residencia en la tierra II,” Stephanie Gates, Wheaton C, IL
207. Memory's Celebration through the Teaching of Literature
10:15–11:30 a.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM The Teaching of Literature
1. “Teaching the Literary Representation of Home in the Memory of Displacement,” Nevine Abraham, Carnegie Mellon U
2. “Adolescent Girls’ Curiosity: Memory and Imagination in Early-Nineteenth-Century Culture Wars,” Joani Etskovitz, Harvard U
3. “Time Travel Narratives as Cultural Memory of Intergenerational Trauma,” McKenzie Johnston, Southern Illinois U, Edwardsville
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/the-teaching-of-literature/ after 1 Dec.
208. Historical Perspectives on Climate Joy and Sorrow
10:15–11:30 a.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Ecocriticism and Environmental Humanities. Presiding: Laura Tscherry, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “Catastrophic Climates: The Irish Gothic in the Shadow of Tambora,” Lauren Cooper, Syracuse U
2. “Oil Excitement,” Jamie Jones, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
3. “Climate Justice in a Nuclearized Pacific,” Rebecca Hogue, Harvard U
4. “Boundary Crossings: Histories of Extraction in Silko's Ceremony and Redniss's Oak Flat,” Kyra Morris, Princeton U
209. Make Your Own Mentor: Strategies for Successful Special Collections Grants for Contingent Scholars
10:15–11:30 a.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum HEP Part-Time and Contingent Faculty Issues and the American Trust for the British Library. Presiding: Elizabeth Berkowitz, American Trust for the British Library
Speakers: Charlotte Abney Salomon, Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry; Elizabeth Berkowitz; Adrianna Link, American Philosophical Society; Christine Nelson, Library Company of Philadelphia; William Stoneman, Harvard U
Respondent: Veronica Popp, U of St. Francis
Aimed at scholars who do not have institutional support, this session is dedicated to pulling back the curtain on how to develop successful grant proposals or fellowship applications for special collections. Speakers from select ATBL Transatlantic Fellowship Program partner institutions, experts in their fields, discuss common applicant pitfalls and offer tips on what reviewers look for in successful applications.
210. Emerging Approaches to Global Englishes: Learning, Using, Teaching, Judging
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LSL Global English. Presiding: Cristina Migliaccio, Medgar Evers C, City U of New York
1. “Decentering Selves: Intervening with Global Englishes,” Yu-Kyung Kang, Gonzaga U
2. “Collaboration without Consensus: Linguistic Diversity in Peer Review among First-Year Composition Students,” Titcha Ho, Baruch C, City U of New York; Reymond Levy, Florida International U
3. “Decentering ‘English’ across the Literature-Composition Divide,” Tara Coleman, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York
211. T. S. Eliot Unsealed
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the International T. S. Eliot Society. Presiding: Megan Quigley, Villanova U
1. “The Political Economy of Eliot's Complete Prose,” Anderson Araujo, U of British Columbia, Okanagan
2. “Abstraction and Empathy,” Anthony Cuda, U of North Carolina, Greensboro
3. “Eliot and the Doctrine of Pipit,” Frances Dickey, U of Missouri, Columbia
4. “Eliot's Epistolary Form and the Transmutation of Personal Feeling,” Justin Stec, U of Virginia
212. Cynthia Ozick and the Art of the Essay
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Michaela Bronstein, Stanford U
1. “The Lord of History in Cynthia Ozick's ‘Ruth,’” Na'amit Sturm Nagel, U of California, Irvine
2. “‘I Am Possessed; I Believe’: Pleasure versus Institutionality in Ozick and The Best American Essays,” Harriet S. Hughes, U of Oxford, Christ Church C
3. “Ozick's ‘Outcry of Failure,’” Charlie Tyson, Harvard U
4. “The Melodrama of Cynthia Ozick's Imagination,” Michèle Mendelssohn, U of Oxford
For related material, visit ozick.mla.hcommons.org after 1 Dec.
213. Rethinking Animal Comparison I
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress B, Loews
A working group
Participants: Akash Belsare, U of Illinois, Springfield; Alexander Creighton, U of California, Berkeley; Megan Glick, Wesleyan U; Caroline Hovanec, U of Tampa; Kayci Merritte, Brown U; John MacNeill Miller, Allegheny C; Samantha Pergadia, Southern Methodist U; Rajesh K. Reddy, Lewis and Clark Law School; Gabriel Rosenberg, Duke U; Rasheed Tazudeen, Yale U; Arthur Wang, U of Pennsylvania
What does it mean to be treated like an animal? This working group builds on recent studies of racialized dehumanization and of animality as a resource for minoritarian critique, resistance, and creation to synthesize and generate new theories of human-animal comparison across race and ethnic studies, gender and sexuality studies, feminist science and technology studies, and literary history.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/rethinking-animal-comparison/ after 28 Dec.
For the other meetings of the working group, see 405 and 676.
214. Celebrating Mark Twain: True Stories
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the Mark Twain Circle of America. Presiding: Judith Yaross Lee, Ohio U, Athens
1. “‘I Hain't Had No Trouble’: Moments of Joy in the Life of Olivia Langdon Clemens,” Barbara Snedecor, editor
2. “Celebrating Educational Joy from Historical Sorrow,” John Pascal, Seton Hall Preparatory School
3. “‘Truculent Nomads’: Mark Twain's Obstinate Epistemologies,” Ryan Heryford, California State U, East Bay
215. Byron in Circulation
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
Program arranged by the Byron Society of America. Presiding: Lindsey Eckert, Florida State U
1. “The Material Byron: Book History and Textual Studies,” Michael Macovski, Georgetown U
2. “Byron and Drama,” James Armstrong, City C, City U of New York
3. “Byron and Textuality,” Gary R. Dyer, Cleveland State U
216. Contaminated Landscapes in Twenty-First-Century Austrian Literature
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the Austrian Studies Association. Presiding: Jacqueline Vansant, U of Michigan, Dearborn
1. “Contaminated Landscapes in the Work of Ludwig Laher,” Johann Georg Lughofer, U of Ljubljana
2. “Varieties of De-Idyllization: On the Affect Poetics of Contaminated Landscapes in Raphaela Edelbauer's Das fluessige Land (2019),” Julia Lückl, U of Vienna
3. “Excavating the Past: Eva Menasse's Dunkelblum (2021),” Helga Schreckenberger, U of Vermont
For related material, write to [email protected].
217. Artificial Intelligence in Language Teaching and Learning
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Association of University Supervisors and Coordinators
1. “Chatbot Engagement in the Teaching of Languages and Cultures,” Nicole Mills, Harvard U
2. “‘I Am Not a Robot’: Student Agency and Critical Digital Literacy in the Language Curriculum,” Roberto Rey Agudo, Dartmouth C
3. “Applying AI to Language Assessment: Benefits and Challenges,” Ben Johnston, Princeton U; Adriana Merino, Princeton U
218. The Ceremonial Occasion (in Pre-1900 Japan)
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Japanese to 1900. Presiding: Edward B. Kamens, Yale U
1. “Ceremonial Occasions of Japanese Linked Verse (Renga),” Heidi Buck-Albulet, U of Hamburg
2. “Murasaki Shikibu between Joy and Sorrow: Emergence of the Writing Subject in Heian Celebrations,” Antonin Ferré, Princeton U
3. “‘Grow Swiftly, O Small Pines’: Waka and the Shaping of Time,” Ryan Hintzman, Yale U
4. “In the Face of Death and the Gods’ Wrath: Confirming Sovereignty in the Noh Play Uneme,” Hanna McGaughey, Hosei U
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org.
219. Luso-Afro-Brazilian Musical Exchanges
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Portuguese Studies Association. Presiding: Benjamin Legg, Vanderbilt U
1. “The Music and Advocacy of Levino da Conceição,” John Bagnato, U of Pittsburgh
2. “Fifty Years Later: Discourses on ‘Ancestralidade Angolana’ in Brazilian Popular Culture in the 1970s,” Benjamin Legg
3. “Chico Buarque's Transatlantic Solidarity,” Krista Brune, Penn State U, University Park
4. “Perennial Transsounding Remix: Contemporary Trans Electronic Music in Portugal and Brazil,” Pedro Lopes de Almeida, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
220. Francophone Co-formations of Race, Gender, and Sexuality
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the Women in French. Presiding: Blase Provitola, Trinity C, CT
1. “Autoethnography Tempers a Critique of Moroccan Society: Adam and Le bleu du caftan,” Nicole Beth Wallenbrock, Hostas Community C, City U of New York
2. “Economics, Gender, Sexuality, and Hshouma: The Complex Identities of Moroccan Prostitutes in La vérité sort de la bouche du cheval,” Stephanie Schechner, Widener U
3. “Franco-Algerian Written Prisons: Confinement and Liberation,” Alexandra Goldych, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
4. “Embracing Contradiction as Transgression in Fatima Daas's The Last One,” Blase Provitola
221. Forms of Indenture
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
A special session
1. “Novel Nonfiction: Indenture's Forms in Nineteenth-Century Policy and Literature,” Anna Thomas, U of Toronto
2. “From Slavery to ‘Free Labor’: On Narratives of Transition in Nineteenth-Century Asian Indenture,” Rebecca Liu, U of Maryland, College Park
3. “Gendering the Kala Pani Narrative in Shevlyn Mottai's Across the Kala Pani,” Swarnika Ahuja, Vivekananda Inst. of Professional Studies
222. Prioritizing Wellness in Second Language Teaching and Learning
10:15–11:30 a.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LSL Second-Language Teaching and Learning
1. “Slow Literacy: A Mindful Approach to Multiliteracies,” Carl Blyth, U of Texas, Austin
2. “Redesigning Assessments to Empower Language Learners and Faculty Members,” Lee B. Abraham, Columbia U
3. “Partnering with Students, Encouraging Connections, and Generating Joy in Learning,” Denise Bouras, Northwestern U
223. And And And And And And: Neurodivergent Critico-Poetics and Antiteleological Futurities
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand I, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Douglas Kearney, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Speakers: Jessica Horvath Williams, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Douglas Kearney; Khadijah Queen, Virginia Tech; Rua M. Williams, Purdue U, West Lafayette; Sean A Yeager, Ohio State U, Columbus
This ignite talk engages antiteleological methods through the dynamics of neurodiverse (ND) thought. Participants and audience members explore four ND paradigms—accretion, multiplicity, simultaneity, excess—and parse experimental praxes that incubate an ND critico-poetics, opening our fields to new interpretive, creative, and pedagogical forms that may better capture marginalized thought and futurities.
224. Hagiography and the Supernatural in the Comedia: Miracles and Ghosts
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th- and 17th-Century Spanish and Iberian Drama. Presiding: Frederick A. De Armas, U of Chicago
1. “Miracles and War on the Stage in Tirso de Molina's Loyalty against Envy,” Gladys Robalino, Messiah U
2. “Ghosts, Visibility, and Reality in Lope de Vega,” Emmy Herland, U of Colorado, Boulder
3. “Of Ghosts, Purgatory, and Animated Statues in El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra, by Tirso de Molina,” Casandra Garza Resendez, Yale U
Respondent: Carmela V. Mattza, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge
225. Permutations of the “Classical”: Empire, Nation, Anti-Imperial Critique
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand K, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Evelyn Richardson, U of Chicago
1. “Thomas Jefferson and the International Politics of the ‘Classical,’” Victoria S. Tietze Larson, Montclair State U
2. “National Classicisms: The Classicizing Gesture in the Hebrew Revival,” Ido Telem, U of Chicago
3. “Canonization and the Genius: Ruhi al-Khalidi on the Concept of the Classic(al),” Yassine Ait Ali, Princeton U
Respondent: Evelyn Richardson
226. Open Hearing on Resolutions
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Presiding: Members of the Delegate Assembly Organizing Committee
This meeting is only open to MLA members.
During the open hearing, MLA members and delegates may discuss the regular resolutions that are on the Delegate Assembly's agenda. For information on these resolutions (i.e., those submitted by 1 September), visit www.mla.org/DA-Agenda-2024 after 13 December.
227. Intersecting Dreams and Visions of Medieval Futures
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: María Sánchez-Reyes, California State U, Long Beach
1. “‘Your Interpretation Is Wrong on Many Points’: Ahmad Faris Shidyaq's Dream Readings and the Limits of Medieval Islamic Onierocritic Traditions,” Rama Alhabian, Hamilton C
2. “Intersecting Experience and Truth in Allegorical Dream Poems,” Tina Montenegro, Boston C
3. “Connecting with Dreams across the Medieval World,” Boyda Johnstone, Borough of Manhattan Community C, City U of New York
228. Can We Teach the Beat Generation?
10:15–11:30 a.m., Anthony, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Erik Mortenson, Lake Michigan C; Tony Trigilio, Columbia C
Speakers: Steven Belletto, Lafayette C; Rocko Foltz, U of Arizona, Tucson; Nancy McCampbell Grace, C of Wooster; Carla Harryman, Eastern Michigan U; Aldon Lynn Nielsen, Penn State U, University Park; Barrett Watten, Wayne State U
Teachers and scholars discuss different aspects of the vexed relationship of the Beat Generation to the academy: from initial academic rejection of the Beat Generation writers to cautious acceptance as outsider writers to the fact that many writers of the Beat Generation became active as college and university teachers.
229. Information Literacy, Undergraduate Education, and Business and Organizational Communication
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association for Business Communication. Presiding: William Christopher Brown, Midland C
1. “A Matter of Trust: Empowering Learners to Find Credible Sources for Workplace Writing,” David Healey, Purdue U Global
2. “From Pastime to Paycheck: Working toward Undergraduate Social Media Literacy,” Tara Moore, Elizabethtown C
3. “ChatGPT and Media Literacy in Business Communication,” Taylor Clement, U of Louisiana, Lafayette
4. “Enhancing Information Literacy in Professional Contexts,” Justin Young, Eastern Washington U
230. Listening Historically: Soundscapes in Spain and the Americas I
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Elia Romera Figueroa, Duke U, Madrid; Silvia Serrano, Duke U
Participants: Alexander Diaz-Hui, Princeton U; Laura Hydak, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Ola Mohammed, York U; Marcelo Nogueira, independent scholar; Helen Plevka-Jones, Illinois State U; Brian Price, Brigham Young U, UT; Nicolás Sanchez-Rodríguez, Princeton U; Rodrigo Viqueira, Washington U in St. Louis
This working group brings together sound studies and cultural studies methodologies, critical approaches, genealogies of thought, and epistemological frameworks to interrogate the soundscapes of Spain and the Americas and to resonate literally across national borders.
For related material, visit listeninghistoricallysoundscapesinspainandtheamericas.hcommons.org.
For the other meeting of the working group, see 425.
231. Rethinking Investments in Patient Zero Narratives
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand L, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Medical Humanities and Health Studies. Presiding: Amanda Caleb, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
1. “Origin, Blame, and Geography in COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS,” Travis Alexander, Rice U
2. “Passing On: Transmission, Temporality, and the Pregnant Patient Zero,” Emily Waples, Hiram C
3. “Demystified Witchcraft: Psychogenic Contagion and Patient Zero Framing in Narratives of ‘Mass Hysteria,’” Jeffrey Brown, St. Joseph's U
Respondent: Amanda Caleb
For related material, write to [email protected] after 30 Dec.
232. Christianity as Oppression and Liberation in Postcolonial Literature
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Sarah Coogan, independent scholar
1. “‘Seeds Do Grow’: Conversion and Resistance in Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous Conditions,” Ann Marie Jakubowski, Washington U in St. Louis
2. “Children and Childhood as Instruments of Faith: Christianity in Modern Kerala,” Glincy Piyus, Indian Inst. of Science Education and Research, Bhopal
3. “Mātauranga Māori and Matthew: Indigenous Ecologies and the Writing of the New Zealand Prayer Book,” Colin Halloran, Old Dominion U
233. Ecocritical Literature in Indian Vernaculars
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Anupama Mohan, Indian Inst. of Tech., Jodhpur
1. “Environmental Change in Indian Pilgrimage Narratives and Motifs,” Alan Johnson, Idaho State U
2. “Ibsen, Ray, and the Indian Ecodrama,” Suddhaseel Sen, Indian Inst. of Tech., Bombay
3. “Vernacular and the Veritable Representation: A Comparative Analysis in Tribal Belonging,” Sarbani Banerjee, Indian Inst. of Tech., Roorkee
234. Catalonia under Stress
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Edgar Illas, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “Catalan Natural Wine: A Hyperpolitics of the Earth,” Edgar Illas
2. “Costa Brava and the Objectification of Southern Europe,” Rafael Fernandez, Texas A&M U, College Station
3. “Unsustainable Tourism, Climate Change and Cultural Trauma in Contemporary Majorcan Culture,” Guillem Colom-Montero, U of Glasgow
4. “D'Alcarràs i Suro a Magaluf Ghost Town: El cinema davant l'insostenible,” Teresa M. Vilarós, Texas A&M U, College Station
For related material, write to [email protected].
235. Oral Traditions in Caribbean and Latin American Afro-Diasporic Communities
10:15–11:30 a.m., 307, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Mesi Walton, Howard U
1. “Ancestral Voices and Kombilesa Mi: Genealogy, Resistance, and Orality in Colombia,” Ángela Castro, Colorado C
2. “Resistance through Words: The Role of the Caribbean Storyteller in Chamoiseau's Solibo Magnificent,” Marcelo Rene Gomes Perez, Howard U
3. “Pan-African Ancestral Solidarity in Song, Dance, and Oral Traditions,” Mesi Walton
For related material, visit oraltraditionsmla2024panel.hcommons.org.
Friday, 5 January 12:00 noon
236. Pathways to the Deanship
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 308, Marriott
Program arranged by the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences
1. “Stronger Together: Interdisciplinary Collaborations,” Kyoko Amano, U of Houston, Victoria
2. “From the Seminar to the Balcony: Shifting Viewpoints in Higher Education,” Jennifer Drake, Grand Valley State U
3. “Leading from the Humanities,” Amanda Petersen, U of San Diego
237. Henry James and Event(s)
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Anthony, Loews
Program arranged by the Henry James Society. Presiding: Anna Despotopoulou, National and Kapodistrian U of Athens
1. “Rewriting the New(Man): Violence and Becoming in The American,” Georgia Roberts, U of Washington, Bothell
2. “Cognitive Mapping: The Lambinet Episode in The Ambassadors,” David Racker, Temple U
3. “The Novel in Pain: James and His Accidents,” Andrew Schlager, Princeton U
4. “‘Plunged into the Figured Void’: The Orality of Catastrophe, Style, and Trauma in The Golden Bowl,” Joseph Nicolello, Temple U, Philadelphia
238. Postcolonial Traditions in Global Jewish Literature
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global Jewish and the forum CLCS Global South. Presiding: Laini Kavaloski, State U of New York, Canton
1. “Decolonization Begins at ‘Home,’” Benjamin Schreier, Penn State U, University Park
2. “Split Struggles, Segregated Realities, and the Prospect of Mizrahi Solidarity with Palestinian Liberation,” Shirly Bahar, Columbia U
3. “Jewish Rhetoric: Justice, Vulnerability, and Belonging,” Michael F. Bernard-Donals, U of Wisconsin, Madison
Respondent: Alfred J. Lopez, Purdue U, West Lafayette
239. The Burden and Privilege of HBCU Graduate Students in the Anti-CRT Era
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on the Status of Graduate Students in the Humanities. Presiding: Austin Anderson, Howard U
Speakers: Sabrina Bramwell, Howard U; Brenton Brock, Howard U; Cecily Duffie, Howard U; Rex Nash, Howard U; Alexandra Omogbadegun, Howard U; Paola Yuli, Howard U
HBCUs serve a vital function in academia but are chronically underfunded and receive lower endowments than PWIs. Additionally, HBCUs have been threatened by acts of racist violence, including bomb threats against at least fifty-seven different HBCUs since 2022. Taking the case of a preeminent HBCU, this panel aims to shine a light on the invaluable role that HBCUs play in the modern academic landscape and to acknowledge the unique challenges that HBCU graduate students experience.
240. How to Publish Your Book: An Introduction for Scholars
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Exhibit Hall, Ballroom AB, PCC
Program arranged by the Association of University Presses. Presiding: Anne Savarese, Princeton University Press
Speakers: Lucas Church, University of North Carolina Press; Angie Hogan, University of Virginia Press; Matthew McAdam, Johns Hopkins University Press; Erica Wetter, Stanford University Press; Faith Wilson Stein, Northwestern University Press
University press editors discuss the book publishing process from proposal to publication, offering detailed, constructive advice on how to select the right press, when to contact an editor, how to write an effective proposal, peer review and revisions, copyediting and production, and audience and promotion. Participants also address current publishing trends and challenges in literary studies.
241. Queer Relationalities
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Teagan Bradway, State U of New York, Cortland
Speakers: Alex Brostoff, Kenyon C; Brian Glavey, U of South Carolina, Columbia; Rl Goldberg, Princeton U; Lynne Huffer, Emory U; Hil Malatino, Penn State U, University Park; Shanté Paradigm Smalls, New York U; Migueltzinta Solis, U of Lethbridge
Scholars working at the intersections of queer and trans studies, new formalisms, and kinship theory propose keywords for analyzing queer relationality and examine how literary forms extend queer relations to readers, focusing on autotheory and other experiments at the limits of the critical and the creative.
242. (Re)Writing Each Other: New Narratives from Haiti and the Dominican Republic
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Sophie Maríñez, Borough of Manhattan Community C, City U of New York
1. “Rewriting National Identity in Indigenist Literature from Haiti and the Dominican Republic,” Sophie Maríñez
2. “Dominican and Haitian Narrative Interpretations of Neighborly Violence,” Megan Jeanette Myers, Iowa State U
3. “Haitianofilia and Hatiano fobia in Recent Cinema from Haiti and the Dominican Republic,” Samuel Martinez, U of Connecticut, Storrs
243. NEH Grants: Bridging Teaching and Research
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Office of the Executive Director. Presiding: Meaghan Brown, National Endowment for the Humanities; Patrick Fleming, National Endowment for the Humanities
Speakers: Katherine Faull, Bucknell U; Lakshmi Krishnan, Georgetown U; Devoney Looser, Arizona State U, Tempe
NEH program officers and former grantees discuss how faculty members can apply to the NEH for funding to support aspects of their work. After the presiders introduce grant opportunities in the Division of Research Programs and the Division of Education Programs, panelists focus on the process of applying to the NEH, including how they chose the appropriate grant opportunity for their goals, the impact of receiving the grant on their teaching and research, and specific advice they have for applicants.
244. Past and Present Texts of Joy in Everyday Indigenous Life
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
Program arranged by the Association for the Study of American Indian Literatures
1. “The Joy of Diné Cinematic Girls: Playful Survivance in Navajo Women’s Short Films,” Channette Romero, U of Georgia
2. “Finding Joy in the Archive: Wendy Red Star's Photographic Repatriation,” Laura M. Furlan, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
3. “Everyday Life, Everyday Joy: Local Journalism and Indigenous Communities in Florida,” Jeremy Carnes, U of Central Florida
For related material, write to [email protected] after 22 Dec.
245. Reimagining History with(in) the Victorian Period
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Dickens Society. Presiding: Renee Fox, U of California, Santa Cruz
1. “Indigenous Pasts Are Not Prologue: Decentering Empire in Victorian Studies,” Ryan Fong, Kalamazoo C
2. “Irish Revivals before the Literary Revival,” Renee Fox
3. “Eventality, Narrative, and the Transimperial,” Sukanya Banerjee, U of California, Berkeley
246. Self-Translation and the Postpositivist Reading of Language
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 414, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Giada Biasetti, Augusta U
1. “‘Birds of Neither Feather’: An Account of Self-Translation in Caramboles and Other Works,” Alexander R. Dickow, Virginia Tech
2. “Aborting You: Hamdullah Suphi's Self-Translation of His Poem on His Mother's Slavery,” Burcu Gursel, Kirklareli U
3. “The Complexities of Self-Translation: Is a Multilingual Author the Best Translator?,” Giada Biasetti
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/.
247. What's the Father For? Representations of Fatherhood in Narratives of Nontraditional Reproduction
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the Alliance for the Study of Adoption and Culture
Speakers: Sharifa Hampton, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Emily Hipchen, Brown U; Marianne L. Novy, U of Pittsburgh; Eric C. Walker, Florida State U
In a discussion of an underresearched subject in critical adoption studies—representations of fatherhood in narratives of adoption and nontraditional reproduction—participants focus on such texts as Frankenstein, modern adoption memoirs, and films about adoptive fatherhood and explore larger ideas about kinship and reproduction that analyses of nontraditional fatherhood reveal.
For related material, visit docs.google.com/document/d/1UXoNzgc1r8sbhn3aDuivH-rw0f_yW36xF_c78uV4Ekc/edit?usp=sharing after 1 Dec.
248. Facing the Past, Facing the Public
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Early American
Speakers: Mary Grace Albanese, Binghamton U, State U of New York; Angela Calcaterra, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Ittai Orr, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Elizabeth Polcha, Drexel U; Kari Winter, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
Though early American studies has moved away from some of its inaugural protagonists and settings, the pull of memorialization and hagiography, even as a counterpoint or foil, endures. Recognizing that memorialization requires a narrative to be memorialized, and that narrative is the purview of literary studies just as much as historiography, panelists survey some ways of representing the past that engage with the pull to memorialize in transformative ways.
249. Building Kinship, Seeking Home in Postbellum African American Print
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Koritha Mitchell, Ohio State U, Columbus
1. “Lost and Found in the Newspaper,” Jewon Woo, Lorain County Community C, OH
2. “Pauline Hopkins's Spiritual Politics,” Marlas Yvonne Whitley, New York U
3. “Thinking the Unknown: Parataxis in Frances E. W. Harper's Moses: A Story of the Nile,” Magdalena Zapędowska, Smith C
250. African American Literature: Plotting a Way Forward
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC African American. Presiding: Julius Fleming, Jr., U of Maryland, College Park
1. “Black Women's Literature,” Shaun Myers, U of Pittsburgh
2. “Black Political Culture,” Robert J. Patterson, Georgetown U
3. “Black Literature and Institution Building,” Deborah McDowell, U of Virginia
4. “Blackness and Time,” William Pruitt, U of California, Los Angeles
251. Health, Care, and Aging in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century France
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th-Century French and the forum LLC 17th-Century French. Presiding: Tracy Rutler, Penn State U, University Park
1. “‘J'ai des morpions!’: The Plight of the Sex Worker in Rétif de la Bretonne's Anti-Justine (1798),” Caitlin Sturrock, Bristol U
2. “Les médecins de Molière et l'injustice de la médecine moderne,” Suzanne LaLonde, Texas Tech U
3. “Fictional Reconfigurations of Aging in the Early Modern and the Enlightenment,” Cynthia Vialle-Giancotti, Stanford U
252. Travel Writing and the Oceanic World
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Travel Writing
1. “The Last Frontier? Melville, Cartography, and Colonialism on the Seafloor,” Grace King, Penn State U, University Park
2. “‘I Feel Like a Fish at the Bottom of the Sea’: Oceanic Metaphor and Materiality in The Voyage Out,” Susannah Sharpless, Cornell U
3. “Lost in It: Solnit's ‘Terra Incognita,’ Freud's Oceanic,” Omid Bagherli, Tufts U
253. Disgust
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century French. Presiding: Hannah Freed-Thall, New York U
Speakers: Vanessa Brutsche, U of Utah; Aubrey Gabel, Columbia U; Jill Jarvis, Yale U; Zakir Paul, New York U; Usha Rungoo, Harvard U; Imane Terhmina, Cornell U
Exploring the rhetoric of disgust—along with its conceptual cousins (e.g., spleen, nausea, informe, abjection)—as a generative force for twentieth- and twenty-first-century French and francophone thought, panelists examine dégoût as a complex, historically situated feeling that connects and binds even as it repels, drawing attention to margins, borders, and remainders.
254. Intermediality and the Global South
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Charlie Hankin, Pitzer C
1. “Cecilia Vicuña's Poems in Space,” Isabella Vergara, U of California, Irvine
2. “What the War-Torn Bodies Recollect: Efficacies of Sri Lankan (Post)War Performance Art,” Sandamini Ranwalage, Miami U, Oxford
3. “Music-Literature Crossings: Race and Intermediality in the Caribbean,” Charlie Hankin
255. Fostering Spaces for African and Less Commonly Taught Languages: Methods and Modes of Delivery
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the ALD Executive Committee. Presiding: Leonard Muaka, Howard U
Speakers: Americo Mendoza-Mori, Harvard U; Alwiya Omar, Indiana U, Bloomington; Raúl Rubio, New School
Participants share good practices on facilitating and building up academic programming for African languages and other less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). This panel aims to discuss and highlight different strategies for supporting LCTLs, including digital platforms, consortium partnerships and grants, and languages for the profession programs.
256. Critics, Curators, and the New Commons
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Visual Culture
Speakers: Maggie Hennefeld, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Maori Holmes, BlackStar; Patrick Jagoda, U of Chicago; Lindsay Reckson, Haverford C; Thea Quiray Tagle, Brown U; Salamishah Tillet, Rutgers U, Newark
Respondent: Adrienne Brown, U of Chicago
Leading scholars, critics, and curators discuss their work with film, photography, and digital media and think together about the creative ways that curation across fields is part of an emerging scholarly praxis with a new understanding of the commons that binds us to one another.
257. Challenge, Ban, Censor: Curtailing Comics
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Comics and Graphic Narratives. Presiding: Qiana Whitted, U of South Carolina, Columbia
1. “‘We Don't Need the Nakedness and All the Other Stuff’: Maus, Graphic History, and School Board Excuse,” Chase Gregory, Bucknell U
2. “Rhetorics of Ideological Neutrality in CRT-Based Challenges to Jerry Craft's New Kid,” Patrick Lawrence, U of South Carolina, Lancaster
3. “Seduction by the ImageText: Implicit Theories of Comics Censorship,” Aaron Kashtan, U of North Carolina, Charlotte
4. “‘Nobody Knows Exactly How Many People Were Killed’: Censorship, Death, and Resistance in Puerto Rican Graphic Narratives,” Fernanda Diaz-Basteris, Ohio State U, Columbus
258. Disabling Environments in the Romantic Era
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
Program arranged by the Keats-Shelley Association of America. Presiding: Omar F. Miranda, U of San Francisco
1. “‘Corrosive Care’ and ‘Corrosive Tides’: Charlotte Smith's Calcareous Body,” Diana Little, Princeton U
2. “The Commonplace Book of Edmund Pear, 1832–34,” Roseanna Kettle, U of York
3. “Emaciated Bodies in Yun Dong-Ju's Poetry and in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein,” Jane Kim, Biola U
4. “‘Like Mighty Giants of Their Limbs Bereft’: Enclosure as Disabling Force in the Poetry of John Clare,” Olivia Rosane, independent scholar
259. Hating the Eighteenth Century
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Late-18th-Century English. Presiding: Courtney Weiss Smith, Wesleyan U; Abigail S. Zitin, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Speakers: Danielle R. Bobker, Concordia U; Manu Samriti Chander, Rutgers U, Newark; Helen Deutsch, U of California, Los Angeles; Wendy Anne Lee, New York U; Sandra Macpherson, Ohio State U, Columbus; Dustin D. Stewart, Columbia U
Sylvia Plath “hated” the eighteenth century; she wasn't alone. Participants discuss hatred as a gateway into the field—personal histories and epiphanies, curricular requirements and revisions, pedagogical challenges and opportunities—and eighteenth-century writers mobilizing hatred to make things happen.
260. Afterlives of Slavery across Seas and Oceans
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global Hispanophone
Speakers: Nicholas Jones, Yale U; Cristina E. Pardo Porto, Syracuse U; Benita Sampedro Vizcaya, Hofstra U; Mariane Aparecida Stanev, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Monica Styles, Howard U
Participants explore interventions that delve into the afterlives of slavery across various Hispanophone regions, including the Mediterranean, Pacific, and Atlantic worlds, paying special attention to the intersections between these regions. By examining the archives of slavery, participants seek to shed light on the complex experiences of enslaved individuals, as well as on the various ways in which slavery has shaped the world we live in today.
261. Open Hearing of the MLA Delegate Assembly
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Presiding: Members of the Delegate Assembly Organizing Committee
This meeting is only open to MLA members.
During the open hearing, MLA members and delegates may discuss all items on the Delegate Assembly's agenda except resolutions (for agenda information, visit www.mla.org/DA-Agenda-2024 after 13 Dec.). MLA members may also present new matters of concern to the assembly.
262. Current Trends in Arthurian Studies
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Arthurian. Presiding: Anita Obermeier, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1. “Arthurian Daughters,” Usha Vishnuvajjala, State U of New York, New Paltz
2. “Toward a Guineverian Literature: Feminizing the Canon of Arthuriana,” William Arguelles, Graduate Center, City U of New York
3. “DC's King Arthur: Aquaman and Atlantean Arthuriana,” Carl Sell, Assn. for the Advancement of Scholarship and Teaching of the Medieval in Popular Culture
263. New Directions in Asian American Literary Studies
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Asian American. Presiding: Vinh Nguyen, U of Waterloo
Speakers: Yonbom Bonnie Chung, Cornell U; Shaibal Dev Roy, U of Southern California; Bowen Du, U of California, Davis; Hui Min Annabeth Leow, National U of Singapore; Tracey Wang, U of Virginia
Graduate students present their work in Asian American literary studies in pursuit of new horizons—whether innovative methodologies, critical frameworks, or emergent fields.
264. The Promises and Perils of AI
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum RCWS Writing Pedagogies
1. “Pedagogical Work as Stabilizing Measurement and (AI) Forensics, or Its Subversion,” Kavi Duvvoori, U of Waterloo
2. “Identifying Perceptions of Academic Honesty in Situations That Use Artificial Intelligence Writing AI,” John Gallagher, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
3. “A Repair-Oriented Approach to Teaching Writing with AI,” Caddie Alford, Virginia Commonwealth U
265. William Faulkner, Black and Blue
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the William Faulkner Society
1. “Breaking Out of the Ring: Blackness in Light in August,” Frances Rowbottom, U of Edinburgh
2. “‘That Evening Sun’: William Faulkner, W. C. Handy, and the Global ‘St. Louis Blues,’” John Schranck, U of California, Santa Barbara
3. “Ruining the Past, Reading the Future: Indigeneity in Faulkner,” Sarah Hopkinson, Boston U
266. Sensing the City
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Hsuan L. Hsu, U of California, Davis
Speakers: Ian Erickson-Kery, Duke U; Declan Gould, Temple U, Philadelphia; Reid Gómez, U of Arizona, Tucson; Elizabeth Olaoye, Midwestern State U; Jess Shollenberger, Bryn Mawr C; Meeria Vesala, Åbo Akademi U
Asking how depictions of smelling, touching, and tasting the city can contribute to urban justice, presenters address multisensory engagements with urban space by drawing on disability studies, queer studies, and environmental humanities scholarship.
For related material, write to [email protected].
267. Literary Epistolography Today
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Miroslawa Buchholtz, Nicolaus Copernicus U
Speakers: Chrisitne Flanagan, Saint Joseph's U; Kendall Grady, U of California, Santa Cruz; Yulia Mevissen, U of Massachusetts, Boston; James A. Schiff, U of Cincinnati; Lisu Wang, U of Leicester; Greg W. Zacharias, Creighton U
Panelists address letter writing, reading, collecting, and editing from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century, seeking to answer the following questions: How important is the materiality of letters by famous authors? What is their performative function? How can the ambiguity of letters be approached, suspended as they are between literary and paraliterary forms, soliloquy and dialog, self-creation, and an attempt to reach out to others?
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Dec.
268. Connection, Conviviality, and Celebration in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century German-Language Culture: Relationality and Assembly
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century German. Presiding: Carrie Smith, U of Alberta
1. “Weimar Tarot and the Relational Semiotics of Ernst Tristan Kurtzahn,” Ervin Malakaj, U of British Columbia
2. “Sites of Touch: Precarity and Relationality in Contemporary German-Language Culture,” Simone Pfleger, U of Alberta; Maria Roca Lizarazu, U of Galway
3. “‘Freund, Freund, Freund!’: Conviviality and Assembly in Christoph Schlingensief's Passion Impossible,” Katherine Pollock, Indiana U, Bloomington
269. Gothic in Latin American and Chicanx Female Narratives
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Popular Culture
1. “Cinematic Intertextualities and the Temporalities of the Women-Centric Gothic Horror by Way of the Mexican Gothic,” Olivia Cosentino, Tulane U
2. “Gothic Mothering: An Approach to Monstrosity in Solange Rodriguez Pappe, Mónica Ojeda, and Liliana Colanzi,” Sandra Garcia Gutierrez, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
3. “Haunted Spaces, Violent Places: Domestic Abuse in Contemporary Latinx Gothic,” Megan DeVirgilis, Morgan State U
4. “Queer Horrors: Reimagining the Genealogy of Lesbian Vampirism,” Suleyman Bolukbas, Penn State U, University Park; Christopher Rivera, Coppin State U
Respondent: Maria Ines Canto Carrillo, Colorado State U
270. The Range of Contingency: Models and Strategies for Success
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Contingent Labor in the Profession. Presiding: David Markus, New York U
1. “Full-Time Contingent Faculty Members: What Works and What Needs Work,” Elizabeth Kay Gilmartin, Monmouth U
2. “The Non-Tenure-Track Chair: Thoughts on Building a Sustainable, Human-Centered, 100% Non-Tenure-Track Unit,” Kelly Hanson, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
3. “How and Why to Unionize the Contingent Faculty on Your Campus: Dispatch from Skidmore College,” Ruth McAdams, Skidmore C
4. “Achieving Tensegrity,” Matthew Pavesich, Johns Hopkins U, MD
271. Reading Money in Premodern China
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Ming and Qing Chinese. Presiding: Ariel Fox, U of Chicago
1. “Personal Properties: Money and Individuality in Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian),” Heng Du, Wellesley C
2. “Pricing the Priceless: Foreign Treasure Seekers in Tang China,” Sarah Allen, Williams C
3. “Cards as Money, Money as Cards,” Tina Lu, Yale U
4. “Numismatic Poetics: Reading the Qinding qianlu (Imperially Endorsed Catalogue of Coins),” Ariel Fox
Friday, 5 January 1:45 p.m.
272. On Climate Change: A Conversation with Amitav Ghosh
1:45–3:30 p.m., 203, PCC
A plenary arranged by the MLA Executive Council. Presiding: Jahan Ramazani, U of Virginia
Speakers: Elizabeth M. DeLoughrey, U of California, Los Angeles; Debjani Ganguly, U of Virginia; Amitav Ghosh, writer; Cajetan Iheka, Yale U; Margaret Ronda, U of California, Davis
In The Great Derangement and The Nutmeg's Curse, the renowned Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh explores the literary imagination and the long history of catastrophic climate change. In his first MLA appearance, Ghosh and other distinguished panelists discuss anew the challenges of the climate crisis to the novel, poetry, the media, and other modes of cultural representation.
273. Reading Materials: Pots, Plaster, Poetry, and the Press, 1766–1861
1:45–3:00 p.m., 410, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ross Wilson, U of Cambridge
1. “Serial Whiteness: Plaster and Poetry,” Clare Pettitt, U of Cambridge
2. “A World of Opodeldoc: Writing, Sonority, and Disposal in the Early Nineteenth Century,” Ross Wilson
3. “Wedgwood's Manufacturing Creativity,” Stefan H. Uhlig, U of California, Davis
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/deposits/item/hc:52133/.
274. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Names and Naming in Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Name Society. Presiding: Anne W. Anderson, U of South Florida
1. “Naming ‘Mutiny’: Equatorial Rebellions and Mark Twain's Following the Equator,” Rowshan Chowdhury, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
2. “Naming Queerness in Writing Fiction Set in Türkiye,” Serkan Gorkemli, U of Connecticut, Stamford
3. “What If the World Is Like Misfits Like Us: Calling Out Name-Calling in James Howe's The Misfits,” Iman Nick, American Name Soc.
275. Discussion Group on Leading When Leadership Does Not Look like You
1:45–3:00 p.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Gaurav G. Desai, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Suwako Watanabe, Portland State U
This discussion group focuses on women and people of color in leadership positions at academic institutions. What kinds of unique challenges might they encounter? How might these challenges be met? Where might one find culture- or gender-specific mentoring and guidance in these roles?
276. Graduate Student Labor and the Future of Editing
1:45–3:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall, Ballroom AB, PCC
Program arranged by the Council of Editors of Learned Journals. Presiding: Debra Rae Cohen, U of South Carolina, Columbia
Speakers: Anvita Budhraja, Duke U; Sunshine Dempsey, U of South Carolina, Sumter; Cana Uluak Itchuaqiyaq, Virginia Tech; Cassander Smith, U of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; Lorenza Starace, Duke U
How do we enable graduate students to become the editors of the future? Panelists discuss graduate student work on academic journals in terms of both fair labor practices and pedagogy—with an acknowledgment that it is graduate students and early-career academics who will be responsible for envisioning the future of our disciplines in a changing publication landscape.
