CFP: Theorizing Contemporary Encyclopedic Narratives

[mike crowley]

CFP: Theorizing Contemporary Encyclopedic Narratives 
(3/15/02; MLA '02) 


For a proposed special session of MLA 2002 in New 
York, I am seeking papers that address recent
encyclopedic narratives from the perspective of
contemporary theory. It has been over a quarter of a
century since Edward Mendelson used _Gravity's
Rainbow_ to define the genre; the many encyclopedic
novels published since then demand a reevaluation of
the concept. 


Possible topics include: How do encyclopedic 
narratives represent contemporary 
culture, particularly technology? What ends are 
served through the inclusion of often esoteric 
information? What possibilities does literary theory 
offer for understanding and evaluating these 
representations? 


Please submit 2-page abstracts by 15 March; e-mail 
submissions preferred. Panelists must be members of 
the MLA by April 1, 2002. Send submissions and 
inquiries to Mike Crowley (mjc982237 at yahoo.com). 


----------------------------------- 
Michael J. Crowley 
University of Georgia 
254 Park Hall 
Athens, GA 30602 
mjc982237 at yahoo.com 


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