Call for Papers:


The 10th Biennial Symbiosis 2015 Conference:
Transatlantic Literary & Cultural Relations
A Symbiosis and Essex University event

Venue: Essex University, Colchester, UK
Dates: Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th July, 2015
Keynote Speakers:
Richard Gray (Essex University); Peter Hulme (Essex); Jahan Ramazani (Virginia)
Guest speaker: t.b.a.


The headline conference theme is trauma, conflict, and reconciliations, although proposals on any topic relevant to any area of Transatlantic Studies are welcome. The event organizers invite submission of:

200 – 300 word abstracts for proposed 20-minute conference presentations
Panel presentations comprising 3 presenters (please submit three 200 word abstracts & brief overall rationale)
Please send by email to both: 
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EXTENDED SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Sunday 22nd March 2015
The editors of Symbiosis, the Conference Directors, and Essex University’s Department of English invite proposals for panels and individual papers of twenty minute length, which engage a wide variety of transatlantic and/or transnational topics in the literatures and cultural histories of the Atlantic world. The conference is certainly not limited to any local concerns, although papers that treat issues related to the headline theme of conflict, trauma, and reconciliations in its transatlantic dimensions or a matter of cultural exchange and interrelationships are especially welcome, as are those examining the first fifteen years of transatlantic literary and cultural responses to the twenty-first century. Additionally as ever submissions are actively encouraged from all scholars and students of literary and cultural history and representation from every period from the earliest settlement right through to the present.



Poet Donald Davie was the first Professor of English at the new University of Essex, moving to Stanford and Vanderbilt Universities; Robert Lowell taught there for two years in the 1970s. The campus is conveniently located on the outskirts of Colchester, a thriving town, once the roman capital of Britain, now forty miles from London, 46 minutes journey on the fast train to and from London Liverpool Street station. Colchester itself offers numerous attractive bars, restaurants and two large shopping centres; the campus is close to the riparian attractions of Wivenhoe, also full of pubs and eating places.


Accommodation can be booked on campus, in well-appointed rooms, minutes away from the conference centre and the Symbiosis event. The conference fee (tba) will include a two-year subscription to the Symbiosis journal, confeence lunches, teas and coffees; single accommodation (with continental breakfast) can be booked if specified, and double rooms at a higher fee. The conference dinner is additional, and delegates are responsible for their own evening and other supplementary meals. Activities will include a literary event at the VENUE TBA, which will incorporate a SOMETHING reading and a tour of a significant cultural site. A list of local hotels and guest houses, if preferred, can be provided.


Submit 200 – 300 word abstract with details of your academic affiliation and contact details in Microsoft Word attachments by Sunday 22nd March, 2015 to the Conference Directors, Prof. Philip Tew (Brunel) and Dr. Matthew Scott (Reading): 
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Add ‘Symbiosis 2015 Proposal’ to the subject line of your message, an essential detail since they will be sorted automatically using this search term.


Earlier inquiries are welcome; early acceptance may be possible if required for institutional or similar funding to facilitate attendance. Symbiosis cannot offer bursaries or fee waivers. Further details will be posted on the Essex University webpage, on the Symbiosis website and its Facebook page. See variously:


http://www.symbiosistransatlantic.com/

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Glasgow-United-Kingdom/Symbiosis-a-Journal-of-Anglo-American-Literary-Relations/313163095816).

Evolution of an Academic Society

Evolution of an academic society

The Swiss Society of Americanists was founded in 1949. At first, it consisted mainly of Swiss anthropologists and ethnologists who conducted research in the Americas. Subsequently, the Society has included members from other countries and became open to many disciplines such as geography, art, history, literature, sociology, economics, etc. The Society brings together "people who are interested in the three Americas" to generate "better scientific and human knowledge of these three sub-continents, including their multicultural components" (art. 3 of the Contitution Articles of the SAG-SSA). Currently, it has about 300 members (individual and/or collective). Members come from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, archeology, art, education, economics, geography, history, human rights, law, philosophy, linguistics, sociology and urban studies. The Society owns an important thematic library hosted by the Geneva Museum of Ethnography located at the new and modern MEG building. The SSA is member of the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAHS).

 

An Open Society: Culture and Science

The Swiss Society of Americanists, whose headquarters are in Geneva, aims to bring together people interested in the three Americas, seeking in particular the active participation of members from these regions, and to promote better scientific knowledge Relevant areas of human and anthropology, history, linguistics and ethnography. The Society assists with the publication of an annual newsletter, including articles in French, German, English, Spanish and Portuguese. The Society seeks to connect people who are interested in these studies.

SAG-SSA promotes the exchange of ideas and information among researchers from various disciplines who study the history, literature and culture of America. The Society promotes the exchange of ideas and information between its members through a newsletter "LA Revista", a forum for the exchange of concerns of the members, through an electronic newsletter, and through meetings, conferences, seminars, symposia, joint research projects, and any other means that the Society deems appropriate.

New paths

Today, the Society wants to increase its impact and open its activities to a wider audience. In addition to the strictly educational activities such as seminars, conferences and the publication of the Bulletin, considered essential to increase its offer:
• enrich the cultural production proposals and academic associative structures and unskilled individuals: support research and conferences or symposiums and artistic audiovisual documents to obtain a more complete image.
• create interfaces or areas of action to educate a wider audience about the issues raised and defended by the SSA.

An international network of research and scientific and cultural disclosure

The SSA brings together "people who are interested in the three Americas" to generate "better scientific and human knowledge of these three sub-continents, including their multicultural components". Currently it has about 300 members (individual or collective). Members come from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, archeology, art, education, economics, geography, history, human rights, law, philosophy, linguistics, sociology and urban studies. The SSA is a non-profit organization whose funding depends on the majority of contributions paid by its members, their projects also receive financial support from the SAHS. You can become a member of our Society and support our programs.

The Swiss Society of Americanists admits as working languages ​​Spanish, Portuguese, English, German and French. To facilitate communication and debate, the Company proposes the use of Spanish, Portuguese or English.

Main activities of the SAG-SSA

:: The organization of the Study Days every two years
:: The publication of a scientific journal, the Bulletin of the SSA (No. 1-70) that became "LA Revista" since number 71
:: The organization of conferences and colloquia
:: The publication of a newsletter (electronic version)
:: Managing a large collection of bibliographic resources and documentation about Americanist studies
:: Development and maintenance of a dedicated website: www.sag-ssa.ch
:: An online forum where researchers from different backgrounds could meet, exchange ideas, share their points view and their data.

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