277. AI and What It Means to Create: A Cross-Disciplinary Conversation
1:45–3:00 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the Association of Departments of English. Presiding: Alanna Frost, U of Alabama, Huntsville
Speakers: Brandy Bagar-Fraley, Franklin U; Katherine Elkins, Kenyon C; Robin S. Hammerman, Stevens Inst. of Tech.; Ruth Li, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Daniel Pintos, Indiana U of Pennsylvania
Featuring speakers from writing studies, literary studies, and creative writing, this cross-disciplinary conversation examines what AI means for teaching, writing, and creating. How do tools like ChatGPT allow us to think differently about written expression and creativity and about the interconnectedness of these fields? How can departments and leaders support informed responses to and good practice regarding the emergence and development of AI technology?
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ugOxIBA1S64Gex9FkEcbFsz2XQrZ6aI2?usp=sharing.
278. Rethinking Indifference
1:45–3:00 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Chunlin Men, Queen Mary U of London
1. “Detective Fiction's Uninformative Content: Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Unsensational Intrusions,” Liwen Zhang, Beijing Foreign Studies U
2. “‘I Never Ask’: Indifference in Joan Didion's Play It as It Lays,” Connor Bennett, U of Toronto
3. “I Don't See Me: Rethinking Reader Apathy through the Lens of Camouflaged Neurodiversity,” Mary-Beth Brophy, Ocean County C, NJ
279. Rewriting World Literature from the Margins: Alejo Carpentier in Context
1:45–3:00 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Anthropology and Literature
1. “Alejo Carpentier's Autofiction,” Anke Birkenmaier, Indiana U, Bloomington
2. “Carpentier's American Tropics: Ecological World-Building as World Literature,” Charlotte W. Rogers, U of Virginia
3. “Antillean Surrealism: The Marvelous in José Lezama Lima and Carpentier,” Ingrid Robyn, U of Nebraska, Lincoln
Respondent: Sarah Quesada, Duke U
280. New Scholarly Editions
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century Latin American. Presiding: Felipe Martinez-Pinzon, Brown U
1. “Rethinking Nineteenth-Century Studies from Peru's Andes Region: The Critical Edition of El padre Horán,” Mercedes Mayna-Medrano, Union C
2. “Remembering Alberto Blest Gana's ‘Forgotten’ Novel, Mariluán,” Alexis Smith, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
3. “Adolfo León-Gómez's La ciudad del dolor: A Reedition of a Forgotten Memoir,” Felipe Martinez-Pinzon
4. “Concepción Gimeno de Flaquer: Writing and Transatlantic Activism Going Back and Forth,” Ana Simon Alegre, Adelphi U
281. Topics in Premodern German Literature and Culture
1:45–3:00 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC German to 1700. Presiding: Christian Schneider, U of Osnabrück
1. “Retelling the Heroic Tradition: The Many Deaths of Attila's Sons in Medieval Germanic Epic,” Jonathan Seelye Martin, Illinois State U
2. “On the Futurity of the Past: Modern Conceptualizations of the Medieval Future,” Landon Reitz, U of Cincinnati
3. “Female Patronage: The Role of Culture Patronage in Representation and Identity,” Brigitta Pesti, U of Vienna
282. Victorian Gaslighting
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the Dickens Society. Presiding: Nora Gilbert, U of North Texas
Speakers: Diana Bellonby, Vanderbilt U; Shalyn Claggett, Mississippi State U; Grace Franklin, U of Southern California; Nora Gilbert; Tara MacDonald, U of Idaho; Doreen Thierauf, North Carolina Wesleyan U; Elizabeth Coggin Womack, Penn State U, Brandywine
The term gaslighting, which has reentered the popular lexicon with a vengeance in recent years, originated in a play that was written in 1938, but its plot is pivotally set in Victorian London. Panelists trace the genealogy of gaslighting back to its Victorian roots, offering and discussing a range of examples of domestic and institutional gaslighting in Victorian culture.
283. Early Modern Connectivities across Eurasia and Afro-Eurasia
1:45–3:00 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
A special session
1. “Language Connects and Divides: Language Ideologies in the Early Modern Persianate World,” Ferenc Csirkes, Sabanci U
2. “A Shared Tradition: Reading Islamic Literary Commentaries in Orientalist Europe,” Paul Babinski, U of Copenhagen
3. “Mrauk U, Arakan: Early Modern Encounter Zone,” Nigel S. Smith, Princeton U
4. “The Flight of Talmir-Alisca: ‘La bohemiana de Trebisonda: O un sequin por cabeza de cristiano’ (1831),” Sandra Garcia Gutierrez, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
284. The Contemporary Translation of Pre-Fourteenth-Century Chinese Classical Texts
1:45–3:00 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Pre-14th-Century Chinese. Presiding: Lucas Klein, Arizona State U, Tempe
1. “Confusing Confucius: Uncovering Transpacific Travels in David Collie's Translation of The Four Books,” Jane Yixun Zhang, U of Cambridge
2. “Burton Watson's Agency in the Translation and Production of Late Poems of Lu You, the Old Man Who Does as He Pleases,” Wei Zeng, U of Alberta
3. “Translating Daoism in Contemporary Translation Theory: A (Post)Anthropocentric Discussion,” Hongyang Ji, U of Alberta
Respondent: Lucas Klein
285. Celebration, Joy, and Sorrow in Medieval Iberia
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval Iberian. Presiding: Matthew J. Bailey, Washington and Lee U
1. “Bitter Gifts: Joyous Terror in Gonzalo de Berceo's Apocalypse,” Robin Bower, Penn State U, Beaver Campus
2. “The Situationist and the Nobleman: Guy Debord, Translator of the Coplas a la muerte de su padre,” Noel Blanco Mourelle, U of Chicago
3. “‘De los sos ojos tan fuertemente llorando’: Weeping in the Cantar de Mio Cid,” Connie L. Scarborough, Texas Tech U
For related material, visit tinyurl.com/2rcwyr4y.
286. Oral History and African American Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Benji de la Piedra, U of the District of Columbia
Speakers: Andrew Davenport, Georgetown U; Paul Devlin, United States Merchant Marine Acad.; Matthew Lambert, Northwestern Oklahoma State U; David Squires, U of Louisiana, Lafayette; Delia Steverson, U of Florida; Benji de la Piedra
Considering the varied intersections of oral history (capaciously conceived) and African American literature, presenters discuss how oral history (the discipline itself and history that is oral) can help facilitate the understanding of texts by William Wells Brown, Charles Chesnutt, Ernest J. Gaines, Manning Marable (on Malcolm X and Alex Haley), and Delores Phillips.
287. Feminist Approaches to Scholarly Editing
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Claudia Stokes, Trinity U
Speakers: Marlowe Daly-Galeano, Lewis-Clark State C; Melissa Homestead, U of Nebraska, Lincoln; Koritha Mitchell, Ohio State U, Columbus; Jennifer L. Putzi, William and Mary; Claudia Stokes; Leila Walker, Queens C, City U of New York
Panelists examine how we might enlist feminism and feminist methodologies in the work of textual criticism and scholarly editing. Scholarly editing remains a deeply conservative field founded by elite white men editing the work of canonical white male writers. How can feminism invite us to reevaluate some of the basic precepts and practices of scholarly editing? How can it accommodate the particular considerations of editing marginalized writers?
288. W. E. B. Du Bois: Joys and Sorrows
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Late-19th- and Early-20th-Century American. Presiding: Elizabeth Duquette, Reed C
1. “The Melancholy of Black Professional Manhood: Looking to Be Included in ‘The Philadelphia Negro,’” Henry Washington, Jr., Wesleyan U
2. “Du Bois, Statistical Thinking, and Irony,” Erik Fredner, U of Virginia
3. “The (Non)Event of Apocalypse: Joys and Sorrows in Du Bois's ‘The Comet,’” Andrew Kaplan, Emory U
Respondent: Autumn Womack, Princeton U
289. Melville, Conrad, and the Concept of Life: Celebration and Sorrow
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the Joseph Conrad Society of America and the Melville Society. Presiding: Mark Deggan, Simon Fraser U
1. “‘There Are Sacred Things in Life’: Typee, An Outcast of the Islands, and Benjamin's ‘Mere Life,’” Jay Parker, Hang Seng U of Hong Kong
2. “A Tale of Two Leaps: Benito Cereno, Lord Jim, and Unreliable Narration in Art and Life,” Justina Torrance, Santa Clara U
3. “‘A Passing Phase of Life’: The Biopolitics of Empathy in Joseph Conrad's Narcissus,” Bassam Sidiki, U of Texas, Austin
Respondent: Christian Haines, Penn State U, University Park
290. Japanese and Brazilian Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Japanese since 1900. Presiding: Charles Exley, U of Pittsburgh
1. “The Backside of the World: Mishima Yukio in New York, Puerto Rico, and Brazil,” Pedro Bassoe, Purdue U, West Lafayette
2. “Memory: Making Public the Cordiality of Ma,” Zelideth M. Rivas, Marshall U
3. “Representations of ‘Blackness’ in Japanese Brazilian Literature: Cross-Racial Solidarity,” Shannon Welch, U of Tokyo
291. The State of Novel Theory
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Prose Fiction. Presiding: Dora Zhang, U of California, Berkeley
Speakers: Katarzyna Bartoszynska, Ithaca C; Marta Figlerowicz, Yale U; Daniel Hack, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Gabriele Lazzari, U of Surrey; Milan Terlunen, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.; Kenneth W. Warren, U of Chicago
Looking from Auerbach, Lukács, Bakhtin, Girard, Barthes, and Genette to recent theorists of the novel in the program era and the digital age, participants ask, What do theories of the novel tell us about history? What difference does medium make?
292. Recycling
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century French. Presiding: Anne O'Neil-Henry, Georgetown U
1. “Paris ‘Must Clean Her House’: Racial Hygiene and the Gennevilliers Plan, 1880–1900,” Lauren Kirk, New York U
2. “Recycling Revolution: Flaubert, Perec, and Literary Interlacement,” Andrew Clark, Brown U
3. “Who Was Karl Marx's Ragpicker?,” Katherine Connelly, New York U
4. “Recycled Souls: Palingenesis, Metempsychosis, and the Future of Humankind in Early-Nineteenth-Century France,” Charlee Bezilla, George Washington U
293. Children's Literature under the Long Shadow of US Imperialism
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Children's and Young Adult Literature. Presiding: Lara Saguisag, New York U
Speakers: Edcel Javier Cintron-Gonzalez, Illinois State U; Marilisa Jiménez García, Simmons U; Gabriela Lee, U of Pittsburgh; Ayantika Mukherjee, U of Alberta
Scholars such as Marilisa Jiménez García and Brian Rouleau have made crucial contributions to children's literature studies by examining children's literature and youth literature through the lens of US imperialism, yet this lens remains underutilized in the field. Participants consider how centering US imperialism can reshape the ways we define, theorize, and historicize children's literature.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/childrens-and-young-adult-literature/ after 15 Dec.
294. Celebrating Disability in Italian Texts from the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-Century Italian. Presiding: Crystal Hall, Bowdoin C
1. “The Stigma of Amputation in Early Modern Italy,” Clorinda Donato, California State U, Long Beach
2. “Fame and Disability: The Case of Giuseppe Parini, ‘il Prete Zoppo,’” Rachel A. Walsh, U of Denver
3. “Engaging with Disability: L'umorismo and the Unlikely Hero in Luigi Pirandello's L'esclusa,” Bradford A. Masoni, independent scholar
295. Trans (Dis)Affections: Writing with Feeling amid Trans Antagonism
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the Conference on College Composition and Communication
Speakers: Cameron Awkward-Rich, U of Massachusetts, Amherst; Vox Jo Hsu, U of Texas, Austin; Ava L.J. Kim, U of California, Davis; Nathan Alexander Moore, U of Colorado, Boulder; GPat Patterson, Kent State U, Tuscarawas
Panelists discuss the messy, conflicted, inchoate feelings of being trans—of struggling toward trans futures in environments (professional and personal; public and private) hostile to trans lives. This space is offered for trans people to be emotionally complex (and ambiguous and conflicted) and to explore what feelings move us toward and away from one another and into futures supportive of trans thriving.
For related material, visit cccc.ncte.org.
296. Supply Chain Theory
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the Society for Critical Exchange. Presiding: Jeffrey R. Di Leo, U of Houston, Victoria
Speakers: Crystal Bartolovich, Syracuse U; Christopher Breu, Illinois State U; Jeffrey R. Di Leo; Nicole J. Simek, Whitman C; Gina Arlene Stinnett, Syracuse U; Harold Aram Veeser, City C, City U of New York
Panelists explore the theoretical, cultural, and professional dimensions of supply chain theory.
297. Death and Devotion in John Donne's Religious Imagination
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the John Donne Society. Presiding: Gregory Kneidel, U of Connecticut, Hartford
1. “Death as a Way of Life in Donne's ‘Holy Sonnets,’” James Kuzner, Brown U
2. “Pressing God by Prayer: Biblical Self-Fashioning in Donne's Devotions upon Emergent Occasions,” Raymond Jean Frontain, U of Central Arkansas
3. “‘Translated into a Better Language’: Donne's Devotions and Understanding God,” Jesse Sharpe, Houghton U
298. Past, Present, and Future: Ways of Reading Ezra Pound's The Cantos
1:45–3:00 p.m., Anthony, Loews
Program arranged by the Ezra Pound Society. Presiding: Demetres Tryphonopoulos, U of Alberta
1. “Criticism by Translation and the Ideogramic Method: Ezra Pound and the Brazilian Concrete Poets,” Odile Cisneros, U of Alberta
2. “Including History: The Grounds of Epic Form from Siena to Santa Lucia,” Leo Dunsker, U of California, Berkeley
3. “Persona, Personae, and the Interpretation of The Cantos,” James Dowthwaite, U Jena
Respondents: Marjorie Gabrielle Perloff, Stanford U; Mark Stephen Byron, U of Sydney
For related material, write to [email protected].
299. Getting Funded in the Humanities: An NEH Workshop
1:45–3:45 p.m., 204B, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development
Speakers: Meaghan Brown, National Endowment for the Humanities; Patrick Fleming, National Endowment for the Humanities
Representatives from the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Division of Education Programs and Division of Research Programs outline current funding opportunities and highlight recent awards. In addition to emphasizing programs that support educational, scholarly research, and digital opportunities, this workshop offers applicants strategies for submitting competitive grant proposals. NEH staff members will also be available for individual meetings throughout the conference.
300. Directing Writing Centers at HBCUs: Why We Do What We Do
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
A special session
Speakers: Jennifer Bagneris, Dillard U; Kerry Brackett, Miles C; Magana Kabugi, Fisk U
Current directors of writing centers at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) share their experiences of how they got started in writing center administration, why they chose to work at HBCUs, and what particular pedagogical approaches they find effective within this unique educational and cultural environment.
301. The Unintended: Photography, Property, and the Aesthetics of Racial Capitalism
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum MS Visual Culture. Presiding: Stephen Best, U of California, Berkeley
Speakers: Julie Stone Peters, Columbia U; Tina Post, U of Chicago; Caleb Smith, Yale U; Simon Stern, U of Toronto; Elisa Tamarkin, U of California, Berkeley; Priscilla B. Wald, Duke U; Laura Wexler, Yale U
Respondent: Monica Huerta, Princeton U
Interlocutors engage Monica Huerta's The Unintended: Photography, Property, and the Aesthetics of Racial Capitalism and what its historical reading practice offers to our collective work.
302. Black South Joy
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Society for the Study of Southern Literature. Presiding: Allison Harris, U of North Carolina, Wilmington
1. “The Ephemeral Langston Hughes: Birmingham Edition,” Laura E. Helton, U of Delaware, Newark; Curtis Small, U of Delaware, Newark
2. “Fleshy Laughter That Evades Linguistic Capture in Toni Morrison's Beloved,” Jolaun Hunter, Princeton U
Respondent: Regina N. Bradley, Kennesaw State U
303. Strategies in Times of Attack: Critical Solidarities
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Profession. Presiding: Jennifer Goodlander, Indiana U, Bloomington
Speakers: Grisel Y. Acosta, Bronx Community C, City U of New York; Stephanie Hsu, Pace U, NY; Sawyer Kemp, Queens C, City U of New York; Grace Lavery, U of California, Berkeley; Vershawn Young, Conference on College Composition and Communication
Panelists respond to anti-trans and misogynist legislation, homophobic book bans, attacks on Black feminist and queer studies, and other issues. What teaching approaches and critical solidarities are proving effective? Speakers offer a variety of strategies for classrooms and beyond. The audience is welcome to bring questions and ideas to the discussion.
304. Mariama Bâ's “Memories of Lagos”
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Francophone and the forum LLC African to 1990. Presiding: Tobias Warner, U of California, Davis
Speakers: Rama Salla Dieng, U of Edinburgh; Tsitsi Jaji, Duke U; Annette Joseph-Gabriel, Duke U; Stéphane Robolin, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Tobias Warner
Panelists respond to an exciting new text by the Senegalese author Mariama Bâ, best known for her foundational novel So Long a Letter. “Memories of Lagos” is a poem that records Bâ's experiences at FESTAC ’77, an important pan-African gathering held in Lagos, Nigeria. This conversation will interest scholars of African, African diasporic, francophone, and Global South literatures as well as postcolonial and decolonial studies and feminist theory.
305. Language Maintenance and Linguistic Diversity in the International Decade of Indigenous Languages
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LSL General Linguistics
1. “Vitality and Revitalization of Indigenous Languages in Algeria,” Ramdane Touati, Aix-Marseille U
2. “Challenges and Opportunities in Revitalizing Older Linguistic Documentation,” Catherine Fountain, Appalachian State U
307. Indigenous Thought in Brazil Today
1:45–3:00 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Tania Martuscelli, U of Colorado, Boulder
1. “Sensing the “Discovery”: The First Contacts According to Pero Vaz de Caminha and Davi Kopenawa,” Francisco Quinteiro Pires, Boston U
2. “Becoming Other to Coinhabit the Earth: Challenges of a Yanomami Shaman to the People of Merchandise,” Janaina Tatim, State U of Campinas
3. “‘Counter Inventory’ of Life: Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe's Yanomami Revisions of Colonial Natural Histories,” Benjamin Hulett, Columbia U
4. “A Decolonial Look on the Oppressions Narrated by an Amazonian Shaman,” Ivo Cruz, U of Georgia
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/luso-brazilian/.
308. The Macaronic as a Serious Parody
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum CLCS European Regions. Presiding: Bernardo Piciche, Virginia Commonwealth U
1. “Folengo and Rabelais; or, The Pumpkin in Pantagruel's Education,” Anthony Russell, U of Richmond
2. “Revealing Malapropisms in Ruzante and Shakespeare,” Linda L. Carroll, Tulane U
3. “Folengo and Renaissance Italian Counterculture,” Bernardo Piciche
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Dec.
Friday, 5 January 3:30 p.m.
309. Social Realism, Gender Variance, and the Revolt from the Village in Halldór Laxness
3:30–4:45 p.m., 410, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Jenna Sciuto, Massachusetts C of Liberal Arts
1. “Revolt from Villages across the Atlantic Ocean: Salka Valka and US Literature,” Haukur Ingvarsson, U of Iceland
2. “Liminality, Nonconformity, and Disidentification in Halldór Laxness and Carson McCullers,” Jenna Sciuto
3. “Utopian Desire, Utopian Envy,” Xinyu H. Zhang, Cornell U
310. Lectura Boccaccii, Day Ten
3:30–4:45 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Boccaccio Association. Presiding: Kristina Marie Olson, George Mason U
1. “Decameron X.1,” Daniel Armenti, C of the Holy Cross
2. “Decameron X.5,” Massimo Riva, Brown U
311. Discussion Group for Graduate Students: Working at a Teaching-Intensive Institution
3:30–4:45 p.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Mai Hunt, MLA
In this discussion group, graduate students learn about seeking careers at teaching-intensive institutions, including liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and regional comprehensive universities. Topics include thinking about diverse student bodies and their needs and differences in departmental composition and institutional structures.
312. Pathways: Recruitment, Retention, and Career Readiness for Students in Language, Literature, and Culture
3:30–4:45 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Programs. Presiding: Jason Rhody, MLA
Speaker: Jason Rhody
This session is dedicated to the MLA's Mellon-funded Pathways program and brings together faculty and staff members and program leaders doing exemplary work in recruitment, retention, and career readiness in languages and literature. Participants share their models and give attendees information about MLA Pathways resources, including the Pathways tool kit and grant-making program.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yDDG81_LE7KCfaeEvl8GszkiuIVcFTXw?usp=sharing after 3 Jan.
313. Literature and Phronesis
3:30–4:45 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Monika Kaup, U of Washington, Seattle
1. “Interpretation as Practical Wisdom,” Paul Kottman, New School
2. “A Seat at the Table: Literary Studies and Environmental Praxis in the Anthropocene Discourse,” Vasilije Ivanovic, Penn State U, University Park
3. “Phronesis as Alternative Postcritical Reading,” Monika Kaup
314. The Nature(s) of Love in the Mexican Cultural Landscape: Counterhegemonic Possibilities and Practices
3:30–4:45 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Mexican
1. “We Made Love Illegally: Love, Incest, and World Making in Fernando del Paso's Palinuro de México,” Alfredo Walls, Johns Hopkins U, MD
2. “Ecologies of Care within Sites of Disaster in Sylvia Aguilar Zéleny's Trash,” Diana Aldrete, Trinity C, CT
3. “Screening Comunalidad: Tequio, Kinship, and Mutual Care in Ángeles Cruz's Nudo Mixteco,” Osiris Aníbal Gomez Velazquez, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
4. “Restorative Criticism and Feminist Vulnerability,” Francesca Dennstedt, Southern Illinois U, Carbondale
315. After the Great Divide: Rituals of Kinship-Making in the Hispanosphere
3:30–4:45 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Arturo Ruiz-Mautino, Cornell U
1. “The Revenge of the Condor: Ventura García Calderón’s Imperial Gothic,” Mariangela Ugarelli, Johns Hopkins U, MD
2. “Poseidon and Amphitrite Are Back: Rethinking History through Nature and Ritual in La Gorgona Island,” Carmen Araujo, U of California, Santa Barbara
3. “Taxonomies of the End: Genealogy and Extinction in Mayra Montero's Tú, la oscuridad (1995),” Arturo Ruiz-Mautino
4. “Posthumanist Reimaginings of Colonialism in Pola Oloixarac's Las constelaciones oscuras,” Alvaro Jasaui Chero, Cornell U
316. The Joys and Sorrows of Postcolonial Translation
3:30–4:45 p.m., 307, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Hans-Georg Erney, Georgia Southern U
1. “The Linguistic Labor of Spanglish, Portuñol, and Judeo-Spanish Literature,” Remy Attig, Bowling Green State U
2. “On Pure Language; or, Those Who Misspeke It: Translating Gilbert Gratiant's Fab’ Compè Zicaque,” Tyler Grand Pre, Columbia U
3. “Rejection and Subversion in Mumbai's Gully Rap,” Akshara Dafre, Texas A&M U, College Station
317. Pan-European Romanticism
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
Program arranged by the Wordsworth-Coleridge Association. Presiding: Erica McAlpine, U of Oxford, St Edmund Hall
1. “Epigraphs in Byron and Pushkin's Eugene Onegin,” Jonathan Gross, DePaul U
2. “Temporality and Revelation in K. H. Mácha and the English Romantics,” Martin Procházka, Charles U, Prague
3. “Byron and Sand: Constructing an Image of the Nineteenth-Century Travel Writer,” Andra Bailard, U of Texas, Austin
4. “Print Culture and the Rise of Global Celebrity,” Omar F. Miranda, U of San Francisco
318. Engendering Bodies in Early Modern China
3:30–4:45 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Ming and Qing Chinese. Presiding: Guojun Wang, Vanderbilt U
Speakers: Jeehee Hong, McGill U; Guojun Wang; Yunjing Xu, Bucknell U; Paola Zamperini, Northwestern U
Respondent: S.E. Kile, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
In early modern China, the gendered human body not only occupied a central position in the imagination of art and literature but also served as a foundation for legal and religious practices. Speakers explore various types of engendered bodies—the anonymous female body in art history, body and food in erotic literature, the living and dead bodies in forensic investigation, and the female body in Chinese Catholic texts.
319. Adapting Middle English Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Middle English. Presiding: Usha Vishnuvajjala, State U of New York, New Paltz
Speakers: Catherine S. Cox, U of Pittsburgh; Derrick Higginbotham, U of Hawai‘i, Mānoa; Miriamne Ara Krummel, U of Dayton; Carl G. Martin, Norwich U; Larry Scanlon, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Randy P. Schiff, U at Buffalo, State U of New York; Samantha Katz Seal, U of New Hampshire, Durham
Participants consider twentieth- and twenty-first-century adaptations of Middle English literature by novelists (e.g., Franklin, Reznikoff) and filmmakers (e.g., Lee, Lowery, Pasolini) who produce new afterlives for medieval culture, generating intellectual commentary with contemporary media that recenters and valorizes marginalized groups. Such adaptations reflect on the interplay of critical methodologies and creative commentary in studying the past.
320. Reconceptualizing Inclusivity in Collegiate Language Education: Frameworks and Strategies
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LSL Applied Linguistics. Presiding: Heather Willis Allen, U of Wisconsin, Madison
1. “ Starting from Scratch: Redesigning Language Classes with Equity and Inclusivity at the Fore,” Mandy Menke, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
2. “First Encounters: When Institutional Expectations and Students’ Multilingual Practices Don't Align,” Mariana Bono, Princeton U; Amina B. Shabani, Princeton U
321. Splendid Difficulty: Teaching Conrad
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the Joseph Conrad Society of America. Presiding: Debra Romanick Baldwin, U of Dallas
1. “Not Difficult, Opaque,” Robert Volpicelli, Randolph-Macon C
2. “Why Teach Conrad Today, and What Works?,” Jana Maria Giles, U of Louisiana, Monroe
3. “Teaching Under Western Eyes with Crime and Punishment and Wright's The Outsider: Horror and Redemption,” Shoshana Milgram Knapp, Virginia Tech
4. “Teaching Conrad and the Visibility of Race in the Media-Thinking Classroom,” Rodrigo Martini, U of Georgia
322. Thoreauvian Affects / Affective Thoreau
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Thoreau Society. Presiding: Kathleen Coyne Kelly, Northeastern U
1. “The Feeling of Freedom,” Howard Horwitz, U of Utah
2. “Thoreau, Ableism, and Neurodivergent Expression,” Kristen Case, U of Maine, Farmington; James S. Finley, Texas A&M U, San Antonio
3. “Feeling Thoreau's Radicle Empiricism,” Thomas Howard, Washington U in St. Louis
For related material, write to [email protected].
323. Gender and Sexuality in Speculative Fiction
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum GS Speculative Fiction. Presiding: Hua Li, Montana State U, Bozeman
Speakers: Stacey Baran, U of California, Davis; Alexandra Brown, Skidmore C; Dasom Han, U of Hawai‘i, Mānoa; Rania Huntington, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Arianna James, U of Pennsylvania; Tegan Zimmerman, St. Mary's U, NS
Panelists explore how speculative fiction engages questions of gender and sexuality, focusing on marginalized subjects, histories, and transnational contexts that defamiliarize Anglo-American perspectives.
324. Celebrating First Books in Indigenous Studies
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Indigenous Literatures of the United States and Canada. Presiding: Hannah Manshel, U of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa
Speakers: Hiʻilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani Hobart, Yale U; Isabella Huberman, U of Toronto; Cristina Stanciu, Virginia Commonwealth U; Taté Walker, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota; Kathryn Walkiewicz, U of California, San Diego
Panelists celebrate first books released in Indigenous literary and cultural studies in 2022–23. Contemporary publications in Indigenous studies are an essential element for literary and cultural scholars across the humanities disciplines. This panel serves to highlight key voices in the diverse and ever-expanding discourse of Indigenous writers.
325. Teaching Digital Humanities (DH) in Community Colleges
3:30–4:45 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Digital Humanities. Presiding: Danica Savonick, State U of New York, Cortland
1. “Flexible Ecologies of DH at Community Colleges,” Anne McGrail, Lane Community C, OR
2. “Initiating a DH Course at a Community College,” Jewon Woo, Lorain County Community C, OH
3. “Analog Places and Digital Spaces: Doing DH in Silicon Valley,” Amber LaPiana, Foothill C, CA
4. “Toward an Estuarial Pedagogy of Digital Humanities,” Jack Norton, Normandale Community C, MN
326. Joy, Sorrow, Passions in the French Renaissance
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th-Century French. Presiding: Corinne Noirot, Virginia Tech
1. “Sentimental Journey: From Richard de Fournival to Hélisenne de Crenne's Angoysses douloureuses,” Dorothea Heitsch, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2. “‘A Serious and Severe Thing’: Joyful Resistance in Marguerite de Navarre's Heptaméron (1558),” Rupinder Kaur, U of California, Berkeley
3. “‘Purge ceci’: Simon Goulart's Sonets Chrestiens and the Rewriting of Ronsard as Spiritual Song,” Joseph Gauvreau, Harvard U
4. “Seeing, Laughing, and Weeping: Linear and Philosophical Perspective in Montaigne's ‘De Democritus et Heraclitus,’” Alexander Brock, Princeton U
327. Critics Who Write
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC History and Literature. Presiding: Kinohi Nishikawa, Princeton U
1. “The Peculiarities of E. P. Thompson's Verse,” Alexander Millen, Haverford C
2. “African Writer-Critics and Twentieth-Century Postcoloniality,” Anne W. Gulick, U of South Carolina, Columbia
3. “The Timing Is Not Off at All: ‘Fitting’ Sianne Ngai's Poetry and Criticism,” S. Brook Corfman, U of Pittsburgh
4. “Meta-Chaudhuri,” Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan, Rice U
Respondent: Jeffrey J. Williams, Carnegie Mellon U
328. Excess
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century French. Presiding: Celine Brossillon, Ursinus C
1. “‘Condemnable Excesses’: The Sexual Epistemologies of July Monarchy France,” Ty Blakeney, Northwestern U
2. “Feminism and Excess Skin: Suzanne Noël's Joint Areas of Expertise,” Ana Oancea, U of Delaware, Newark
3. “Figuring Excess: Artistic and Literary Representations of the Fin de Siècle Carnivalesque,” Hannah Rose Blakeley, Princeton U
4. “The Superlative and the Secondary: Women in Excess in Marie d'Agoult's Nélida,” Anne Marcoline, U of Houston, Clear Lake
329. AI Poetics across Languages and Cultures
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session
1. “Is Literature Bullshit? Is AI Bullshit Literature?,” Andrea Capra, Princeton U
2. “#GrahPoem: Analytical-Creative AI for Minority Languages and Community-Involving Performance,” Chris Tanasescu, Open U of Catalonia; Raluca Tanasescu, U of Galway
3. “What Does It Matter Who Is Speaking? AI and the Poet's Voice,” Foteini Dimirouli, U of Oxford, Keble C
4. “AI Poetics across Languages and Cultures,” Timmy Straw, U of Pennsylvania
For related material, write to [email protected] after 31 Dec.
330. Feelings for Our Languages
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LSL Language and Society
Speakers: Musab Abdul Salam, U of Oregon; Azza Ben Youssef, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Laurens Boomsma, Princeton U; A. Suresh Canagarajah, Penn State U, University Park; Lila Fabro, Johns Hopkins U, MD; Carolina Gonzalez, Florida State U; Shakil Rabbi, Virginia Tech
Respondent: Elsie Day, Florida State U
Languages are primary sites of emotional and ideological development. In an interdisciplinary conversation that celebrates and critically examines languages in terms of their emotional ties and values, panelists engage translingual literatures, discourses, and writing through the fields of comparative literature and rhetoric and writing studies.
331. Surveying PhD Programs in Comparative Literature for the ACLA's State of the Discipline Report
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand A, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association of Departments and Programs of Comparative Literature. Presiding: Luis Fernando Restrepo, U of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Speakers: Michael Allan, U of Oregon; Karen Emmerich, Princeton U; Harris Feinsod, Northwestern U; Eric Hayot, Penn State U, University Park; Andrew C. Parker, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Yopie Prins, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Sheera Talpaz, Oberlin C
Participants discuss a nationwide survey of PhD programs (conducted by the ADPCL for the American Comparative Literature Association's 2024 State of the Discipline Report), walking attendees through the questions and preliminary results, reflecting on trends, and soliciting feedback from attendees about current conditions and future prospects for doctoral studies in comparative literature.
332. Ungrading as Liberatory Practice
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum HEP Teaching as a Profession. Presiding: Atia Sattar, U of Southern California
1. “Ungrading in EN 101: Antiracist Change at the Programmatic Level,” Rachel Collins, Arcadia U; Willow DiPasquale, Arcadia U
2. “Alternative Assessment Practices and Supporting Graduate Teaching Assistants,” Janice McGregor, U of Arizona, Tucson
3. “Ungrading, Open Pedagogy, and Education Justice,” Jennie Snow, Fitchburg State U
4. “How to Queer Grading,” Atia Sattar
333. Articulating Desire and (Dis)Taste: The Relations of Pleasure and Struggle in Contemporary Food Culture
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
A special session
1. “Discovering, Desiring, Devouring the Other: The Outsider Storyteller and Ethnographic Cookbooks,” Rebecca Mazumdar, New York City C of Tech., City U of New York
2. “Queering the Family Meal: Culinary Otherness in the Televisual Narratives of Pose and Schitt's Creek,” Edward Chamberlain, U of Washington, Tacoma
3. “Sampling the Ambient: Playing with Taste in Poetics,” Bethany Swann, U of Pennsylvania
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Nov.
334. The Aesthetics of Accessibility: Deaf Gain, Crip Aesthetic, and Narrative
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Disability Issues in the Profession. Presiding: E. Nicole Meyer, Augusta U
1. “Deaf Gain and Visuality in the Profession,” Jennifer Nelson, Gallaudet U
2. “Superstar's Crip Aesthetic: Anorexia, Barbie, the Bodymind, and Karen Carpenter,” Danielle Nelson, U of Wisconsin, Madison
3. “Cripping Readers: Jenny Boully's The Body: An Essay,” Joanna Falk, George Washington U
For related material, write to [email protected] after 25 Dec.
335. Outrageous Pleasures
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Restoration and Early-18th-Century English. Presiding: Wendy Anne Lee, New York U
1. “Reliquary Pleasures and Petrarchan Perversions,” Alani Hicks-Bartlett, Brown U
2. “The Eighteenth Century's Kink Shame,” Jeremy Chow, Bucknell U
3. “Secret, Partial, Tangible, True,” Abigail S. Zitin, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
4. “The Horse and the Moment,” Grace Lavery, U of California, Berkeley
Respondent: Simon Gikandi, Princeton U
336. Tourism and Spaces of Resistance in Spain after 2008
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Spanish and Iberian. Presiding: Monica Lopez Lerma, Reed C
Speakers: Eugenia Afinoguenova, Marquette U; Marina Bettaglio, U of Victoria; Anna Casas Aguilar, U of British Columbia, Vancouver; Guillem Colom-Montero, U of Glasgow; Bob Davidson, U of Toronto; William Nichols, Georgia State U
Participants examine various forms of cultural production and expression in Spain in the wake of the 2008 global financial meltdown—whether imbued with despair and sorrow or triumphalism and pride—and how they contribute to a dismantling of the rhetoric of tourism propaganda in Spain and, in many cases, offer a space for resistance.
337. Politics of Celebration in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Spanish and Iberian Performance
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand L, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th- and 19th-Century Spanish and Iberian. Presiding: Yvonne Fuentes, U of West Georgia
1. “‘¡Vaya fandango!’: Dance on Stage and Social Mobility in Los menestrales (1784),” Oscar Ruiz Hernandez, U of Massachusetts, Lowell
2. “Celebrating Godoy: María Rosa Gálvez's ‘La campaña de Portugal: Oda al Excmo. Señor Príncipe de la Paz,’” Elizabeth Franklin Lewis, U of Mary Washington
3. “World's Fairs and Colonial Performance in the Journalistic Writings of Benito Pérez Galdós,” Olga Guadalupe, U of Pennsylvania
4. “Celebrations of Female Performance: Poets and Dancers in Spain's Fin de Siècle,” Margot A. Versteeg, U of Kansas
338. Staging the Medium: Agency, Materiality, Techniques
3:30–4:45 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Christian Struck, Harvard U
1. “The Distracted Text: Automatism, Attention, and Vision in Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons,” Colin Vanderburg, New York U
2. “Politics between Covers: The Materiality of German Interwar Photobooks,” Verena Kick, Georgetown U
3. “Literary Geomorphology in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian,” Stefanie Heine, U of Copenhagen
339. Recurating Modernism
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington A, Loews
A special session
1. “Gertrude Stein on Display,” Gabrielle Dean, Johns Hopkins U, MD
2. “Surrogate Recuration: The Modernist Journals Project, Network Resurrection, and Machine Learning,” Jeffrey Drouin, U of Tulsa
3. “Finding Schomburg's Library,” Laura E. Helton, U of Delaware, Newark
340. Theorizing the “Laughcry” in Asian American Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Asian American. Presiding: Jinah Kim, California State U, Northridge
1. “Cringe Aesthetics and Other Asian American Reckonings,” Christine Mok, U of Rhode Island
2. “Culinary Irony: The Tragicomic Asian American Cookbook,” Timothy K. August, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
3. “Playing with the Archives in Gina Apostol's Insurrecto,” Kathleen Escarcha, U of Washington, Seattle
4. “Trans Narratives and Happy Endings: “Laughcrying” with Bishakh Som's Spellbound,” Caroline Kyungah Hong, Queens C, City U of New York
Respondent: Chris A. Eng, Washington U in St. Louis
341. Anthropology and Literature Now—the End of Anthropology?
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Anthropology and Literature. Presiding: Robert Gunn, U of Texas, El Paso
Speakers: Ruth Behar, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Alex Benson, Bard C; Anke Birkenmaier, Indiana U, Bloomington; Brad Evans, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Ato Quayson, Stanford U; Sarah Quesada, Duke U; Sonali Thakkar, New York U
Participants discuss how they have approached anthropology in their research and seek to assess the genealogy and timeliness of the disciplinary confluence between literary studies and anthropology. Topics of interventions include history of slavery, empire, fieldwork, archives, oral and written culture; forensic anthropology and anthropology's engagement with antiracism; the posthuman turn; and sonic and indexical features in ethnography and poetry.
342. Reading Warren and Brandeis's “The Right to Privacy” across Law and Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Law and the Humanities. Presiding: Simon Stern, U of Toronto; Nicole Mansfield Wright, U of Colorado, Boulder
Speakers: Anita Allen, U of Pennsylvania; Christine L. Holbo, Arizona State U, Tempe; Monica Huerta, Princeton U; Sarah Igo, Vanderbilt U; Robert Edward Spoo, U of Tulsa; Mary Ziegler, U of California, Davis
Regarded as the first American law review article to argue for a right “to be left alone,” Louis Brandeis and Samuel Warren's foundational “The Right to Privacy” (1890) is ever more relevant. Participants present five-minute “flash talk” interpretations of the text and the concept of privacy in narrative, philosophical, literary, legal, and historical frameworks.
343. Feast and Famine in Fairy Tales and Folklore
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum GS Folklore, Myth, and Fairy Tale. Presiding: María Herrera-Sobek, U of California, Santa Barbara
1. “Food Lore: Narratives of the Kitchen in Chicana Fiction,” Melina Vizcaino-Alemán, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
2. “Finding Joy in the Feast: Table Manners in Disney's Snow White and Joselito's El pequeño coronel,” Lucia Filipova, Princeton U
3. “‘It's Like Eating a Cloud’: Food, Folklore, and Togetherness in Townsend Warner's Kingdoms of Elfin,” Kayla Penteliuk, McGill U
4. “To Eat Is to Be Eaten: (Self-)Consumption in Contemporary Women's Fables,” Claire Barwise, U of Washington, Seattle
344. Modalities of Text and Editing
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the Association for Documentary Editing. Presiding: Nikolaus Wasmoen, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
1. “Crowdsourcing Diary Transcription for a Fin de Siècle LGBTQ Poet,” Carolyn M. Dever, Dartmouth C; Peter M. Logan, Temple U, Philadelphia
2. “Digitally Unpacking Musical Treasures from Archduke Rudolph's Musikalien Register,” Stephen Husarik, U of Arkansas, Fort Smith
3. “Collaborative Textual Editing: The Catharine Maria Sedgwick Online Letters Project,” Lucinda Damon-Bach, Salem State U; Deborah Gussman, Stockton U; Patricia Kalayjian, California State U, Dominguez Hills; Catherine Tunney, Salem State U
4. “Digital Editing as a Pedagogy of Tolerance and Empathy,” Clayton McCarl, U of North Florida
345. Cli-Fi and Class: Socioeconomic Justice and Contemporary Climate Fiction
3:30–4:45 p.m., Anthony, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Jason Molesky, Harvard U; Debby Rosenthal, John Carroll U
Speakers: Jeffrey Brown, St. Joseph's U; Jessica Cory, Appalachian State U; Teresa Alice Goddu, Vanderbilt U; Lisa Ottum, Xavier U, OH; Ben Jamieson Stanley, U of Delaware, Newark
Climate fiction often surfaces issues of class politics. This session is based on the collection of essays Cli-Fi and Class: Socioeconomic Justice in Contemporary American Climate Fiction, which investigates literary engagement with the overlap between planetary heating and class politics. Panelists focus on strategies for teaching socioeconomic justice in climate-change narratives.
