French 16th Century forum is soliciting calls for papers for the MLA Convention in Los Angeles in January 2027

The French 16th Century forum is soliciting calls for papers for the MLA Convention in Los Angeles in January 2027. There are currently three calls for papers:

One Citation

Deviating from the traditional panel format and the formal constraints of the 20-minute research talk, “One Citation” is an experiment in new ways of presenting work and of fostering collaborative thinking at the MLA. In the multiple, short “ignite talks” in this session, participants will not be thematically constrained but will be asked to creatively respond to a basic structural demand: each speaker will talk through, or try out, a reading of one single citation from a text they are working on, whatever it may be. The idea is to refocus our attention onto the central craft of reading, across multiple subfields and topics, while leaving amble room for group discussion, rereading, and rethinking. Researchers from any stage in the career, including graduate students, are encouraged to submit an abstract or sketch for an “ignite talk” along these lines.

Please send 250-word abstracts to Chad Córdova (ccordova@cornell.edu) by Friday, February 27th, 2026.

New Work in Sixteenth-Century French Studies

Abstracts for papers on all approaches to the subject of 16th-century French and Francophone literature and cultures are welcome. Presentations are limited to 15-18 minutes. This session will be virtual and held on Zoom. Please send 250-word abstracts to Bruce Hayes (bhayes@ku.edu) by Friday, February 27th, 2026.

Forms of Resistance

Abstracts for papers on all approaches to the subject are welcome. Presentations are limited to 15-18 minutes.

Please send 250-word abstracts to Alison Calhoun (abcalhou@iu.edu) by Friday, February 27th, 2026.