[WhatsUpUoH] RAW.CON 2016 - Researchers at Work Conference - 28th to 30th September 2016.

RAW.CON 2016
6th National Annual Conference 
Centre for Comparative Literature University of Hyderabad

"Understanding Nation: Issues and Comparative Ideas in the Contemporary Context"

Dates of Conference: 28th to 30th September 2016.

Call for Papers

The very idea of 'nationalism' is undergoing transformations in the place of its birth, i.e., Europe, but is still very relevant and vibrant in different contexts, including Indian. There is renewed interest, contestation, reinforcement and questioning of the very idea of a nation. Ironically, 'nation' as an idea has been difficult to define and pin down. The uncertainty of the term has permeated ideas of nationalism as well. Is the idea of nation static in nature? If it does change, then under what circumstances? How does one understand nationalist aspirations that exist within a given political entity of a nation-state? As an entity, nation seems to be under the constant process of becoming/un-becoming. Its borders are redefined along with issues of geography, global politics and economy, culture, language, castes, people/races/ethnicities, religion, region, violence and war and so on. This is especially so in countries in Asia and the Global South where diversity and inequalities of people, religions, races, cultures, languages overlap and are often in conflict.

The understanding of the idea of a nation has transformed over the years depending on its assemblages, space, time and power. Every individual, community, place and space defines 'nation' in its/their own understanding and this is how emergent literatures, literatures of dissent and resistance, and other expressions and articulations of culture need to be understood and framed. For instance, in India, given that anti-caste movements and minority discourses have been questioning notions of nation as belonging to that of dominant castes, how does one examine 'nation' from these two overlapping positions and to what purpose, would be some of the questions that this conference hopes to explore. 
Keeping these things in purview, the conference intends to open up dialogues and discussions on contemporary issues pertaining to the idea of nation. To map, understand and analyze the makings and meanings of a nation, its connections with political trends, literature, cultural forms, modes of resistance and contestations, and the idea of democracy constitute some of the major objectives of this conference.

Sub-themes:
· Literature, Nation and Nationalism
· Cultural Forms and notions of Nation / Nationalism
· Identity, Nation and Nationalism
· Gender, Sexuality, Nation
· Caste, Tribe and Nation
· Religious minority and the idea of Nation
· Resistance/dissent, Secularism and Democracy
· Composite Culture/ Ganga-Jamuna Tahezib / Mishr-Sanskriti
· Tolerance, freedom of speech/expression and notion of Rights 
· Rereading/revisiting/rewriting Texts and History

Abstracts (less than 300 words) exploring the above mentioned themes, also extending them, may be sent as Word file to raw.con2016@uohyd.ac.in by 15th June, 2016. 
Selected papers will be intimated by 15th July 2016.

RAW.CON or Researchers at Work Conference, in its sixth year, is a research initiative, broadly focusing on Literary and Cultural Studies, from the Centre for Comparative Literature, School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad – 500046. India.

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