4-5 September 2015

Uppsala University

Organizers: Michael Boyden (michael.boyden@engelska.uu.se), Department of English, Julie Hansen (julie.hansen@moderna.uu.se), Department of Modern Languages & Uppsala Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies

Keynote speakers: Steven G. Kellman (University of Texas at San Antonio), Rebecca Walkowitz (Rutgers University)

The phenomena of bi- or multilingual authors and the use of multiple languages within one and the same literary text or oeuvre are as old as literature itself. However, they have arguably become more visible recently due to globalization and increased migration. Translingual literature has also received more attention from literary scholars in the past two decades, but many questions remain to be explored. This symposium aims to elucidate the functions and effects of the varied forms of literary translingualism, with a focus on defining and refining theoretical approaches and conceptual tools for the study of it. Questions related to the reception, translation and genres of translingual texts will be addressed. The symposium will also examine power relations between various languages and registers in translingual texts and oeuvres, as well as the role of translingualism within the world system of languages. By bringing together researchers and graduate students working on the topic of literary translingualism in various languages and within different academic disciplines, this symposium will primarily focus on broader questions related to literary translingualism, rather than on individual cases of translingual writers or texts, although the analysis of specific texts may serve to illustrate and elucidate broader issues.