Cfp: "Storytelling," 2009 Romance Studies Colloquium, Montclair State University, October 1-3, 2009.

The colloquium will address issues related to storytelling across the Romance languages and may include ethical, sociological, anthropological, linguistic, political, literary, or theoretical aspects. Comparative and interdisciplinary approaches (painting, architecture, film, performance, photography, theory, cultural studies, and media) are actively encouraged. Papers may focus on any time and place in Romance studies. Professor Peter Brooks (Mellon Visiting Professor in the Department of Comparative Literature and the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University) will present the plenary lecture. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to: Folktales Oral history Performance Conversation and community Griots and minstrels Travel fictions Hagiography Literary storytelling Storytelling in literature Languages of storytelling Memoir and autofiction Virtual storytelling Visual narratives Cinema vérité Allegory Cultural memory Narratives of nationalism Social theory and fiction Trauma narratives Trials and testimony Bodytalk Scientific fictions Storytelling and education Proposals for individual twenty-minute papers (300 words in English) or for panels (panel rationale of 100 words, participants, titles, and brief abstracts of 100 words) should be sent in electronic form by 15 February 2009 to Ms. Ashley Hansberry, Colloquium Assistant (ros@montclair.edu). Please indicate your audio-visual requirements. Questions may be addressed to Ms. Hansberry or to Prof. Elizabeth Emery at the same address. A selection of peer-reviewed essays (c. 6,000 words) based on papers given at the colloquium will be published in the journal Romance Studies [http://www.maney.co.uk/search?fwaction=show&fwid=212]. Please note that abstracts and conference papers must be presented in English, but submissions for publication may be written in English, French, Italian or Spanish. Local organizing committee (Montclair State University) Elizabeth Emery Kathleen Loysen David Del Principe Dawn Hayes Julia Landweber Daniel Mengara Gina Miele Pamela Smorkaloff Marisa Trubiano.