For related material, visit www.upress.virginia.edu/title/5632/.
Friday, 5 January 4:30 p.m.
346. Finding Your Roots as Public Humanities
4:30–6:00 p.m., Liberty, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Office of the Executive Director. Presiding: Frieda Ekotto, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speaker: Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard U
Friday, 5 January 5:15 p.m.
347. D. H. Lawrence and Affect, Emotions, and Feelings
5:15–6:30 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the D. H. Lawrence Society of North America. Presiding: Ronald Granofsky, McMaster U
1. “Against Happiness: Sensuality, Self, and the Social Good in D. H. Lawrence's Women in Love,” Tonya Krouse, Northern Kentucky U
2. “Bloodily Affective Reactions to Visual Art in the Novels of D. H. Lawrence: A Racialized ‘Truth,’” Sophie Rickless, U of California, Los Angeles
3. “‘This Strange, Sharp Innoculation’: Love and Emotion in Women in Love and ‘Eloi, Eloi Lama Sabachthani,’” Frances Rowbottom, U of Edinburgh
348. The Archival Turn in Recent Responses to AIDS
5:15–6:30 p.m., Anthony, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Sally Connolly, U of Houston
1. “‘Don't Forget. Say Their Names’: HIV-AIDS in Appalachian Fiction, 1993–2020,” Allison E. Carey, Marshall U
2. “AIDS, Drug Use, and Relational Theories of Life in the I'm Still Surviving Project,” Alex O'Connell, Syracuse U
3. “Fabulous Ancestry: Matthew Lopez's ‘The Inheritance,’” Matt Bell, Bridgewater State U
For related material, visit aidsarchive.hcommons.org.
349. Old Norse Studies and the Global Middle Ages
5:15–6:30 p.m., 406, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Old Norse. Presiding: Kate Heslop, U of California, Berkeley
1. “Following the Transcontinental Journeys of the Norsemen from America to Asia,” Ines Garcia Lopez, U Rovira i Virgili
2. “Indigenous Knowledge as Global Knowledge in Vatnsdœla saga,” Robin Waugh, Wilfrid Laurier U
3. “Reframing First Contact: Creating a Dialogue between Old Norse Sagas and Greenlandic Oral Tradition,” Timothy Bourns, University C London
350. Metafiction and Metanarrative in Modern Greek Literature and Beyond
5:15–6:30 p.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the Modern Greek Studies Association. Presiding: Lissi Athanasiou-Krikelis, New York Inst. of Tech., New York
1. “Metafiction at the Margins of Greek Literature: Blurring the Boundaries between Fiction and Reality,” Christina Banalopoulou, Kadir Has U
2. “Modern Greek Life Writing as a Political Act,” Eirini Kotsovili, Simon Fraser U
3. “Memory and Persistence: Historiographic Metafiction in Contemporary Greek Novels,” Gerasimus M. Katsan, Queens C, City U of New York
4. “Autofiction in Greek Literature: Postfeminism and Writing the Life of the Artist,” Lissi Athanasiou-Krikelis
351. New Media and Celtic-Language Communities
5:15–6:30 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Celtic. Presiding: Hannah Zdansky, Belmont Abbey C
1. “Global Gaeilge: A Multimodal Analysis of Irish Language Music Videos and Their Inspiration on Speakers of Other Languages,” Michael Jacob, Northshore
2. “ARBRES: An NLP Databank Resource That Reads Like a Grammar Written for Humans,” Mélanie Jouitteau, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
352. Discussion Group on Rage, Grief, Acceptance, Hope: Processing and Planning Change in the English Department
5:15–6:30 p.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Brian Douglas Ballentine, West Virginia U, Morgantown; Genelle Gertz, Washington and Lee U
This discussion group focuses on challenges and opportunities presented by change in the English department. Participants share practical strategies for facilitating change as well as navigating complex dynamics engendered by calls for change. How might departments face the need for or possibility of transformation while maintaining a shared sense of what matters, and how might such a balance help shift the dominant narrative about the state of the English major?
353. Increasing the Discoverability of Digital Humanities Projects
5:15–6:30 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the Advisory Committee on the MLA International Bibliography. Presiding: Mary Onorato, MLA International Bibliography
Speakers: Mark Algee-Hewitt, Stanford U; Anthony Cuda, U of North Carolina, Greensboro; Erik Fredner, U of Virginia; Jojo Karlin, New York U Libraries; Farrah Lehman Den, MLA International Bibliography ; Robin Miller, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Wendy Queen, Project MUSE
Unlike more traditional forms of scholarly publication, digital humanities projects still lack a robust and reliable discoverability mechanism. Participants explore the challenges of making DH projects more visible to their intended audiences and share related ideas, best practices, success stories, and cautionary tales.
354. Literary Theory on Acid: Thinking with the Psychedelic Renaissance
5:15–6:30 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session
1. “‘A Deceit in the Service of Truth’: Formal Invention and Psychedelic Affect in César Calvo’s ‘Ino Mixo,’” Neşe Devenot, U of Cincinnati
2. “Fungal Belonging: Cultivating a Psychedelic Ethics through Indigenous Knowledges,” Lana Cook, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
3. “Webbed Attachments: Psychedelic Lessons from the Multiverse,” Ramzi Fawaz, U of Wisconsin, Madison
Respondent: Kevis Goodman, U of California, Berkeley
355. (Un)Teaching Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca
5:15–6:30 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Colonial Latin American. Presiding: Carlos A. Jauregui, U of Notre Dame
Speakers: Rolena Adorno, Yale U; Lázaro Lima, Hunter C, City U of New York; Kathryn J. McKnight, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Luis Fernando Restrepo, U of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Paola Uparela, U of Florida
Panelists discuss the forthcoming MLA volume Approaches to Teaching Cabeza de Vaca's Account and Other Works.
356. Infrastructure Studies in Nineteenth-Century Latin America
5:15–6:30 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century Latin American. Presiding: Mayra Bottaro, U of Oregon
1. “A Seaport in the Andes: Abraham Valdelomar's La ciudad de los tísicos,” Valeria Seminario, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Telegraphic Poetics as Infrastructure,” Mayra Bottaro
3. “Robust Plans for Soft Infrastructure: Institutional Design in Bolívar, Rodríguez, and Bello,” Emmanuel Velayos Larrabure, Hostos Community C, City U of New York
4. “The Mobility Dream in Late-Nineteenth-Century Guatemala,” Margarita Hernandez de Polaczyk, U of Tennessee, Knoxville; Pawel Polaczyk, Tennessee Dept. of Transportation
357. Translating the Romance Epic
5:15–6:30 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the Société Rencesvals, American-Canadian Branch. Presiding: Leslie Zarker Morgan, Loyola U, MD
1. “Romanticism and El Cid: The Translations of George Ticknor and Robert Southey,” Matthew J. Bailey, Washington and Lee U
2. “The Translator's Dilemma: Two Examples in the Franco-Italian Huon d'Auvergne,” Shira Schwam-Baird, U of North Florida
3. “Love by Any Other Name,” Jason D. Jacobs, Roger Williams U
358. Reconsidering Rituals: Memories, Histories, Embodiments
5:15–6:30 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Literatures of the United States in Languages Other Than English. Presiding: Rebeca Hey-Colon, Temple U, Philadelphia
1. “Los elementos hablan: Ritual of Remembering in a Trilingual Children's Picture Book Series,” Christina Garcia Lopez, U of San Francisco
2. “Cultivating Care for Others in Uncertain Times,” Chloe Huh Prudente, Temple U, Philadelphia
3. “Transnational Community through Void in Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's Dictee,” Yuni Kim, U of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
4. “Santa Salsa: The Art (and Practice) of Sacrilege,” Irina Troconis, Cornell U
359. Modernity with Chinese Characteristics: Memories and Identities in Chinese Literature and Culture
5:15–6:30 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Yun-Chu Tsai, The Citadel
1. “Literati Identity Crisis in Early Modern China: Jin Ping Mei and Sixteenth-Century Commercial Society,” Zhenxing Zhao, Singapore U of Tech. and Design
2. “Allegories with Nonallegorical Characteristics: Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster,” Andrew Emerson, Penn State U, University Park
3. “The Paradoxes of Cannibalism: Eradicating Enemies from 1949, 1989, to Today,” Yun-Chu Tsai
4. “Prophetic Memories, Disrupted Identities, and Can Xue's Dialectical Critique of Modernity,” Yun Zhu, Temple U, Philadelphia
360. The Twentieth-Century Catholic Writer and Secular Culture
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand A, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Joel T. Nickels, U of Miami
1. “Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy, Dante, and the Hell of Modernity,” Angela Alaimo O'Donnell, Fordham U
2. “Modern Poetry, the Secular Psyche, and Catholic Depth Psychology,” Joel T. Nickels
3. “Second Spring? Michel Houllebecq, Exhaustion, and the Catholic Imagination,” Michael Murphy, Loyola U, Chicago
361. Hawthorne and Space: Ecological, Geographic, Historical, Domestic, Formal
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Nathaniel Hawthorne Society. Presiding: Charles Eaton Baraw, Southern Connecticut State U
1. “Domestic Ecologies and the Art of Short Fiction: Hawthorne's and Melville's Manse and Mosses,” Michael Jonik, U of Sussex
2. “‘Freshly Green, Instead of Scarlet’: Hawthorne's Seaside Aesthetics,” Sari Edelstein, U of Massachusetts, Boston
3. “Clouds, Soil, and Map: Real-and-Imagined Spaces of Hawthorne's Literary Cartography,” Robert Tally, Texas State U
362. Evolutions in Caribbean State Formation
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Caribbean. Presiding: Jossianna Arroyo, U of Texas, Austin
1. “Building a Revolutionary Canon: Baron de Vastey on the Haitian Civil War,” Andrew Young, U of Toronto
2. “Feminist Debt Poetics in Puerto Rico,” Zorimar Rivera Montes, Washington U in St. Louis
3. “Documenting a ‘Nation on the Move’ in Frank Espada's Puerto Rican Diaspora Project,” Yomaira Figueroa, Hunter C, City U of New York
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/clcs-caribbean/.
363. Dressing the Part: Fashion in Atwood's Works and Adaptations
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the Margaret Atwood Society. Presiding: Lee Frew, York U
1. “Fashion as System: Semantic Weaving and Identity Layering in Margaret Atwood's Lady Oracle,” Pauline Montassine, U of Reims Champagne-Ardenne
2. “Masquerade and Environmentalist Ethics in The Year of the Flood,” John David Schwetman, U of Minnesota, Duluth
3. “‘[C]lothed in Words’: Fashion and Atwood's Poetry,” Lauren Rule Maxwell, The Citadel
364. “Goblin Market” Revisited
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Victorian and Early-20th-Century English. Presiding: Kristin Mahoney, Michigan State U
1. “‘Goblin Market’ and Postmutiny Poetic Language,” Ronjaunee Chatterjee, Queen's U
2. “Presaging the New Woman's Regulated Sexuality in ‘Goblin Market,’” Riya Das, Prairie View A&M U
3. “‘Goblin Market’ as Queer Fairy Tale,” Colton Valentine, Yale U
4. “Solarpoetics and the Metabolic Muchness of Christina Rossetti's ‘Goblin Market,’” Elizabeth Giardina, U of California, Davis
365. Tomorrow's Joy: Death, Hope, and Futurity in Latinx Children's and Young Adult Fiction
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Latina and Latino. Presiding: Alberto Varon, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “Hegemonic Imagined Citizenships in YA Speculative Fiction,” Renee Hudson, Chapman U
2. “On Closets and Other Planets in Cristy C. Road's Spit and Passion,” Maite Urcaregui, San José State U
3. “Necropolitics Narrated: Death, Deportation, and Power in the Latinx YA Novel Sanctuary,” Vanessa de Veritch Woodside, U of Washington, Tacoma
4. “From Paratexts and Contexts, to Languages and Generations: Bilingual Mexican American Literature,” Anna Maria Nogar, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
366. Gothic Now: Updates, Revisions, Adaptations, and Mash-Ups
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Leah Richards, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York
Speakers: Kassie Baron, U of Iowa; Suleyman Bolukbas, Penn State U, University Park; Catherine Champney, U of Delaware, Newark; Kaitlyn Lindgren-Hansen, U of Iowa; Calvin Olsen, North Carolina State U; Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Central Michigan U
How do we reshape older Gothic texts to suit contemporary needs and desires? Panelists focus on contemporary (re)imaginings—written, on-screen, and interactive installation—of gothic works to explore misogyny, reproductive rights, sexuality, and the fears and promises of technology.
367. African Religion in Lusophone Black Literature
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Luso-Brazilian and the American Portuguese Studies Association. Presiding: Felipe Fanuel Xavier Rodrigues, U do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
1. “Laroiê: Paixões Crioulas and the Political Valence of Exu,” Fernando Rocha, Middlebury C
2. “Literacy and the ‘Epistemology of the Macumbas’ in O crime do Cais do Valongo, by Eliana Alves Cruz,” Nilzimar Vieira, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
3. “As Lendas de Dandara: An Afro-Brazilian Tragic Hero for Teens,” Maggie Felisberto, Valdosta State U
4. “Invoking Eshu in Afro-Brazilian Poetry: Oriki as Interpretive Intertext,” Ayodeji Olugbuyiro, Ohio State U, Columbus
For related material, visit afrolusophone.mla.hcommons.org.
368. Joy and Sorrow in Dante
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the Dante Society of America and the American Association for Italian Studies. Presiding: Elizabeth Coggeshall, Florida State U
1. “Dante's Ecoaffects,” Heather Webb, U of Cambridge, Selwyn C
2. “The (Un)Familiar Affects: Bridging the Affective Gaps in Dante's Comedy,” Aisté Kiltinavičiūtė, Vilnius U
3. “The Marvelous in Dante's Comedy,” James Kriesel, Villanova U
4. “Statius's Cataclysmic Joy: Passions of the Soul and Affects of the Will in Dante,” Joseph Romano, Columbia U
369. Classical Arabic Literary Theory
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Arabic. Presiding: Lara Harb, Princeton U
1. “What Was Fictionality in Arabic? Answers from Ibn Sīnā, Ibn Rushd, and Ibn Ṭumlūs,” Johannes Stephan, Freie U Berlin
2. “The Logical Construction of Poetic Discourse, Ibn Ṭumlūs contra al-Qarṭājannī,” Adam Koutajian, Harvard U
3. “Theories of Verbal Irony: From Arabic Literary Theory to Qur'an Commentary,” Shuaib Ally, McGill U
370. Comedic Ennui
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Screen Arts and Culture. Presiding: Danielle Fuentes Morgan, Santa Clara U
1. “Comedy and the Problem with Work,” Madeline Lane, U of California, Santa Cruz
2. “William Melvin Kelley's White Despair and the Rewriting of the Postwar ‘White Life’ Novel,” Brittney Michelle Edmonds, U of Wisconsin, Madison
3. “The Precarious Work of Comedic Play,” Peter Kunze, Tulane U
371. Afrodescendencia/Afrodescendência: Critical Impact in Cultural Studies, Linguistics, and Pedagogy
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Presiding: Jennifer Brady, U of Minnesota, Duluth
1. “Locating ‘Transnational Hispaniola’ in Dominican Children's Literature,” Megan Jeanette Myers, Iowa State U
2. “Haketia Voices: Judeoafrodescendants of the Global Hispanophone,” Carlos Yebra López, University C London
3. “Teaching Spanish to Black Students in a Public High School: Lessons and Gaps,” Bobby Tabano, independent educator
4. “Afro-Lesbian Queens in the Land of the Future, Brazil,” John T Maddox IV, U of Alabama, Birmingham
372. Labor, Institutions, and Infrastructure
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Drama and Performance. Presiding: Sarah Balkin, U of Melbourne; Sarah J. Townsend, Penn State U, University Park
1. “Theater with Borders: Tariffs, Visas, and Other Checks on International Arts,” Derek Miller, Harvard U
2. “Theatrical Labor in Utopian Space: Militarism and Turkification in Late Ottoman Children's Performances,” Rustem Ertug Altinay, U of Milan
3. “Principled Understudies: Countertechnique to American Individualism,” Anna Jayne Kimmel, Stanford U
4. “Antinomies of the Automatic: Modernist Legacies in the Digitization of Theater Control,” Douglas Eacho, U of Toronto
373. Disability and Intimacy in Early Modern England
5:15–6:30 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Lenora Bellee Jones-Pierce, Centenary C of Louisiana; Lindsey Row-Heyveld, Luther C
Speakers: Bridget Bartlett, U of Mississippi; Simone Chess, Wayne State U; Evyan Gainey, Columbia U; Lenora Bellee Jones-Pierce; Lindsey Row-Heyveld; Justin Shaw, Clark U
Engaging the contemporary framework of intimacy, panelists approach early modern disability studies with a focus on care, access, cross-temporal recognition, and disability justice and suggest futures for the subfield. What did early modern access intimacy look like and feel like? What does early modern disabled knowledge teach us about caring for one another today?
For related material, visit premoderndisability.com after 1 Nov.
374. Mutual Transformation: The Social Justice Classroom in the Nineteenth Century and Today
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the Margaret Fuller Society. Presiding: Christina Katopodis, City U of New York
1. “From Self-Reliance to Self-Care: Transcendentalism and Social Justice in the Classroom,” Jess Libow, Haverford C
2. “Breath-taking Pedagogy and the Practice of Hope: Course Design and Teaching a BLM Literature Course,” Shermaine Jones, Virginia Commonwealth U
3. “Fuller-Inspired Conversations on School Curriculum Battles and Wheatley-Linked Public Humanities,” Sarah Ruffing Robbins, Texas Christian U
4. “A Mind Afire: Marie Duclos Fretageot and a Forgotten Frontier of American Progressive Education,” Diane Baia Hale, independent scholar
375. Oceanic Materiality and Human-Ocean Relations in the Iberian World
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Galician
1. “The Oceanic Imaginary and Galicia's Costa da Morte,” Silvia Bermúdez, U of California, Santa Barbara
2. “Street of Water, Salty Border, and a Liquid Mother: The Ocean as a Dynamic Image in Hispanophone Moroccan Literature,” Mahan Ellison, Furman U
3. “Sirens and Seaweed: Material Agencies and the Reenchantments of Nature,” Rhi Johnson, Indiana U, Bloomington
4. “Oceanic Fauna, Fishing Imaginaries, and the Capitalist Appropriation of Marine Life in Contemporary Galician Culture,” Daniel Ares-López, San Diego State U
For related material, write to [email protected] or [email protected].
376. Return of the Repressed: New Psychoanalytic Approaches to Early Modern Literature
5:15–6:30 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Christine Varnado, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
1. “‘Against All Rules of Nature’: Shakespeare's Drives,” Adam Rzepka, Montclair State U
2. “After Infancy,” Steven Swarbrick, Baruch C, City U of New York
3. “Minor Abjections,” Beatrice Bradley, Muhlenberg C
Respondent: Drew Daniel, Johns Hopkins U, MD
377. Generative Text and the Future of Electronic Literature
5:15–6:30 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the Electronic Literature Organization. Presiding: Anastasia Salter, U of Central Florida
1. “What If AI Were Open? A Less Cyberpunk Future for Writers,” Nick Montfort, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
2. “Cyborg Authors and the Eliza Effect,” Leonardo Flores, Appalachian State U
3. “Textual Practices: Occult Extraction versus Heuristic Reconfiguration,” John Cayley, Brown U
4. “The Second Book Ever Written by a Computer (Has Not Yet Been Written),” Zach Whalen, U of Mary Washington
Respondent: Lai-Tze Fan, U of Waterloo
378. Marginalized Women in American Historical Fiction
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the College English Association. Presiding: Lisa Mazey, Indiana U of Pennsylvania
1. “Writing Backwards: Historical Fiction and the Reshaping of the American Canon,” Alexander Manshel, McGill U
2. “Rewriting Women of Color Back into History in Emma Pérez's Forgetting the Alamo; or, Blood Memory,” Jody Marin, Texas A&M U, Kingsville
3. “Inspiring the Suffragettes: The Appropriation of Sacagawea,” Susan Lowman-Thomas, American Public University Systems
4. “The Watermelon Woman and Historical Fiction: Alternate Archival Practices on Film,” Maki Salmon, Carleton U
379. Queens Running the World: Black Women on Screen and in Literature
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the College Language Association. Presiding: Jervette Ward, College Language Assn.
1. “Black Women Filmmakers and Constructions of Race and Gender in Hollywood,” Rachal Burton, California State Polytechnic U, San Luis Obispo
2. “Privilege, Power, and Politics: Higher Education and Depictions of Black Women in Master and The Chair,” Sharon Jones, Ball State U
3. “Sisters Who Conceal: Exploring the Paradoxical Power and Provision of Erasure and Obsession in Janin,” Madison Hunter, U of Memphis
380. Multispecies Affects in Transpacific Literatures
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Korean and the forum TC Ecocriticism and Environmental Humanities
1. “Liquid Biospheres: Displacing the Terrestrial in Fisheries Literature,” Vanessa Baker, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Ecological Imaginaries of the Unending Korean War,” Eleana Kim, U of California, Irvine
3. “Earth and Atua: Albert Wendt's Black Rainbow and Affective Encounters with Landforms,” A.C. Loji, Michigan State U
381. The Joys and Sorrows of Motherhood
5:15–6:30 p.m., 307, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Naomi E. Morgenstern, U of Toronto
1. “Infanticidal Feeling in Frances Harper's ‘The Slave Mother: A Tale of the Ohio,’” Charline Jao, Cornell U
2. “Birthing Out of Sight: The Consecration of Maternal Space in The Joys of Motherhood,” Comfort Azubuko-Udah, U of Toronto
3. “The Joys and Sorrows of Motherhood in End Times,” Heather Latimer, U of British Columbia, Okanagan
4. “‘Gene for Gene’: Cloning and the (Post)Maternal in Carola Dibbell's The Only Ones,” Naomi E. Morgenstern
381A. Literature, Action, and Radical Change: How the Novel Fosters Activism across the Twentieth Century
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand L, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Priya Joshi, Temple U, Philadelphia
1. “The Novel as Protest: Anand, Modernism, Progressivism,” Sarah Cole, Columbia U
2. “Alex La Guma’s Protest against the Ordinary,” Michaela Bronstein, Stanford U
3. “Making Generations: Gayl Jones and the Challenge of Memory,” Zoe Henry, Indiana U, Bloomington
Friday, 5 January 7:00 p.m.
382. MLA Awards Ceremony
7:00–8:15 p.m., Liberty, Marriott
Presiding: Frieda Ekotto, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MLA President
1. Dana Williams, Howard U, MLA First Vice President, will present the William Riley Parker Prize; James Russell Lowell Prize; MLA Prize for a First Book; Kenneth W. Mildenberger Prize; Katherine Singer Kovacs Prize; MLA Prize for a Scholarly Edition; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Comparative Literary Studies; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for French and Francophone Studies; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Studies in Slavic Languages and Literatures; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Scholarly Study of Literature; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Italian Studies; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Publication Award for a Manuscript in Italian Literary Studies; Lois Roth Award; William Sanders Scarborough Prize; MLA Prize in United States Latina and Latino and Chicana and Chicano Literary and Cultural Studies; Matei Calinescu Prize; MLA Prize for an Edited Collection; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for African Studies; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for East Asian Studies; Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Middle Eastern Studies; and Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for South Asian Studies.
2. Paula M. Krebs, MLA, will announce the MLA International Bibliography Fellowship Awards.
3. Paula M. Krebs will present the seal of approval from the Committee on Scholarly Editions.
4. Paula M. Krebs will present certificates to the Humanities Innovation Grant recipients.
5. Paula M. Krebs will present or announce the Edward Guiliano Global Fellowship (Awards)
6. Paula M. Krebs will present the MLA-EBSCO Collaboration for Information Literacy Prize.
7. Paula M. Krebs will present certificates to the MLA Public Humanities Incubator Fellows.
8. Frieda Ekkoto will present the Lifetime Scholarly Achievement Award to W. J. T. Mitchell, U of Chicago.
9. Remarks by W. J. T. Mitchell.
10. Luciana Fellin, Duke U, ALD President, will present the ALD Award for Distinguished Service to the Profession to Paul Sandrock, ACTFL.
11. Remarks by Paul Sandrock.
12. Christine Wooley, St. Mary's C, MD, ADE President, will present the ADE Francis Andrew March Award to Patricia Okker, New C of Florida.
13. Remarks by Patricia Okker.
14. Frieda Ekkoto will present the Phyllis Franklin Award for Public Advocacy of the Humanities to Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard U.
15. Remarks by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Friday, 5 January 7:15 p.m.
383. A Screening of I Heard It through the Grapevine
7:15–9:00 p.m., Grand A, Marriott
Participant: Justin A. Joyce, James Baldwin Review
In the spring of 1980, on assignment for The New Yorker, James Baldwin traversed the South to reflect on the gains and the stagnation of the civil rights movement. He revisited key sites, from Atlanta to Selma, and reconnected with friends and activists. His 1980 trip also produced a movie in its own moment: Dick Fontaine and Pat Harley's essayistic documentary I Heard It through the Grapevine, released in 1982 and recently restored by Harvard Film Archive.
384. Cash Bar Arranged by the Forums LLC Medieval Iberian, LLC Colonial Latin America, LLC 16th- and 17th-Century Spanish and Iberian Drama, and LLC 16th- and 17th-Century Spanish and Iberian Poetry and Prose
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
385. Cash Bar Arranged by the Forum LLC African American and the College Language Association
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 11, Marriott
386. Cash Bar Arranged by the University of Pennsylvania FIGS (Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies) Department
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
387. Cash Bar Arranged by the Forum LLC Irish, Villanova University, and the American Conference for Irish Studies
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
388. Asociación Internacional de Literatura y Cine Españoles Siglo XXI Meet and Greet
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Saturday, 6 January 8:00 a.m.
389. How to Amplify Faculty Voice and Protect the Profession: Unions, Solidarity, and Collective Action
8:00–11:30 a.m., Grand A, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Office of the Executive Director. Presiding: Samer Mahdy Ali, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Mark Bostic, American Assn. of University Professors; Samantha Jordan, American Federation of Teachers; Chris Sinclair, U of Oregon
Recent decades have seen a sustained assault on the pillars of our profession: academic freedom, research funding, faculty governance, diversity initiatives, and tenure. Currently three-quarters of our colleagues have contingent (and thus precarious) jobs. This workshop provides attendees with practical skills to counter learned helplessness and elevate faculty voice in order to redress systemic challenges and celebrate our profession's many contributions to society. Preregistration is required.
Saturday, 6 January 8:30 a.m.
390. Learning How to Celebrate Language in Joy and Sorrow
8:30–10:15 a.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
A plenary. Presiding: Surya Parekh, Binghamton U, State U of New York; Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Columbia U
Speakers: Hosam Mohamed Aboul-Ela, U of Houston; Emily Apter, New York U; Moinak Biswas, Jadavpur U; Hortense Jeanette Spillers, Vanderbilt U; Luis Tapia Mealla, U Mayor de San Andrés
The linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji celebrated Bengali and transformed European scholarship in Origin and Development of the Bengali Language (1926), a decolonial instrument that anticipated digitalization and established intersectional connections with Arabic, Persian, and Sanskrit creoles, offering a model for other colonized languages. How can this text help us understand the joy and sorrow of language, now available only as diasporics nativize?
391. Reviewing Academic Books: Perspectives from Journal Editors, Reviewers, and Publishing Professionals
8:30–9:45 a.m., 308, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Paul Devlin, United States Merchant Marine Acad
Speakers: Kim Adams, Penn State U, University Park; Gordon N. Hutner, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Gigi Lamm, University of Pennsylvania Press; Sheila Liming, Champlain C; Matthew McAdam, Johns Hopkins University Press
Panelists explore the ubiquitous yet underappreciated book review. An important component of the infrastructure of knowledge production, reviews provide a variety of services to interested communities, from quality control to information distribution to impact index, allowing scholars a chance to share expertise in a particular voice.
392. The Role of Joy in Midwestern Literature
8:30–9:45 a.m., Anthony, Loews
Program arranged by the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature. Presiding: Marilyn Judith Atlas, Ohio U, Athens
1. “Small Bursts of Joy: Dawn Powell's Imaginative Return Home in My Home Is Far Away,” Jericho Williams, U of Alaska, Fairbanks
2. “Social Change and Personal Happiness in Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window,” Marilyn Judith Atlas
3. “The Joy-Sorrow Continuum in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five,” Jayne Waterman, Ashland U
4. “Majestic Canopy and Gnarled Roots: Joy and Sorrow in Richard Powers's Overstory,” John Rohrkemper, Elizabethtown C
393. Multidisciplinary Approaches to Galician Migration
8:30–9:45 a.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Galician. Presiding: Catherine Barbour, Trinity C Dublin
Speakers: Catherine Barbour; Nicola Bermingham, U of Liverpool; Diego Espiña Barros, Saint Xavier U; Laura Lesta Garcia, Middlebury C; José M. Rodríguez García, Duke U
Reflecting on current directions in the field, participants consider Galician migration from their research perspectives (sociolinguistics, film, literary and cultural studies) and discuss common themes and lines of inquiry to foster interdisciplinary exchange.
394. War at Home, War Abroad
8:30–9:45 a.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the Radical Caucus in English and the Modern Languages. Presiding: Geordie Miller, Mount Allison U
Speakers: Richard Aberle, State U of New York, Plattsburgh; Kamika Bennett, Rutgers U, Newark; Barbara Bowen, Queens C, City U of New York; Barbara Clare Foley, Rutgers U, Newark; Jessica Hawkes, Dalhousie U
Drowning in the din of imperialist war drums and the clamor of racist attacks on higher education is the question “What are universities for?” Panelists amplify the question by critically situating various emancipatory struggles within the context of ongoing warmongering and the recent assaults on higher education workers.
395. Theater in or of Joy and Sorrow: Representations of Marginalized Communities in the Americas
8:30–9:45 a.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Theatre and Drama Society
1. “Of Joy and Sorrow: Performing Disappearance in Zona clausurada (2022) by Teatro Línea de Sombra,” Christina Baker, Temple U, Philadelphia
2. “Disability Joy: Aesthetic Equity in Works by Kinetic Light,” Vivian Delchamps, Dominican U of California
3. “From Sorrow to Joy: Empowering Students through Devised and Autoethnographic Performance,” Kelly Aliano, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York; Dongshin Chang, Hunter C, City U of New York
4. “Sorrow as an Oppressive Force: Fat Bodies and Unhappy Endings in the Theater,” Teya Juarez, Villanova U
396. James Baldwin's Road Movie: On I Heard It through the Grapevine
8:30–9:45 a.m., 202A, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Justin A. Joyce, James Baldwin Review
Speakers: Simon Abramowitsch, Chabot C; Melanie R. Hill, Rutgers U, Newark; Hayley O'Malley, U of Iowa; J. Ken Stuckey, Bentley U
In the spring of 1980, James Baldwin traversed the South to reflect on the gains and the stagnation of the civil rights movement. He revisited key sites and reconnected with friends and activists. Baldwin's trip also produced a movie: Dick Fontaine and Pat Harley's essayistic documentary I Heard It through the Grapevine (1982). The film has recently been restored, and we are convening to discuss the film’s insights into Baldwin’s life, works, and legacies.
397. Next-Generation Research in English: A Graduate Student Showcase
8:30–9:45 a.m., 202B, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Programs. Presiding: Darryl Dickson-Carr, Southern Methodist U; Gayle Rogers, U of Pittsburgh
Speakers: Vladislav Areshka, U of Portsmouth; Isabel Bethke, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Carlina Duan, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Bailey Flannery, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Cornelius Fortune, Mercy C; Miranda Hoegberg, U of California, Los Angeles; Kristi Morris, Wayne State U; Lindsey Pelucacci, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
Across English and related fields, graduate students are developing engaging, inventive, and transformative projects that envision their disciplines in new ways. In an effort to highlight “next-generation scholarship,” this session features lightning-round presentations that offer a snapshot of where these fields are headed.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d8ENckaajsRdLq5nwodpm3H_qes5DOqn?usp=sharing.
398. Literary and Scientific Aesthetics
8:30–9:45 a.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Patrick Whitmarsh, Harvard U
1. “Sex and ‘the Sound of Horses’ Hoofs’: Narrating Historical Models of Biological, Cis Sex,” Alexis Ferguson, Princeton U
2. “Folds upon Folds,” Celia Xu, U of Chicago
3. “The Novel of History in a Planetary Age,” Patrick Whitmarsh
4. “Machine Learning and Aesthetics,” Benjamin Mangrum, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
399. Next-Generation Research in World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures: A Graduate Student Showcase
8:30–9:45 a.m., 203, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Programs. Presiding: Gillian Lord, U of Florida
Speakers: Ilana Cruger-Zaken, New York U; Kevin Ennis, Brown U; Ya Hou, U of Macau; Tianyi Kou-Herrema, Michigan State U; Hannah Olsen, Michigan State U
Across world languages, literatures, and cultures, graduate students are developing engaging, inventive, and transformative projects that envision their disciplines in new and exciting ways. To highlight “next-generation scholarship,” this session features lightning-round presentations that offer a snapshot of where research in LOTE (languages other than English) fields is headed.
400. Fictions without Desire
8:30–9:45 a.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Prose Fiction. Presiding: Magali Armillas-Tiseyra, Penn State U, University Park
1. “‘I [Still] Would Prefer Not To’: Passivity and Creativity in Twenty-First-Century Office Fiction,” Shirley Wong, United States Naval Acad.
2. “An Unspeakable Wrench in the Soul: On Desire without Object,” Arielle Zibrak, U of Wyoming
3. “Desiring Nothing, Narrative Dwelling, and Anticlimactic Pleasures,” KJ Cerankowski, Oberlin C
4. “Stalling,” Ellen Lee McCallum, Michigan State U
401. Performing Joy and Sorrow: Gender, Race, and Dissidence
8:30–9:45 a.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Global Portuguese. Presiding: Ligia Bezerra, Arizona State U, Tempe
1. “‘Your Destiny Will Be Great . . . and Cursed . . .’: Futurality in Marcelo D'Salete's Angola Janga,” Maggie Felisberto, Valdosta State U
2. “Beyond the Struggle: Representation of Trans Joy in Paloma (2022),” Angela Mooney, Texas Woman’s U
3. “Cha-cha-cha Happiness, Cha-cha-cha Grief: Grieving Lost Motherhoods in Katherine Vaz's Short Fiction,” Inês Forjaz de Lacerda, Yale U
4. “Joy against the Machine: Daniela Mercury's Songs of Protest,” Ligia Bezerra
402. The 1820s in the 2020s: Critical Indigenous Readings
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Indigenous Literatures of the United States and Canada and the forum LLC 19th-Century American. Presiding: Angela Calcaterra, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Speakers: Jared Hickman, Johns Hopkins U, MD; Marissa K. López, U of California, Los Angeles; Rebecca Pelky, Clarkson U; Susannah Sharpless, Cornell U; Preston Stone, U of Miami
Foregrounding Indigenous methodologies and theories in textual, literary, and cultural analysis that critiques nineteenth-century US literary history, panelists analyze Indigenous-centered lives, writings, and expressive cultures and foster Indigenous-oriented understandings of the 1820s as a watershed moment for Native literary and cultural histories.
403. Humanities Core Curriculum, Humanities Core Values
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Jessica Yood, Lehman C, City U of New York
Speakers: Leonard Cassuto, Fordham U; Adam Fales, U of Chicago; Chy Sprauve, Queensborough Community C, City U of New York; Jessica Yood
Addressing the decline of a longtime commitment to humanistic study as the core of a general education, panelists consider the history of core curricula, the place of the humanities within it, and current challenges. With an eye toward the practical and sustainable, they offer possible paths for humanistic study—and general education—in challenging times.
404. Evaluating Digital Scholarship Today: Problems and Solutions
8:30–9:45 a.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Information Technology. Presiding: Nhora Lucía Serrano, Hamilton C
1. “Digital Scholarship for Keeps: What Matters and What Lasts?,” Elisa Beshero-Bondar, Penn State U, Erie-Behrend
2. “Just Not That into You: New Evaluation Guidelines Seeking Older Disciplines,” Alison Booth, U of Virginia
3. “Digitally (In)Coherent: Modeling Early Career Research Profiles in the Digital Humanities,” Kandice Sharren, U of Saskatchewan
Respondent: Alan Liu, U of California, Santa Barbara
For related material, visit infotech.mla.hcommons.org/ after 2 Jan.
405. Rethinking Animal Comparison II
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress B, Loews
A working group
Participants: Akash Belsare, U of Illinois, Springfield; Jeremy Chow, Bucknell U; Alexander Creighton, U of California, Berkeley; Megan Glick, Wesleyan U; Caroline Hovanec, U of Tampa; Kayci Merritte, Brown U; John MacNeill Miller, Allegheny C; Samantha Pergadia, Southern Methodist U; Rajesh K. Reddy, Lewis and Clark Law School; Gabriel Rosenberg, Duke U; Rasheed Tazudeen, Yale U; Arthur Wang, U of Pennsylvania
What does it mean to be treated like an animal? This working group builds on recent studies of racialized dehumanization and of animality as a resource for minoritarian critique, resistance, and creation to synthesize and generate new theories of human-animal comparison across race and ethnic studies, gender and sexuality studies, feminist science and technology studies, and literary history.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/rethinking-animal-comparison/ after 28 Dec.
For the other meetings of the working group, see 213 and 676.
406. Translations in Dialogue across the Spanish-Speaking World
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Paula Park, Wesleyan U
Speakers: Luis Castellvi Laukamp, U of Manchester; Laura Cesarco Eglin, U of Houston, Downtown; Maria C. Fellie, Penn State U, Berks; Yuting Jia, U at Buffalo, State U of New York; Anne Monroe Lambright, Carnegie Mellon U; Stephanie Malak, The Common; Sean Manning, U of Texas, Austin
Featuring emerging and established translators from and into the Spanish language, participants share how they began working on translation and their experience in one specific completed or in-progress translation project, highlighting the dialogues that have surfaced throughout the process of translation.
407. Celebration and Commemoration in the Nineteenth-Century Periodical Press
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Natalie M. Houston, U of Massachusetts, Lowell
1. “Newsworthy Characters at the Waverley Costume Ball: Celebrating Scott's Centenary,” Anne M. Stapleton, U of Iowa
2. “Celebrating Women's Voices: Wit, Wisdom, and Editorial Practices in the Women's Penny Paper,” Denae Dyck, Texas State U
3. “Bazaar Celebrations: Women's Dress Reform and Edward Bulwer-Lytton's The Coming Race,” Leslee Thorne-Murphy, Brigham Young U, UT
408. The Unpopular Eighteenth Century
8:30–9:45 a.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Restoration and Early-18th-Century English. Presiding: Sarah Ellenzweig, Rice U
Speakers: Peter Diamond, U of Pennsylvania; Sam Hushagen, U of Washington, Seattle; Ramesh Mallipeddi, U of British Columbia, Vancouver; Courtney Weiss Smith, Wesleyan U
Respondent: Stephanie Burt, Harvard U
Presenters ask how we find new value (or delicious valuelessness) in out-of-style British poets, aiming to generate wayward, transgressive, unlikely thinking on the usual suspects of the long eighteenth century.
409. Public Humanities and the Community College Mission
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Community Colleges. Presiding: Michael Jacobs, Monroe Community C, State U of New York
1. “Immigrant Narratives and the Humanities Institute,” Heather E. Ostman, Westchester Community C, State U of New York
2. “Making Shakespeare Relevant and Accessible in an Age of Workforce Development,” Ann Patten, County C of Morris, NJ; Yoonha Shin, County C of Morris, NJ; John Soltes, County C of Morris, NJ
410. Collective Storytelling and Philosophizing in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Germany
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the Goethe Society of North America. Presiding: Eleanor E. ter Horst, U of South Alabama
1. “Collective Storytelling and Gazes: Perception and Alterity in Hoffmann's Das öde Haus,” Margaret Strair, Bryn Mawr C
2. “Felix Mendelssohn's Reworking of J. S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion for the Berlin Singakademie,” Tekla Babyak, independent scholar
3. “Fragmentary Ingenuity, Logical Geniality: Early Romantic Witz and Social Poetics,” Austen Hinkley, Princeton U
4. “Translation, Ancient Greek Poetic Remnants, Kritik: Sympoesie and Symphilosophie in the Athenaeum,” Xuxu Song, Princeton U
For related material, visit collective.mla.hcommons.org/.
