New York
January 4 - 7, 2018
MLA 2018 Special Session (not yet guaranteed)
Arts media including film, literature, music, painting, and photography widely suggest that a place might be constructed and perceived as a character with its own identity. How does place become a character in comics and how does this process uniquely manifest in the comics imaginary? In what ways might comics featuring New York City represent the range of this unique manifestation? To what extent does navigating identities of place in comics depend on conventions of framing such as architecture, closure, encapsulation, layout, and/or incrimination? Panelists will examine these questions at the 2018 Modern Language Association’s annual convention in New York City. Papers may emphasize the framing of NYC in comics from perspectives including though not limited to specific works or series by comics creators, boroughs and neighborhoods, government and governance, ethnicity, religion, age, and LGBTQ+.
Submit abstracts of 150-200 words and brief bio by 3 March 2017 to Robin Hammerman (rhammerm@stevens.edu), Stevens Institute of Technology.
Contact Info:
Dr. Robin Hammerman
Teaching Assistant Professor
Stevens Institute of Technology
College of Arts and Letters
Morton 335
PLEASE NOTE: This CFP is for a proposed, not a guaranteed, session at MLA 2018, meaning it is contingent on approval by the MLA Program Committee (which will make its decisions after April 1). All prospective presenters must be current MLA members by no later than April 7, 2017.