NeMLA 2010: Masculinities in Recent Francophone Literature: 1900-present.

Masculinities in Recent Francophone Literature: 1900-present.

[Comme coordonnatrice de la session “Les masculinités dans la littérature francophone après 1900,” je lance cet appel pour des communications sur ce sujet-là, notamment dans les domaines de recherche sur les masculinités à travers des représentations du travail, de la famille, du monde militaire, de la migration, du milieu, de l'identité ethnique ou raciale, du genre ou de la sexualité. Surtout intéressantes seraient les communications sur les romans qui mettent en question la définition de la masculinité, ainsi que les oeuvres dans lesquels l'auteur masculin se questionne concernant le rôle des hommes vis à vis les femmes suivant l'essor du féminisme dans la société. S.V.P., envoyer une proposition (en anglais ou français) de 300 mots et vos coordonnées à Édith B. Vandervoort (dobyabear@earthlink.net) avant le 30 septembre 2009.]

A response to the question “What is a man” is dependent on the society, religion, and given historical and political events of a country and is set in opposition to other cultures, sexualities and women. Indeed, Daniel Coleman's definition of a man as “a provider of food and shelter, a controller of family finances, as inseminator of women, and as (violent) law-enforcer” may seem outdated to many citizens of industrialized societies, but it is an uncontested fact in others, for masculine ideologies are refracted when they encounter the medium of a new cultural context. Furthermore, it is the dominant culture of men which sets the standards for other men and by which men of other cultures, socioeconomic classes, and sexualities, measure themselves. Most certainly, despite the progress women have made since the 1950's and their increased economic power and independence, the majority of the African and Caribbean nations, where French is spoken, are dominated by men and have no laws in place, which ensure sexual equality.

Literary representations of men are as multifaceted as a nation's interpretation of male roles in post-modern society. Literature depicting war, the quest for independence, and racial identity are especially prominent in countries, which have been colonized by France and have since gained their independence. These narratives, which often center around institutions dominated by men, illustrate the importance of homosocial relationships in promoting men's interests. Examples such as André Langevin's Les temps des hommes, set in a Canadian logging camp, and Cheikh Hamidou Kane's L'Aventure ambigüe, depicting the author's experience in a Muslim boarding school, are works which reflect these environments and institutions. Others, such as Dany Laferrièrre's Comment faire l'amour avec un negre sans se fatiguer, Ousman Sembene's Xala and Michel Tremblay Le coeur éclaté depict sexuality and the urban lifestyle. Themes of post-colonial identity and the question of nationhood are prominent in many of these narratives portraying masculinity.

The purpose of this panel is to explore the various representations of masculinities in Francophone literature dating from 1900 to present. Papers may examine the depiction of men and masculine behavior in conjunction with the following topics: labor, family, the military, migration, ethnicity, sexuality, popular culture, and politics. Especially welcome are papers which contemplate the boundaries and definitions of masculinities in literature, as well as works written by male authors which analyze and criticize organizations dominated by men.

Please send abstracts of approximately 250 words (in French or English) to Edith B. Vandervoort at dobyabear@earthlink.net.

Deadline: September 30, 2009

Please include with your abstract:

Name and Affiliation
Email address
Postal address
Telephone number
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee)

The 41st Annual Convention will feature approximately 350 sessions, as well as dynamic speakers and cultural events. Details and the complete Call for Papers for the 2010 Convention will be posted in June: www.nemla.org.

Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable.

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