411. Nonfiction, Democracy, Hybridity
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Nonfiction Prose. Presiding: Douglas Hesse, U of Denver
1. “‘The Evidence of My Own Eyes’: Facts and Freedom in James Baldwin's Personal Essays,” Stephanie Redekop, U of Toronto
2. “Empathic Power: Literary Journalists’ Invitation to Understanding,” Jonathan Fitzgerald, Regis C
3. “Ignatius Sancho and Familiar Letters as Abolitionist Discourse,” Amit Yahav, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
412. Decolonizing Literature in French: Joys and Sorrows of the White Writer Today
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Etienne Achille, Villanova U; Oana Panaïté, Indiana U, Bloomington
Speakers: Etienne Achille; Oana Panaïté; Cornelia Ruhe, U Mannheim; Eric Essono Tsimi, Baruch C, City U of New York; Amanda Vredenburgh, U of Houston
Race emerged as a key category in French writing in 1921 when the Black writer René Maran received the Goncourt Prize for his novel Batouala. The white writer has since operated under cover of universal invisibility as a silent yet normative figure. Do white hexagonal writers still enjoy the singular privilege and Schadenfreude of freedom from the burden placed on their postcolonial peers? Are we ready to build a common, desegregated library of literature in French?
413. Queer Generations
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Sexuality Studies. Presiding: Melanie Micir, Washington U in St. Louis
Speakers: Peter M. Coviello, U of Illinois, Chicago; Sara Clarke Kaplan, American U; Kristin Mahoney, Michigan State U; Jennifer Mitchell, Union C, NY; Ianna Hawkins Owen, Boston U; Azucena Trincado Murugarren, U of California, Santa Barbara; Laura Tscherry, Indiana U, Bloomington
Participants offer short, provocative contributions to a discussion about the intersections of age studies, sexuality studies, and queer generationality.
414. The Alt-Medieval: How White Supremacists Wrest the Premodern from the Past
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Richard Sévère, Valparaiso U
1. “Errant Byzantiums: Between White Supremacism and Queer Recuperation,” Roland Betancourt, U of California, Irvine
2. “#ChristChurch and the Alt-Medieval in 2019,” Dorothy Kim, Brandeis U
3. “White Nationalism's Adoption of the Old English Exile,” Maggie Hawkins, U of Texas, Austin
415. Where Do We Go? Poetry in Collapse
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Amish Trivedi, U of Delaware, Newark
1. “Is There a Voice in This Workshop?,” Michelle Taransky, U of Pennsylvania
2. “The Poetics and Pedagogies of Insta-Poet Rupi Kaur,” Moberley Luger, U of British Columbia
3. “Pedagogies of the Political and Politics of Pedagogy: Teaching Contemporary Poetry,” Jay Shelat, Ursinus C
4. “Citizen Poetics: Learner-Centered Learning at the End of the Lecture,” Al Filreis, U of Pennsylvania
416. Evolutions and Revolutions: Facilitating Change in the English Department
8:30–9:45 a.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the ADE Executive Committee. Presiding: Natalie Katerina Eschenbaum, U of Washington, Tacoma
Speakers: Amy Appleford, Boston U; Christine Marie Berni, Austin Community C, TX; Joseph Rezek, Boston U; Andrea P. Zemgulys, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Respondent: Christine A. Wooley, St. Mary's C, MD
This session brings together change makers at an array of institutions to consider various means to transformation in the English department—general education, pipelines for transfer students and pathways for majors, connections with writing studies and creative writing, and the nature of requirements. Panelists offer a range of models for what that change can look like—slow, fast, constructive, painful.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Fy9GdzlfvOWSdxDvV0LRh4P_KTgjJ6RZ?usp=sharing.
417. Beckett, Aesthetics, and Disability
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the Samuel Beckett Society. Presiding: Patrick W. Bixby, Arizona State U
1. “Krapp Sits: Beckett and the Graying of Disability,” Michael Davidson, U of California, San Diego
2. “From Symptom to Surface: Beckett, Comensal, and the End of Interpretation,” Yael Levin, Hebrew U of Jerusalem
3. “On Samuel Beckett's Aesthetics of Disability: Distressed Embodiment and the Burdens of Boredom,” Ato Quayson, Stanford U
4. “Samuel Beckett and Disability Performance: Ethics, Aesthetics, and the Virtuosic,” Hannah Simpson, U of Edinburgh
For related material, write to [email protected].
418. The Joys and Sorrows of App-ropriate Faiths
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Religion and Literature and the forum TC Digital Humanities. Presiding: Amanda Licastro, Swarthmore C
Speakers: Mary Borgo Ton, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Zeinab Farokhi, U of Toronto; Wendi Sierra, Texas Christian U; Dheepa Sundaram, U of Denver; Rachel Wagner, Ithaca C
Panelists showcase the joys and sorrows of the relationship between religion and cyberspace, asking how Hindu and white extremists generate digital Islamophobia, attending to the metadata ethics of digital humanities projects that work with and within religious communities, investigating ritual immersion in mythic origin narratives of the American Frontier, and questioning how nonhuman algorithms shape the religious experiences of Shinto practitioners.
419. Revisiting Francoism: Fifty Years Later
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand K, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Jacqueline Sheean, U of Utah
1. “‘Un País de Propietarios’: Constructing a Benevolent Capital in the Films of the Apertura Period,” Jacqueline Sheean
2. “Law and Aesthetics in Late Francoism: The Case of Catalan Culture,” Javier Krauel, U of Colorado, Boulder
3. “Representing Adolfo Suárez in the Theater,” Katherine Stafford, Lafayette C
4. “Resident Evil: Emotion and Politics in Rojo, a Spanish Horror Experience,” Carlos Varón González, U of California, Riverside
420. Teaching Spenser Now
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the International Spenser Society. Presiding: Joseph M. Ortiz, U of Texas, El Paso
1. “We Need to Talk about Rape Culture: Spenser, Donne, and the Politics of the Epithalamion,” Kimberly Anne Coles, U of Maryland, College Park
2. “Teaching Spenser and Pullman through the Lenses of Animal Studies and Intertextuality,” Andrew Smyth, Southern Connecticut State U
3. “The Castle to Classrooms Project: Teaching Spenser's Poetry and Prose through Virtual Reality,” Thomas Herron, East Carolina U
4. “Utilizing Chisme to Demystify Sex, Coterie, and Court Culture in Spenser's Faerie Queene,” Lisa Jennings, U of Houston, Downtown
421. The Frosting on Your Cake: Aligning Information Literacy with Your Course Curriculum
8:30–9:45 a.m., Independence I, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Dale Larsen, U of Utah
Speakers: Darby Fanning, U of Utah; Dale Larsen; Rebecca Nowicki, San Diego State U
Information literacy (IL) is applied inconsistently in higher education. This workshop addresses IL as an explicitly mapped process that can be exercised and applied for impactful learning outcomes embedded within syllabi and guides and assists participants on what IL is and how to best achieve its objectives.
422. Languages and Literatures of Incarceration
8:30–11:30 a.m., Jefferson, Loews
A seminar. Presiding: Sarah Higinbotham, Emory U; Jean Elizabeth Howard, Columbia U
Participants: Manuela Borzone, Nebraska Wesleyan U; Carlo Caccia, U del Piemonte Orientale; Emily Fedoruk, U of British Columbia; Cameron Flynn, U of California, Berkeley; Enrique Muñoz-Mantas, U of Florida; David Nichols, Emory U; Allison Serraes, Creighton U; Stefania Sini, U del Piemonte Orientale; Jennie Snow, Fitchburg State U; Dorothy R. Stringer, Temple U, Philadelphia; Whitney Trettien, U of Pennsylvania; José Vergara, Bryn Mawr C; Benjamin Williams, Carnegie Mellon U; Kevin Windhauser, Washington U in St. Louis
This seminar explores the relationships among languages, literatures, and the carceral state. Seminar participants from all career stages have read position papers in advance for an opportunity to give and receive substantive feedback and to connect with others working on similar topics. The session is open only to seminar participants.
423. Comparing Literary Modernity: Japan, Korea, and China Revisited after the World Literature Turn
8:30–9:45 a.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC West Asian and the forum LLC East Asian. Presiding: Ozen Dolcerocca, U of Bologna
Speakers: Naomi Charlotte Fukuzawa, U of Bologna; Rachael Hutchinson, U of Delaware, Newark; Ji Hyea Hwang, Yonsei U; Sowon S. Park, U of California, Santa Barbara
Covering the development of literary modernity in East and West Asia from transnational, global, and planetary perspectives, participants address literary production in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Turkish, and additional West and East Asian languages in relation to one another.
424. The Figure of the Griot in Doris Lessing and African and Postcolonial Diaspora Writers
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Doris Lessing Society. Presiding: Terry Reilly, U of Alaska, Fairbanks
1. “Storytellers and the Paradigm of Experience in Doris Lessing, Édouard Glissant, and Léonora Miano,” Murielle Vauthier, U Paris-Est Créteil
2. “Sufi Griots in Doris Lessing's Space Fiction,” Seda Arikan, Firat U
3. “Chronicler and Celebrant: The Burden of the Griot in Doris Lessing and Toni Morrison,” Josna Rege, Worcester State U
425. Listening Historically: Soundscapes in Spain and the Americas II
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Elia Romera Figueroa, Duke U, Madrid; Silvia Serrano, Duke U
Participants: Alexander Diaz-Hui, Princeton U; Laura Hydak, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Ola Mohammed, York U; Marcelo Nogueira, independent scholar; Helen Plevka-Jones, Illinois State U; Brian Price, Brigham Young U, UT; Nicolás Sanchez-Rodríguez, Princeton U; Rodrigo Viqueira, Washington U in St. Louis
This working group brings together sound studies and cultural studies methodologies, critical approaches, genealogies of thought, and epistemological frameworks to interrogate the soundscapes of Spain and the Americas and to resonate literally across national borders.
For related material, visit listeninghistoricallysoundscapesinspainandtheamericas.hcommons.org/.
For the other meeting of the working group, see 230.
426. Voices of Resistance: Black Feminist Perspectives on Art, Literature, Music, and Migration
8:30–9:45 a.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the Feministas Unidas
Speakers: Sandra Castro, Adelphi U; Aned Ladino, Georgetown U; Maria Victoria Muñoz Cortizo, U of Florida
Exploring how Black feminist theory and practice inform resistance in literature, music, and migration, presenters discuss the works of Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, June Jordan, Lido Pimienta, and Central American transnational mothers, highlighting the ways in which they challenge colonialism, imperialism, misogyny, and anti-Blackness.
For related material, visit feministas-unidas.org/.
427. Nostalgia in and for Children's Literature
8:30–9:45 a.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum GS Children's and Young Adult Literature. Presiding: Philip Nel, Kansas State U
1. “Nostalgia and the Imperial Game from Peter Pan to Jumanji,” Rosetta Young, Dartmouth C
2. “Muslim Abjections, Transtemporal Identifications: Postimperial Nostalgia in Islamist Dramatic Liter,” Rustem Ertug Altinay, U of Milan
3. “Reclaiming Rurality, Heritage, and Nationalism: The Rhetoric of Nostalgia in Chinese Coming-of-Age Novels,” Chengcheng You, U of Macau
4. “The Poetics of Reverie in Jostein Gaarder's The Orange Girl,” Maryam Khorasani, U of Florida
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/childrens-and-young-adult-literature/ after 15 Dec.
428. Memorialization and Futures: Literature, Film, and (Un)Archiving
8:30–9:45 a.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global South. Presiding: Emilie N. Diouf, Brandeis U
1. “Memory in the Time of War: Raquel Rivas Rojas's Inventario para después de la guerra (2022),” Irina Troconis, Cornell U
2. “The Impossible Virtual Image in Keisha Rae Witherspoon's 1968 < 2018 > 2068,” Omid Bagherli, Tufts U
3. “On Suicide Archives: Memory, Literature, Resistance,” Doyle Calhoun, Trinity C, CT
Saturday, 6 January 9:30 a.m.
429. Supporting Language and Literature Study: Envisioning Future Directions for MLA Handbook Plus
9:30–11:30 a.m., 204B, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Scholarly Communication. Presiding: Angela Gibson, MLA
Speakers: Christina Shea, MLA; Erika Suffern, MLA
MLA Handbook Plus, a digital resource for writers available to users at subscribing institutions, features the handbook, research guides, video courses, and more. Registrants will be given access to the site before the workshop and will work together to envision content and tools that could help the site develop as a resource for the teaching and study of language and literature. Preregistration is required.
Saturday, 6 January 10:15 a.m.
430. George Sand and the Audacity of Joy
10:15–11:30 a.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the George Sand Association. Presiding: Anne Marcoline, U of Houston, Clear Lake
1. “Valentine et la joie vue à travers les motifs vestimentaires,” Amy Parker, independent researcher
2. “Celebrating Joy in Women's Friendships: George Sand's Isidora (1845),” Juliette M. Rogers, Macalester C
431. Irish Literature and Global Crisis
10:15–11:30 a.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the American Conference for Irish Studies. Presiding: Bridget English, U of Illinois, Chicago
Speakers: Abby S. Bender, Sacred Heart U; Mary Burke, U of Connecticut, Storrs; Sally Connolly, U of Houston; Seamus O'Malley, Yeshiva U, Stern C for Women; Kaitlin Thurlow, U of Georgia
We live in an era of accelerating global crises in which events such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have widened economic, health, and social inequalities across the globe. Panelists discuss global crises in Irish literature, focusing on gender and the nation; land, weather, and the environment; poetry and COVID-19; interactions among Irish immigrants, Indigenous peoples, and African Americans; and depictions of wet-nursing and poverty.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/irish/.
432. Humor and Visuality in Early Modern Dutch Literature
10:15–11:30 a.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Dutch. Presiding: Nigel S. Smith, Princeton U
1. “Laughing about Nothing: Humorous Dutch Lottery Rhymes in the Early Modern Low Countries,” Marly Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Antwerp U
2. “Ecophobia and Biophilia in the Ekphrasis and Visualizations of Gardens in the Dutch Hofdicht,” Caroline Baetens, Ghent U
3. “Finding the Funny: A Study of Humor in the Letters of Constantijn Huygens and Johan de Witt,” Ineke Huysman, Huygens Inst. for the History of the Netherlands
4. “‘More Zeale, than Witt’: English Readers of Dutch Satires during the Anglo-Dutch Wars,” Jack Avery, U of Oxford
For related material, visit english.princeton.edu/people/nigel-smith.
433. Multilingualism in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period
10:15–11:30 a.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the Society for German Renaissance and Baroque Literature. Presiding: Christopher Hutchinson, U of Mississippi
1. “Negotiating Language and Christian Theology in Al-Andalus,” Jason Busic, Denison U
2. “How to Mean What You Pray: Translating the Hours for a Laywoman in Princeton MS 67,” Sara Suzanne Poor, Princeton U
3. “Literacy and Liminality: An Old Yiddish Take on Werewolf Narratives,” Annegret Oehme, U of Washington, Seattle
4. “Double Tongue: Multiple Languages in Shakespeare,” Michael Saenger, Southwestern U
434. Group Mentoring for the Career-Curious: Ask Us Anything
10:15–11:30 a.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Mercy Cannon, Eastern Kentucky U; Natalie Katerina Eschenbaum, U of Washington, Tacoma
Speakers: Jennifer Cognard-Black, St. Mary’s C, MD; Darryl Dickson-Carr, Southern Methodist U; Alison Langdon, Western Kentucky U
Professional development and career support is at the core of the mission of the MLA. Take advantage of this networking opportunity to talk to active MLA members about your career goals. This informal group mentoring session offers a chance to have conversations and make connections at the convention that can have a lasting impact on your professional development.
435. Reclaiming Character
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Stephanie Johnson, C of St. Scholastica
1. “Character: Still Life or Real Life?,” Erin VanLaningham, Loras C
2. “‘Part of the Messiness’: Character and the Female Antihero,” Caroline Reitz, John Jay C of Criminal Justice, City U of New York
3. “The Lyric Now: Imagining Time, Judging Character,” Stephanie Johnson
436. The Joys and Sorrows of Translation
10:15–11:30 a.m., 203, PCC
Program arranged by the forum TC Translation Studies
1. “Pulsing Life: Translating as a Woman in a Wheelchair in María Rosa Oliver's Memoirs and Personal Letters,” Maria Julia Rossi, John Jay C of Criminal Justice, City U of New York
2. “An Affective Approach to Hebrew Translation and Jewish Diasporic Culture: The Case of Uri Nissan Gnessin,” Marina Mayorski, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
3. “‘Not My Own Language’: The Agonies of Self-Translation in Kerouac,” Jean-Christophe Cloutier, U of Pennsylvania
437. Periodizing Peripheral Literatures
10:15–11:30 a.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Pavel Andrade, Texas Tech U
Speakers: Ericka Beckman, U of Pennsylvania; Zachary Hicks, U of California, Berkeley; Oded Nir, Queens C, City U of New York; Regina Pieck, Brown U; Sheshalatha Reddy, Howard U; Emilio Sauri, U of Massachusetts, Boston; Eric Vazquez, U of Iowa
What can the periodization of peripheral literatures tell us about the forces shaping the world we live in and its disparities? Participants debate the temporalities that emerge from the periodization of peripheral literatures and how peripheral literatures’ trajectories offer significant insight into the histories of capitalism, nationalism, (de)industrialization, financialization, and climate change.
For related material, visit periodizingperipheralliteratures.mla.hcommons.org after 30 Nov.
438. Translating and Teaching Literature in Indigenous Languages of the Americas
10:15–11:30 a.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Julia Brown, Florida Atlantic U
Speakers: Melissa Birkhofer, Appalachian State U; Whitney DeVos, Pitzer C; Osiris Aníbal Gomez Velazquez, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Vanessa Gubbins, Cornell U; Paul M. Worley, Appalachian State U
Panelists share their experiences with projects related to translating and teaching literature in Indigenous languages, working with attendees to formulate and address questions on how literature in Indigenous languages is translated and brought into the classroom to enrich curricula at all levels of academic education.
439. Commemorating Yingjin Zhang: Reflections on Nonfiction Art, World Literature, and Polylocality
10:15–11:30 a.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Modern and Contemporary Chinese. Presiding: Liang Luo, U of Kentucky
Speakers: Angie Chau, U of Victoria; Géraldine Fiss, U of California, San Diego; Charles Laughlin, U of Virginia; Liang Luo; Alvin K. Wong, U of Hong Kong; Ping Zhu, U of Oklahoma
Celebrating Yingjin Zhang's trailblazing achievements with joy and commemorating his passing with sorrow, participants discuss Zhang's contributions to theories of nonfiction art, the relationship between “worlding” Chinese literature and film historiography, polylocality in queer Sinophone cinema, mapping Chinese literature as world literature, the relationship between space and film, and remapping the city in global Chinese studies.
440. Latinx Necropolitics
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Latina and Latino. Presiding: Maritza Cardenas, U of Arizona, Tucson
1. “The Necropolitics of Undocumentedness in Karla Cornejo Villavicencio's The Undocumented Americans,” Kristy L. Ulibarri, U of Denver
2. “Transhemispheric Necropolitics in Daniel Borzutkzy's Lake Michigan,” Olivia Lott, Princeton U
3. “Environments of Mourning: Necropolitics and Memorialization in the United States–Mexico Borderlands,” Alyssa Quintanilla, United States Naval Acad.
441. Southern Questions: Italy in the Global South, Italy and the Global South
10:15–11:30 a.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Italian. Presiding: Giulia Riccò, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Rhiannon N. Welch, U of California, Berkeley
Speakers: Roberto M. Dainotto, Duke U; Laura Di Bianco, Johns Hopkins U; Claudio Fogu, U of California, Santa Barbara; Patrizia La Trecchia, U of South Florida, Tampa; Cristina Lombardi-Diop, Loyola U, Chicago; Angelica Pesarini, U of Toronto; Neelam Srivastava, Newcastle U
By centering the south at the forefront of a discussion about Italian studies, participants seek to disrupt homogenizing notions of Italian culture, exploring nonconventional approaches to the south by moving beyond geography and taking a more expansive understanding of the south (e.g., southern epistemology; south-south exchanges in and beyond the Mediterranean; theories of the south in comparison).
442. Translation as Engaged and Activist Scholarship in Slavic and Eastern European Studies
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Russian and Eurasian. Presiding: Ainsley Morse, Dartmouth C; Maya Vinokour, New York U
Speakers: Naomi Caffee, Reed C; Shelley Fairweather-Vega, Seattle, WA; Zakhar Ishov, Uppsala U; Sasha Karsavina, Yale U; Grace Mahoney, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Ainsley Morse; Eliza Rose, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Nadezhda Vikulina, Harvard U
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has spurred reevaluations of the state of Slavic studies, including literary and nonliterary translation. How can translators respond to demands to revise and “decolonize” established canons? How have our visions of translation changed since the start of the war? What authors or sources do we now choose to foreground, and why? Translators of regional languages address these and other questions.
443. Joys and Sorrows of Attachment: Dickens and Lawrence
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the D. H. Lawrence Society of North America and the Dickens Society. Presiding: James Armstrong, City C, City U of New York
1. “Dickens, Lawrence, and Readerly Entanglement,” Bridget Chalk, Manhattan C
2. “Remnants of Neglect in Our Mutual Friend,” Tara Moore, Elizabethtown C
3. “The Sorrows of the Lawrentian Persona and Its Attachment to Dickens's David Copperfield,” Holly A. Laird, U of Tulsa
444. Melville and Human Ecologies
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Melville Society. Presiding: Timothy Sweet, West Virginia U, Morgantown
Speakers: Jeffrey Adams, Syracuse U; Rachael DeWitt, Columbia U; Jamie Jones, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Michele Navakas, Miami U, Oxford; Lloyd Sy, Yale U; Clinton Williamson, U of Pennsylvania
Amplifying the recent wave of interest in Melville's environmental thought, the panel focuses on Melville's understanding of human cultures as ecological phenomena. Topics include embodied ecology, labor, industrialism, economic growth, and genealogies of environmentalism.
For related material, visit www.melvillesociety.org/ after 15 Dec.
445. Defining Emplaced Humanities Methods: Clinic of the Soul II
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Katharine G. Trostel, Ursuline C
Participants: Deniz Gündoğan Ibrisim, Sabancı U; Young Jung, George Mason U; Natalie Kopp, Ohio State U, Columbus; Nevena Martinovic, Queen's U; Andy Oler, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U; Eric Touya de Marenne, Clemson U; Shu Wan, U at Buffalo, State U of New York; Valentino Zullo, Ursuline C
This working group moves toward a collaborative understanding of emplaced humanities methods and asks the following: How do we create room for community engagement in physical space and in the digital realm? How can public art or readings disrupt the way we see space or move us toward a more inclusive understanding of specific sites? How does space affect critical making? How do we think about stories and narratives in place?
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/emplaced-humanities-methods/.
For the other meeting of the working group, see 179.
446. Archiving the Joys and Sorrows of Black Women's Lives
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Nicole Morris Johnson, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
1. “‘To Keep the Record That Should Have Been Kept Long Since’: Dunbar-Nelson's Archive Formation,” Monet Lewis-Timmons, U of Delaware, Newark
2. “On Dynamic Suggestion and Otherwise Archiving: Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Nicole Morris Johnson
3. “‘Whatever Marvels of My Own Inventiveness’: Hortense Spillers and Black Feminist Archival Tradition,” Kiana Murphy, Brown U
4. “Sing(ing) Her Mother's Name: Black Maternal Sonority as an Archive of Relation,” Meina Yates-Richard, Emory U
Respondent: Joycelyn K. Moody, U of Texas, San Antonio
447. Alien Forms
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Victorian and Early-20th-Century English. Presiding: Tanya Agathocleous, Hunter C, City U of New York; Amy R. Wong, Dominican U of California
Speakers: Maeve Adams, Manhattan C; Neil Hultgren, California State U, Long Beach; Meredith Martin, Princeton U; Meghna Sapui, U of Florida; Jessica Sherrill, U of California, Los Angeles
Investigating the impact of “alien forms” on the political imagination—past, present, and future—participants conceive of alienness and alienation broadly, building conversation from such topics as narrative formlessness in weird fiction, gustatory imperial forms, prosody and the digital archive, nineteenth-century mnemonics, and artificial intelligence.
448. Japanese Literature in Academia Today: Challenges and Opportunities
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Japanese to 1900. Presiding: Gian Piero Persiani, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Speakers: William Bridges, U of Rochester; Linda H. Chance, U of Pennsylvania; Motoi Katsumata, Meisei U; Elinor Lindeman, U of Southern California; Jeffrey Niedermaier, Brown U; Vyjayanthi Selinger, Bowdoin C; Melissa Van Wyk, U of Chicago
Respondent: Gian Piero Persiani
Geopolitics-based approaches (world literature, area studies, national literature) seem to be losing traction, while broad conceptualizations of race, gender, and queerness are on the rise as lenses through which to see the world's literary output. In premodern studies, renewed commitment to the urgent causes of our time has engendered new presentist ways to engage with the past. How do these changes require us to rethink the way we research and teach Japanese literature?
449. Black Modernities in the Portuguese-Speaking World: The Two Twenties
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Luso-Brazilian. Presiding: Pedro S. Pereira, Ohio State U, Columbus
Speakers: Ma A Salgueiro, U do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Marisol Fila, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Mariane Aparecida Stanev, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Nilzimar Vieira, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
In acknowledgment of the United Nations’ International Decade of the Peoples of African Descent, participants analyze the emergence of Black subjectivities, authorship, and political activism in different areas of the Portuguese-speaking world, across a multiplicity of genres, and in the historical period between the 1920s and the 2020s.
450. AI, Natural Language Processing, and Computational Linguistics: Implications for Language Programs
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the ALD Executive Committee. Presiding: Luciana Fellin, Duke U
Speakers: Yan Cong, Purdue U, West Lafayette; Angela Frattarola, Nanyang Tech. U; Elsayed Issa, Purdue U, West Lafayette; Lisa Merschel, Duke U; Mary Rodena-Krasan, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Carmela Scala, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Panelists explore how recent developments in AI, natural language processing, and computational linguistics influence postsecondary language study. ChatGPT evokes educators’ fears, but how can AI benefit language learning and teaching, in theory and practice?
451. Racing through Adolescence: Racial Identity and the Coming-of-Age Narrative
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Age Studies. Presiding: Sharon Tran, U of Maryland Baltimore County
1. “Settlers that Consume Their Youth: Race, Cannibalism, and Novels of the American West,” Laura Soderberg, U of Southern Indiana
2. “Police Brutality in Black and White: Invisible Boys in I Am Alfonso Jones and Manuelito,” Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo, Rhode Island C
3. “Harlem's Queer Black Adolescent Futures,” Stephen P. Knadler, Spelman C
4. “Visualizing Young Adulthood and Racial Ambiguity,” Lan Dong, U of Illinois, Springfield
452. Studying Bookish Social Media Communities
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Angelina Eimannsberger, U of Pennsylvania; Rachel Wilson, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Lore De Greve, Ghent U; Angelina Eimannsberger; Danyse Golick, U of Toronto; Cassandra Hradil, U of Pennsylvania; Rachel Wilson
Social media is transforming how books are sold, read, and discussed, as well as the way they travel across languages. Bridging fields like media studies, digital humanities, and the sociology of literature, panelists explore these transformations and the methods that can be used to study them, accounting for large-scale changes to literary discourse as well as impacts on individual readers.
453. What Was a Poem . . . ?
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Poetry and Poetics. Presiding: Harris Feinsod, Northwestern U
Speakers: Omoyemi Ajisebutu, Northwestern U; Kathryn Crim, Kenyon C; Michael Dowdy, Villanova U; Huda Fakhreddine, U of Pennsylvania; Lukas Moe, Wellesley C; Ethan Plaue, U of Pennsylvania; Ignacio Sánchez Prado, Washington U in St. Louis
What is a poem's aesthetic ideology in its historical and geographic matrix? Panelists uncover ideas of the poem through flash readings of single poems in specific places and times, from Beirut to Mexico City, from the seventeenth century to the twenty-first.
For related material, visit MLA Commons after 15 Dec.
454. Trans and Crip Stories against Hostile Legislation and Empty Gestures
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the forum TC Disability Studies. Presiding: Maren T. Linett, Purdue U, West Lafayette
Speakers: Christina Cedillo, U of Houston, Clear Lake; Vox Jo Hsu, U of Texas, Austin
Respondent: M. Remi Yergeau, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Participants address stories about access (and inaccessibility) and crip feelings in the wake of anti-trans and anti–critical race theory legislation, as well as the rollback of COVID-19 protections and policies.
455. Tarnished, Shattered, Spoiled: The Fractured Forms of Modern American Tragedy
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Marc L. Robinson, Yale U
1. “‘Missing from the Crown’: Sovereign Strands in Adrienne Kennedy's Funnyhouse of a Negro,” Nicole Jerr, United States Air Force Acad.
2. “The Rosary in the Gutter: Profaning Rituals in Tennessee Williams,” Rebecca Kastleman, Columbia U
3. “The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window: Examining Hansberry's Fractured Selves,” Kristen Wright, New York U
456. Imagining Alternative Futures
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the Asociación Internacional de Literatura y Cine Españoles Siglo XXI. Presiding: Isabel Alvarez-Sancho, Oklahoma State U, Stillwater; Christine Martinez, Bates C
Speakers: Julia Chang, Cornell U; Mary Kate Donovan, Skidmore C; Katryn Evinson, Columbia U; Carmen Sanchis-Sinisterra, U of Mississippi; Alex Saum-Pascual, U of California, Berkeley
Panelists aim to collectively imagine more just and socially desirable futures—futures that motivate us, allow us to recover our commons, and think beyond neoliberal values and narratives. The discussion explores artistic, scholarly, and community-engaged humanities practices that are necessary for dealing with the multiple social and ecological crises of this century.
457. Renaissance Reproductions
10:15–11:30 a.m., Anthony, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th-Century English. Presiding: Jessica Rosenberg, Cornell U; Debapriya Sarkar, U of Connecticut, Storrs
1. “Ligon's Multiplication,” Julie Crawford, Columbia U
2. “Progeny, Profit, and the Poetics of Spenser's Plantation(s),” Ashley Sarpong, Yale U
3. “Always Multiply!,” Vin Nardizzi, U of British Columbia, Vancouver
4. “Reproducing Whiteness in the Early Modern World,” Urvashi Chakravarty, U of Toronto
458. Social Justice through Things and Stuff
10:15–11:30 a.m., Independence I, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Neal A. Lester, Arizona State U
This public humanities workshop considers material and popular culture as effective ways of expanding and challenging traditional ways of teaching and learning. Attendees are invited to bring artifacts to share; collections and collecting can reveal much about ourselves as educator-scholars. This interactive workshop offers an approach to social justice that challenges the primacy of books and book learning.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Dec.
459. What the Slide? Revising and Reframing Presentation Culture
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the Women in German. Presiding: Amy Hill, Vanderbilt U
1. “Reimagining Academic Presentations through a Linguistically Inclusive and Non-ableist Lens,” Lindsey Felt, Stanford U; Jennifer Johnson, Stanford U
2. “Against Skill Building: DEI Pedagogies for Academic Speaking,” Moberley Luger, U of British Columbia; Craig Stensrud, Kwantlen Polytechnic U
Panelists examine and challenge academic presentation culture and provide demonstrations of approaches to presentations that center race, gender, ability, language variety, and conflict resolution.
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iGqri7Es4c7cHEIqXnNLnRIDVr8QuFGY?usp=share_link after 1 Jan.
460. Drag Queens, Stories about Black People, and Other Dangers
10:15–11:30 a.m., Liberty, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Office of the Executive Director. Presiding: Philip Nel, Kansas State U
Speakers: Francesca López, Penn State U, University Park; Torrey Maldonado, New York City Public Schools; Ian Morrison, Philly Drag Queen Mafia
This session brings together experts in literary and cultural studies and equity pedagogy, inside and outside academia, to address book banning and multicultural children’s literature.
461. Afrofuturism, Afropessimism, and Other Ethnofuturisms
10:15–11:30 a.m., Tubman, Loews
Program arranged by the forum GS Speculative Fiction. Presiding: Frances Tran, Florida State U
1. “Our Memories of the Things Yet to Come: Speculative Fiction and Broken Temporalities,” Andy Nunn, independent scholar
2. “Beyond Afrofuturism: Probing the Speculative in Contemporary Caribbean Literature,” Belinda Deneen Wallace, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
3. “Futurisms with a Difference: Racial Cybercapitalism in The Fifth Season and Ambiguity Machines,” Samridhi Aggarwal, National U of Singapore
4. “Decentralized Crypto Power as African Futurism in Trust,” Jana Fedtke, Northwestern U, Qatar
462. Sociology of International Circulation of Literature II
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Tristan Leperlier, CNRS
Participants: Sarah Bowskill, Queen's U Belfast; Elisabet Carbo, Fundacio per a la U Oberta de Catalunya; Tao Huang, U of Hong Kong; Nancy Linthicum, U of South Carolina, Columbia; Anna Muenchrath, Appalachian State U; Miaina Razakamanantsoa, U Münster; Diana Roig Sanz, Fundacio per a la U Oberta de Catalunya
This working group aims to propose an eight-article special issue for a journal in comparative literature, featuring case studies that span translating, publishing, international literary prizes and festivals, on English, French, Chinese, Latin American, Arabic, or Turkish examples. Discussion of the precirculated articles will focus on theoretical and methodological issues.
For related material, visit www.dropbox.com/sh/knvo37s3i6tzw22/AAClj4VWREwBaqMhWdfTQ9kEa?dl=0.
For the other meetings of the working group, see 193 and 658.
463. Samuel R. Delany and the City
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on the Literatures of People of Color in the United States and Canada. Presiding: Daniel Shank Cruz, PEN America
1. “Samuel Delany and the Archiving of Gay New York City through Autobiographical Speculative Worlding,” Ariel Estrella, Cornell U
2. “Delany's Sex Commons,” Kirin Wachter-Grene, School of the Art Inst. of Chicago
3. “Deconstructing Dhalgren: Delany, Derrida, and the Hypertextual City,” Josh Winston, Emory U
464. Reconceptualizing Colonialism in Postcolonial South Asia
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Tapaswinee Mitra, U of Maryland, College Park
1. “Reading the Personal Becoming of an Adivasi Girl from Assam,” Sarbani Banerjee, Indian Inst. of Tech., Roorkee
2. “Disciplining the Orna: Women's Performance in Contemporary Bangladesh,” Nazia Manzoor, North South U
3. “Interconnected Memories of Colonialism and the Global Present within Parsi Migration Narratives,” Sharmeen Mehri, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
4. “‘La ilaaha illallah’: The Politics of Unutterable in the Indian Soundscape,” Feba Rasheed, U of Oregon
465. Class Consciousness, Popular Culture, and Protorevolutionary Syntheses
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Ji Nang Kim, U of Texas, Arlington
1. “Toward a Coolie Class Consciousness: Boundedness and Repetition in the 1876 Cuba Commission Report,” Rebecca Liu, U of Maryland, College Park
2. “Class Consciousness and ‘Chorality’ in De Sica and Zavattini's Bicycle Thieves,” Adrian Guo Silver, Columbia U
3. “Class Tussle in the Naxalbari Movement: History and Class Conflict in Inquilaab: A Play in Three Acts,” Pritha Sarkar, Indian Inst. of Tech., Kanpur
Respondent: Ben V. Olguín, U of California, Santa Barbara
466. Realms of Affect in Medieval Iberia
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval Iberian. Presiding: Robin Bower, Penn State U, Beaver Campus
1. “The Court and the Palace: Spaces of Affect in the Legislative Works of Alfonso X,” Maristela Verastegui, independent scholar
2. “The Pathologies of Sorrow in Medieval Iberian Medicine and Culture,” Luis F. Lopez, Vanderbilt U
3. “The Golden Mean of Grief; or, The Limits of Consolation,” Núria Silleras-Fernández, U of Colorado, Boulder
4. “Between Hebrew and Romance: Joy and Sorrow in Judeo-Iberian and Italian Poetics,” Isabelle Levy, Columbia U
467. Literary Representations of Enslavement in the Ottoman Empire
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Arif Camoglu, New York U, Shanghai
1. “Representations of Odalisques, Concubines, and Eunuchs in Sâmiha Ayverdi's Fiction,” Ayse Circir, Erzurum Technical U
2. “Maternal Slavery in Late-Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Literature and Enlightenment Translations,” Burcu Gursel, Kirklareli U
3. “Reading the Ottoman Turkish Fiction as an Archive,” Arif Camoglu
4. “The Reification of the Eunuch's Body: Zifaf Gecesi: Bir Harem Ağasının Muâşakası,” Müge Özoğlu, Utrecht U
Saturday, 6 January 12:00 noon
468. Humanities without Borders
12:00 noon–1:45 p.m., 203, PCC
A plenary arranged by the MLA Executive Council. Presiding: Ama Bemma Adwetewa-Badu, Washington U in St. Louis; Erin D. Graff Zivin, U of Southern California
Speakers: Michelle Chihara, Whittier C; Ainehi Edoro, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Yomaira Figueroa, Michigan State U; Jonathan Leal, U of Southern California; Robin McDowell, Washington U in St. Louis; Michael Sawyer, U of Pittsburgh
Respondent: Ama Bemma Adwetewa-Badu
Panelists explore innovative approaches to humanistic thinking, gathering, and working that engage with and build community-centered and -driven initiatives. How can academics utilize their training as literary and cultural studies scholars and apply it beyond the walls of the university? The session highlights the work of cultural and literary studies scholars that exceeds academic institutions and engages with the broader public.
469. The Global South and Ireland
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Irish. Presiding: Ellen M. Scheible, Bridgewater State U
Speakers: Penny Cartwright, U of Oxford; Sujata Chattopadhyay, U of Nevada, Las Vegas; Leo Dunsker, U of California, Berkeley; Andrew Henderson, U of California, Santa Barbara; Dipanjan Maitra, Georgia Inst. of Tech.; Samira Mehdipoor Shekakomi, Islamic Azad U; Daniel Morse, U of Nevada, Reno
Panelists consider points of collision, comparison, and friction in the diasporic literary and cultural histories of the Global South and Ireland. How have legacies of conquest, occupation, and resistance determined understandings of belonging to knowable communities? How have practices and experiences of diaspora helped to effect forms of identity and affiliation? And how have literary and cultural works articulated these relations into the present?
470. Celebration? Joys and Sorrows of Central European Writers in Exile
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Hungarian. Presiding: Szidonia Haragos, Zayed U
1. “American Voices, Hungarian Hearts: Hungarian Immigrants and Their Cultural Manifestations,” Katherine Mary Gatto, John Carroll U
2. “The Dilemma of In-Betweenness: Sándor Márai's Internal and External Exiles,” Teodora Domotor, Karoli Gaspar U
3. “The Native Tongue in Exile: The Experiences of György Faludy and Sándor Márai,” Peter Czipott, independent scholar
For related material, write to [email protected].
471. Australian Settler Colonialism and Its Legacies
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Association of Australasian Literary Studies. Presiding: Barbara Hoffmann, U of Miami
1. “Healing the Country: Narration and Emotion, Narrative as Emotion in Indigenous Contemporary Fiction,” Francesca Di Blasio, U of Trento
2. “Aesthesis Nullius: Gerald Murnane's Legal Fictions,” Jack Quirk, Brown U
3. “‘New Masters for Old’: A Settler Colonial Analysis of Ralph de Boissière's Rum and Coca-Cola,” Rachel Hartnett, U of Florida
472. Race and Caste in South Asian Diasporic Writing
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC South Asian and South Asian Diasporic and the South Asian Literary Association. Presiding: Nalini Iyer, Seattle U
1. “Diasporic Politics of Identity and Indian Anticolonialism: Sudhindra Bose and Dhan Gopal Mukherji,” Shaibal Dev Roy, U of Southern California
2. “Revolution in Exile: The Life Writing of M. N. Roy and Pandurang Khankhoje in Mexico,” Nico Millman, U of Pennsylvania
3. “Touching Caste in Atlanta and Los Angeles: Translating Caste in Sujatha Gidla's Ants among Elephants,” Soumya Shailendra, Northwestern U
4. “The Bridge Calls Back: Building Race-Caste Coalitions through Digital Counterstories,” Aparajita De, U of the District of Columbia
473. Expansions and Experiments: The Future of the Scholarly Edition
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Scholarly Editions and the Society for Textual Scholarship. Presiding: Gabrielle Dean, Johns Hopkins U, MD; Elizabeth Rodrigues, Grinnell C
Speakers: Stephanie P. Browner, New School; Eurie Dahn, C of St. Rose; Jessica DeSpain, Southern Illinois U, Edwardsville; Maria Montserrat Feu Lopez, Sam Houston State U; Brian Sweeney, C of St. Rose
Team members from projects that have explored digital publication (Charles W. Chesnutt Archive, Fighting Fascist Spain), African American periodical authorship (Pauline Hopkins's Of One Blood), and feminist scholarly editions (Recovery Hub) consider how the scholarly edition adapts to serve underrepresented authors and modes of authorship.
