New Voices Conference 2014
National University of Ireland, Galway – 5th to 7th June, 2014
After the first New Voices conference in 1999, P.J. Mathews published an edited collection of the speakers’ articles, New Voices in Irish Criticism. In the introduction, Mathews notes the text “can be taken as a snapshot of the current state of Irish studies.” The collection of articles presented reflect the work of the Irish academy at the end of the twentieth century as well as Mathews’ and Declan Kiberd’s joint efforts to showcase not only the new voices in Irish criticism but also the ways in which those scholars were challenging the boundaries of Irish criticism. In establishing this forum, Mathews and Kiberd emphasized the necessity for young scholars within the Irish academy to interact with one another, across universities and, most importantly, across disciplines. More than ever it is important that early career scholars connect with their peers and future colleagues. The academic market is a challenging field, especially for young scholars. This conference seeks to establish an intellectual exchange that will only strengthen in the years to come.
In that vein, National University of Ireland, Galway will proudly host the 2014 New Voices conference. We invite papers from all departments and encourage collaborative papers, new media, and panel ideas. We also invite paper proposals from early career scholars outside of Ireland who focus on Irish Studies. The participants at the inaugural New Voices conference presented papers on far-reaching topics, from theorizing the novel to politics and revival. This year we seek papers that broaden what Irish Studies means, reflecting on the legacy of the New Voices conference and the themes and issues which continue to resonate in its subsequent iterations.
We welcome proposals for twenty-minute papers, in English or in Irish, from all disciplines in relation to Irish studies. We especially invite submissions which broaden definitions and push scholarly boundaries. Topics may include but are certainly not limited to:
Representations of the Irish Body
-The Irish Body in film/literature/art
-Irish Physicalities
-Trauma and the Body
Irish Modernisms
-Urbanity/Cosmopolitanism
-Modernity in 20th century Ireland
-Myth-making in Irish literature
-(Post)Modern (Post)Colonial Ireland
Ireland and Place
-The landscape of Ireland
-The seascape around Ireland
Hidden Narratives
-The Irish in Europe
-The Role of Ireland in the World Wars
-Cultural Memory
Comparative Ireland
-Interdisciplinarity in Irish Studies
-Inter/Trans-National Irishness
Performing Ireland
-(Re)Presentations of Identity
-Global Performances/Perspectives
Literature
-Ireland and Eco-criticism
-Urban versus Pastoral
-Centre and the Peripheral/Borderlands
Alternative Cultures
-Marginalised narratives
-‘Queerness’ in Irish literature
-Masculinites/Femininities
-Race and ‘Otherness’ in Ireland
-Ireland and the Diaspora
Deadline for abstracts: 31 January, 2014
Please send abstracts of 250-300 words to newvoices2014@nuigalway.ie. Please also include affiliation and a short biography (no more than 50 words). If you have any other questions, feel free to email us.
Confirmed Plenary Speakers:
Nessa Cronin, National University of Ireland, Galway
Oona Frawley, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
Declan Kiberd, University of Notre Dame
PJ Matthews, University College Dublin
Lionel Pilkington, National University of Ireland, Galway
We would like to gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the NUI Galway community. The New Voices Conference 2014 is sponsored by the Moore Institute for Research in the Humanities & Social Studies, the College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Celtic Studies, the Discipline of English Studies, the Center for Drama and Theatre Studies, the School of Humanities, the Huston School of Film & Digital Media, the Center for Irish Studies, the School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures, the Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, and the NUI Galway Millennium Fund.