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Utopia(s)

Utopia(s)

Publié le par Jean-Louis Jeannelle (Source : Sadok Bouhlila)

 

THE NINTH MESC CONFERENCE
Faculty of Letters, La Manouba
University of La Manouba, Tunisia
21-23 April, 2005
UTOPIA(S)


A) Areas:
The Manouba English Studies Conference research unit (MESC) is pleased to announce its forthcoming ninth conference on UTOPIA(S).

As the world swings between hope and despair, the revival of utopia seems timely. For too long, the word utopia has been synonymous with impossibility, unreality and dreams. If we accept the fact that our world-view and our self-image are closely intertwined, then utopias are not immune from subjectivism. Indeed, utopias derive their essential form from the historical events that led to their conception (Plato's Republic and Sir Thomas More's Utopia being cases in point). Utopias have often been set against the material world. Yet, it is clear that utopia whether as a 'myth of social regeneration' (Jouvenel), or as 'speculative myth' (Frye), has always emerged in historical periods of crisis. It seems to us that utopia is definitely a word that needs to be put under erasure (sous rature), whence our use of the plural form.
We would welcome contributions that are related, but not limited, to the following issues:
·The cyclical concern with the apocalyptic and its announcement of both physical and symbolic end of the world is worth exploring. The dialectical dimension of utopia (L. Marin), clearly sets the ground for a connectedness between history and utopia. Thus, utopias are not simply confined to literary genres. In this sense, utopianism represents an interesting socio-historical phenomenon which saw its re-emergence in Britain in the 17th and 19th centuries.
·It is held that utopias stem from a 'sense of dissatisfaction with the existing order of things' ( W. Hudson), an incapacity to cope with the real, and a fascination for alternative images of desire. On the other hand, classical utopias have often been blamed for a propensity to reification and rigidity. The cyclical waning and subsequent flourishing of utopian literature over the ages may call for attention. Incidentally, the conference also hopes to attract reflections on utopia's 'opposite', namely the anti-utopia or dystopia as a (reactionary or justified) corrective to utopia.
·Linguistics emerged as the utopian project of studying language for its own sake. Internal linguistics evacuated the historical dimension which had prevailed in the 19th century. Universalism is in turn challenged by the emerging ambition to capture the nature of relations between words/sentences/texts/discourses and the world. This conference aims at tracing utopia in linguistic projects: the desire to make language speak about itself. Issues may include the limitations of using language in order to theorize language, or how linguistics has been 'betrayed' by the utopian ambition of constraining what escapes imposition.


B. Abstract guidelines and submissions:

The deadline for abstract submission is February 28,2005. The proposal should include:

1.name of author(s),affiliation, telephone/fax/e-mail and full snailmail address
2.title of submission
3.an abstract of about 200 words

Submissions by e-mail or snail mail should be sent either to the MESC Director Prof Jaleleddine Boussedra e-mail: jal_bouss @yahoo.co.in or to the Conference coordinator: Prof Sadok Bouhlila e-mail: sbouh@yahoo.com

The allocated time for delivery is 25 minutes followed by a brief discussion.
The Conference steering committee will notify acceptance by e-mail at the latest by March 15, 2005.


C) Full paper submission for publication in MESC proceedings:

Authors of accepted abstracts agree to submit upon arrival, full papers and a floppy disk in word format for publication in MESC proceedings. The style sheet will be mailed to participants whose abstracts are accepted.

D) Date/ Venue and accommodation:

The conference will take place on April 21-23, 2005. The venue of the conference will be The Faculty of Letters La Manouba, University of la Manouba. For details concerning accommodation (overseas participants), please contact the MESC Director or conference coordinator.

For the steering committee,
Prof Jaleledine BOUSSEDRA MESC Director,jal_bouss@yahoo.co.in Prof Sadok BOUHLILA Conference coordinator,sbouh@yahoo.com
Department of English, Faculte des Lettres La Manouba 2010,Tunisia.
Tel: (+216)71 601391
Fax: (+216)71 600910







  • Responsable :
    Sadok Bouhlila
  • Adresse :
    Faculty of Letters, La Manouba, Tunisia