474. Collectives, Community, and Literary Production: Technologies of Collaboration
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Katie Naughton, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
1. “Emma, Christina, and Gunhilda: Collectives of Twentieth-Century Female Medievalists,” Stacie Vos, U of California, San Diego
2. “Imagining Communities: Crowdsourced Collaborations and Collective Authorship,” Andrew Gorin, New York U
3. “Institutional Creep in (Bio)Technological Literary Production,” Travis Sharp, Howard U
475. Decolonizing Spanish, Latin American, and Latinx Programs in US Higher Education
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Javier Muñoz-Diaz, St. Lawrence U
Speakers: Tara Daly, Marquette U; Leila G. Gomez, U of Colorado, Boulder; Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera, U of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez
How do we challenge and dismantle Eurocentric hegemonic models of Spanish, Latin American, and Latinx programs in the US higher education system? Panelists examine the marginalization of local Spanish-speaking communities (e.g., Puerto Rico), the overrepresentation of Spain, and the disconnection between Latin American and Latinx studies in the academic curricula.
476. Challenging Property: Collectivizing, Disappropriating, and Commoning in Contemporary Mexico
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Mexican. Presiding: Ana Sabau, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1. “Toward an Affective Canon: Las elegantes, by Didi Gutiérrez, as an Exercise of Feminist Disappropriation,” Francesca Dennstedt, Southern Illinois U, Carbondale
2. “‘No se va caer, lo vamos a deshilachar’: El bordado feminista como escritura desapropiacionista,” Selma Rodal, U Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida
3. “‘Vivo de mis nalgas’: Labor, Sexuality, and Profit in Goded's Plaza de la soledad (2015),” Alejandra Vela-Martínez, New York U
4. “Mexican Gothic: Challenging Property,” Leah Fry, Hopkins School, CT
477. Addressing Underrepresentation of Marginalized Populations in Institutional Archives
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM Libraries and Research. Presiding: Arianne Hartsell-Gundy, Duke U; Andrea R. Malone, U of Houston
Speakers: Melissa Benbow, U of Delaware, Newark; Lauren Cooper, Penn State U, University Park; Katelyn Lucas, Temple U, Philadelphia; Linda Merchant, U of Nebraska, Lincoln
Archival recovery—reclaiming space for underrepresented populations in archival collections—requires a critical, ethical, and purposeful approach informed by community-engaged practices. Panelists explore centering marginalized populations underrepresented in institutional archives and what it means to meet the threshold of “nothing about us without us.” Discussion connects theory with contemporary practice by archivists and librarians.
478. Modernism and Myth: Beyond Eliot's Mythical Method
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Amy Smith, Lamar U
1. “The (Black) Modern Mythic: Jean Toomer's Cane,” BK Clapham, U of Colorado, Boulder
2. “Modernism and Myth in the Poetry of David Jones,” Paul Robichaud, Albertus Magnus C
3. “The Death and Rebirth of T. S. Eliot in Modernist Arabic Poetry,” Levi Thompson, U of Texas, Austin
479. Renaissance Eating: Routes, Representations, Re-Creations
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Renaissance and Early Modern. Presiding: John Garrison, Grinnell C
Speakers: Sheila T. Cavanagh, Emory U; David R. Harrison, Grinnell C; Mark J. Mascia, Sacred Heart U; Marissa Nicosia, Penn State U, Abington; Unjoo Oh, Stanford U; Donovan Tann, U of Dubuque
Panelists share new insights into the cultures of early modern eating and food. How did the circulation of food carry with it encounters with new ideas and new people? How did changing culinary practices and tastes reflect and influence cultural changes? What symbolic power did food have on the page and on the stage? How are early modern cooking and eating practices revivified today and to what end?
480. Contemporary Romanian Culture as Transnational Culture
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Romanian
1. “A Transnational Ethnicity in Contemporary Romanian Literature,” Michaela Mudure, Babes-Bolyai U
2. “‘Theses and Antitheses in Paris’: The Transnational Romanian Literature of Human Rights,” Simona Livescu, U of California, Los Angeles
3. “Textual Crossings: Marius D. Popescu,” Ileana Chirila, U of New Hampshire, Durham
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/romanian/forum/.
481. The Everyday Lives of Literature
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand A, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM Literary Criticism. Presiding: Ignacio Sánchez Prado, Washington U in St. Louis
Speakers: Timothy R. Aubry, Baruch C, City U of New York; Rebecca Ballard, Florida State U; Olivia Cosentino, Tulane U; Gustavo Guerrero, Cy Cergy Paris U; Priya Joshi, Temple U, Philadelphia; Ilana Luna, Arizona State U, West
Scholars, editors, translators, and pedagogy experts discuss how literature exists as joyful and living social practices around the world, how to address this liveliness, and how the university can bring the everyday lives of literature to research and teaching. Topics include publishing, teaching, festivals, gateway books, YA, public humanities, liberation, and joy around the world.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
482. Future Souths
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Southern United States. Presiding: Delia Steverson, U of Florida
Speakers: Rachel Bates, Old Dominion U; Ashley Clemons, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Benjamin Compton, U of North Carolina, Greensboro; Emily Fontenot, Illinois State U; Chris Hall, U of the Ozarks; Jessi Morton, U of North Carolina, Charlotte
How might we imagine and celebrate future souths? What is the relationship between futurity and the south, and how can considering futurity reshape our concept of “south” and “southernness”? What strategic actions emerge when imagining our collective futures? Panelists imagine the possibilities, transformations, and even limitations of southern futures.
483. Playful Pedagogies: Learning through Play, Games, and Interactivity
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: DB Bauer, Arizona State U, Tempe
1. “Gamifying the Student Experience: Game Design and Play as Critical Analysis and Reflection,” DB Bauer
2. “Cancer, Care, and Constraint: On Teaching Empathy through Gaming,” Al Valentín, New Jersey City U
3. “Teaching from the Tabletop: A Role-Playing Gamer's Approach to Class Planning and Assessment,” Nick Cialini, Temple U, Philadelphia
4. “Sovereign Games and Critical Play: Unsettling the Remediations of Colonialism in the Classroom,” Steven Gotzler, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; David Hall, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
484. Recentering Black Women Intellectuals: A Philadelphia School District Collaboration
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Brigitte Fielder, U of Wisconsin, Madison
Speakers: Denise Burgher, U of Delaware, Newark; Jenine Hazlewood, Villanova U; Ismael Jimenez, School District of Philadelphia; Shaquita Smith, School District of Philadelphia; Matthew Villanueva, Villanova U
What are the most effective ways to counter the erasure of Black women's intellectual work? This roundtable brings together collaborators from Taught by Literature: Recentering Early Black Women Intellectuals, a cross-institutional, public-facing digital humanities project that is making writing by early Black women available to scholars, college and K–12 students, and the public.
485. Oscar Wilde on Tour
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Sandra Leonard, Kutztown U
1. “The ‘Wilde-Eyed’ Man of the World: Intermediality in Oscar Wilde's Metropolitan Impressions,” Eszter György, Maynooth U
2. “Lionizing, Lion Hunting, and Educating Oscar: Wilde's North American Lecture Tour,” Anne Anderson, Southampton Inst.
3. “Dorian Gray, Olfactory Sensations, and Wilde's American Lecture Tour,” Menglu Gao, U of Denver
Respondent: Nicholas R. Frankel, Virginia Commonwealth U
486. Rethinking William Morris for the Twenty-First Century
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the William Morris Society. Presiding: Jude V. Nixon, Salem State U
1. “Technological Overstimulation and Ecological Healing: William Morris in the Fragmented Twenty-First Century,” Joshua Fagan, Columbia U
2. “Finding the Earthly Paradise: Radical Futurity in William Morris,” Aaron Bartlett, U of Maryland, College Park
3. “Morris in the 1890s: The Appeal for Unity,” Florence S. Boos, U of Iowa
4. “The Nineteenth-Century Population Crisis and the World without Work in Morrisian Utopia,” Seohyon Jung, Korea Advanced Inst. of Science and Tech.
487. Canadian Literature Adapts / Adapting Canadian Literature
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Canadian
Speakers: Sophie Feng, U of Toronto; Rebecca Janzen, U of South Carolina, Columbia; William Kummer, Wilfrid Laurier U; Heidi A. Lawrence, Brigham Young U, UT; Klara du Plessis, Concordia U
Participants examine the flourishing of film adaptation in Canadian literature in French, English, and other languages, discussing Sarah Polley's Oscar-winning film, Women Talking; Kaie Kellough's self-adaptation of his experimental writing into film; engagements with canonical novels by L. M. Montgomery; and reworkings of recent writings by David Chariandy and Naomi Fontaine (Uashat).
488. MLA Research: Trends and Findings in the MLA Language Enrollment Census and the Report on the MLA Job List
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 202B, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of Programs
1. “Results from the 2021 MLA Language Enrollment Census,” Natalia Lusin, MLA
2. “Findings from the MLA Job List,” Mai Hunt, MLA
489. Surviving Troubled Waters: Music, Literature, and Transformation behind Bars
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the Dante Society of America. Presiding: Alison Cornish, New York U
Speakers: Elizabeth Coggeshall, Florida State U; Ron Jenkins, Wesleyan U; Monique (BL Shirelle) Mull, Die Jim Crow Records; Naomi Blount Wilson, Shining Light Acad.
This special event features a performance of an original musical theater piece, inspired by the experiences of two formerly incarcerated individuals and their readings of Dante's Comedy.
490. Claudel and the Earth / Claudel et la terre
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
Program arranged by the Paul Claudel Society
1. “Connaissance de l'Est et l’équilibre de l'univers,” Glenn W. Fetzer, New Mexico State U, Las Cruces
2. “Le poète et la terre: Terre dans le théâtre de Paul Claudel,” Nathalie Mace-Barbier, Avignon U
3. “The Library as a Map: The Earth through Paul Claudel's Personal Library,” Agnese Bezzera, U di Parma
4. “Claudel and the Earthly Paradise,” Stephen E. Lewis, Franciscan U
491. Celebrating Disavowed Voices: Unearthing Memories of Historical Violence in Modern Korea
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Korean. Presiding: Susan Hwang, U of California, Santa Barbara; Jooyeon Rhee, Penn State U, University Park
1. “Performing Public Countermemory: The Jeju 4.3 Incident in Korean Theater and Performance,” Areum Jeong, Robert Morris U
2. “Ghostly Past Remembered: Memories of the US Military Camptown in The Pregnant Tree and the Goblin,” Hyun Jung Kong, Penn State U, University Park
3. “The Politics of Archives: Remembering Yanggongju (‘Western Princess’) in Korean Art,” Vicki Sung-yeon Kwon, Royal Ontario Museum
Respondent: Nan Kim, U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
492. Academic Writing in the Era of AI Chatbots
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on the Status of Graduate Students in the Humanities. Presiding: Thais Rutledge, U of Texas, Austin
1. “The Possibilities of Liberation: Reimagining Value in the Age of AI,” Amish Trivedi, U of Delaware, Newark
2. “A Second Death of the Author?,” Daniel Pintos, Indiana U of Pennsylvania
3. “Graduate Writing and Chatbots: A New Tool for Improving Genre Awareness,” David Hershinow, Graduate Center, City U of New York
493. Supply Chain Capitalism
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Marxism, Literature, and Society. Presiding: Eli Jelly-Schapiro, U of South Carolina, Columbia
1. “Labor Uncontainered,” Peter Hitchcock, Baruch C, City U of New York
2. “The Asian American Character of Logistics,” Paul Nadal, Princeton U
3. “The Algorithmic No-Man's-Land of Supply Chain Data,” Miriam Posner, U of California, Los Angeles
4. “Postpandemic, Postapocalyptic, Postlogistical? Imagining Futures after Supply Chain Capitalism,” Tierney Powell, U of Illinois, Chicago
494. Twentieth-Century BIPOC Writers for Young Adults: Recasting the History of the Genre
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the Children's Literature Association. Presiding: Amanda M. Greenwell, Central Connecticut State U; Kiedra B. Taylor, U of Connecticut, Storrs
1. “Making Chicanx Teens: The Impact of the Chicano Movement on Chicanx Young Adult Literature,” Cristina Rhodes, Shippensburg U
2. “My Name Is Seepeetza, by Shirley Sterling, Edited by Patsy Aldana: Residential School Storytelling,” Andrea Davidson, U of Antwerp
3. “Black Teens on the Rise in the 1990s: Consciousness in Young Adult Literature of the Decade,” Katherine Sciurba, San Diego State U
4. “Stories about War and Violence: Historicizing the Publishing of Kiśor Literature in India,” Titas Bose, U of Chicago
495. The Poetics of Touch
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Poetry and Poetics. Presiding: Lily Gurton-Wachter, Smith C
1. “‘The Beached Whales of the Sexual Universe’: Poetics of Black Woman Sexuality,” Simone White, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Walking to, from, Away: An Intimate Theory of Walking Poems by Women,” Jennifer T. Chang, U of Texas, Austin
3. “Sex in Verse,” Anahid Nersessian, U of California, Los Angeles
4. “Hands over Feet: On Clapping,” Andrea Gadberry, New York U
497. Alternative Landscapes in Catalan Space
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
A special session
1. “Performing Peripheries: Contesting Metropolitan Dynamics through Site-Specific Scenic Arts in Catalonia,” Isaias Fanlo, U of Cambridge
2. “Bubbling Tensions: Debates in Sparkling Wine,” Jeffrey Coleman, Northwestern U
3. “Nonvisuality in Catalan Photography and Space,” Olga Sendra Ferrer, Wesleyan U
498. What Crisis Are We Talking About?
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th- and 17th-Century Spanish and Iberian Poetry and Prose. Presiding: Juan Vitulli, U of Notre Dame
1. “‘About Spanish Women’: Rethinking Gender in the Modernity Velázquez Built,” Leah Wood Middlebrook, U of Oregon
2. “Spreading the News: Trajectories of Contagion in Relaciones de sucesos,” Paulina León, U of Chicago
Respondent: Donald Gilbert-Santamaria, U of Washington, Seattle
499. The Matter of Shakespearean Drama: Theory, Methodology, History
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Shakespeare. Presiding: Miles Grier, Queens C, City U of New York
1. “‘Thou Art Merops’ Son’: Shakespearean Heliotropes and Nuclear Fallout,” William Steffen, American International C
2. “The Shakespearean as a Joke,” Adam Zucker, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
3. “The Shakespeare Company,” Lucy Munro, King's C London
Respondent: Jess Hamlet, Alvernia U
For related material, write to [email protected] after 4 Jan.
500. Reviving Response: Supporting Secondary Literature Teachers through Our Scholarship and Teaching
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Andrew Newman, Stony Brook U, State U of New York; Jonna Perrillo, U of Texas, El Paso
Led by the directors of a 2023 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute for Teachers on the history of literature instruction, this workshop guides higher education faculty members in supporting and collaborating with high school ELA teachers to revive reader response, an endeavor critical to our common goals amid the increasing marginalization of English and the humanities.
For related material, visit goodreader.hcommons.org/?page_id=529 after 15 Nov.
501. Hurry Up Please, It's Time: The Return to Psychoanalysis
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Independence III, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Psychoanalytic Association. Presiding: Vera Camden, Kent State U, Kent
1. “Radical Subjects: Queer Theory, Psychoanalysis, and Laplanche,” Gila Ashtor, Columbia U
2. “The Imaginary and the Symbolic in Venus and Adonis,” Catherine Bates, U of Warwick
3. “Depression and Truth,” Max Cavitch, U of Pennsylvania
502. Celebrating Technology: Bridging the Gap between K–12 and Colleges
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on K–16 Alliances. Presiding: Christian Rubio, Bentley U
1. “Celebrating Curiosity in Online Education: Applying Lessons from English Literature to Create an Engaging Curriculum,” Joani Etskovitz, Harvard U
2. “Technology in a First-Year Writing Program,” Michael Dirschel, Southern Connecticut U
3. “Technology as a Pedagogical Tool,” Lara Kassab, San José State U
503. Robert Graves and the 1960s: “All You Need Is Love”?
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Robert Graves Society. Presiding: Anett Jessop, U of Texas, Tyler
1. “Robert Graves, the Cold War, and the Beat Generation,” Jonahs Kneitly, Texas A&M U, College Station
2. “Obscene or Sentimental? Graves and the Muses of the 1960s,” Elena Theodorakopoulos, U of Birmingham
3. “Robert Graves and J. R. R. Tolkien, World War I, and the Sixties Counterculture,” Joseph Thomas, San Diego State U
504. Ephemeral Sex: The Enduring Belatedness of Archival Intimacy
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: John Anderies, William Way LGBT Community Center
1. “That Eternal Nowness: Ephemera and Preservation in the History of Sexuality,” Sarah Salter, Texas A&M U, Corpus Christi
2. “Envelopment: Ephemeral Erotics and Black Queer Letters,” Omari Weekes, Queens C, City U of New York
3. “‘Shallow Intentionally’: Sexualities of the Envelope,” Don James McLaughlin, U of Tulsa
4. “Moby-Dick from Below: Transient Slash and Ship Theory,” Chip Badley, U of California, Davis
505. General Business Meeting: LSL Language Change
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LSL Language Change. Presiding: Holly Cashman, U of New Hampshire, Durham
506. Forged in Sorrow: Frenchness in the Middle Ages
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval French. Presiding: Julie E. Singer, Washington U in St. Louis
1. “Fracturing Frenchness? The Pastoralet and the Forging of Burgundy,” Daisy J. Delogu, U of Chicago
2. “Presence and Influence of French Women in the Late Medieval Period in the Peloponnese (1204–1432),” Katerina Kiltzanidou, Democritus U of Thrace
3. “Trauma in Occitan Literature after the Albigensian Crusade,” Finlay Darlington-Bell, Harvard U
4. “Epic Existential Crisis: Revolt and the Shaping of Chivalric Identity in the Chansons de geste,” Klayton Tietjen, U of Tennessee, Knoxville
507. Crip of Color Critique
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Disability Studies. Presiding: Stephen P. Knadler, Spelman C
Speakers: Jina Kim, Smith C; Sarah Orsak, U of Virginia; Lou Tam, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.; Jess Waggoner, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Xine Yao, University C, London; Rachel da Silveira Gorman, York U
Respondent: Sami Schalk, U of Wisconsin, Madison
Panelists theorize how crip of color analytics explore writers’ engagement with disability from a racial, queer, and trans liberation and justice perspective. What intersectional modes of disability analysis, creative expression, and justice emerge through these methodologies?
Saturday, 6 January 12:30 p.m.
507A. MLA Delegate Assembly
12:30 p.m., Regency, Loews
Presiding: Dana A. Williams, Howard U
This meeting is only open to MLA members.
For related material, visit www.mla.org/DA-Agenda-2024 after 13 Dec.
Saturday, 6 January 1:45 p.m.
508. Writing Social Spaces
1:45–3:00 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Pre-14th-Century Chinese. Presiding: Anne E. Duggan, Wayne State U
Speakers: Xin Conan-Wu, William and Mary; Anne E. Duggan; Elizabeth Evans, Wayne State U; Carmen Nocentelli, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Leah Price, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Yunshuang Zhang, Wayne State U
Social spaces are social products, but they also lead to the production of knowledge and culture and the construction of collective identity. By examining the writing and visualization of social spaces, panelists prompt a discussion across geographical, historical, and disciplinary boundaries about social practice and identity and conceptualize the intersection of sociality and knowledge production.
509. In Joy and Sorrow: Thinking Sex with Jonathan Goldberg
1:45–3:00 p.m., 308, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ashley Shelden, Kennesaw State U
Speakers: Marcie Frank, Concordia U; Madhavi Menon, Ashoka U; Richard Rambuss, Brown U; Zachary Samalin, New York U; Bethany Schneider, Bryn Mawr C
Scholars assess, in the wake of his death in 2022, the influence of Jonathan Goldberg's work in queer theory and the literary study of sex, sexuality, and desire
510. Reimagining the Field of Arab American Studies
1:45–3:00 p.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global Arab and Arab American
1. “Reframing Arab American Studies,” Ahmed Idrissi Alami, Purdue U, West Lafayette
2. “Arab American Studies and Criticism,” Benjamin Schreier, Penn State U, University Park
3. “The Detained Diaspora: Unwilling Arab Assimilation into American Culture at Guantanamo Bay,” Layla Goushey, St. Louis Community C, MO
Respondent: Danielle Haque, Minnesota State U
511. The Promises and Limitations of Entangled Thinking in the Environmental Humanities
1:45–3:00 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment. Presiding: Sean Collins, U of Utah
1. “Oceanic Feeling: (Anti-)Blackness in the Deep,” Diana Leong, San Diego State U
2. “The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Multiverse: Queer Ecology in Star Trek: Discovery,” Anthony Lioi, Juilliard School
3. “On Entanglement and Method: Thinking with, through, and alongside the Nonhuman,” Christopher Walker, Colby C
4. “Disentangled but Well-Attached,” Nathan Wolff, Tufts U
512. Discussion Group for Graduate Students: Seeking Mentorship with and beyond Your Adviser
1:45–3:00 p.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Ayanni Cooper, MLA
In this discussion group, graduate students explore questions about building mentor relationships, both with and beyond their advisers. Topics include tips for identifying allies, establishing lines of communication, managing difficult conversations, engaging in peer mentoring, and finding resources throughout graduate school and the professional development journey.
513. After Drucilla Cornell
1:45–3:00 p.m., 202A, PCC
Program arranged by the forum TC Philosophy and Literature. Presiding: Ian Balfour, York U, Keele
1. “Aspirational Meditations,” Judith Butler, U of California, Berkeley
2. “Early Cornell and the Practice of Living,” Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Columbia U
3. “Reason to Hope,” Adam Thurschwell, independent scholar
514. Book Publishing in Translation
1:45–3:00 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing. Presiding: Nora Benedict, U of Georgia
1. “Translating Stieg Larsson's Men Who Hate Women into The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Sarah Allison, Loyola U, New Orleans
2. “(Mis)Translating Genre at Random House: Consuelo de St. Exupéry's Oppède,” Sara Kippur, Trinity C, CT
3. “Translator Networks in Anglo-Québec; or, The Many Affiliations of the Literary Translator,” Karolina Roman, McGill U
515. Environmental Protests in the Early Modern and Colonial World
1:45–3:00 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Colonial Latin American. Presiding: Ivonne del Valle, U of California, Berkeley
Speakers: Jahidul Alam, U of Louisiana, Lafayette; Nicholas Helms, Plymouth State U; Bernadette Myers, New York U; Maria Gloria Robalino, Stanford U
Respondent: Dyani Johns Taff, Colby C
Participants theorize environmental protest across sites and regions, making use of multiple methodologies and languages to investigate resistance that emerges from human and nonhuman agents, protests that fail or that succeed in ways that challenge our usual ideas about what protest is or does, and protest where it seems impossible but crops up anyway (in poems, plays, pamphlets, and other artistic traditions, for example).
516. Infrastructure and Visuality in Contemporary Latin America
1:45–3:00 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ian Erickson-Kery, Duke U
Speakers: Jaime Acosta Gonzalez, U of California, Riverside; Julia Brown, Florida Atlantic U; Josue Chavez, U of Pennsylvania; Kevin Ennis, Brown U
Approaching contemporary Latin American cultural production from the vantage points of infrastructure studies and visual culture studies, presenters comment on literature, photography, film, and architecture, reflecting on analytic methods as well as ongoing extractive and developmentalist modifications of the environment.
517. Asian American Hollywood: Race, Gender, and Cinematic Representations
1:45–3:00 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Asian American. Presiding: Yu Min Claire Chen, George Washington U
1. “‘It's All about Family’: Chinese Americans in Contemporary American Films,” wing Shan Ho, Montclair State U
2. “Anna May Wong and the Buddha: Close-Up as Racial Interpretation in The Thief of Baghdad (1924),” Brenda Wang, U of California, Los Angeles
3. “Asians Arriving in Hollywood's American Dream: Representing Settler Lives and Racial Capitalism,” Lynn Itagaki, U of Missouri, Columbia
4. “Imperfect Students: On Asian American Imperfection and the Campus Film,” Leland Tabares, Colorado C
Respondent: Jinah Kim, California State U, Northridge
For related material, write to [email protected].
518. Democracy, Death, and Resilience in the Global Sri Lankan Novel
1:45–3:00 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Dinidu Karunanayake, Elon U
1. “State Violence, Militancy, Martyrdom: Ideologies of Death in Ganeshananthan's Brotherless Night,” Maryse Jayasuriya, U of Texas, El Paso
2. “Ecopoetics of Resilience in the Novels of Sivanandan and Arasanayagam,” Pavithra Tantrigoda, U of Central Florida
3. “The Différend and Postcolonial Postmemories in Karunatilaka's The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida,” Dinidu Karunanayake
Respondent: Nalini Iyer, Seattle U
For related material, write to [email protected].
519. Familial Narratives and Medieval Studies
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Medieval. Presiding: Michelle Hamilton, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Speakers: Daniel Armenti, C of the Holy Cross; Ramani Chandramohan, U of Oxford; Albrecht Classen, U of Arizona, Tucson; Gabriel Ford, Drake U; Hannah Newburn, U of California, Santa Cruz
Taking inspiration from the city of Philadelphia, panelists address the themes of founding fathers and mothers, brotherly love, and other familial and intimate relations in relation to medieval texts and medieval studies as a discipline, in diverse geographies including medieval early America. What are our founding narratives, and how have they structured our field? What communities are imagined or excluded by founding narratives within medieval literature?
520. Romanian Studies in the Digital Space
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the Romanian Studies Association of America. Presiding: Christene D'Anca, U of California, Santa Barbara
1. “Romanian American Writers in between Canons in the Digital Era,” Ileana Marin, U of Washington, Seattle
2. “Forging a Digital Cultural Presence: Writing, Publishing, and Disseminating a Book on Romania in the United States,” Adriana Cordali, independent scholar
3. “Promoting Mircea Cartarescu's Translations in the United States,” Lucas Newey, U of Louisville
4. “Perspectives of Romanian Cultural Diplomacy: An Account of the ILR Lectureship at Arizona State University,” Iosefina Blazsani Batto, Arizona State U
521. How to Be a Global Anglophonist?
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Global Anglophone
Speakers: Nasia Anam, U of Nevada, Reno; Ajay Batra, Vanderbilt U; Amatoritsero Ede, Mount Allison U; Sangina Patnaik, Swarthmore C; Avni Sejpal, U of Pennsylvania
What does it mean to be in the field of “global anglophone literature” today? How do we teach, research, and labor—or not—under this rubric? What does it mean to be a global anglophonist across categories of postcolonial, transnational, and world literature and across historical periods?
522. Haunted Objects in Post-45 Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress A, Loews
A special session
Speakers: David Hering, U of Liverpool; Alexandra Kingston-Reese, U of York, Derwent C; Sheila Liming, Champlain C; Jeannette Schollaert, U of Maryland, College Park; Lynne Stahl, Wesleyan U
Participants launch an exploration of haunted objects within the context of post-45 literature: How do legacies of ownership and possession haunt the contemporary object? How does that haunting bear upon the object's status, and how are such legacies represented in narrative form?
523. “You Know My Methods, Watson”: Academic Scholarship in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Lauren M. E. Goodlad, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Speakers: Dana Gavin, Old Dominion U; Lauren M. E. Goodlad; Sunggyung Jo, Inha U; Jude V. Nixon, Salem State U
Panelists consider the influence of artificial intelligence on academic scholarship and writing; address ethical, pedagogical, and scholarly concerns and disinformation, along with how ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) affect the ways students and academics access and use information, think, and write; and examine opportunities and threats to creativity, agency, resources, and marginalized populations.
524. Returning to the Black and Indigenous Feminist Literary Archive
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum TC Women's and Gender Studies. Presiding: Meredith Lee, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “Blacking Out the Archive in Jasminne Mendez's City without Altar,” Judith Rodríguez, Indiana U, Bloomington
2. “The Syntax of Affect: Enslaved Women's Legal Strategies in Nineteenth-Century Cuba,” Isabela Fraga, Stanford U
3. “Here in Black Paradise: A Ritual for Debt,” Misty De Berry, New York U
4. “The Roots of My Radicalism: Reading This Bridge Called My Back as an International Graduate Student,” Maria Carolina Sintura, U of California, Santa Barbara
525. Theater in Joy and Sorrow, Theater of Joy and Sorrow: Performance and Embodiment of Marginalized Communities in the Americas
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Theatre and Drama Society
1. “Frankensteining Joy on the Contemporary Stage,” Louise Geddes, Adelphi U
2. “Time Changes Everything: An Analysis of the Effects of Time on Elinor T. Vanderburg's Noir Play Bloodshot,” Eh-den Perlove, U of Manchester
3. “Striving beyond Sorrow: Black Women, Embodiment, and Living Historiography,” Valerie Joyce, Villanova U
4. “‘Thats Not a Play’: Political Trauma and Acting Out in Suzan-Lori Parks's 365 Plays / 365 Days,” Jason Fitzgerald, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
526. Energy: The Labor of Mining, Magic, Water, and Poesie
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th- and Early-19th-Century German. Presiding: Julie Koser, U of Maryland, College Park
1. “‘Die ganze Gegend hier, meilenweit umher, raucht, dampft, klappert, pocht’: Mining, Coal, and Power,” Antonia Villinger, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
2. “Goethe and Energy: Mines, Magic, and Faust's Dike,” Heather I. Sullivan, Trinity U
3. “Energetic Waterways: The Flow and Ebb of Germany's Rivers from Werther to Pfisters Mühle,” Matthew Childs, U of Washington, Seattle
4. “Labor, and Lessing's Poetics of Ease,” Nicholas A. Rennie, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
527. Izumi Kyōka in World Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Japanese since 1900. Presiding: Pedro Bassoe, Purdue U, West Lafayette
1. “Izumi Kyōka, Ukiyo-e, and Book Design,” Maki Tominaga, Aoyama Gakuin Daigaku
528. The Politicization of Academic Freedom
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Rights and Responsibilities. Presiding: Jesús A. Ramos-Kittrell, U of Oregon
Speakers: Michael Bérubé, Penn State U, University Park; Ilana Feldman, George Washington U; Pedro Garcia-Caro, U of Oregon; Anita Beth Levy, American Assn. of University Professors; Miriam Wallace, New C
Panelists appraise recent attacks on academic freedom and the possibilities and limits that pedagogical, administrative, and legal paths set for action. While academic freedom is different from freedom of speech, the panel explores the problems that emerge from politicizing academic freedom in the current context of culture wars.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/cafprr-academic-freedom-session/ after 1 Dec.
529. Figures of Relation: Solidarity, Communion, Complicity, Oneness
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century American. Presiding: Aida Levy-Hussen, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Ramzi Fawaz, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Susan Koshy, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Madhumita Lahiri, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Kevin Quashie, Brown U
Panelists identify and discuss keywords through which contemporary humanists have envisioned the civic task of living with others.
530. Modern Joy and Sorrow: Emotion, Affect, and Modernist Form in Pirandello and Beyond
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the Pirandello Society of America. Presiding: Michael Subialka, U of California, Davis
1. “To Feel Otherwise: Pirandello between Philosophy and Affect,” Andrea Sartori, Nankai U
2. “Pirandello's Retrospective Novels: The Sorrow of Grief,” Lorenzo Mecozzi, Columbia U
3. “Metafiction as the Expression of Crisis: Luigi Pirandello and Miguel de Unamuno,” Francesca Magario, Duke U
4. “Sciascia as Pirandello in La scomparsa di Ettore Majorana and Uno, nessuno e centomila,” Maria Rosaria Vitti-Alexander, Nazareth C
For related material, visit www.pirandellosociety.org after 4 Dec.
531. Thirty Years after Lélia Gonzalez's Death: Revisiting Her Legacy for Theory
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Luso-Brazilian. Presiding: Paulo Dutra, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1. “And What about ’em Girls? Lélia Gonzalez e Racionais MC's ‘30 anos depois,’” Paulo Dutra
2. “Lélia Gonzalez, a Precursor of Decolonial Theory,” Emanuelle K. F. Oliveira-Monte, Vanderbilt U
3. “New Perspectives on Black Literary Theory,” Felipe Fanuel Xavier Rodrigues, U do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
4. “Lélia Gonzalez and the Importance of Transnational Encounters,” Luana Moreira Reis, U of Pittsburgh
532. Scientific Modeling and the Literary
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Science and Literature. Presiding: Rebecca Ballard, Florida State U
1. “Modeling the Fourth Dimension in Flatland and Victorian Spiritualism,” Brittany Carlson, Iowa Wesleyan U
2. “Inside-Out Planet: Modeling the Human and the Planetary Scale in Science Fiction,” Katherine Buse, U of Chicago
3. “Fictional Minds, Mindful Fictions: Cognition after Large Language Models,” Edwin Roland, U of California, Santa Barbara
4. “Narrative and Affect in Economic Simulations,” Keith Clavin, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
533. Defining the Challenges of Inclusion: DEI and Academic Freedom at the Community College
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand A, Marriott
Program arranged by the Community College Humanities Association. Presiding: Amee Schmidt, Marshalltown Community C, IA
1. “Inclusive Language, Action-Oriented Anti-Racism, and Academic Freedom,” Alina Romo, Allan Hancock C, CA; Kacie Wills, Allan Hancock C, CA
2. “Forging Connected Outlets: Open Educational Resources, Academic Freedom, and DEI Work,” Donald Winter, Delta C
3. “How Do We Balance the Principles of DEI and Academic Freedom?,” Heather Harris, Community C of Baltimore County, MD
534. Contemporary Lyric Poetry and Visuality
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Nikki Skillman, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “Kamau Brathwaite's Visual Orality,” Aliya Ram, Princeton U
2. “C. D. Wright and the Visual Temporality of Memory,” Sarah Nance, United States Air Force Acad.
3. “‘Every Wound of Gray in Between’: Rachel Eliza Griffiths and Intermedial Elegy,” Andrew Hill, California Inst. of Tech.
4. “Writing, Drawing, and the Voluminousness of Poetic Subjectivity,” Nate Mickelson, New York U
535. Sylvia Plath after Ninety Years: Accessibility, Disability Studies, and Pedagogy
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Amanda Golden, New York Inst. of Tech
1. “Critical Reading, Writing, and Inquiry: Teaching Sylvia Plath throughout the Curriculum,” Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick, Indiana U–Purdue U, Columbus
2. “‘Properly Jointed[?]’: Reflections on Building a Sylvia Plath Syllabus,” Gary Leising, Utica U
3. “Forgetting about ECT: Electroshock in Plath and Popular Culture,” Elizabeth J. Donaldson, Arizona State U
4. “Mediating the Art of Mental Illness: Confessional Poetry and Contemporary Painting,” Anna Mukamal, Coastal Carolina U
536. The Body as Archive: Queer, Disabled Knowledge through Pain and Pleasure
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Alessandra Occhiolini, Graduate Center, City U of New York
1. “Publishers and Pharmaceuticals: Hacking the Body and the Archive in Confessions of the Fox,” Sylvia Korman, Graduate Center, City U of New York
2. “The Third Time I Taught Myself to Walk,” Tim Dalton, City C, City U of New York
3. “A Nervous System: The Ethics of Teaching Bodies,” Alessandra Occhiolini
537. Joy and Sorrow of Being Social in the Writings of Benito Pérez Galdós
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the International Association of Galdós Scholars
1. “‘¡Algazaras de mil demonios!’: Colectividades y reuniones infantiles en la narrativa galdosiana,” Sara Munoz-Muriana, Dartmouth C
2. “From Social to Personal: Sentimental Response in La de Bringas,” Lisa Nalbone, U of Central Florida
3. “‘Bares, que lugares tan gratos para pelear’ ante el absolutismo en La fontana de oro (1871),” Rafael Nunez Rodriguez, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
4. “Surviving Death: Family Responses to Childhoods Cut Short,” Erika Maurine Sutherland, Muhlenberg C
538. Teaching the Early Modern: Evolving Methods, Archives, and Technologies
1:45–3:00 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-Century English. Presiding: Jane Hwang Degenhardt, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
1. “Open and Intersectional Pedagogy: Teaching the Early Modern with Generative Artificial Intelligence,” Alexa Alice Joubin, George Washington U
2. “Teaching Early Modern Literature Contrapuntally,” Goutam Piduri, Brown U
3. “Shakespeare and Sleep: An Interdisciplinary Approach,” J. Asia Rowe, Great Bay Community C, NH
4. “A Tale Too Tedious to Repeat: Teaching Pericles and Narrative Silence,” Kimberly Huth, California State U, Dominguez Hills
539. Editing Late Writings: Joys and Sorrows
1:45–3:00 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
Program arranged by the Society for Textual Scholarship. Presiding: Tyler Hoffman, Rutgers U, Camden
1. “The ‘Fuel of Rapture’: Editing Dickinson's Late Letters,” Cristanne Miller, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
2. “‘Garrulous to the Very Last’: Editing and Reevaluating Whitman's Late Writings,” Kenneth M. Price, U of Nebraska, Lincoln
3. “Too Busy to Die: Editing Amy Lowell's Late Letters,” Melissa Bradshaw, Loyola U, Chicago
540. Folkloric Perspectives on Celebration
1:45–3:00 p.m., Independence III, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Folklore Society. Presiding: James Deutsch, Smithsonian Inst.
1. “One Grand Noise in the Florida Panhandle,” Jerrilyn McGregory, Florida State U
2. “Cross-Border Traditions: Nowruz in the Persianate World,” Elmira Louie, U of California, Davis
3. “Celebration and Spicy Foods in Contested Spaces: Hot Chicken in Nashville, Tennessee,” Sarah Shultz, Memorial U of Newfoundland
541. Mourning without End
1:45–3:00 p.m., Liberty, Marriott
A linked session arranged in conjunction with the Presidential Plenary: The Poetics of Celebration (199). Presiding: Frieda Ekotto, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Cesare Casarino, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Maggie Hennefeld, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities; John W. Mowitt, U of Leeds; Simona Sawhney, Indian Inst. of Tech., Delhi
During the ongoing coronavirus pandemic loss is everywhere. Among those things we lost stands mourning itself, especially when contrasted with melancholia: a contrast that turned on the “normal” finitude of the former. Mourning shaped one's relation to the lost around an end. This end was to be fixed within some familiar account of duration, but in the pandemic, duration lost its shape. The end was lost. Loss after loss. What does mourning become under such circumstances? How is it lived, shared, expressed?
542. Writing Program Futures: Technologies, Curricula, People
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the Council of Writing Program Administrators
1. “When Instructors Are Alumni: Auguring a Strong Future through Postdoctoral Teaching Fellows,” Melissa Ianetta, Georgia Inst. of Tech.
2. “Dismantling the Writing Program Gig Economy: Futures for Staffing Writing Programs,” Laura J. Davies, State U of New York, Cortland
3. “Paper Pushing for Institutional Change: Writing Programs That Reimagine the Rules of Engagement,” Kathryn Gindlesparger, Thomas Jefferson U
543. Revisiting The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Poe Studies Association. Presiding: Philip Edward Phillips, Middle Tennessee State U
Speakers: Kyle Campbell, Fordham U; Micah Donohue, Eastern New Mexico U; John Gruesser, Sam Houston State U; Adrian Salgado, Ohio State U, Columbus
Panelists offer new readings of Pym, Poe's only complete novel, which has led to extended arguments about his writing techniques, his relationship with the publishing industry, his racism, and many other topics.
544. The Service Requirement: Contingency, Marginality, and Growing Expectations
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Contingent Labor in the Profession. Presiding: Clark Barwick, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “Above and Beyond: Joining Departmental Leadership as a Contingent Faculty Member,” Dennis Wise, U of Arizona
2. “Dancing with (Dis)Abilities: Just Do-Si-Do around the Tenure Track,” Myra Tatum Salcedo, U of Texas of the Permian Basin
3. “Betwixt and Between: Negotiating Service Requirements as Teaching Faculty Members,” Lauren Kuryloski, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
545. Communal Practices of Joy and Sorrow in Africa and the Diaspora
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC African since 1990. Presiding: Olabode Ibironke, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
1. “Spiritual Homecomings: Healing Pathways in African Spirituality,” Cristovao Nwachukwu, U of Florida
2. “Threnodic Presence in Biyi Bandele's Film Adaptation of Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman,” Gabriel Bámgbóṣé, U of California, San Diego
3. “Kinka in Kopeyia Village: Discovery of Social Fractals,” S. Ama Wray, U of California, Irvine
Saturday, 6 January 3:30 p.m.
