States of Crisis
Friday, 9 October 2009
Brandeis University
Department of English and American Literature
Seventh Annual Graduate Conference

Plenary Speakers: Professor Edward Glaeser, Harvard University; Professor David Sherman, Brandeis University

Since its origin in the ancient Greek krisis, "decision," related to krites, a judge, the term crisis has referred to ideas of discernment, evaluation, criticism, and sifting of evidence. In literary studies, for example, one can see moments of crisis in shifting aesthetics and changing genres as well as in literary tradition(s), character representation, and ideas of narrative. Drawing on interdisciplinary approaches and scholarship, this conference will explore different responses to the idea of crisis in the humanities and social sciences.

Ultimately, this conference seeks to define more clearly the term "crisis" and work through some of the ramifications of its application. What do we mean when we label something a crisis? What types of solutions to problems does this labeling invite or preclude? What kinds of issues fall into the category of crisis and which are excluded? How are crises viewed differently within different disciplines, and how do their corresponding suggestions for solutions compare? We also seek to identify critical approaches and possibilities relating to moments of crisis in history, past and present.


Potential topics include but are not limited to:

The humanities crisis
Crisis in literature
Crisis in the academy
Tragedy
Specific historical crises
Shifting media, digital crisis, or the internet revolution
Crisis and the history of ideas
Apocalypse or eschatology
Contact zones
Colonialism and indigenous populations
Crisis in representation
(Re)definition of the nation
Science fiction
Utopian or dystopian visions
Terrorism, war, or plague
Responses to or resolutions of crisis
The environmental crisis
The financial or housing crisis
Risk and reward in arts and finances

Please send a 300 word abstract and a brief biographical statement (no more than 75 words) for your 15 minute presentation to statesofcrisis@brandeis.edu by midnight EST Monday 1 June 2009. Proposals must also include the title of the paper, presenter's name, institutional affiliation (including department), email address, mailing address, and telephone number. Since this is a graduate conference, preference will be given to graduate students; we do, however, welcome proposals from graduating undergraduates, independent scholars, and others who do not fit in these categories.

For more information visit our conference website at http://statesofcrisis.wikidot.com/. Email statesofcrisis@brandeis.edu with any questions.