Wings of Ink : Manifestations of Fantasy in Literature
Lundi 13 et mardi 14 mai 2024
Facultad de Filología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Echéance des propositions : 15 février 2024
Literature has always found its most fruitful and unrestrained source of creativity in fantasy. When imagination runs wild and boundless, it creates fresh and wild ideas that are not limited by the realism that prevails in other subgenres, which sometimes ends up stifling creativity. Many novels, short stories and poems are filled with fantasy: castles in the sky, dragon riders, warrior princesses, mysterious gates to imaginary worlds, swordsmen, sorceresses, and all manner of mythical creatures. Since the dawn of time, dreamers everywhere have found fantasy in the form of myths, fairy tales and superstitions. Even when reason seemed to prevail in a society increasingly obsessed with science, fantasy found its place in literature. During the 19th century, hundreds of traditions that had been forgotten for decades were rediscovered. The 20th century, for its part, witnessed the revival of those imaginaries in the form of important and famous books: The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Neverending Story, The Books of Earthsea, Harry Potter, etc. These stories defied reality and resulted in the creation of new identities and worlds. Today, their heritage has given rise to a whole literary genre that never ceases to inspire new plots. From fairy tales and epic poems, fantasy has evolved in many directions, seeking new ways of dreaming and creating that fit the taste of 21st-century readers: dragons no longer destroy cities nor kidnap princesses, but are ridden by brave heroes; princesses do not wait for their Prince Charming, but escape their prisons by themselves; knights wear clothes from faraway lands which differ largely from the garments of medieval Europe.
The purpose of this interdisciplinary conference is to encourage a debate, both from a theoretical and comparative perspective, about fantasy in 21st-century literature as the heir of a canon and the promoter of new stories. Generally speaking, the goal is to spark a debate about the current situation of Fantasy and its new forms of expression, both in literature and in other media, and in contrast with other artistic expressions. We wish to stimulate a discussion between tradition and change where every young researcher who wants to delve into this genre can take part and find new approaches and perspectives.
These are the main themes:
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Fantasy and the 21st-Century: Theory and Practice. A theoretical approach to one of the most fruitful centuries for the fantastic genre; academic dissemination of books and current research being conducted; difference between the Fantastic and Fantasy.
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Mythocriticism and Fantasy throughout History. A critical and comparative study on the creation and use of myths in fantasy literature. From a historical point of view, research on the diversity in popularity and use of some myths over others will also be accepted.
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Fantasy for a Wide Audience. Despite the overall tendency to align fantasy literature with young adult fiction, the truth is that the construction of plots, characters and specifically fantastic worlds is open to a wide range of ages. From paradigmatic examples of fantasy to modern fanfic or increasingly popular romantasy, this theme deals with the flexibility that characterises this genre.
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Otherness, Minorities, and Modern Fantasy in Non-Eurocentric Contexts. We would like to encompass a wide variety of fantastic worlds without forgetting the fixed borders of our own context. Therefore, research into the tools offered by fantasy to represent minorities and dissent is welcome, so that we can surpass the constraining link between Otherness, the Other, Monstrousness and Evil.
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Fantasy in Literary Fiction. Many important Spanish-speaking writers have followed in the footsteps of magical realism, so this theme will deal with research into the inclusion of distinctly fantastic elements in a type of fiction that is otherwise compliant with the logical rules that govern our world.
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Surreal Worlds and (Im)possibles + Cli-fi. This theme focuses on the Theory of Possible Worlds because of the role that specifically fantastic elements from literature play in the construction of imaginary worlds. This includes the most current wave of cli-fi, especially from the perspective of ecocriticism.
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Multiple Media. This theme deals with research that shows the presence of literary fantasy in other art forms or disciplines, such as comic books, cinema, or video games.
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Fantasy in Spain. This theme covers the collection and dissemination of the current situation of the genre in Spain. Special consideration will be given to proposals that discuss elements linked to Spanish identity within the genre or that reflect on modern Spanish books.
We would like to extend a special invitation to undergraduate, master’s and PhD students and young researchers to send their proposals and participate in this conference.
All proposals must be adjusted to at least one of the themes explained above. In addition, they must be original and unpublished, and they need to be written either in Spanish or in English. There is a form available on our website that needs to be filled in by those who wish to participate. Registration is freefor all attendees, whether a proposal is sent or not.
Furthermore, those who require a certificate of attendance need to fill in the form specially enabled for this purpose, which can be found on our website. In addition, the attendance sheet must be signed for every conference that they participate in. Minimum attendance to obtain the certificate is established at 80%.
A selection of proposals will be published after a double-blind review process has taken place.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Elise Ternoy (2 février 2024). Appel à communications : Wings of Ink: Manifestations of Fantasy in Literature, International conference. LPCM. Consulté le 7 février 2025 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/vqts