546. Expanding Deaf Narrative: Scholarly, Critical, Creative, and Production Approaches
3:30–5:15 p.m., Commonwealth D, Loews
A plenary. Presiding: Brenda Brueggemann, U of Connecticut, Storrs; Jennifer Nelson, Gallaudet U
1. “Anthologizing ASL Literature,” Christopher Krentz, U of Virginia
2. “Oralism and the Deafened Literary Sensibilities of Late-Eighteenth-Century Britain,” Jason Farr, Marquette U
3. “Cultivating an Authentic, Collaborative Approach to Publishing Deaf Narratives and Literature,” Katie Lee, Gallaudet U
4. “Romancing the Eugenicists: Early-Twentieth-Century Deaf Creative Writers on Eugenics,” Kristen Harmon, Gallaudet U
5. “Adapting Embodied Communication across Media,” Rachel Kolb, Harvard U
6. “Found in Translation: Cultivating New Cross- and Multimodal Writings in Liminal Spaces,” Sara Novič, independent writer
This plenary expands on the events at the 2004 MLA convention (also in Philadelphia) related to ASL linguistics, teaching, and literature, exploring the following issues: encouraging—and composing—narratives about deaf lives both present and past; publishing and producing ASL literature; and composing and translating across multiple modalities and languages.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 2 Jan.
547. Beyond Diaspora and Division in South Asia
3:30–4:45 p.m., 308, Marriott
Program arranged by the South Asian Literary Association. Presiding: John Charles Hawley, Santa Clara U
1. “Longing for Nonsovereignty: Sufi Poetry, Queer Theory, and the Partition,” Ketan Jain, Tufts U
2. “Spoken Revolutions: Saadat Hasan Manto's Decolonial Speech Acts,” Aliya Ram, Princeton U
3. “‘Joy (Is) for Cabbages’: Celebrating Love, Laughter, and Loss in Subramaniam's Love without a Story,” H S Komalesha, Indian Inst. of Tech., Kharagpur
4. “Rebirth by Reimagining: Transcending Barriers in South Asian Feminist Diasporic Writing,” Geetika Bhasin, National U of Singapore
548. Reimagining Self-Care and Social Constructions of Health
3:30–4:45 p.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Nordic
1. “Constructing Precarity: Themes of Vulnerability and Disability in Nordic Music and Literature,” Ryan Weber, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
2. “The Doxa of Dignity: Dying Well with Welfare-State Imaginaries,” Tobias Skiveren, U of Copenhagen
3. “Norsk sokkel: Care, Failure, and the Gaps of the Norwegian Welfare State,” Elizabeth Stang, U of Washington, Seattle
4. “Buried Traumas and Mythological Tropes in Tarjei Vesaas's Fiction,” David Smith, U of Wisconsin, Madison
549. Very Cool! The Language and Literature of Antarctica
3:30–4:45 p.m., 414, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ellen Cressman Frye, William Paterson U
1. “Compelling Images of Suffering and Joy in the Poetry of Antarctica,” Ellen Cressman Frye
2. “Antarctic Silence, Imagined Friends, and a Freed Voice,” Heidi A. Lawrence, Brigham Young U, UT
3. “Antarctic Theater since 1841: Place-ing Science, Climate, and Empire,” Daniel Abdalla, U of Liverpool
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/antarctic-studies/.
550. The Humanities Grant-Making Landscape
3:30–4:45 p.m., 203, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Office of the Executive Director. Presiding: James Shulman, American Council of Learned Societies
Speakers: Sean Buffington, Henry Luce Foundation; Andrew Delbanco, The Teagle Foundation; Carolyn Dinshaw, Mellon Foundation; Shelly Lowe, National Endowment for the Humanities
Leaders of the nation's foremost humanities grant-making bodies will discuss the current state of federal and foundation support for language, literature, and culture research and teaching.
551. PMLA: Getting Published as Graduate Students and Early Career Scholars
3:30–4:45 p.m., Exhibit Hall, Ballroom AB, PCC
Program arranged by the PMLA Editorial Board. Presiding: Brent Hayes Edwards, Columbia U
Speakers: Emma Brush, Stanford U; Michael Dango, Beloit C; Usha Rungoo, Harvard U; Alex Ullman, U of California, Berkeley
This session brings together graduate students and early career scholars who have recently had their work published in PMLA. The authors discuss their experience with the journal, addressing, among other topics, how they responded effectively to peer review and worked with the editorial board to further refine their submissions, all with an eye toward having their specialized work speak to the broad MLA membership.
552. Public Humanities Incubator Showcase
3:30–4:45 p.m., 202B, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Janine M. Utell, MLA
Speakers: Yassine Ait Ali, Princeton U; Sarah Buchmeier, Pullman National Monument; BK Clapham, U of Colorado, Boulder; Megan Cole Lyle, U of California, Irvine; Darryl Dickson-Carr, Southern Methodist U; Eduardo Febres Munoz, U of Notre Dame; Cornelius Fortune, Bowling Green State U; Debakanya Haldar, U of Florida; Yolanda Mackey-Barkers, Penn State U, University Park; Gabriella Pishotti, West Virginia U, Morgantown; Valerie Popp, American Council of Learned Socs.; Sydney Schmidt, U of Wyoming; Michael Smith, Fine Foundation
Throughout the fall, graduate students interested in public humanities scholarship have been working closely with mentors from both humanities higher education and the nonprofit sector to develop new work. Join the 2023 cohort of the Public Humanities Incubator as students present the products of their collaboration with their mentors, and learn more about how the MLA is supporting public humanities scholarship and practice.
For related material, visit publichumanitiesincubator.mla.hcommons.org after 29 Dec.
553. New Approaches to Race, Value, and the Novel
3:30–4:45 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Rafael Lubner, King's C London
1. “On Shipping Commodified Life,” Rafael Lubner, King's C London
2. “Factory Settings: Production and Value in the Postcolony,” Christine Okoth, King's C London
3. “Value, Labor, and the Asian Anglophone Novel,” Jane Hu, U of Southern California
4. “Measures of the Global Anglophone,” Alya Ansari, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
554. Black Aesthetics and Politics: Fugitivity and Postsocialism in Contemporary Cuba
3:30–4:45 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Cuban and Cuban Diasporic. Presiding: David Tenorio, U of Pittsburgh
1. “Krudxs Cubensi: Hablemos de negros, pobres y queers en el solar,” Mabel Cuesta, U of Houston
2. “The Art of War: Counterframing Cuba's Involvement in the Angolan Civil Conflict,” Andy Alfonso, Princeton U
3. “The Interplay of Health Crises, Immigration Policies, and Black Fugitivity in Contemporary Cuba,” Muhammad Hassan Bin Afzal, Kent State U, Kent
4. “Art of Protest: Fugitivity and San Lázaro in Postsocialist Cuba,” Karina Cespedes, U of Central Florida
555. Beyond Patriarchy and Heteronormativity: Andean Masculinities in Contemporary Literature
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Cesar Romero Fernandez, Princeton U
1. “Of Outlaws and Men: Rewriting Martín Fierro's Masculinity in Contemporary Argentinian Literature,” Manuela Borzone, Nebraska Wesleyan U
2. “Labor Marginalization, Survival Strategies, and Gender Expression in Pedro Lemebel's Tengo Miedo, Torero,” Jonatan Guerra, U of Colorado, Boulder
3. “The Crisis of Masculine Transculturation in Gabriel Mamani Magne's ‘Seoul, São Paulo,’” Natalia Chavez, Georgetown U
4. “Queering Religion and Sports: Dismantling Masculinities in Eielson's ‘Primera Muerte de María,’” Carlos Rubens López Pari, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
556. Digital Storytelling across the Americas: Adoption, Adaptation, and Counternarratives in Video Games
3:30–4:45 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on the Literatures of People of Color in the United States and Canada and the forum CLCS Hemispheric American. Presiding: Jennifer Carolina Gómez Menjívar, U of North Texas
1. “Games and the Latinx Child: Agency in Papo & Yo, Life Is Strange 2, and El Hijo: A Wild West Tale,” Regina Mills, Texas A&M U, College Station
2. “Rasquache Holmes: A Transmedial Rereading of Joel Miller as Latinx in The Last of Us,” Carlos Gabriel Kelly González, Rice U
3. “Cruel and Unusual Punishment: The Challenges of Playing Indigenous Violence as Self-Defense,” Daniel Chávez Landeros, U of New Hampshire, Durham
4. “Modding for Sims Liberation: How Modders Add Representation to Life Simulators,” Nicole Pizarro, Ohio State U, Columbus
557. Whither the Foreign? Translation and the Cryptic Colonial Tongue
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Paola Iovene, U of Chicago
1. “Mapped Tongue: Deconstructing the Colonial Tongue in Translation Theory,” Anandi Rao, SOAS, U of London
2. “The Semicolonial Condition and the Foreign Tongue,” Adhira Mangalagiri, Queen Mary, U of London
3. “Speculative Semicolonial Translations,” Niloofar Sarlati, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
4. “Does the Colonizer Speak? On Not Reading Linguistic Power,” Tze-Yin Teo, U of Oregon
For related material, write to [email protected] after 15 Nov.
558. Recuperating Universalism through Postcolonial Literatures
3:30–4:45 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Mukti Lakhi Mangharam, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
1. “The Legacy of Amauta: Indigenismo, Universalism, and Alternative Modernity in Latin America,” Daniel Sacilotto, California Inst. of the Arts
2. “Inter-Asian Solidarity, Decolonization, and the Global Cold War,” Jini Kim Watson, New York U
3. “Theorizing Totality in the South,” Aaron Bartels-Swindells, Penn State U, University Park
For related material, visit https://doi.org/10.17613/m21a-fv05.
559. What Do We Think We're Doing?
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century American. Presiding: Kathryn Walkiewicz, U of California, San Diego
Speakers: Peter M. Coviello, U of Illinois, Chicago; Eagan Dean, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; D. Berton Emerson, Whitworth U; Duncan F. Faherty, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Nazera Wright, U of Kentucky; Xine Yao, University C, London
Nineteenth-century American studies addresses representation and erasure, race and racism, gender and sexuality, colonialism and imperialism, complicity and dissent. Contributors address the state and stakes of our field in our current moment, discussing an array of topics, including long COVID, trans histories and trans antagonism, Black girlhood, periodization, peace and violence, and historicism.
560. Writing the Biography: Collectives and Collaborations
3:30–4:45 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Justin Gifford, U of Nevada, Reno
Speakers: Julia Charles, U of Colorado, Boulder; Katherine Fusco, U of Nevada, Reno; Sarah Gleeson-White, U of Sydney; Maryemma Graham, U of Kansas; Susana Morris, Georgia Inst. of Tech.; Sunny Stalter-Pace, Auburn U
Panelists consider the striking number of scholars turning to biography and address questions of archive, methods, and writing: How does the biographer account for collaboration and collectives when telling a biographical story? What opportunities does biography offer in narrating a life or artwork through its networks that a traditional scholarly book might not?
561. Strange Heading: Postcritique and the Medieval Book
3:30–4:45 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Chaucer and the forum LLC Middle English. Presiding: Sherif Abdelkarim, Grinnell C
Speakers: Cynthia Turner Camp, U of Georgia; Heather Maring, Arizona State U, Tempe; Sydney Owada, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Myra Seaman, C of Charleston
Panelists ask how looking at the character of the medieval text on the manuscript page—calligraphy, titles, rubrics, initials, performance cues, polysemy—might allow us to consider anew readers’ encounters, medieval and modern, with that text. How did premodern people encounter strange texts? How was their encounter shaped by manuscript contexts? What can we find if we look at the ways that letters and words invite approaches beyond that of reading for content?
562. The Prison Writer as Witness: Curation Workshop on the American Prison Writing Archive
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Doran Larson, American Prison Writing Archive
The American Prison Writing Archive (APWA) is the largest and first fully searchable digital archive of nonfiction essays and poetry by currently and recently incarcerated people. This workshop will allow participants to become active contributors to the APWA by curating subject-specific collections of essays on topics such as racist practices, medical negligence, domestic and prison violence, sources of hope, resistance, and dreams of freedom.
For related material, visit prisonwitness.org.
563. One Hundred Years of “Mrs. Brown”: Revisiting Virginia Woolf’s “Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown”
3:30–4:45 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Mary E. Wilson, U of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
1. “‘A Season of Failures and Fragments’: Virginia Woolf, ‘Mrs. Brown,’ and the Queer Art of Failure,” Mary E. Wilson
2. “Minimalist Character, Modernist Type: ‘Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown’ and ‘The Little Man at Chehaw Station,’” Pamela Weidman, U of California, Berkeley
3. “Mrs. Brown in a Spaceship: Woolf, Le Guin, and the Character of Fiction,” Matthew Cheney, Plymouth State U
4. “Time Passes: Revisiting ‘The Whole Contention between Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Woolf, Revisited,’” Beth Rigel Daugherty, Otterbein U
For related material, visit mrbennettandmrsbrown.mla.hcommons.org.
564. William Carlos Williams, Paterson, and the Environmental Humanities
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the William Carlos Williams Society. Presiding: Mark C. Long, Keene State C
1. “Reading Williams Spatially: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Paterson,” Chryse Kruse, Environmental Systems Research Inst.
2. “Paterson: The Embodied City in William Carlos Williams's Poem and Jim Jarmusch's Film,” Maria Sieira, Pratt Inst.
3. “Recovering Paterson in Paterson: A Study in Neighboring,” Kyra Morris, Princeton U
565. A Stateless Nation: Joys, Sorrows, and Ideas of Union within the Scottish Literary Tradition
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Scottish. Presiding: Meg Oldman, independent scholar
1. “Bought and Sold for English Gold: The Union in Scots and Gaelic Song,” Ellen Beard, independent scholar
2. “Traditionally Cosmopolitan: Reading Scottish Identity through Edinburgh's Literary Heritage,” Julia Rojo de Castro, New York U
3. “Borders of the Self, Borders of Nations: An Exploration of Scottish Bordering Performativity within Claire McFall’s Bombmaker and Jackie Kay’s Trumpet,” Amber Hancock, Bangor U
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/scottish/.
566. One Year In: ChatGPT and Departments of English and Modern Languages at Two-Year Colleges
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Community Colleges. Presiding: William Christopher Brown, Midland C
1. “AI on Our Side: ChatGPT as a Tool in the Two-Year Composition Classroom,” Amee Schmidt, Marshalltown Community C, IA
2. “Theory into Practice: Austin Community College Tackles Generative AI,” Christine Berni, Austin Community C, TX; Wendy Lym, Austin Community C, TX
567. Photography by Other Means: Before and beyond Photography
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th- and Early-20th-Century German. Presiding: Jessica Resvick, Oberlin C
1. “Papercuts, Caricatures, and Skeleton Leaves: Karl Varnhagen von Ense on Cutting Out,” Catriona MacLeod, U of Chicago
2. “From Sound Figures to Sound Pictures: Chladni, Novalis, and the Project of ‘Speech Photography,’” Tobias Wilke, Leibniz-Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung
3. “Elisarion's Visions: Sensuous Queer Media Engagement around 1900,” Ervin Malakaj, U of British Columbia
568. Epistemic Genre in East Asia
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC East Asian. Presiding: Suyoung Son, Cornell U
1. “Commentary as Literary Aid and Literary Device in the Rhapsody on Mukden,” Nathan Vedal, U of Toronto
2. “Talking about Writing (Wenzi): The Imagination of a General Scope for Textual Labor,” Alexander Des Forges, U of Massachusetts, Boston
3. “Ways of Knowing the Future: Literary Challenges to the Economic Plan in China's Revolution,” Harlan Chambers, Illinois Wesleyan U
4. “Curative Genres: African Pathologies and Chinese Medical Aid,” Kun Huang, Cornell U
569. Necropolitics and End-Stage Capitalism
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Marxism, Literature, and Society. Presiding: Eva Cherniavsky, U of Washington, Seattle
1. “Native Story Power, Latinx Folk Ecologies, and the Death Spaces of US Agricultural Modernity,” Simon Trujillo, New York U
2. “Social Reproduction in the Margins: Philippine Anglophone Literature and Manila's Surplus Population,” Alden Sajor Marte-Wood, Rice U
3. “Narrative Subjects of Gore Capitalism: Abject Masculinities in the Americas,” Katherine Sugg, Central Connecticut State U
4. “The Livestreaming Regime: From Gore Capitalism to Contemporary Snuff Politics,” Sayak Valencia, C de la Frontera Norte
570. New Work in Sixteenth-Century French Literary and Cultural Studies
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th-Century French. Presiding: Hassan Melehy, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
1. “Sursum corda: Textual Borders and Ritual Brackets in Montaigne's ‘Des prières,’” Marina Perkins, U of Oxford, Queen's C
2. “Montaigne's Mirror Stage in the Eyquem Haunted House,” David LaGuardia, Dartmouth C
3. “Doubt, Medicine, and Fiction in Sixteenth-Century French Narrative,” Rachel Hindmarsh, U of Oxford, St Catherine's C
4. “‘Précaire’: Inventing Precarity in Early Modern France,” Luke O'Sullivan, U of Oxford, St Hilda's C
571. Genre, Race, and Gender in Pop Culture
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Popular Culture
1. “Made (Space) Alien: Mobilities of Identity, Technology, and Power in Andor,” Karina Ocañas Suarez, Michigan State U
2. “Queer Villainy: Queering the Antihero/Villain Position in the Blood Syndicate Comics,” Sinclair Portis, Michigan State U
3. “Graphic Indigeneity and the Valiant Comics Aesthetic in Turok, Dinosaur Hunter,” Justin Wigard, U of Richmond
4. “Mutism in Comics Media and the Oppression of Black and Brown Bodyminds,” Lauren Rouse, U of Central Florida
572. Représentations francophones de la crise écologique
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
Program arranged by the Conseil International d’Études Francophones
1. “L'espace-temps de la sensibilité écologique: Joséphine Bacon,” Cristina Robu, Davidson C
2. “Pour une poétique du désastre: Tout bouge autour de . . . Dany Laferrière,” Márcia Neves, U NOVA de Lisboa
3. “Matrice nature: Repenser la crise d'un point de vue écoféministe et subsaharien avec Léonora Miano,” Thomas Muzart, Davidson C
4. “Le fantôme du cyclone chez Nathacha Appanah,” Amanda Vredenburgh, Davidson C
573. Poetics of the Senses
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Elisabeth W. Joyce, Pennsylvania Western U
1. “‘What’s Missing Is What's Ugly’: Sensory Attentiveness in Diaristic Poetry and Visual Art,” Nate Mickelson, New York U
2. “Moving Islands: Proprioception and Indigenous Futurity in Robert Sullivan's Star Waka,” Marlo Starr, Wittenberg U
3. “‘With the Waves. To the Skin’: Haptics in Contemporary Ecopoetic Sculptures,” Eric Schmaltz, York U, Glendon C
4. “The Touch of the Page and the Work of Mourning in Nox and Olio,” Nikki Skillman, Indiana U, Bloomington
574. General Business Meeting: MS Sound
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand A, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Sound. Presiding: André Carrington, U of California, Riverside; John Melillo, U of Arizona, Tucson
575. Literacies of Self-Care: Commemorating and (Un)Settling the Self across Contexts
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum RCWS Literacy Studies. Presiding: Charissa Che, Queensborough Community C, City U of New York; Lizzie Hutton, Miami U, Oxford
1. “Embodied Vigilance: Self-Care Literacies in Women's Health and Wellness Texts,” Haley Swartz, Clemson U
2. “Communal Self-Care: Cocreating Counterstories for Equity and Justice,” Alison Douglas, Elgin Community C, IL; Jeanine Williams, Williams Higher Education Consulting, LLC
3. “Converted from War to Peace: Intimate Literacy and Citizenship Rhetoric at the 1907 Texas Peace Congress,” T J Geiger II, Texas Tech U
4. “Engaging with Gratitude: A Qualitative Study on Practices of Gratitude and Undergraduate Writing,” Sydney Sullivan, U of California, Davis
576. The Joy and Sorrow of Traveling
3:30–4:45 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th- and 19th-Century Spanish and Iberian
1. “Palimpsestic Picturesque: La salida de la familia de Boabdil de la Alhambra (1880),” Andrea Pauw, Christopher Newport U
2. “Travel and Trauma: Moratín on French Terror (‘Ego Pavor’),” José M. Rodríguez García, Duke U
3. “Touring Spain on a Saddle: Sketches Awheel in Modern Iberia (1897),” Pamela F. Phillips, U of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
4. “Affective Nonduality in the Travels of Carolina Coronado,” Carles Ferrando Valero, Bowling Green State U
577. Celebrating Afrodescendant Culture in Italy
3:30–4:45 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Association of Teachers of Italian. Presiding: Marina Melita, Marist C
1. “Afropessimism in Autobiography: Anna Maria Gehnyei's Corpo Nero,” Marina Melita
2. “From Afrofabulation to Afrofuturism: Analyzing the Works of Antonio Dikele Distefano,” Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, U of Arkansas, Fayetteville
3. “On Afropessimism and Afrofuturism: The Black ‘Boogeymen’ of Childish Gambino and Ghali,” Lisa Dolasinski, U of Georgia
Respondent: Rosetta Giuliani-Caponetto, Auburn U
578. Joys and Sorrows of Returning to the K–12 Classroom after COVID-19
3:30–4:45 p.m., Congress B, Loews
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on K–16 Alliances
1. “Reimagining the K–12 Classroom after (or amid) the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Cheryl Weaver, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
2. “Well-Being for Students, Teachers, and Professors after the Pandemic,” Andrew Smyth, Southern Connecticut State U
579. Global and Transnational Approaches to the Seventeenth Century
3:30–4:45 p.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 17th-Century English. Presiding: Carmen Nocentelli, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
1. “Fictions of Hospitability: Staging Persian Virtues in Early Modern England,” Sheiba Kian Kaufman, U of California, Irvine
2. “Gendering ‘Improvement’: Racialized Genders and Indigenous Labor in Seventeenth- Century,” Madison Wolfert, Princeton U
3. “Commodification, Circulation, and Consumption of East Asia in Restoration England: Arnold Montanus and John Ogilby’s Atlas Japannensis (1670),” Mihoko Suzuki, U of Miami
4. “Global Poetics of Primitive Accumulation: Marx, Milton, and the Popul Vuh,” Benjamin Parris, U of Pittsburgh
580. Large Language Models and the Writer
3:30–4:45 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Digital Humanities. Presiding: Avery Slater, U of Toronto
1. “AI, Diversity, Difference,” Jennifer R. Ballengee, Towson U
2. “Self-Attention and Genre,” Ryan Healey, New York U
3. “‘Woke’ AI and Feminist Futures,” Anastasia Salter, U of Central Florida
4. “Problems of Generativity,” Avery Slater
581. James Baldwin and the Art of Life Writing: A Centennial Celebration
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC African American and the forum GS Life Writing. Presiding: Anthony S. Foy, Swarthmore C; McKinley Melton, Gettysburg C
Speakers: Aliyyah Abdur-Rahman, Brown U; Herman Beavers, U of Pennsylvania; Rich Blint, New School; Shawn A. Christian, Florida International U; Michele Elam, Stanford U; Jervette Ward, Mississippi State U
Panelists explore James Baldwin's life writing—nonfiction essays, published speeches, and autobiographical fiction—with an emphasis on the key ideas raised within the work regarding identity, experience, and ideology. This interactive discussion addresses Baldwin's legacy in the light of the one hundredth anniversary of his birth.
582. Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing Studies at the MLA: Histories, Challenges, Possibilities
3:30–4:45 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the forum RCWS History and Theory of Rhetoric
Speakers: Anne Ruggles Gere, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia C Chicago; Benjamin Miller, U of Pittsburgh; Donnie Sackey, U of Texas, Austin; Amy J. Wan, Queens C, City U of New York; M. Remi Yergeau, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Scholars reflect on their experiences with the MLA, discussing the role and value of RCWS's disciplinary presence in the organization, the costs and challenges of maintaining a relationship with the MLA, and possibilities for future engagement with the organization, including membership and intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration.
583. The Perils and Pleasures of Language Program Recruitment
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LSL Second-Language Teaching and Learning
1. “Alternative Ways of Approaching ‘Results’ in Language Recruitment Spaces,” Janice McGregor, U of Arizona, Tucson
2. “Changing Preconceived Notions,” Joscha Klueppel, Weber State U
3. “A Thriving Small Language and Culture Program and the Perils of Unequal Labor Conditions,” Juliane Wuensch, Skidmore C
4. “Articulating the Benefits of Studying Less Commonly Taught Languages,” Matthew Johnson, Ohio State U, Columbus
584. Metabolic Imaginaries
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Science and Literature and the forum TC Medical Humanities and Health Studies. Presiding: Bishnupriya Ghosh, U of California, Santa Barbara
1. “Systems of Allopathic Care: Toward a Decompostable Imaginary,” Jacob Leveton, Arizona State U, Tempe
2. “Colonize Your Diet: Born to Run and the Selling of the Indigenous Metabolism,” Joseph Darda, Texas Christian U
3. “Raw Materialisms: Race and Environment as Metabolic Imaginaries,” Austin Lillywhite, Cornell U
585. Praxis, Joy, and Sorrow
3:30–4:45 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum HEP Part-Time and Contingent Faculty Issues. Presiding: Pamela A. Lim-McAlister, U of California, Berkeley
Speakers: Kelisha Graves, Fayetteville State U; Mary-Elizabeth Murphy, Eastern Michigan U; Danielle Phillips-Cunningham, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Veronica Popp, U of St. Francis
Nannie Helen Burroughs was one of the twentieth century's most important writers, educators, and labor leaders. Panelists discuss who Burroughs was, what moved them to write about her, and the implications her work has for education and organizing. Open discussion with attendees will address Black women's historical relevance to education and contemporary educators' contingent life.
Saturday, 6 January 5:15 p.m.
586. The Literary Styles of Laughter in Medieval and Early Modern Italy
5:15–6:30 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval and Renaissance Italian. Presiding: Daniela D'Eugenio, U of Arkansas, Fayetteville
1. “Premodern Humor in a Postmodern World: Laughing at the Unspeakable in Epic,” Leslie Zarker Morgan, Loyola U, Baltimore
2. “Blasphemy on the Stage of Comedy in Renaissance Italy,” Pantalea Mazzitello, Indiana U, Bloomington
3. “Sarcasm and Laughter in Early Modern Collections of Illustrated Proverbs,” Daniela D'Eugenio
4. “Laughing in Early Modern Florence: The Poetry of Luigi Pulci,” Luca Zipoli, Bryn Mawr C
587. Rethinking the Whiteness of Shakespeare and the Humanities for the Twenty-First Century
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Reginald A. Wilburn, Texas Christian U
Speakers: Patricia Akhimie, Folger Shakespeare Library; Urvashi Chakravarty, U of Toronto; Eric De Barros, American U of Sharjah; Katherine Gillen, Texas A&M U, San Antonio; Margo Hendricks, U of California, Santa Cruz; Arthur Little, Jr., U of California, Los Angeles; Ian Smith, U of Southern California
Highlighting and building on recent and forthcoming critical white Shakespeare criticism, panelists explore Shakespeare as a historical, theoretical, and ideological fulcrum of a humanities that has failed to distinguish between the humanities and what is in actuality the particularity of a white humanities: how does a growing critical understanding of the canonizing of whiteness in Shakespeare may assist in a reevaluation of the humanities more broadly?
588. Joyful Transfeminisms: Performing Radical Hope as Resistance
5:15–6:30 p.m., 308, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Bess Rowen, Villanova U
1. “From Gender Dysphoria to Gender Euphoria: Approaches to Trans Joy in Veneno (2020),” Azucena Trincado Murugarren, U of California, Santa Barbara
2. “Brechtian Theory / Transfeminist Theory: Performing Gestic Joy (and Sorrow) in Hansol Jung's Wolf Play,” Jack Isaac Pryor, Penn State U, Abington
3. “Challenging Sorrow: Trans* Performances and Joyful Transfeminism in Contemporary Turkish Theater,” Ahmet Berkem Yanıkcan, Kadir Has U
4. “To Promulgate Trans Joy: Exploring the Space for Transness within the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” Kara Raphaeli, Simpson C
589. Recapturing Loss
5:15–6:30 p.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Arabic
1. “Salma Khadra Jayyusi and the Question of Translating Palestine,” Dima Ayoub, Middlebury C
2. “Palestinian Literature in Kuwait,” Mona Kareem, Washington U in St. Louis
3. “Solidarity as a Weapon: Black American Revolutionaries and the Arabic Language,” Sade Awodesu, Middlebury C
590. Coming of Age at the Margins (of Society and Literature)
5:15–6:30 p.m., 414, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo, Rhode Island C
1. “Gaming the Bildungsroman: Participatory Richness and Player-Character Intimacy in Persona V,” Evan Chaloupka, Franklin U
2. “Childhood Queered: Reimagining Futurity and YA Literature for Children of Color,” Kevin Blanks, George Washington U
3. “A Sliver of Gray: Adolescent Immigration and the Civil Rights Movement in Lila Quintero Weaver,” Joshua Murray, Fayetteville State U
4. “Desi Refusal: Novels and Growing Up Brown in the Age of Terror,” Jay Shelat, Ursinus C
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Nov.
591. Discussion Group on When Leaving Academia Might Be the Right Move: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
5:15–6:30 p.m., 201, PCC
Program arranged by the MLA Professional Development. Presiding: Janine M. Utell, MLA
An increasing number of academics on and off the tenure track are talking more openly about what it would mean professionally and personally to leave academia. Why leave? What's next? How has work in an academic position provided the preparation needed to find new opportunities and meet the challenges of a job change? This discussion group offers participants a chance for reflection on these questions, as well as a forum for sharing personal experiences.
592. The Place of Identity in Queer Studies
5:15–6:30 p.m., 203, PCC
A special session. Presiding: Rajorshi Das, U of Iowa
1. “A Racial Genealogy of Queer (Non)Identity,” Míša Stekl, Stanford U
2. “‘An Echo from a Larger Lyre’: Amy Levy's Quare Poetics in A Minor Poet,” Annie Burkhart, U of Iowa
3. “Comparing between and beyond Fronteras: Reading Turkey as a Borderland by Way of Anzaldúa,” Ipek Sahinler, U of Texas, Austin
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/docs/the-place-of-identity-in-queer-studies/.
593. Narrating the Illegality in Latin American Literature
5:15–6:30 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Americo Mendoza-Mori, Harvard U
1. “Sexuality, Race, and Extractivism in the Literature of Colombia's Marijuana Boom,” Lauren Mehfoud, U of Virginia
2. “‘La maldición de una estirpe’: Anomic Narcos Destroying Their Families in Hijos de la nieve (2000),” Joyce Andrea Carrillo, Indiana U, Bloomington
3. “Illegal Accumulation: The Colombian Novel and Peripheral Realism,” Lenin Lozano-Guzman, U of Pennsylvania
4. “The N ovela Negra and Representations of Affect in Óscar Martínez's Los migrantes que no importan,” Jose Jarquin, U of California, Riverside
594. Inter-American and Transoceanic Mobilities and Circulations in the Colonial Hispanic World
5:15–6:30 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Felipe Ruan, Brock U
1. “The Talking Text: A Circulating Motif across Colonial Latin America,” Caroline Egan, Northwestern U
2. “Friar Marcos de Niza: His Travels between South and North America,” Catalina Andrango-Walker, Virginia Tech
3. “Transatlantic References: Books and Maps in Miguel Cabello's Miscelánea Antártica,” Leonardo Velloso-Lyons, Cornell U
4. “Thinking Multiethnic Madrid: Indigenous and Mestizo Petitioners in the Spanish Habsburg Capital,” Felipe Ruan
595. Teaching Literature at Community Colleges Now
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum HEP Community Colleges. Presiding: Susan Jacobowitz, Queensborough Community C, City U of New York
1. “Ethnic Studies and the Literature Curriculum,” Alina Romo, Allan Hancock C, CA; Kacie Wills, Allan Hancock C, CA
2. “Against Alignment: Reclaiming the Generalist Ethos in Literature Courses,” Anthony Sams, Ivy Tech Community C, IN
596. The Biopolitics of Comics
5:15–6:30 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Comics and Graphic Narratives. Presiding: Katherine Kelp-Stebbins, U of Oregon
1. “Plastic Bodies and Chronic Conditions: Productivity and Wellness across Kabi's Diaristic Comics,” Js Wu, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Diseased Pariahs, Infected Faggots, and Truvada Whores: HIV Zines and the Making of Biological Citizens,” Nicholas Derda, U of Southern California
3. “Eugenic Fantasies, Failed Utopias, and the Biopolitics of Disability in Sci-Fi Comics,” Andrew Lucchesi, Western Washington U
4. “Vitality and Visualization: Thinking Comics Value from Laylah Ali and Miné Okubo,” Tony Wei Ling, U of California, Los Angeles
Respondent: William Orchard, Queens C, City U of New York
597. AI Text- and Image-Generation Software and East Asian Literature
5:15–6:30 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC East Asian. Presiding: Carlos Rojas, Duke U
1. “The Mirror and the Algorithm: The Characterization of Madam X in Can Xue's Five Spice Street (1988),” Xiaohan Hou, Washington U in St. Louis
2. “Reading Machine Translation: Computer-Generated Texts in Motion,” Kate Costello, U of Oxford, St. Hugh's C
3. “Text Generation Is Text Evaluation: Large Language Models, Perplexity, and Literary Value in North Korea and South Korea,” Benoit Berthelier, U of Sydney
4. “Sketching from Life? Art Photography and Facial Recognition Technologies in China,” Margaret Hillenbrand, U of Oxford, China Centre
Respondent: Carlos Rojas
598. Southeast Asia and Queer of Color Critique: Intersections and Interventions
5:15–6:30 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Southeast Asian and Southeast Asian Diasporic. Presiding: Jasmine An, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1. “Santah kaladu: Queering the Silent History (and Roaring, Singing Future!) of Kristang and Portuguese-Eurasian Creole Language and Identity,” Kevin Martens Wong, National U of Singapore
2. “Queer Diasporic Interventions in the Problematics of ‘Vietnam’: Two Examples,” Howie Tam, Brandeis U
3. “Asian Interventions into Queer of Color Critique,” Alvin Henry, San Diego State U, San Diego
4. “‘The Word _____’: Locating Thai Transmasculinity in Translingual Poetics,” Jasmine An
599. Bad Feelings across the Middle Ages: Rage, Deceit, and Empire
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the Society for Medieval Feminist Scholarship. Presiding: Basil Price, U of York
1. “A Bad Romance? Interreligious Angst in Partonope of Blois,” Kersti Francis, Boston U
2. “Crusader Cannibalism and Cultural Incorporation in Richard Coeur de Lyon,” Maria Vieytez, Northwestern U
3. “If You're Feeling Sinister: Emotion and Deceit in The Three Sui Quash the Demon Revolt (San Sui ping yao zhuan),” Misho Ishikawa, New York U
4. “Bad Borders: National and Ethnoracial Female Embodiments in Christine de Pizan and Thomas Hoccleve,” Thari Zweers, Cornell U
600. The Joy of the Feast: Food Production, Consumption, and Celebration in Old English
5:15–6:30 p.m., 407–409, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Old English. Presiding: Heide Estes, Monmouth U
1. “Eating Stones and Drinking Death in Cynewulf's Elene,” Amy Clark, Wake Forest U
2. “Some Body Is Happy: Feasting in the Old English Soul and Body Poems,” Jacqueline Ann Fay, U of Texas, Arlington
3. “Dudes Drinking Wine: Convivial Spaces and Situations in the Exeter Book Riddles,” Aaron Hostetter, Rutgers U, Camden
601. Translating the Translingual
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Translation Studies
1. “Translation Approaches and Linguistic Prestige,” Remy Attig, Bowling Green State U
2. “Don Quixote's Universal Particularism and the Aesthetic Regime of Untranslatability,” Paul Michael Johnson, DePauw U
3. “Maitreyi Devi's Na Hanyate: What Does Not Die in Memory and in Translation,” Mushira Habib, U of Oregon
4. “Translation and Polylanguaging: Sexuality and Novels from James Baldwin to Mohamed Mbougar Sarr,” Michael Lucey, U of California, Berkeley
602. Being with Kevin Quashie: A Meditation on Black Words and Works
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session
Speakers: GerShun Avilez, U of Maryland, College Park; Farah Griffin, Columbia U; Regine Jean-Charles, Northeastern U; Salamishah Tillet, Rutgers U, Newark; Dagmawi Woubshet, U of Pennsylvania
Respondent: Kevin Quashie, Brown U
Panelists discuss Kevin Quashie’s field-shifting literary criticism over the last twenty years, including New Bones, “Genesis,” “Queer. Caribbean. Miami. Boy,” Black Women, Identity, and Cultural Theory, The Sovereignty of Quiet, and Black Aliveness; Quashie closes with a response on estrangement and consolation.
603. John Clare: Shifting Critical Approaches
5:15–6:30 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
Program arranged by the John Clare Society of North America. Presiding: Erica McAlpine, U of Oxford
1. “John Clare: Influence beyond Anxiety,” Jacob Risinger, Ohio State U, Columbus
2. “Repetition and Clare's Lyric of Withdrawn Revelation: A Twist on Allegorical Doublespeak,” Elena Rotzokou, Columbia U
3. “‘Weaves of Homely Stuff’: John Clare's Nest Sonnets and Formal Ecologies,” Diana Little, Princeton U
604. Drag Story Hour: Children's Literature, Right-Wing Hate, and Queer Celebration
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Children's and Young Adult Literature and the forum TC Sexuality Studies. Presiding: Gabrielle (Brie) Owen, U of Nebraska, Lincoln
1. “Rewinding the History of Drag Performance for Children: A Nineteenth-Century Perspective,” Ian M. Clark, Queen's U
2. “Censorship and Book Bans against Queer-of-Color Children's Literature since the 1990s,” Isabel Millan, U of Oregon
3. “Drag Queen Story Hour for Today's Queer Children,” Mary Zaborskis, Penn State U, Harrisburg
4. “Gender and Sexuality Ethics for Children at Drag Story Hour,” Gabrielle (Brie) Owen
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/childrens-and-young-adult-literature/ after 15 Dec.
605. Vital Signs: Thinking and Feeling Sustenance and Survival
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Cognitive and Affect Studies. Presiding: Michaela Hulstyn, Stanford U
1. “Vital Signs: Precarity in Poetic Form,” Lucy M. Alford, Wake Forest U
2. “Who Shudders, When, and Where? Embodied Schema and Body-Snatching Plots in The Conjure Woman,” Dorin Smith, Brown U
3. “The Botanical Sublime in the Poetry of Chronic Illness,” Andrew David King, U of California, Berkeley
606. Media and Mediatization in the Eighteenth-Century Francosphere
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th-Century French. Presiding: Logan Connors, U of Miami
Speakers: Chloe Edmondson, Stanford U; Rebecca Geoffroy-Schwinden, U of North Texas; Michelle Landauer, U of Melbourne; Yann Robert, U of Illinois, Chicago; Scott M. Sanders, Dartmouth C; Aya Tanaka, New York U
Exploring media (in all forms) and its dissemination and propagation in eighteenth-century French-speaking places, participants discuss a variety of topics related to media and mediatization across the Francosphere.
607. Plants out of Place: Literary and Scientific Representations of Weeds and Invasive Species
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Yota Batsaki, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection
1. “(Un)Natural Selections: Native Fragility and the Racialized Specters of Weeds,” Banu Subramaniam, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
2. “Alien Weeds and the Ambiguities of Coexistence in Octavia E. Butler's ‘Amnesty,’” Yota Batsaki
3. “A Home among Weeds: Madreselvas and Other Invasives in Borges's Buenos Aires,” Lucas Mertehikian, Harvard U
Respondent: Nicolas Campisi, Georgetown U
For related material, visit https://doi.org/10.17613/1dae-8m30.
608. Adaptation, Politics, and Social Media
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 7, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Adaptation Studies. Presiding: Leah M. Anderst, Queensborough Community C, City U of New York
1. “Staging Oedipus and the Arab Spring in Utah,” Phillip Zapkin, Penn State U, University Park
2. “Zing!: Adaptation and Social Media in The Circle,” Robert Nguyen, Penn State U, University Park
3. “‘Othello, the Prequel’: Adaptation, Race, and Resistance in Djanet Sears's Harlem Duet,” Kailin Wright, St. Francis Xavier U
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/adaptation-studies/.
