Same Old Story? New Trends in Books, Reading and Literature in the New Millennium
Postgraduate Workshop
Friday, 5 November 2010
University of Manchester
Plenary Speaker:
Prof. Stephen Hutchings
School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
~ Ray Bradbury ~
Call for Papers
The advent of digital technologies has had an enormous impact on the way we generate and perceive literature. The book as a material object is now facing significant pressure as a result of competition with less traditional means of creating and distributing texts such as the Internet. The authority of the writer is also being challenged by new possibilities to enter into dialogue with the reader. Last but not least, the digital evolution has had an impact on the book market itself, demanding new marketing strategies and new means of communication between the author, the reader and the publisher.
While some perceive these trends with enthusiasm, others react to this changing literary environment in a more sceptical way, predicting not only the death of the book, but also the diminishing role literature will play in society. The aim of this workshop is to look into how the role of literature, readers and books has changed in recent years. What significant trends are emerging? Has there been a shift in our perception of literary works and their creators? Is the digital evolution a threat to the printed book or does it encourage an alternative reading culture, co-existing with the traditional one? The primary focus of the workshop is on the Post-Soviet space, where the digital revolution has coincided with major societal transformations. We also welcome abstracts on relevant topics outside the Post-Soviet area.
Possible topics may include (but are not limited to):
Changes in the role of the book in print form
Changes in the role of the reader
New literary genres
Impact of new media on the printed book
Reader/author communication
Extra-textual factors influencing the book market
Translation and the canon
Politics of the book market
Changing boundaries of the high and low dichotomy
The concept of the bestseller
For further information, please contact the workshop organisers, Elisa Coati (elisa.coati@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk) and Manuela Kovalev (manuela.kovalev@manchester.ac.uk)
Regular updates will be posted to the workshop blog.