The John Rylands Research Institute (University of Manchester) invites proposals for its 2017 conference, ‘Archival Afterlives’. Reflecting the strengths of the Special Collections at the John Rylands Library, the conference will focus in particular on archives related to postwar poetry in English. The event will take place between 27 and 29 June 2017 in the historic building of the John Rylands Library in the heart of the city.
Confirmed Speakers: Lucy Collins (UCD), Stephen Enniss (University of Texas, Austin), Rachel Foss (British Library), Peter Jay (Anvil Press), Robyn Marsack (Royal Literary Fund/University of Glasgow), Deryn Rees-Jones (Pavilion Press/University of Liverpool), Michael Schmidt (Carcanet Press), David Sutton (University of Reading), Kevin Young (Emory University),
with Poetry Readings by Elaine Feinstein and Tara Bergin.
‘Archival Afterlives’ is intended as a forum for researchers, postgraduate students, curators, archivists, as well as poets to discuss their relationship with archival material, whether it be through creating, collecting or donating archives, or through using archival and material culture for inspiration, learning or research.
Topics for discussion will include: genetic histories of poetic texts; poetic communities and networks; poetry in translation; life writing; the publishing of poetry; the relationship of poet and editor; the materiality of poetic texts; collecting the archives of modern poetry; archives, objects with associational value and the material culture of writers and writing.
We also welcome presentations on any of the poets, translators, editors, publishers, and poetic movements represented in the Library’s outstanding collection of Modern Literary Archives. These comprise the archives of poetry publishers Carcanet and Anvil, the literary journals PN Review and Critical Quarterly, as well as papers of and related to a diverse range of poets and translators. There are many Irish poets represented in the archives, and we encourage scholars working in Irish Studies to submit paper or panel proposals.
For a detailed call for papers and more information about the conference, please visit the conference website at
http://www.jrri.manchester.ac.uk/connect/events/conferences/institute-conference-2017/
Deadline for submission: 15 January 2017
Enquiries can be sent at
jrri.conference2017@manchester.ac.uk
Steering Committee:
Florence Impens (UoM), Fran Baker (UoM Library), Douglas Field (UoM), Vona Groarke (UoM), Stella Halkyard (UoM Library), John McAuliffe (UoM).