609. Poetic Postures
5:15–6:30 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Carmen Faye Mathes, McGill U
1. “Poetic Postures of Romantic Abolitionism,” Carmen Faye Mathes
2. “Brought Low,” Sarah Dowling, U of Toronto
3. “John Ashbery's Studly Pose,” Brian Glavey, U of South Carolina, Columbia
4. “The Dancing Lyric Body in a Selection of Emily Dickinson's Poems,” Adeline Chevrier-Bosseau, Clermont Auvergne U
610. Disability Aesthetics in a Premodern Global Context
5:15–6:30 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th-Century English. Presiding: Penelope H. Geng, Macalester C
Speakers: Sarah Bischoff, U of California, Los Angeles; Andrew Bozio, Skidmore C; Deyasini Dasgupta, Syracuse U; Alice Equestri, U of Padua; Emily MacLeod, Penn State U, Harrisburg
The sixteenth century witnessed a proliferation of new knowledge about the body. Bodies and minds were raced and disabled by English writers to lay the groundwork for ablenationalism, chattel slavery, and colonization. Participants illuminate the complex nature of disability aesthetics in the context of English imperialism, protocolonialism, and racial capitalism.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
611. Hagiography and the Supernatural in the Comedia: Grace and Devotion
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th- and 17th-Century Spanish and Iberian Drama. Presiding: Jose Estrada, Carnegie Mellon U
1. “Theodicy and Efficacious Grace in La margarita del Tajo que dio nombre a Santarén,” Persephone Hernandez-Vogt, Emory U
2. “Living Faith: Iconography and the Tableux Vivan t for Immaculacy Devotion in Calderón's Marian Autos sacramentales,” Katerina Levinson, U of Oxford
3. “Sainthood in Calderón's Autos sacramentales: Out-of-This-World Knowledge, Power, and Sacrifice,” Alejandra Juno Rodríguez Villar, Hanover C
Respondent: Sonia Velazquez, Indiana U, Bloomington
612. Milton and Bodily Freedom
5:15–6:30 p.m., Congress B, Loews
Program arranged by the Milton Society of America. Presiding: Alison A. Chapman, U of Alabama, Birmingham
1. “When Milton Was Cis,” Ari Friedlander, U of Mississippi
2. “Eve in the Liberties of London,” Katarzyna Lecky, Loyola U, Chicago
3. “Blackness as Chaos and Old Night: The Provenance of Paradise Lost and Black Revolt,” Dorell Oneil Thomas, Brooklyn C, City U of New York
613. Humor in Modern African Literatures
5:15–6:30 p.m., Independence I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC African to 1990. Presiding: Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang, Johns Hopkins U
1. “Write Them Off?! Humor and Masculinity in Damilare Kuku's Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad,” Theresah Ennin, U of Cape Coast
2. “‘I Laughed Too’: Travel and Humor in West African Fiction,” Adwoa Opoku-Agyemang
3. “Performative Humor in Achebe's Novels,” Pushpa Acharya, Kwantlen Polytechnic U
614. Pessimism in Poetry and Song
5:15–6:30 p.m., Independence III, Marriott
Program arranged by the Lyrica Society for Word-Music Relations. Presiding: John Rooney, Ohio State U, Columbus
1. “Paired Perspectives in Sondheim's Lyrics: The Worst of All Possible Words and the Best,” Shoshana Milgram Knapp, Virginia Tech
2. “Examining the Radical Potential in The Wiz's ‘You Can't Win,’” Lauryn Jones, Cornell U
3. “Hospitality Denied: The Sad Tale of ‘The Wanderer,’” Jeff Dailey, American Musicological Soc.
4. “Parnassus Vanquished: Antimodern Pessimism in Modernist Mexican Poetry,” Wyatt Leaf, Princeton U
For related material, write to [email protected].
615. Celebrating Blackness
5:15–6:30 p.m., Liberty, Marriott
A linked session arranged in conjunction with the Presidential Plenary: The Poetics of Celebration (199). Presiding: Frieda Ekotto, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Benedicte Boisseron, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Benjamin Davis, St. Louis U; Amélie Ebongué, global brand marketing leader, Stockholm, Sweden; Marisol Fila, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Luciane Ramos Silva, dancer, São Paulo, Brazil
The black body exists in multiple historical sites at once, and celebrating the black body has been a profound challenge. Celebrating it means wading through the violent seas of the history of enslavement to sit with the idea that inhabiting blackness is itself a radical act—and that celebration is essential in reimagining the black body as something more than the abused body. With the turn toward understanding celebration as a conceptual category, we also turn toward a new vocabulary of being black, black futures, black in celebration.
616. Making Digital Humanities Projects Public
5:15–6:30 p.m., 202B, PCC
Program arranged by the Advisory Committee on the MLA International Bibliography and the Council of Editors of Learned Journals. Presiding: Alison Booth, U of Virginia
1. “A Decade of NEH Digital Humanities Advancement Grant Promotion Plans and Deliverables,” Katie Rawson, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Promoting DH Projects on Campus as a Method to Sustain and Scale Digital Humanities Efforts: A Case Study,” Ruth Carpenter, U of Binghamton, State U of New York
3. “Strategies for Promoting Student Digital Humanities Projects on Campus: A Case Study,” Jon Chun, Kenyon C
4. “Disseminating Digital Texts as Open Educational Resources: Literature in Context,” Tonya-Marie Howe, George Mason U; John F. O'Brien, U of Virginia; Christine Ruotolo, U of Virginia
617. Death of the Essay: Future Literacies and Innovative Pedagogies in a Changing World
5:15–6:30 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the College Language Association
1. “Reimagining the Classroom for Career Success,” Jason Hendrickson, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York
2. “Fixing What's Broken: Liberating Disability Studies through the Use of AI,” Evan Krikorian, California State U, Los Angeles
3. “Teaching African American Literature with Technology,” Donavan Ramon, Southern Illinois U, Edwardsville
618. General Business Meeting: LLC Puerto Rican
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Puerto Rican. Presiding: Sandra Ruiz, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Members of the forum LLC Puerto Rican will meet with interested scholars.
619. Music as Celebration and Memory
5:15–6:30 p.m., Grand I, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Opera and Musical Performance. Presiding: John Pendergast, United States Military Acad.
1. “Dialectics of Sound: Frank Lloyd Wright Midway from Philadelphia to Phoenix,” Jacob Leveton, Arizona State U, Tempe
2. “A Requiem for Michael Brown,” Jonathan Karp, Harvard U
3. “Counterpublic Discourse: Music That Marks Violence as an Evolutionary Event,” Trivius Caldwell, Duke U
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/opera-and-musical-performance/ after 1 Dec.
620. Teaching beyond University
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum HEP Teaching as a Profession. Presiding: Svetlana Tyutina, California State U, Northridge
Speakers: Leah Fry, Hopkins School, CT; Aimee Kling, Western Carolina U; Daniela Salcedo Arnaiz, California State U, Northridge; Emily Mae Stow, Oakland U; Tanya Zhelezcheva, Queensborough Community C, City U of New York
Participants discuss teaching at a community college or in K–12, DEI and faculty training, teaching in the corporate world, and teaching abroad, focusing on the faculty member's journey, roadblocks and advantages, and advice to those considering teaching outside the university.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
621. Chicanx and Latinx Travel Narratives
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Chicana and Chicano. Presiding: William Arce, California State U, Fresno
1. “Pícaro Migrant Laborers of the US-Mexico Borderlands,” Kristian Ayala, Stanford U
2. “Traveling Chicanx Cultures,” Richard T. Rodríguez, U of California, Riverside
3. “A Nuyorican in Moscow: Jesús Colón's Moving Pedagogy,” Alexandria Ramos, New York U
622. Dramatic Expressions: Theater as Celebration and Revolution in the Novel
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Alexia Mandla Ainsworth, Stanford U
1. “Opening Night: The Theater of Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh and Her Detective Roderick Alleyn,” Simon Dwyer, U of Newcastle
2. “Du Bois and the Pageantry of Propaganda: Theatrical Spectacle and Erotic Celebration in Dark Princess,” Samuel McIntyre, U of Toronto
3. “‘The Voice That Was No One's Voice’: Virginia Woolf's Final Novel and the Performance of Fiction,” Mark Deggan, Simon Fraser U
For related material, visit theatreinliterature.hcommons.org after 5 Jan.
622A. Talking Feelings: Emotion and Affection on Heritage Language Pedagogy
5:15–6:30 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LSL Language and Society. Presiding: Inés Vañó García, St. Anselm C
1. “The Emotional Trajectories of Spanish Heritage Learners as Young Language Brokers,” Aida Martinez-Gomez, John Jay C of Criminal Justice, City U of New York
2. “Emotion in Mother’s Heritage Language Maintenance,” Juyoung Song, Murray State U
3. “The Socioaffective Dimensions of Written Corrective Feedback for Heritage Language Learners,” Gabriela DeRobles, U of Colorado, Denver
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org.
Saturday, 6 January 7:00 p.m.
623. The Presidential Address
7:00–8:15 p.m., Liberty, Marriott
Presiding: Paula M. Krebs, MLA
“The Propitiatory Poem: Léopold Sédar Senghor and the Art of Forgiveness,” Frieda Ekotto, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Léopold Sédar Senghor’s second collection of poems, Hosties noires (1948), is a celebration of African sacrifice, from the slave trade and colonization to the participation of Senegalese tirailleurs in the First and Second World Wars. Forgiveness “repairs,” as Wole Soyinka recognized in 1999; it is a juridical act capable of transforming society. In this way, Senghor articulates his own theology of forgiveness.
Saturday, 6 January 7:00 p.m.
624. A Screening of Wieland
7:00–9:00 p.m., Commonwealth B, Loews
Respondent: Cody Knotts, C&V Films
Wieland is an adaptation of the nineteenth-century Gothic novel by the American author Charles Brockden Brown—who was born and raised in Philadelphia and set the novel just outside the city, on an estate along the Schuylkill River. The director, Cody Knotts, will introduce the film.
Saturday, 6 January 7:15 p.m.
625. Princeton University Department of German Alumni and Friends Cash Bar
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 1, Marriott
626. James Baldwin Review Reception
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
627. Cash Bar Sponsored by the Minnesota Review, Mediations, and TC Marxism, Literature, and Society
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 11, Marriott
628. Cash Bar Arranged by the International Association of Galdós Scholars
7:15–8:30 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Sunday, 7 January 8:30 a.m.
629. Epistemology and Poetics in the Early Modern Transatlantic World
8:30–9:45 a.m., 307, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Luis Rodríguez-Rincón, Haverford C
Speakers: Jason Bircea, U of California, Berkeley; Crystal Anne Chemris, U of Oregon; Montse Chenyun Li, Cornell U; Luis Rodríguez-Rincón
Respondent: Leonardo Velloso-Lyons, Cornell U
What did early modern readers learn from reading poetry? How did various domains of knowledge shape what poets brought to their craft? How were questions of poetics and epistemology adapted to the colonial context of the early Americas? Panelists interrogate how the relation between poetics and epistemology was impacted by transatlantic movements, colonial endeavors, and the seepage between different forms of knowledge in the Americas.
630. Literary Apocalypses in US Ethnic Fiction
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the American Literature Society. Presiding: Cathryn Merla-Watson, U of Texas, Rio Grande Valley
Speakers: Maia Gil'Adí, Boston U; Alec Joyner, Columbia U; Heloise Thomas, Bordeaux Montaigne U; Penny Vlagopoulos, St. Lawrence U
Panelists explore how BIPOC writers within the United States and beyond reengage the speculative genres of the apocalyptic and the postapocalyptic, focalizing intersectional and relational issues of race, class, gender, citizenship, immigration, and diaspora.
631. Joys and Sorrows of Black Geographies
8:30–9:45 a.m., Anthony, Loews
A special session
1. “Sorrows and Joys of Black Geographies in Edward P. Jones's Lost in the City,” Dorottya Mozes, U of Debrecen
2. “Reproducing the Meaning of the Geography of Enslavement: Henry Box Brown's Environmental Resistance,” Martha Cutter, U of Connecticut, Storrs
3. “Sonic Geographies of Relation: Soundscapes of Joy and Sorrow in Notebook of a Return to the Native Land,” Meina Yates-Richard, Emory U
632. Dante's Economies
8:30–9:45 a.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the Dante Society of America. Presiding: Anne Leone, Syracuse U
1. “Dante in the Streets: Poverty, Disabled Beggars, and Franciscan Charity,” Catherine Bloomer, Columbia U
2. “Assaying Fiction: Literary Text, Monetary Test, and Dante's Commedia,” Filippo Petricca, Indiana U, Bloomington
3. “Usury, Dante, and the Birth of Capitalism; or, Would Dante Send One to Hell for Making Money?,” Alexander Schmid, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge
Respondent: Anthony Nardini, Mount St. Joseph Acad.
633. Futures of Free Indirect Discourse
8:30–9:45 a.m., 413, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Katarzyna Bartoszynska, Ithaca C; Stephanie Hershinow, Baruch C, City U of New York
1. “Two Worlds: Narrative Voice in the Animal Milieu,” Elisha Cohn, Cornell U
2. “Now It's Impersonal: Free Indirect Discourse and the Demotion of the Narrator,” Christina Gilligan, Brown U
3. “Bouchra Khalili, Madame Bovary: Voicing the Free Indirect,” Victoria Baena, Cambridge U
4. “Toward a Decolonial Narratology: Free Indirect Discourse in South African Fiction,” Eleni Eva Coundouriotis, U of Connecticut, Storrs
Respondent: James Phelan, Ohio State U, Columbus
For related material, visit docs.google.com/document/d/1iVhWMPbEWgy_pw6-GSFtZY04MS4N4WuAsgPs_Jqoyp0/edit?usp=sharing after 4 Jan.
634. Justice and Liberation in Hungarian Literature and Culture
8:30–9:45 a.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Hungarian. Presiding: Peter Czipott, independent scholar
1. “National Goals and Social Justice,” Enikö Molnár Basa, Library of Congress
2. “Women's Affective Transactions and the Memory of Historical Affairs: Istvan Szabo's The Door,” Szidonia Haragos, Zayed U
3. “Orphean Masks: Rendering Historical Justice in Miklos Szentkuthy's ‘Black Renaissance,’” Atticus Doherty, Brown U
For related material, write to [email protected].
635. Writing Genderqueer, Writing Nonbinary
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Chris Coffman, U of Alaska, Fairbanks
1. “H.D.'s Nonbinary Poetics,” Chris Coffman
2. “Genderqueer Life Writing and the Limits of Categorization,” Aaron Stone, Lafayette C
3. “Genderfluid Hopepunk: Becky Chambers's Wayfarer Series and Genderqueer Science Fiction,” Jaime Harker, U of Mississippi
636. Paratextual Relations: Literary Communication in the Margins
8:30–9:45 a.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Dustin Breitenwischer, U of Hamburg
1. “Toni Morrison's Covers,” Kinohi Nishikawa, Princeton U
2. “Paratextual Resistance: Angela Davis's Frederick Douglass,” Dustin Breitenwischer
3. “Para- and Metatextual Practices in Leandro Assis's and Triscila Oliveira's Instagram Comic Confinada,” Jasmin Wrobel, U of Manchester
4. “Paratexts after Paper: The Underground GI Press and DOD 1325.6,” Pierre-Heli Monot, U of Munich
637. Arabic, Greek, and Hebrew in the Eastern Mediterranean
8:30–9:45 a.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Maria Hadjipolycarpou, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Ken Seigneurie, Simon Fraser U
1. “The Reception of Greek Classics and Myths in the Nahḍah Periodicals,” Arturo Monaco, Sapienza U of Rome
2. “Queering the Classroom and Clinic: Autobiographical Elements of Dora Rosetti's Η ερωμένη της,” Christin Zurbach, U of California, Berkeley
3. “Impressions of the Feminine in Modern Cypriot and Palestine Hebrew Literatures,” Maria Hadjipolycarpou
4. “Palestinian and Kurdish Exiles in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Nevine Abraham, Carnegie Mellon U
638. From Borderlands Brujas to Spanish Mission Ruins: Tracing the Spatial Contours of Horror in US Latinx Literature
8:30–9:45 a.m., 401–403, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Norma Elia Cantú, Trinity U
1. “Mission Ruins and Specters of the Spanish Borderlands,” Kristian Ayala, Stanford U
2. “Claiming la Bruja: The Bruja as Hermeneutic in ire'ne lara silva's ‘Tecolotl,’” Magda Garcia, U of California, San Diego
3. “Brujas and Lechuzas: Gender in Latinx Horror Stories of Brujería from the US Southwest,” Dominique Rodriguez, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
4. “‘From beyond the Grave’: Hauntology, Spectral ‘Traces,’ and Latina Gothic,” Sonia Farid, Cairo U
639. Representing the Profession
8:30–9:45 a.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Rebecca Colesworthy, SUNY Press
1. “Death in a Tenured Position: On Gender, Genre, and Suspicion in US Literary Fiction about Academia,” Eleanor Russell, Southern Illinois U, Carbondale
2. “Archive Failure: Fictionalizing the Paul de Man Affair,” Samuel Catlin, U of Chicago
3. “Sorrow, Sadness, and Stoner,” Douglas G. Dowland, Ohio Northern U
640. Colonial Clashes with Indigenous Epistemes of Local Ecosystems in China
8:30–9:45 a.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Maria Romanova, Northwestern U
1. “Colonial Translation, Anticolonial Storytelling: Kazakh Transnational Politics of Indigeneity,” Guldana Salimjan, Indiana U, Bloomington
2. “Marching into the Desert: Tree Planting, Ethnicity, and Sinification in Mao-Era Film,” Cheng Li, Carnegie Mellon U
3. “Beijing Westerns and Hanspace Elixers in Southwest China,” Robin Visser, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/ecocriticism-and-environmental-humanities/deposits/ after 2 Jan.
641. New Currents in Medieval Iberian Studies
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval Iberian. Presiding: Donald Wood, Oklahoma State U, Stillwater
1. “The Intersectional al-Andalus,” Eric Calderwood, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2. “Shameful Uncoverings in the Vida de Santa María Egipciaca,” Roberto Talavera Pagan, Harvard U
3. “Decentering Accounts: Visualizing Women ‘Segunt Que Fallamos en la Corónica’ (ca. 1300–1400),” Marija Blašković, U Pompeu Fabra
4. “Framing Disability in the Islamic Aljamiado Leyenda de la Doncella Carcayona (c. 1587),” Alexander Korte, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
642. The Ethics of Life Writing in an Algorithmic Age
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Melanie Masterton Sherazi, California Inst. of Tech.
1. “The Authenticity Pact of Social Media,” Kimberly Hall, Wofford C
2. “Data Modeling as Ethical Practice for Life Writing Studies,” Elizabeth Rodrigues, Grinnell C
3. “The Ethics of AI-Assisted Auto/biographical Story Archives,” Helga Lenart-Cheng, St. Mary's C, CA
643. What's Left of the New Left: A Roundtable on Eighteenth-Century Studies
8:30–9:45 a.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Stephanie DeGooyer, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Robbie Richardson, Princeton U
Speakers: Ala Alryyes, Queens C, City U of New York; Christopher Catanese, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Ashley Cohen, U of Southern California; Stephanie DeGooyer; Rachael King, U of California, Santa Barbara; Robbie Richardson
Panelists reflect on the legacy of the New Left for eighteenth-century studies. To what extent do the priorities and energies of the New Left continue to animate the field? What has been gained by the shift, in recent decades, away from older Marxist and materialist methodologies invested in class oppression and toward inquiries about social justice that are rooted in histories of race, (de)colonialism, and enslavement?
644. Reconceptualizing Religion in Early African American Literature
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Donald Holmes II, U of Pittsburgh; Kevin Pyon, Penn State U, Harrisburg
Speakers: Francine Allen-Adams, Morehouse C; Donald Holmes II; Samantha Plasencia, Colby C; Kevin Pyon; Jorden Sanders, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
What forms of violence remain unthinkable within, and what forms of critique and sociality are imaginable outside of, the nation-state? Panelists consider how early Black writers turned to religious concepts such as celebration, prayer, prophecy, messianism, and sin to critique and think outside the boundaries of civic belonging.
645. Pedagogies of Hope, Delight, Whimsy, and Joy
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Andrea Kaston Tange, Macalester C
1. “Makerspace Pedagogy in the Humanities,” Natalie McGartland, U of Maryland, College Park
2. “Queer Theory, Roller Disco, and the Composition Classroom,” Dannie Chalk, U of Pittsburgh
3. “Google Jamboard and Playful Pedagogy in the College Literature Classroom,” Shannon Draucker, Siena C
4. “Messy Queen: Talking Food, Chaos, and Queer Joy in the College Classroom,” Rita Mookerjee, Worcester State U
5. “Cocreating Joy in Digital Learning Design,” Clayton Colmon, U of Pennsylvania
6. “Multimodal Play: A Creative Assignment for Students of Literature,” Melissa M. Free, Arizona State U, Tempe
How can we teach difficult subject matter without losing hope or delight? Championing joy as an intellectually valuable alternative to the grind of “rigor,” panelists offer lightning talks on pedagogical and technological approaches, assignment ideas, course-design principles, and syllabus rethinkings, suggesting ways to engage the senses, better accommodate classroom diversity, and forward justice through creativity.
646. Queer Affect and Embodiment in Recent Canadian Literature
8:30–9:45 a.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Domenico Beneventi, U of Sherbrooke
1. “Unfulfillment and Incompleteness of the Gay Self in Simon Boulerice's Géolocaliser l'amour,” Hasheem Hakeem, Northwestern U
2. “Transgender Care and Empowerment in La fille d'elle-même, by Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay,” Jorge Calderón, Simon Fraser U
3. “Blush: Affect, Desire, and Bodily Failure in My Body Is Yours, by Michael V. Smith,” Domenico Beneventi
647. The Wandering Womb: Writing Menstrual Pain
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Maria Rovito, Penn State U, Harrisburg
1. “Feeling, on Writing: Reflections on Autotheory and Menstrual Pain,” Ela Przybylo, Illinois State U
2. “Battle for Your Life: A Memoir of Endometriosis and Female Empowerment,” Maria Rovito
3. “Born inside My Body: A Collective Memoir,” Camille Houle-Eichel, U de Montréal
4. “Last Egg out of Ovary Town: Celebrating My Last Period with Wordplay,” Maria Ortiz, Harold Washington C, City Colleges of Chicago, IL
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
648. Queer Theory and Psychoanalysis
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and Literature. Presiding: Dorothy R. Stringer, Temple U, Philadelphia
1. “Freud in an ‘Adamless Eden’: Biology at Bryn Mawr College, 1900,” Natalia Cecire, U of Sussex
2. “Erotophobia: Queer Theory and Psychoanalysis,” Gila Ashtor, Columbia U
3. “Mom's Penis: Rethinking the Phallic Mother's Possibility,” Siobhan Kelly, Harvard U
4. “The Vicissitudes of Lack: Situating Asexuality within Psychoanalysis,” Nicholas Adler, Boston C
Respondent: Dorothy R. Stringer
649. Languages at the Crossroads in Community Colleges: Historical Trends, Current Strategies, and Future Directions
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Community Colleges. Presiding: Sharon Ahern Fechter, Montgomery C, MD
1. “Languages at the Crossroads at Montgomery College, Maryland,” Ivonne Bruneau-Botello, Montgomery C, MD; Sarah Campbell, Montgomery C, MD
2. “Community Colleges and Low Enrollment,” Julian Barroso-Merino, C of Southern Nevada, Charleston Campus; Sergio A. Guzman, C of Southern Nevada, Charleston Campus
3. “World Language Enrollment at Community Colleges between 1960 and 2010,” Tomonori Nagano, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York
For related material, visit ccc.mla.hcommons.org after 4 Jan.
650. France and the Eighteenth-Century Americas
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 18th-Century French. Presiding: Scott M. Sanders, Dartmouth C
Speakers: G. Matthew Adkins, Columbus State Community C, OH; Logan Connors, U of Miami; Jeffrey Leichman, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge; Olivia Sabee, Swarthmore C; Matthias Soubise, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon; Chelsea Stieber, Catholic U of America
Panelists discuss France's relationship to eighteenth-century Americas as it appears in literary depictions, performance culture, and the archive. Topics covered include the geographic imagination elicited by the Americas; race-based notions of freedom; the performance of colonial violence; the importation of French ballet to the Americas; and, finally, a proposed theater project in New Orleans by a French architect.
651. Nonfiction Forms in the Civic Sphere
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 5, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Nonfiction Prose. Presiding: Anish Dave, Georgia Southwestern State U
1. “Hybrid Hospitality: The Author Interview as Research Methodology,” Meezan Eglen, York U
2. “Pedagogical Potential of Travel Literature as a Hybrid Genre of Nonfiction,” Brian Rugen, Meiji U
3. “Reformist Writing and Self Making in Early-Twentieth-Century Kerala,” Musab Abdul Salam, U of Oregon
652. Women and the Lusophone Avant-Gardes
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the American Portuguese Studies Association. Presiding: Krista Brune, Penn State U, University Park
Speakers: Mario Bastos, U de Lisboa; Elisa Braga, U of Georgia; Talita Nassur, U of Georgia; Ana Isabel Santos, U of Colorado, Boulder; Yasmin Zandomenico, U of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
Panelists explore the contributions of women to the Luso-Afro-Brazilian avant-gardes. Topics of discussion include intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in avant-garde movements; multi-artistic expressions; transatlantic connections; and how modernism, surrealism, and other movements of the historic avant-gardes compare with more recent feminine and feminist voices.
653. Book Lab
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM Book History, Print Cultures, Lexicography. Presiding: Rebecca Schneider, New Mexico Highlands U
1. “Early Practices of Fastening Print-Digital Books: Robert Pinsky's Mindwheel and Other Electronic Novels,” Élika Ortega, U of Colorado, Boulder
2. “Recycled Material, Original Art: Jorge Luis Borges and Ediciones Vigia,” Nora Benedict, U of Georgia
3. “Material Traces in Tate Shaw's The Ground,” Anne Royston, Rochester Inst. of Tech.
Respondent: Thora Brylowe, U of Colorado, Boulder
Roundtable participants discuss and demonstrate methodologies for doing intersectional feminism in the fields of book history, print culture, and lexicography.
654. Rethinking Philology
8:30–9:45 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Pre-14th-Century Chinese. Presiding: Sarah Allen, Williams C
Speakers: Alexander Beecroft, U of South Carolina, Columbia; Heng Du, Wellesley C; Daniel Fried, U of Alberta; Thomas Mazanec, U of California, Santa Barbara
Respondent: Christopher Nugent, Williams C
Scholars working across premodern Chinese and Greco-Roman contexts explore how the notion of philology can be broadened, examining diverse manifestations of scholarly practices and their social and cultural implications, such as collation and identity making, calligraphic criticism as textual criticism, and religious formulations in writings on poetics.
For related material, visit https://doi.org/10.17613/m8aw-j752 after 2 Jan.
655. Madness and Magic in Global Literature
8:30–9:45 a.m., 404, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum HEP Part-Time and Contingent Faculty Issues. Presiding: Pamela A. Lim-McAlister, U of California, Berkeley
1. “Motherhood and Madness: Distancia de rescate’s Fever Dream,” Alexandra Brown, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Madness and Magic in Nineteenth-Century Portuguese Fantastic Literature: Teófilo Braga and Pinheiro Chagas,” Jean Carlos Carniel, São Paulo State U
3. “Ghosts in the House: Shirley Jackson and the Madness of Authorship,” Laura West-Brownell, U of Nevada, Reno
4. “Poetics of Schizophrenia: A Study of Joys of Madness in Manto’s Short Stories,” Umar Shehzad, U of Edinburgh
656. Reproducibility: Image, Literature, Philosophy
8:30–9:45 a.m., Grand K, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Junnan Chen, Princeton U
1. “Vanishing Media: Spiritualist Photography and the Concept of Disappearance,” Ethan Plaue, U of Pennsylvania
2. “When a Box Is a Box Is a Box: Reproducing Modernist Aesthetics in Warhol's Brillo Box,” Jennifer Forsberg, Clemson U
3. “‘Jamaican in New York’: Virtual Space in 1980s Hip-Hop and Dancehall,” Morten Kaergaard Hansen, Bowdoin C
4. “Get with the God Program: Reproducing Authority in Gordon Lish's Classroom,” Milo Hicks, Indiana U, Bloomington
For related material, write to [email protected].
657. Queering the Renaissance, Thirty Years Later
8:30–9:45 a.m., Jefferson, Loews
Program arranged by the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender. Presiding: Shannon Kelley, Fairfield U
Speakers: Robert Clines, Western Carolina U; Marie Helena Loughlin, U of British Columbia, Okanagan; Richard Rambuss, Brown U; Melissa E. Sanchez, U of Pennsylvania; Valerie J. Traub, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Panelists honor the late Jonathan Goldberg and the thirtieth anniversary of Queering the Renaissance. Discussion includes queerness and race, queer temporality, new approaches to noncanonical queer texts, early modern trans studies, teaching queer studies in the classroom, and how this book and Goldberg's scholarship influenced queer studies scholarship.
658. Sociology of International Circulation of Literature III
8:30–9:45 a.m., Washington B, Loews
A working group. Presiding: Tristan Leperlier, CNRS
Participants: Sarah Bowskill, Queen's U Belfast; Elisabet Carbo, Fundacio per a la U Oberta de Catalunya; Tao Huang, U of Hong Kong; Nancy Linthicum, U of South Carolina, Columbia; Anna Muenchrath, Appalachian State U; Miaina Razakamanantsoa, U Münster; Diana Roig Sanz, Fundacio per a la U Oberta de Catalunya
This working group aims to propose an eight-article special issue for a journal in comparative literature, featuring case studies that span translating, publishing, international literary prizes and festivals, on English, French, Chinese, Latin American, Arabic, or Turkish examples. Discussion of the precirculated articles will focus on theoretical and methodological issues.
For related material, visit www.dropbox.com/sh/knvo37s3i6tzw22/AAClj4VWREwBaqMhWdfTQ9kEa?dl=0.
For the other meetings of the working group, see 193 and 462.
659. World Literature and Victorian Studies: Translation, Mediation, and Multilingualism
8:30–9:45 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Olivia Loksing Moy, Lehman C, City U of New York
1. “Provincializing Victorian Studies,” Jacob Romanow, U of Texas, Austin
2. “Triangulating Britain, Japan, and Korea in Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden,” Waiyee Loh, Kanagawa U
3. “(En)Gendering Victorian Girlhood: Jane Eyre and Little Women in South Korea's World Literature Collections during the Cold War,” Sungmey Lee, Yonsei U, Underwood International C
4. “Hutom as Lens: Squinting at Empire,” Oishani Sengupta, U of Texas, El Paso
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/ after 4 Jan.
Sunday, 7 January 10:15 a.m.
660. Beyond Representation: Afro-Latin Americans in Print Culture
10:15–11:30 a.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th-Century Latin American and the Feministas Unidas. Presiding: Maria Alejandra Aguilar, Florida Atlantic U
1. “When Spectacle Meets Melodrama: The Victimization of Enslaved Young Women in Rio de Janeiro's Press,” Maria Alejandra Aguilar
2. “‘El constante batallar’: Family, Education, and Beauty in a Magazine for Afro-Cuban Women,” Sarah Moody, U of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
3. “Zumbi and the Colonial Archive: The Distortion of a Historical Legacy,” Giovanna Gobbi Alves Araujo, Brown U
4. “Turning to Argentina's Racial Archive: Nineteenth-Century Popular Theater and Early-Twentieth-Century Afro-Descendant Press,” Chisu Teresa Ko, Ursinus C
661. Climates of Romanticism
10:15–11:30 a.m., Anthony, Loews
Program arranged by the North American Society for the Study of Romanticism
1. “Climate Change in Byron's Heaven and Earth,” Andrew Sargent, U of Western Ontario
2. “Documenting Ephemera: Romanticism of the Record,” Claire Grandy, Baruch C, City U of New York
3. “Blue Again,” Jacques Khalip, Brown U
662. New Directions in Arabic Literature
10:15–11:30 a.m., 410, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Arabic. Presiding: Sarah R. bin Tyeer, Columbia U
Speakers: Haifa Alfaisal, King Saud U; Huda Fakhreddine, U of Pennsylvania; Rebecca Johnson, Northwestern U; Matthew L. Keegan, Barnard C; Enass Khansa, American U of Beirut; Anna Ziajka Stanton, Penn State U, University Park
Panelists engage, question, and interrogate trends, trajectories, and challenges in the field and consider future possibilities and opportunities.
663. The Business of the University
10:15–11:30 a.m., 413, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Stephanie Pietros, C of Mount St. Vincent
Speakers: Molly Appel, Nevada State C; Noah Jampol, Bronx Community C, City U of New York; Kristen L. Marangoni, Tulsa Community C, OK; Maria Ortiz, City Colleges of Chicago; Leah Richards, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York
While maintaining enrollment is imperative for democratizing the work of higher education, economic and demographic factors make recruitment of students a fraught issue. The means by which institutions seek to boost enrollment or financial security are short-sighted at best, unethical at worst. Panelists discuss these practices and offer short- and long-term solutions to mitigate the negative impact on students, faculty members, and the profession.
664. A More Perfect Union and the Promise of the American Dream Revisited
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the MELUS: The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States
1. “Crip Sexuality and the ‘American Dream’: Madness and Desire in Neo–Slave Narrative,” Regis Marlene Fox, Florida Atlantic U
2. “Transnational Identity at the United States–Canada Border: Periodical Publications by Edith Maude Eaton,” Jessi Morton, U of North Carolina, Greensboro
3. “Revising Horatio Alger's American Dreams in Ruiz de Burton's Who Would Have Thought It? (1872),” Benjamin A. Railton, Fitchburg State U
Respondent: Martha Cutter, U of Connecticut, Storrs
665. Monsters Enmeshed: Bonding in Jeopardy
10:15–11:30 a.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ryanne McEvoy, Boston U
1. “Show Time: Plotting Pleasure and Reading Revolution in Angela Carter,” Qiao Yang Chen, U of Iowa
2. “Animating Animality: Modernism's Transspecies Challenge to the White Ableist Cisheteropatriarchy,” Katie Warczak, Penn State U, University Park
3. “Phantom Limbs, Phantom Love: Interbodily Queer Caring in Djuna Barnes's Nightwood,” Ryanne McEvoy
Respondent: J. Blackwood, Boston U
666. After the New Modernist Studies
10:15–11:30 a.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the Modernist Studies Association. Presiding: Zoë Henry, Indiana U, Bloomington
1. “The New Modernist Studies’ Ugly Sister,” Mia Florin-Sefton, Columbia U
2. “A Proposal for Sustaining Modernist Scholarship,” Laura Hartmann-Villalta, Johns Hopkins U, MD
3. “Modernist Landscapes in Decline,” Ryan Tracy, Knox C
4. “Women on the Margins,” Shalini Sengupta, U of Vienna
667. Industrial Footprints in the Modern Hispanic World
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Oscar Useche, Ursinus C
1. “The Industrial Pastoral: Visual Techniques at the Margins of the Nineteenth-Century Atlantic Sugar Industry,” Anayvelyse Allen-Mossman, independent scholar
2. “The Roto Unearthed: Figurations of the National Popular under Chilean Extractivism,” Jaime Hanneken, U of Minnesota, Twin Cities
3. “Seeking Climate Justice in José María Arguedas's El zorro de arriba y el zorro de abajo (1971),” Tess Renker, U of Oklahoma
668. The Campus Union and the Academic Senate
10:15–11:30 a.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Andrew Hines, Swarthmore C
Speakers: Barbara Bowen, Queens C, City U of New York; Evelyn Burg, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York; Seth Kahn, West Chester U; Patricia Sokolski, LaGuardia Community C, City U of New York; Heather Steffen, Georgetown U; Todd Wolfson, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
Comparing shared governance bodies and labor unions in their capacities for influencing institutions of higher education, speakers explore the interactions, possibilities, and limitations of campus unions and academic senates and focus on practical strategies and solutions, drawing on their experiences as union presidents, senate chairs, and labor scholars.
For related material, write to [email protected].
669. Arturo Islas's The Rain God at Forty
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: William Orchard, Queens C, City U of New York
Speakers: Julie Minich, U of Texas, Austin; Ricardo L. Ortiz, Georgetown U; Yolanda Padilla, U of Washington, Bothell; Annemarie Perez, California State U, Dominguez Hills; José David Saldívar, Stanford U
Panelists consider the lasting appeal and continued relevance of Arturo Islas’s novel The Rain God on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of its first publication. Each participant focuses on a keyword related to the novel: disability, queer, transnational, gothic, archaeology, and future.
670. Gazing at and through the Other: Race, Ethnicity, and Imperialism in Ming Qing Chinese Cultures
10:15–11:30 a.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Josh Stenberg, U of Sydney
1. “Vernacular Zheng He and Chinese Images of Southeast Asia,” Josh Stenberg
2. “Women, Luzon, and the Notion of Center and Periphery in The Qilin Bao 麒麟豹 (The Qilin Leopard, 1822),” Rachel Zhang, U of Tübingen
3. “Encountering the British in the Late Qing Yunnan-Burma Borderlands: Wang Zhi's Haike ritan,” Jie Guo, U of South Carolina, Columbia
4. “Cross-Boundary (Mis)Understandings of Chinese Law: Li Kitabi in Late Qing Xinjiang,” Vincent Mu-chien Chen, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
For related material, write to [email protected] after 31 Dec.
671. Perception in Black and White: Reimagining Racial Binaries and the Color Line in Italian American Studies
10:15–11:30 a.m., Adams, Loews
Program arranged by the Italian American Studies Association. Presiding: Alan J. Gravano, Rocky Mountain U
1. “Shadows and Acts of ‘Indigenuity’: African American Folklore and Italian American Literature,” Fred L. Gardaphe, Queens C, City U of New York
2. “‘[A]n Aberration in the Heartland of the Real’: Don DeLillo's Libra as Allegory of White Supremacy,” Anne Day Dewey, St. Louis U, Madrid Campus
3. “DeLillo and Ellison in the Mid–Twentieth Century: Constructions of Americanness,” Maria L. J. Lauret, U of Sussex
For related material, visit drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Rw3fhkf1AShxJV2bm9B-TeP8ckPMOurz?usp=sharing.
672. Narratives of History in Dostoevsky: Future, Present, Past
10:15–11:30 a.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the International Dostoevsky Society. Presiding: Fiona Bell, Yale U
1. “Translation at the End of History: Dostoevsky's Pushkin,” Chloe Kitzinger, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
2. “Narrating Revolutionary Death in Dostoevsky, Turgenev, and Chernyshevsky,” Lindsay Ceballos, Lafayette C
3. “Dostoevsky's Notre-Dame de Paris: Publishing the French Romantic Historical Past in the Reform Era,” Chloe Papadopoulos, Yale U
Respondent: Jillian Porter, U of Colorado, Boulder
673. What Is Political Literature Today?
10:15–11:30 a.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Luis Othoniel Rosa, U of Nebraska, Lincoln
Speakers: Debjani Ganguly, U of Virginia; Jane Hu, U of Southern California; Jeffrey Lawrence, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Luis Othoniel Rosa; Johanna Winant, West Virginia U, Morgantown; Oswaldo Zavala, C of Staten Island, City U of New York; Dora Zhang, U of California, Berkeley
Amid the many recent calls for writers and scholars to engage directly with contemporary political issues, we rarely pause to consider what we mean when we speak of political literature and criticism. Panelists revisit long-standing debates about the relationship between politics and literature, focusing on the value of experimental, “difficult,” or hermetic literary works during these charged times.
674. What Are Cultural Narratives? Exploring an Elusive Concept
10:15–11:30 a.m., 401–403, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Andrew Kettler, U of South Carolina, Palmetto C
1. “Of Myths and (Post-)Truth: Cultural Narratives between Troy and Trump,” Christian Baier, Seoul National U
2. “The Spatial Diegesis of Literary Arts,” Emile Levesque-Jalbert, Harvard U
3. “Performing Arts as a Discursive Constellation: The Case of Community Theater,” Anna Navrotskaya, Hillsdale C
675. Twenty-First-Century (Ir)Realisms
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Marxist Literary Group. Presiding: Liliana Naydan, Penn State U, Abington
1. “Barbara Stauffacher Solomon's Typographical Poetics and the Contemporaneity of Modernism,” Chris Gortmaker, U of Chicago
2. “Genre in the Warehouse,” Christian Haines, Penn State U, University Park
3. “Genre Migrations in Ling Ma's Severance,” Liliana Naydan
676. Rethinking Animal Comparison III
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress B, Loews
A working group
Participants: Akash Belsare, U of Illinois, Springfield; Jeremy Chow, Bucknell U; Alexander Creighton, U of California, Berkeley; Megan Glick, Wesleyan U; Caroline Hovanec, U of Tampa; Kayci Merritte, Brown U; John MacNeill Miller, Allegheny C; Samantha Pergadia, Southern Methodist U; Rajesh K. Reddy, Lewis and Clark Law School; Gabriel Rosenberg, Duke U; Rasheed Tazudeen, Yale U; Arthur Wang, U of Pennsylvania
What does it mean to be treated like an animal? This working group builds on recent studies of racialized dehumanization and of animality as a resource for minoritarian critique, resistance, and creation to synthesize and generate new theories of human-animal comparison across race and ethnic studies, gender and sexuality studies, feminist science and technology studies, and literary history.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/rethinking-animal-comparison/ after 28 Dec.
For the other meetings of the working group, see 213 and 405.
