Dante Beyond Dante. Global Receptions, Cultural Rewritings, and New Media Adaptations, 19th–21st c. (Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts Journal)
Call for papers
Special Issue 2026
Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts
(ISSN digital: 2297-1874; ISSN print: 2504-2238)
In collaboration with the SISD – Seminario Internazionale di Studi Danteschi, which has included in its Statute (since 2023) the theme of the dissemination of Dante’s work and held its first International Seminar of Dante Studies in December 2023, the journal Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts launches a Call for Papers for a special issue entitled :
Dante Beyond Dante
Global Receptions, Cultural Rewritings, and New Media Adaptations (19th–21st Century)
Theme of the Issue
This special issue aims to explore how Dante’s work and figure have been received, reinterpreted, and transformed across continents from the 19th century to the present. Contributions may address literature, the arts, political ideologies, popular culture, and new media, focusing on aesthetic reinventions, ideological resignifications, and technological reinterpretations—sometimes faithful, sometimes transgressive.
Rather than limiting the discussion to canonical or scholarly interpretations, the issue seeks to highlight how Dante has become a dynamic symbol, narrative source, or aesthetic reference in diverse global and local cultural contexts.
Thematic Macro-Sections
1. Dante and politics outside and within Europe
Nation-building and identity discourses (USA, Latin America, Asia)
Dante in anti-colonial movements
Dante and censorship in non-European regimes
Dante as a political allegory in literature and the arts
2. Dante in literature and philosophy beyond the canon
The influence of Dante in North and South American literature
Dante and Asian philosophical traditions (Buddhism, Confucianism)
Dante in African and Mediterranean literary contexts
Dante and indigenous literatures
3. Dante in visual and popular culture
Dante in comics, manga, and anime
Dante in cinema and television (America, Asia, Latin America, and Europe)
The image of Dante in murals, street art, and political cartoons worldwide
Visual reinterpretations of Dante’s Inferno across cultures
4. Dante and digital cultures
Dante in video games and VR experiences
Digital art and installations inspired by Dante
Social media memes and AI-generated content on Dante
Digital storytelling in non-academic platforms
5. Dante and transcultural identity discourses
Dante in queer and gender studies
Dante in diaspora and migration narratives
Dante and racial discourses (e.g. in African American, Latino, and Asian contexts)
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Languages accepted
English
Italian
French
Spanish
Deadlines
Submission of abstracts (300–500 words): by 30 November 2025
Notification of acceptance: by 15 December 2025
Submission of full papers (5,000–10,000 words): by 30 March 2026
Publication
Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts (ISSN digital: 2297-1874; ISSN print: 2504-2238) is an academic, peer-reviewed open access journal founded in 2016 and based in Paris. The journal is published by Bibliothèque de l’OProM and its editorial operations are hosted and coordinated by the Istituto di Studi Filologici Danteschi e Digitali Avanzati (ISFiDa).
Special Issue, June 2026
Gold Open Access: An APC of €350 will be required for each accepted article to cover editing, layout, and DOI management costs. Submission
Please send proposals and abstracts to: info@tcla-journal.eu
Indicate in the subject line: Special Issue “Dante Beyond Dante”.
Final Note
This special issue is part of the activities promoted by the SISD and aims to document the dissemination of Dante’s work in modern and contemporary literature and culture on a global scale, addressing not only political aspects but also cultural, artistic, media, and identity-related dimensions.