Reimagining Early American Fiction: New Voices and Perspectives
CFP – Society of Early Americanists Conference 2025 – Notre Dame, June 5-8, 2025
Inspired by recent studies of fictionality, this panel seeks to build on the conversation about the importance and diversity of prose fiction—including but not limited to the novel—in Early America. We seek fresh, provocative, and critical perspectives from scholars working on the history of the novel, narrative studies, and fictionality. Similar to Thomas Koenigs’ Founded in Fiction, we are interested in the many different uses and values of fiction, not just its aesthetics or literariness. In Founded in Fiction, Koenigs expands our understanding of fictional narratives in the Early Republic and the antebellum period beyond the novel. We too seek proposals that move beyond fiction and non-fiction binaries and that take up diverse archival objects. Similarly, our panel seeks proposals that build upon the criticism of scholars like Stephen Shapiro, Catherine Gallagher, Cathy Davidson, Ian Watt, and Richard Chase. We welcome papers that explore the narrative of the rise of the novel, the American Romance, the emergence of fictionality, and the interplay between fiction and national identity.
Proposals that approach fiction and the novel utilizing transnational, comparative, or global frames are also welcome. Early career scholars and graduate students are especially encouraged to apply.
Please send a 250-word abstract, a brief bio, and a shortened CV to Patrick McBurnie-Nicolay no later than October 27th, 2024. Questions and submissions should be sent directly to pmcburni@uci.edu. Please don’t hesitate to reach out in advance of the deadline with ideas for proposals.