677. African American Political Oratory
10:15–11:30 a.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Matthew Calihman, Missouri State U
1. “Maria W. Stewart and the Black Women's Literary Renaissance,” Marlas Yvonne Whitley, New York U
2. “Abolition’s Afterlives: Peter H. Clark, the Cincinnati Emancipator, and Modal Translation in the Early Socialist Press,” Marc Blanc, Washington U in St. Louis
3. “Richard G. Hatcher, Black Culture, and Left Coalition Politics,” Matthew Calihman
678. Photography by Other Means: Photography Inter Media
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 19th- and Early-20th-Century German. Presiding: Samuel Frederick, Penn State U, University Park
1. “The Wandering Eye: Moving beyond the Frame in Annette von Droste-Hülshoff's Lyric,” Martin Dawson, Union C
2. “Mediating Photography,” Kirsten L. Belgum, U of Texas, Austin
3. “Man muß Kautschukmann sein! Media in George Grosz and Hans Richter,” Paul Smith, U of California, Los Angeles
679. Gide and Autobiography / Gide et l'autobiographie
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
Program arranged by the Association des Amis d'André Gide. Presiding: Ian Curtis, Kenyon C
1. “Gide pianiste,” Glenn W. Fetzer, New Mexico State U, Las Cruces
2. “‘L'ombre de ton ombre’: Renée Vivien's Autobiographical Hauntings,” Jennifer Carr, Wellesley C
3. “Dorothy Bussy's ‘Olivia’ as Born-Translated Autobiography,” Sophie Levin, Washington U in St. Louis
For related material, write to [email protected].
680. Human Rights, Technology, and Culture
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Muhammad Waqar Azeem, Binghamton U, State U of New York
1. “Visual Constructions of the Climate Migrant, Refugee, and Evacuee: Visual Technologies of the Anthropocene,” Nimisha Sinha, Binghamton U, State U of New York
2. “Encoding Dissent: The Interplay between Human Rights Storytelling, Digital Spaces, and Cultural Forms of Protest,” Lee Slater, Old Dominion U
3. “Rights and Culture: A Contrapuntal Framework,” Muhammad Waqar Azeem
4. “Surveillance and Detention of Minorities in Global Wars on Terror in V. V. Ganeshananthan’s Brotherless Night and Ayad Akhtar’s Disgraced,” Lopamudra B. Basu, U of Wisconsin, Stout
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org.
682. Retro Goes Newtro: Reappropriations of Nostalgia in Korean Literature and Media
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Korean. Presiding: Haerin Shin, Korea U
1. “Time Travel to the 1990s in South Korean Science Fiction: Reborn Rich as a Reflection of the Postpolitical,” Sang-Keun Yoo, U of San Diego
2. “The Role of Nostalgia and Newtro in Creating an Understanding of Korean Identity in Squid Game,” Lorien Kayleigh Goener, Korea U
3. “Womanly Face of Neoliberalism: Hybrid Modernity of South Korea in Djuna's Science Fiction,” Eunkyo Kang, Ewha Womans U
4. “Digital Newtro and the Haunting Future of the World Wide Web,” Min Ji Choi, Harvard U
5. “Liquidation or Contamination? Ch’inilp’a in South Korean Museums and Film,” Melissa Karp, Duke U
683. Poetry of Grammar and Grammar of Poetry
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: William D. Scott, U of Pittsburgh
1. “Mimesis as Communion? Thoughts on Poetic and Social Architecture,” Gundela Hachmann, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge
2. “Frenzy and Grace: Meter in Tim Dlugos’s ‘G-9,’” Sylvie Thode, U of California, Berkeley
3. “‘Im Quell deiner Augen . . .’: Anapests, Agency, and V2 Syntax in Paul Celan's ‘Lob der Ferne,’” William D. Scott
For related material, write to [email protected].
684. Photography and Ruins
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand J, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Anthony Pearce, U of British Columbia
1. “Digital Photography, Cultural Amnesia, and the Ruins of Memory,” Marcela de Oliveira e Silva Lemos, Indiana U, Bloomington
2. “Presence, Absence and Temporality in the Ruins of El Frontón,” Anthony Pearce
3. “Ruin Cinema, Wreck Photography,” Thomas Chen, Lehigh U
685. Commemorating Racialized Pain and Joy in Contemporary Iberia
10:15–11:30 a.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century Spanish and Iberian. Presiding: Lennie Amores, Albright C
Speakers: Jeffrey Coleman, Northwestern U; Nora Lynn Gardner, Lincoln U; Oana Katz, Northwestern U; Yeon-Soo Kim, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Anna Tybinko, Vanderbilt U
Participants examine how racialized Iberians commemorate pain and joy, including sorrow, indignation, excitement, aspirations, and affinities.
686. Rereading Marlowe
10:15–11:30 a.m., Jefferson, Loews
Program arranged by the Marlowe Society of America. Presiding: Lucy Munro, King's C London
1. “Acts of Reading, the Lives of Magic Books, and the Limits of the University in Greene and Marlowe,” Brandi Adams, Arizona State U, Tempe
2. “Desunt Nonulla: Writing Marlowe's Missing Words,” Adam Zucker, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
3. “Machiavels and Silent Women,” Laura Kolb, Baruch C, City U of New York
4. “The Extra Devil Revisited,” Christine Varnado, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
For related material, visit marlowesocietyofamerica.org.
687. Rethinking the Syllabus for Indigenous Studies Pedagogy
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington A, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Indigenous Literatures of the United States and Canada. Presiding: Hannah Manshel, U of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa
Speakers: DeLisa Hawkes, U of Tennessee, Knoxville; Sarah Henzi, Simon Fraser U; Andrea Knutson, Oakland U; Katelyn Lucas, Temple U, Philadelphia; Jay Miller, George Fox U; Christina Turner, U of Toronto; Scott Zukowski, U of Graz
Panelists consider how to create a literature syllabus that takes seriously Indigenous texts, histories, stories, polities, geographies, languages, and forms and offer strategies for and conversations around moving beyond tokenism and inclusion in syllabi creation.
688. Fictions of Proximity
10:15–11:30 a.m., Washington B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Erin Pearson, Elon U
Speakers: AJ Baginski, Texas A&M U, College Station; Sharon Kunde, Duke U; Erin Pearson; Mell Rivera Diaz, U of California, Irvine; Eric Vazquez, U of Iowa
Respondent: Jesse Alemán, U of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Arguing that literary fantasies of proximity and distance mediate understandings of affinity, community, and space in and across borders in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Central America, participants consider how the afterlives of regionalism, borders, and (dis)connections in hemispheric American literature have shaped modes of literary study.
689. Celebrating Sorrow: Commemoration and Lamentation in Old English
10:15–11:30 a.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Old English. Presiding: Jennifer Lorden, William and Mary
1. “Trauma, Aurality, and the Wounded Orrmulum Manuscript (c. 1170),” Matthew Aiello, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Sorrow, Embodiment, and Forms of Movement in Old English Elegies,” Stacy S. Klein, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
690. Digital Horizons in Language Teaching
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Lynn Ramey, Vanderbilt U
1. “The (Digital) Voyage of St. Brendan: Language, Literature, and Video Game Design,” Jacob Abell, Baylor U
2. “Transforming Pedagogies: Natural Language Processing and AI Transformers in the Classroom,” Bryant White, Covenant C
3. “Socrates, Google Translate, and Generative AI,” Eva Dessein, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.; Per Urlaub, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
For related material, visit my.vanderbilt.edu/lynnramey/mla-2024-new-tech/.
691. Speculative Fiction from Southeast Asia in the Twenty-First Century
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session. Presiding: Weihsin Gui, U of California, Riverside
Speakers: Nazry Bahrawi, U of Washington, Seattle; Zhui Ning Chang, U of London, Birkbeck; Cheryl Julia Lee, Nanyang Technological U; Solihin Samsuri, U of California, Berkeley; Joshua Tee, Penn State U, University Park; Kevin Martens Wong, National U of Singapore
Respondent: Weihsin Gui
Panelists discuss how Southeast Asian speculative writing employs modes of storytelling from cultural traditions to imagine possible futures, highlights inequalities using nonmimetic methods, and critiques (neo)colonial and state-centered forms of power-knowledge by illuminating alternative modes of knowing and being.
For related material, visit seasfmla2024.hcommons.org after 1 Dec.
692. Interpreting Italian American Visual Arts and Cultures
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
A special session
1. “Joseph Stella's Documentary Portraits and the Representation of Italian American Laborers,” Lucia Colombari, U of Oklahoma
2. “Stirring the Pot: Transnational Identity and Folklore in Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona Series,” Domenica Diraviam, Broward C
3. “Traces of Transatlantic Migration in Simone Forti's Dance and Performance Art,” Hiju Kim, U of California, Los Angeles
693. Strategies in Times of Attack: Approaches to Resistance
10:15–11:30 a.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the MLA Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Profession. Presiding: Ryan Fong, Kalamazoo C
Speakers: Simone Chess, Wayne State U; Jennifer Ho, U of Colorado, Boulder; Heather K. Love, U of Pennsylvania; Rae Yan, U of Florida
Panelists respond to anti-trans and misogynist legislation, homophobic book bans, attacks on Black feminist and queer studies, and other issues. What teaching approaches and critical solidarities are proving effective? Speakers offer a variety of strategies for classrooms and beyond. The audience is welcome to bring questions and ideas to the discussion.
Sunday, 7 January 12:00 noon
694. Hogg and Neo-Hogg: Celebrating the Two Hundredth Anniversary of The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Scottish and the forum LLC English Romantic. Presiding: Padma Rangarajan, U of California, Riverside
1. “Hogg's Confessions, Tartan Noir, and the Challenges of Race,” Alexander Dick, U of British Columbia
2. “James Hogg and the Divisive Genealogy of Moral Philosophy from Locke to Godwin,” Liam Rockall, Western U
3. “Paranoid Gothic, the Spy System, and Entrapment in The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner,” Gary R. Dyer, Cleveland State U
4. “James Robertson's Hoggish Testament,” Alexander Millen, Haverford C
695. ¿Es nuestro patrimonio el universo? Borges in Contemporary Hispanic Global Literature
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 308, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Rachel Katherine West, U of Virginia
1. “An Infinite Return: The Borgesian Archive in Contemporary Hispanic Literature,” Rachel Katherine West
2. “The Limitations of Language and the Unreliability of Truth: José Ovejero y Jorge Luis Borges,” Yuting Jia, Bridgewater C
3. “Authenticity and the Residual Cold War in Borges's Twenty-First-Century Latin American Reception,” Hector Hoyos, Stanford U
696. Lost Sites: Memory and the World in Kazuo Ishiguro
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth A2, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Ryan James McGuckin, Appalachian State U
1. “Clocked Chaos: Modernist Refrain, Modern Disruption in the Music of Kazuo Ishiguro's The Unconsoled,” Ryan James McGuckin
2. “The Organ-Grinder: Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go and Vanishing Bodies in a Coming Ecodystopia,” Joshua Myers, Ball State U
3. “Progressive Erasure: Medieval Translation and National Identity in Kazuo Ishiguro's The Buried Giant,” Gayle Fallon, Rocky Mountain C
4. “Untidy Identity in Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun: Reproductive Futurism in Friendly AI,” Joan Chia-en Chiang, National Taiwan U
For related material, write to [email protected].
697. Zeitgeists: Fate, Spirit, Time
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 413, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Philosophy and Literature
1. “What Does Spirit Avoid?,” Donna Jones, U of California, Berkeley
2. “Geist Zeit: Now Here Nowhere,” Elissa Marder, Emory U
3. “The Fates of Fatalism,” Grant Farred, Cornell U
Respondent: Kalpana Seshadri, Boston C
698. Poetry as Method: Experimentation and Emergent Modes of Being
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum GS Poetry and Poetics. Presiding: Marisa Galvez, Stanford U
Speakers: Frank Cahill, U of California, Berkeley; Isabel Gómez, U of Massachusetts, Boston; David Hobbs, U of Lethbridge; Josh Iaquinto, U of Sydney; Fiana Kawane, U of British Columbia; Susanna Sacks, Howard U; Bethany Swann, U of Pennsylvania
How do modern and contemporary poets provide creative methods of translation that might expand our traditional scholarly approaches to emergent poetics? Poets might translate premodern lyric in a way that helps us approach Global South cultures; experimentation in various media and in collaborative work compels us to reassess and identify lyric forms across genres, periods, and languages.
699. Celebration and Spatiality: A Geocritical Roundtable
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Michael Smith, Fine Foundation
Speakers: Hsuan L. Hsu, U of California, Davis; Alexandra Meany, U of Washington, Seattle; Robert Tally, Texas State U; Labanya Unni, Graduate Center, City U of New York; Rebecca Weaver-Hightower, Virginia Tech; Amy D. Wells, U de Caen Normandie
Geocritics, literary cartographers, and scholars of the spatial turn discuss both real and imaginary spaces and places of joy and sorrow, exploring how and for whom these places are created, from the Chinese laundry to nineteenth-century mining settlements to Indian village communities to twenty-first-century North American urban neighborhoods and beyond.
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/celebration-and-spatiality-a-geocritical-roundtable/ after 1 Nov.
700. Weird Time: Forms, Media, Methods
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
A special session
1. “Allegory, Antiquity, and Apocalypse in The Virgin Martyr,” Bailey Sincox, Princeton U
2. “Trans Temporalities, Anachronism, and Diurnal Form,” Carly Yingst, Harvard U
3. “A Delicate and Tender Prince: A Wartime Hamlet on Postwar Television,” Nicholas Utzig, Sarah Lawrence C
4. “The Slow Time of ‘Urgent Necessity,’” Therese Banks, Middlebury C
701. Language, Style, and Reader Agency in Cli-Fi
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LSL Linguistics and Literature
1. “The Narrative of Climate Trauma: Dislocated in Time in Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being,” Laura West-Brownell, U of Nevada, Reno
2. “We the Fishes, I the Sun: Cultivating Reader Agency in On Such a Full Sea and The Ministry for the Future,” Jeanne L. Provost, Furman U
3. “Uncovering the Truth of Extraction: The Investigative Journalist in Helon Habila's Oil on Water,” Mary Galli, Harvard U
702. Anthropocene Cultural Production in Latin America and the Caribbean
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Fernando Varela, Texas Lutheran U
1. “A Caribbean Monster of the Anthropocene: Decolonizing Human-Crustacean Assemblages in Rosario Ferré,” Charlotte W. Rogers, U of Virginia
2. “Queering the Peruvian Desert Coast in Javier Vargas Sotomayor's Telúricas Subterráneas,” Javier Muñoz-Diaz, St. Lawrence U
3. “Trees and Codes: The Potential of Algorithmic Politics,” Alex Saum-Pascual, U of California, Berkeley
4. “The ‘Bee Effect’: Decolonial Ecofeminisms from the Global South in a Postdeveloped World,” Elena Deanda, Washington C
703. “Niños sin Papeles”: An Exploration of Child Migrant Experiences through Undocumented Writers’ Narratives
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington A, Loews
A special session
1. “Understanding US Immigration Policy and Child Migrant Mental Health through Undocumented Writers’ Narratives,” Melissa Ann Castillo Planas, Lehman C, City U of New York
2. “‘Sin Papeles’: Inscribing Belonging While Undocumented in Works by Dan-el Padilla Peralta and Reyna Grande,” Gretchen Selcke, Vanderbilt U
3. “Rhetorical and Aesthetic Choices in Contemporary Latinx Nonfiction Writing that Represents Undocumented Children,” Lucas Iberico Lozada, U of Southern California
4. “Migration as an Affective Journey toward Healing in Solito, by Javier Zamora,” Natalia Villanueva Nieves, Sonoma State U
704. What Is the Everyday?
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Noa Nikolsky, U of Pennsylvania
1. “Confession in Crisis: The Hegelian Everyday in Middlemarch,” Molly Young, U of Pennsylvania
2. “Living with Everyday Difference: Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends and Raven Leilani’s Luster,” Rivky Mondal, U of Chicago
3. “Metonymic Everydayness in The Mere Living,” Aidan Watson-Morris, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
705. Sesquicentennial Frost
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Robert Frost Society
1. “Repairing the World: Ecopoetic (A)Symmetry in Robert Frost's ‘Mending Wall,’” Sophie Dawn Christman, New York Inst. of Tech.
2. “‘It Is Your Christmases against My Woods’: Frost's Politics and Religion in the Annual Christmas Greeting Poems,” Douglas Basford, U at Buffalo, State U of New York
3. “Avant-Garde Frost: Shirley Clarke, Documentary, and the Cult of Performance,” Tyler Hoffman, Rutgers U, Camden
706. Material Pedagogies
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Jennifer Rabedeau, Cornell U
Speakers: Katherine Churchill, U of Virginia; Anne Tereska Ciecko, U of Massachusetts, Amherst; Gabriel Ford, Drake U; Zachary Hines, Ohio State U, Columbus; Cyrus Mulready, State U of New York, New Paltz; Blevin Shelnutt, Vassar C; Kendra Slayton, Florida State U
In response to declining enrollments and accelerating digitization, panelists propose that humanities instructors face a new collective imperative. To revitalize student engagement and participation, we must collaborate across periods and disciplines, sharing pedagogical strategies that mobilize material artifacts and cultural objects in ways that foster wonder and joy in the classroom.
707. The Blues: A Tarrying in Blackness as Form, Storying, and Foreclosure
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Congress C, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Ambre Dromgoole, Cornell U
1. “Jean Toomer's Cane and the Blues of Black Land Sovereignty,” Alex Alston, Columbia U
2. “Philly Soul Musicking and the Message in the Music,” Christopher Rogers, U of Pennsylvania
3. “Katrina's Black Diaspora: An Ambivalent Blues Discourse,” Jaz Riley, Yale U
For related material, write to [email protected].
708. Screen Media Translations
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum MS Screen Arts and Culture and the forum TC Translation Studies. Presiding: Samhita Sunya, U of Virginia
1. “Translating, Subtitling, and Streaming Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave (2022),” Hiju Kim, U of California, Los Angeles
2. “Translating Veronese: Peter Greenaway's Wedding at Cana,” Juliette Bellacosa, U of Pennsylvania
3. “Beyond Untranslatability: Structures of Feeling in Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave (2022),” Brenda Wang, U of California, Los Angeles
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/screen-arts-and-culture/.
709. Embracing (or Not) Cultural Otherness: The French Wave in Icelandic Theater
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Ásdís Rósa Magnúsdóttir, U of Iceland
1. “French Comedy in Iceland (Molière, Feydeau, Camoletti, Zeller),” Ásdís Rósa Magnúsdóttir
2. “The Cultural Leap of the Alexandrine: French Neoclassical Theater in Translation,” Gudrun Kristinsdottir-Urfalino, U of Iceland
3. “French Poststructuralism and Feminism on Stage: Icelandic Film Director Kristín Jóhannesdóttir,” Irma Erlingsdottir, U of Iceland
710. Pornography as a Speech Act
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 6, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TM Language Theory. Presiding: Douglas Robinson, Chinese U of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
1. “Moving beyond Speech Acts: On Pornography and Subordination,” Mary Kate Mcgowan, Wellesley C
2. “Pornography and the Channeling of Socioideological Power Through a ‘Secret Code,’” Douglas Robinson
3. “Repeatable Speech Acts: Derrida on the Iterability of Sex,” Xiaorui Sun, Chinese U of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
711. Representing Biological Reproductivity in East Asian Literature
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC East Asian. Presiding: Jiwei Xiao, Fairfield U
1. “Reproductive Borderland and Reproductive Heartland,” Coco Kejia Ruan, Harvard U
2. “Representing the One-Child Policy in Contemporary Chinese Fiction,” Christopher M. Lupke, U of Alberta
For related material, write to [email protected] after 1 Dec.
712. Nineteenth-Century Poetry and (in, as, of) Translation
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand J, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Romantic and 19th-Century. Presiding: Yopie Prins, U of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Speakers: Michael C. Cohen, U of California, Los Angeles; Nan Da, Johns Hopkins U, MD; Annmarie Drury, Queens C, City U of New York; Matthew Potolsky, U of Utah; Taymaz Pour Mohammad, Northwestern U; Bhavya Tiwari, U of Houston; Colton Valentine, Yale U
Panelists present specific poems circulating through translation in the long nineteenth century and participate in broader discussion to compare various theories, histories, methods, forms, formats, genres, modes, media, politics, ideologies, and cultures of translating poetry.
713. The Joys and Sorrows of Diplomacy and Politics in Spanish Early Modern Theater
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 16th- and 17th-Century Spanish and Iberian Drama. Presiding: Marta Albalá Pelegrín, California State Polytechnic U, Pomona
1. “Desengaño and Diplomacy: Royal Treatment in Baroque Spanish Plays,” Rachel Williams, Johns Hopkins U, MD
2. “Performing Soft Power: Theater and Diplomacy at the Coliseo del Buen Retiro,” Ignacio López Alemany, U of North Carolina, Greensboro
3. “Spectacles of Shame: Discourse and Materiality in the Sentencing of Superstition by the Mexican Inqu,” Andrea Ariza Garcia, Graduate Center, City U of New York
4. “Dreaming of Freedom with Calderón: Place, Medium, and Political Imaginaries in Chile,” Amy Sheeran, Otterbein U
714. Representing Medicine in Early Modern England
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Jefferson, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Aaron Kitch, Bowdoin C
1. “John Donne’s ‘Ghostly Physic,’” Elizabeth D. Harvey, U of Toronto
2. “Plague, Providence, and Pastoral Power in Early Modern Print Culture,” Jennifer Rust, St. Louis U
3. “A ‘Pearl in Your Foul Oyster’: The Nature of Elizabeth I's Pearls,” Kaara L. Peterson, Miami U, Oxford
716. Rethinking Ethnic Studies: Affect and the Italian American Experience
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Washington B, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Italian American. Presiding: Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, U of Arkansas, Fayetteville
1. “Shame or Pride, Need or Desire: What Are the Affects That Shape the Italian American Experience,” Alessandro Martina, U of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
2. “Bringing the Italian American Experience to Life through an Oral History Project,” Chiara De Santi, State U of New York, Farmingdale
3. “Migration, Affect, and the Translation Effect,” Loredana Polezzi, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
4. “The Affective in Italian American Cinema: Divergent Forms of Spectatorship,” Anthony Julian Tamburri, Queens C, City U of New York
717. Ambient Chaucer
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Franklin 8, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Chaucer. Presiding: Ingrid Nelson, Amherst C
Speakers: Tekla Bude, Oregon State U; Micah Goodrich, Boston U; Grace Catherine Greiner, U of Texas, Austin; Adin Lears, Virginia Commonwealth U
How can theories of ambience in literary criticism, media studies, sound studies, affect theory, and systems theory inform our readings of Chaucer's texts, manuscripts, and reception history? Panelists address tone, temper, bliss, spleen, temperature, climate, sound, dream, complexity, and equilibrium.
718. Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow at Fifty-ish
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
A special session
Speakers: Inger Dalsgaard, U of Aarhus; Zofia Kolbuszewska, U of Wrocław; John M. Krafft, Miami U, Hamilton; Frank A. Palmeri, U of Miami; Sascha Pöhlmann, U of Innsbruck; Jeffrey Severs, U of British Columbia
Published in 1973, fifty-one years ago, Thomas Pynchon’s novel Gravity’s Rainbow redefined both postmodernism and post–World War II American literature. Often compared to Joyce’s Ulysses and the writings of Nabokov, Gravity’s Rainbow set the standard by which subsequent writers and their works have often been compared. Participants and attendees discuss the relevance of Gravity’s Rainbow within twenty-first-century global contexts.
For related material, write to [email protected].
719. Care in Early Modern Literature: Practices and Possibilities
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum CLCS Renaissance and Early Modern. Presiding: Cynthia Nazarian, Northwestern U
Speakers: Deyasini Dasgupta, Syracuse U; James Kuzner, Brown U; Lanie Millar, U of Oregon; Brigitta Pesti, U of Vienna; Melanie Rio, U of Maryland, College Park; Allison Stedman, U of North Carolina, Charlotte
Scholars from multiple language traditions explore the broad concept of care in early modern literature and culture. How do texts portray the attachments, solidarities, labors, costs, vulnerabilities, hierarchies, and so forth implicated in care? What can the early moderns tell us about the forms and limits of care?
720. Sentimental (Mis)Educations: Joys and Sorrows of Childhood
12:00 noon–1:15 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum LLC Francophone. Presiding: Annette Joseph-Gabriel, Duke U
Speakers: Hugo Bujon, Rutgers U, New Brunswick; Andrew Hopper, U of California, Davis; Molly O'Brien, Princeton U; Kimberly Rooney, U of Wisconsin, Madison; Amber Sweat, U of California, Berkeley; Lena Udall, Pepperdine U
Panelists explore narratives about childhood, education, play, nostalgia, growing up, growing sideways, and trickster characters in francophone literature and cinema. Its geographic scope extending across West Africa, the Maghreb, and France highlights the entanglement of notions of childhood and coming of age with the political realities of empire, decolonization, and migration.
Sunday, 7 January 1:45 p.m.
721. Twentieth-Century “Saints” and Struggle
1:45–3:00 p.m., 307, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Religion and Literature. Presiding: Noël Valis, Yale U
1. “Our Faith in Facts: The Religious Essays of Abraham Joshua Heschel and Thomas Merton,” Stephanie Redekop, U of Toronto
2. “The Politics of Aesthetics in the Early Autobiographies of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and Thích Nhất Hạnh,” Kyle Garton-Gundling, Christopher Newport U
3. “Political Intersections in the Writings of Four Female ‘Saints’: Maria Skobtsova, Edith Stein, Simone Weil, and Dorothy Day,” Ken Seigneurie, Simon Fraser U
722. Latin American Ecocriticism: What's Next?
1:45–3:00 p.m., 308, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Carolyn Fornoff, Cornell U
Speakers: Ashley Brock, U of Pennsylvania; Carolyn Fornoff; Carolina Sá Carvalho, U of Toronto; Victoria Saramago, U of Chicago; Amanda M. Smith, U of California, Santa Cruz; Emily Celeste Vazquez Enriquez, U of California, Davis
What is at stake in thinking about environmental crisis from the vantage of Latin America? Where is the field headed? Panelists address these questions and new developments in Latin American ecocriticism.
723. Grammars of Power
1:45–3:00 p.m., 404, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Mario Telo, U of California, Berkeley
1. “Ungendering, Negativity, and the Power of Grammar,” Linette Park, Emory U
2. “Revocability, Exception, Disqualification: Abortion's Heterogeneities of Power,” Penelope Deutscher, Northwestern U
3. “The Powers of Anger,” Elizabeth Wilson, Emory U
724. Crying over the Ruins: The Arabic Aesthetics of Joy and Sorrow
1:45–3:00 p.m., 410, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Emily Drumsta, U of Texas, Austin
1. “Mourning over Palatial Ruins: Ibn Hammad al-Sanhaji's Lament for Qal'at Bani Hammad,” Nizar F. Hermes, U of Virginia
2. “Engendering Lament in the Legend of Layla and Majnun,” Allison Kanner-Botan, U of Chicago
3. “Writing Fluidity: Erasure and the Contemporary in Muhammad Bennis's Kitabat al-Mahw,” Lubna Safi, U of California, Berkeley
4. “Elegizing the City: Mahmud Darwish's Eleven Planets,” Ahmad Abu Ahmad, Brown U
725. Anthropology and Speculative Fiction
1:45–3:00 p.m., 413, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum TC Anthropology and Literature
1. “Anthropologists, Aliens, and Indigenous Futurism: Writing against Culture in Rebecca Roanhorse's Trail of Lightning,” Eric Aronoff, Michigan State U
2. “Alberto Vanasco: An Alien Ethnography of Argentina,” Caleb Delorme, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
3. “H. G. Wells's Fetishism,” Jayne Hildebrand, Barnard C
Respondent: Frank A. Palmeri, U of Miami
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/ after 2 Jan.
727. Human Rights, Technology, and Culture
1:45–3:00 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Muhammad Waqar Azeem, Binghamton U, State U of New York
1. “Visual Constructions of the Climate Migrant, Refugee, and Evacuee: Visual Technologies of the Anthropocene,” Nimisha Sinha, Binghamton U, State U of New York
2. “Encoding Dissent: The Interplay between Human Rights Storytelling, Digital Spaces, and Cultural Forms of Protest,” Lee Slater, Old Dominion U
3. “Rights and Culture: A Contrapuntal Framework,” Muhammad Waqar Azeem
4. “Surveillance and Detention of Minorities in Global Wars on Terror in V. V. Ganeshananthan's Brotherless Night and Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced,” Lopamudra B. Basu, U of Wisconsin, Stout
For related material, visit hrtech.mla.hcommons.org.
728. Joys and Tribulations of Interconnection: Translation in Latin American and Latinx Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., 401–403, Marriott
A special session
1. “A Room of One's Own Resistance to Borges's Antifeminist Translation Strategies,” Leah Leone Anderson, U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
2. “Daniel Borzutzky's Translation-Based Latinx Poetics,” Olivia Lott, Princeton U
3. “Translation and Concrete Poetry: The Pound Effect in Brazil,” Martín L. Gaspar, Bryn Mawr C
4. “The Magazine Los Amorales: Smuggling Queer Sexual Identities and Practices in Translation,” Maria Julia Rossi, John Jay C of Criminal Justice, City U of New York
Respondent: Marcy Schwartz, Rutgers U, New Brunswick
729. The Rituals of Shared Governance: Next Steps for the Role of English in University Governance
1:45–3:00 p.m., 302–304, Marriott
A special session
1. “Opening Ceremony: Breaking the Spectator Stance in University Governance,” Kathryn Gindlesparger, Thomas Jefferson U
2. “No Confidence: Elegy, Celebration, and the Competing Claims of Faculty Unions and Faculty Senates,” Steve Newman, Temple U
3. “Governance Rites,” Michael F. Bernard-Donals, U of Wisconsin, Madison
4. “Shared Governance: Working Out of Time,” Elizabeth Kimball, Drexel U
730. Beyond Prescience and Predestination: Perceptions of Causality in Early Modern Chinese Vernacular Cultures
1:45–3:00 p.m., 411–412, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Patricia A. Sieber, Ohio State U, Columbus
1. “Causality and the ‘Performance Arena’ in Tripitaka Fetches the Scriptures,” Canaan Morse, Boston U
2. “Karmic Retribution Emotionally Thickened: Shrewish Anger in the Xingshi yinyuan zhuan,” Zhaokun Xin, U of Manchester
3. “Dialectic Causality: Disjunction between Arias and Dialogue in Two Ming Courtesan Plays,” Wenbo Chang, Georgia Inst. of Tech.
4. “Emplotment, Narrative Causality, and Cross-Dressing in Late Imperial Women's Chantefable Fiction,” Li Guo, Utah State U
Respondent: Patricia A. Sieber
731. Personism: Past, Present, and Potential
1:45–3:00 p.m., Adams, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Conner Moore, Miami U, Oxford
1. “The Poetics of Dissent: Exploring Rhizomatic Connections in the Revolutionary Spanish Caribbean,” Andrea Morales Loucil, U of Cambridge
2. “Trans and Queer Readings of Swinburne’s Poetry and Lesbia Brandon,” Conner Moore
3. “Between the Lines: Frank O'Hara, Embodiment, and Personism,” Vanessa West, independent scholar
732. Energy and Empire in Eastern Europe and Eurasia
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 2, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Slavic and East European
Speakers: Mieka Erley, Colgate U; Yana Lysenko, New York U; Jillian Porter, U of Colorado, Boulder; Daniel W. Pratt, McGill U; José Vergara, Bryn Mawr C
Drawing on interdisciplinary methodologies (e.g., the environmental humanities), panelists explore the interplay between energy and empire in Eastern European and Eurasian cultural traditions.
For related material, write to [email protected] after 10 Dec.
733. What Is a Life Worth Living? Speculative Fiction and Eternal Life
1:45–3:00 p.m., Commonwealth A1, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Darren J. Borg, Los Angeles Pierce C, CA
Speakers: Agnibha Banerjee, Rice U; Darren J. Borg; Christene D'Anca, U of California, Santa Barbara; Michael O'Krent, Harvard U; Amadi Ozier, U of Wisconsin, Madison
Despite numerous postapocalyptic storylines, many science fiction texts are a celebration of life and seek ways of prolonging it, whether artificially or by providing warnings against our current behavior in order to preserve the life that already exists. Panelists discuss texts from around the world in an attempt to explore the relevance of this topic across literatures.
734. Pockets of PA: The Dismantling of Places and Spaces
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress A, Loews
Program arranged by the Italian American Studies Association and the forum LLC Italian American. Presiding: Joseph Tumolo, U of California, Los Angeles
1. “Joseph Bathanti's East Liberty: The Literary Space of Little Italy,” Joseph Tumolo
2. “Italian American Borderlands: West Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio as Narrative Places and Spaces,” Anthony Dion Mitzel, U of Bologna
3. “Mise-en-Scène: Philadelphia in the Rocky (1976–2006) and Creed (2015–23) Series,” Alan J. Gravano, Rocky Mountain U
735. Adventures in Teaching with Science Writing
1:45–3:00 p.m., Congress B, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Joshua DiCaglio, Texas A&M U, College Station
Speakers: Joshua DiCaglio; Nancy Lincoln Easterlin, U of New Orleans; Davy Knittle, U of Delaware, Newark; Susanna Lee, Georgetown U; Lisa Ottum, Xavier U, OH; Luke Rodewald, U of Florida
Panelists present adventurous uses of science writing in literature and rhetoric courses. The pedagogical experiments discussed engage not only with teaching about science but also with using science writing to teach about narrative and interpretation more broadly.
736. Global Language Justice
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 10, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Anupama Rao, Barnard C
1. “Equality or Diversity: Language, Rights, Justice,” Lamyu Maria Bo, California State U, Fullerton
2. “Translating Ecosophy,” Emily Apter, New York U
3. “The Digital Divide,” Lydia Liu, Columbia U
737. Grief and Loss in Children's and Young Adult Literature
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 3, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Children's and Young Adult Literature. Presiding: Karin E. Westman, Kansas State U
1. “Technologies of Grieving in the Eighteenth-Century School Story,” Shawn Lisa Maurer, C of the Holy Cross
2. “The Gothic Working-Through of Loss and Trauma in A Series of Unfortunate Events,” Julie Veitch, U of Waterloo
3. “‘After All This Time’: Prolonged Grief and the Harry Potter Series,” Gina Mingoia, Stony Brook U, State U of New York
4. “Growth over Grief: Teenage Sexual Debuts and Narratives of Loss,” Tita Kyrtsakas, York U
For related material, visit mla.hcommons.org/groups/childrens-and-young-adult-literature/ after 15 Dec.
738. Connection, Conviviality, and Celebration in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century German-Language Culture: Aesthetics and Politics
1:45–3:00 p.m., 309–310, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC 20th- and 21st-Century German. Presiding: Ela Gezen, U of Massachusetts, Amherst
1. “Queer-Feminist Film Collectives and the Aesthetics of Conviviality,” Hester Baer, U of Maryland, College Park
2. “Conjuring Camaraderie in Torsten Körner's Die Unbeugsamen,” Margaret R. McCarthy, Davidson C
3. “‘Wir schaffen das!’: Merkel's Rhetoric of Togetherness in Times of Crisis,” Anna Malin Gerke, U of Washington, Seattle
739. Postwar French Marxisms: New Approaches
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 4, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Patrick Lyons, Duke U
1. “French Lukács, 1948–60,” Tadas Bugnevicius, Yale U
2. “Critiquing Everyday Life, from the Camp to the City,” Vanessa Brutsche, U of Utah
3. “Radical Amanuensis: Un algérien raconte sa vie,” Patrick Lyons
4. “Sembène's Marxism: Labor Conflict and Anticolonialism in Les bouts de bois de dieu,” Matthew Trumbo-Tual, Roanoke C
741. Dialogic Life Writing
1:45–3:00 p.m., Franklin 9, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum GS Life Writing. Presiding: Angela Ards, Boston C
1. “Autobiography and Personal Interviews: Exploring Black Canadian Women's Life Narratives,” Titilola Aiyegbusi, U of Toronto
2. “Bricktop, by Bricktop with James Haskins: On Dialogic Life Writing's Ecstatic Subject,” Melanie Masterton Sherazi, California Inst. of Tech.
3. “Retroactive Dialogue: Translating the Mother in E. J. Koh's The Magical Language of Others,” Elizabeth Kim, Haverford C
4. “The Epistolary Memoir as Pandemic Genre,” Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan, Rice U
For related material, write to [email protected].
742. Joy and Sorrow in the Postcolonial Gaze on the Philippines
1:45–3:00 p.m., Grand K, Marriott
A special session. Presiding: Miquel Bota, California State U, Sacramento
1. “(Post)Colonial Fraternities: Contemporary Perspectives in Filipinas, textos cercanos,” Ilianna Vasquez, Yale U
2. “The Stubborn Imperial Gaze: The Case of Los últimos de Filipinas,” Miquel Bota
3. “Queen of the Socialites: Isabel Preyler and the Construction of a Filipina Celebrity in Spain,” Ryan Woodall, U of Texas, Austin
743. Shakespeare's Sonnets
1:45–3:00 p.m., Jefferson, Loews
Program arranged by the forum LLC Shakespeare. Presiding: Matthew Harrison, West Texas A&M U
1. “Forming Beauty in Shakespeare's Sonnets,” Lenora Bellee Jones-Pierce, Centenary C of Louisiana
2. “Recounting Fair: Shakespeare's Interpretive Labors,” Katie Kadue, U of Chicago
3. “Beauteous Niggard,” Sujata Iyengar, U of Georgia
744. Other(ed) Voices in Premodern France
1:45–3:00 p.m., 305–306, Marriott
Program arranged by the forum LLC Medieval French. Presiding: Andreea Marculescu, U of Oklahoma
1. “The Othering of Gendered and Disabled Voices in Herbert's Roman de Dolopathos,” Ramani Chandramohan, U of Oxford
2. “The Encounter with the Female Other in the Débat des lavendières de Paris,” Kathleen A. Loysen, Montclair State U
3. “Listening and Not Listening to Gautier de Coinci's Schoolboy,” Terrence Cullen, New York U
745. The Ends of History: Science Fiction and Neoliberal Futures
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington B, Loews
A special session
1. “Ayn Rand, Theodore Sturgeon, and the Neoliberal Superhuman,” Stephen E. Schryer, U of New Brunswick, Fredericton
2. “Carceral Futurity,” Jason Haslam, Dalhousie U
3. “Imagination as Resistance: Chicana Feminist Science Fiction and the New World Order,” Lysa Rivera, Western Washington U
746. Not without Laughter: Langston Hughes and His Contemporaries
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington C, Loews
Program arranged by the Langston Hughes Society. Presiding: Richard Hancuff, Misericordia U
1. “A Blissful Blues: Decoding Langston Hughes's Blues Poetics in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man,” Brandy Underwood, California State U, Northridge
2. “The Quiet Friendships of Langston Hughes,” Cynthia Davis, San Jacinto C
3. “Mocking Primitivism and Mysticism in ‘Rejuvenation through Joy,’” Richard Hancuff
747. Digital Memories
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum TC Memory Studies. Presiding: Vilashini Cooppan, U of California, Santa Cruz
1. “Remote Memories: The ‘Conversations for the Present’ Project in COVID Year 1,” Jenny M. James, Pacific Lutheran U
2. “Marked by COVID's Digital Memory Activism,” Sarah Senk, California State U, Maritime Acad.
3. “AI-Assisted Algorithmic Networked Memory,” Helga Lenart-Cheng, St. Mary's C, CA
748. Comparative Media Histories
1:45–3:00 p.m., Virtual
Program arranged by the forum CLCS 18th-Century. Presiding: Rachael King, U of California, Santa Barbara
1. “Paratext, Intermedial Reading, and Interpreting the Global Eighteenth Century against the Grain,” Xinyuan Qiu, Binghamton U, State U of New York
2. “An Early-Eighteenth-Century Publication Celebrating Whig Heroes,” Anne Betty Weinshenker, Montclair State U
3. “The Book beyond the Codex: Eighteenth-Century Novels on Stage,” Cassidy Holahan, U of Nevada, Las Vegas
749. On Mothers and Madness in the Novels of Toni Morrison and Jamaica Kincaid
1:45–3:00 p.m., Washington A, Loews
A special session. Presiding: Marah Nagelhout, Brown U
1. “Omens of Abolition: (Non)Reproductive Sovereignty in Kincaid's Autobiography of . . . and Morrison's Sula,” Marah Nagelhout, Brown U; Kiran Saili, Brown U
2. “Black Mothers and Madness in the Novels of Toni Morrison,” Rachal Burton, California State Polytechnic U, Pomona
3. “In Her Nature: The Ecologies of Mothers and Daughters in Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John,” Rachael Uwada Clifford, Princeton U
For related material, write to [email protected] after 18 Dec.
750. Loved It / Hated It: Reading, Reception, and Affect
1:45–3:00 p.m., 414, Marriott
Program arranged by the Reception Study Society. Presiding: Kelsey Squire, Ohio Dominican U
1. “Beware the Envious Reader,” Rebecca Olson, Oregon State U
2. “Love and Scholarship: Compulsory Affection in Early Wordsworth Studies,” Christopher Rovee, Louisiana State U, Baton Rouge
3. “‘I Am So Angry at [Redacted] Right Now’: Circulating Affect within Twitter's Prereading Environment,” Milan Terlunen, Massachusetts Inst. of Tech.
4. “Social Media and the Reinvention of Literary Culture,” Adam Szetela, Cornell U
