Jewish American and Holocaust Literature Conference

Call for Papers and Panel Proposals

JAHLIT Symposium 2023

November 12-14, 2023

The Betsy Hotel, Miami Beach, FL

We invite proposals that address the subjects of Jewish, Jewish-American, and Holocaust literature and culture. In general we are especially interested in critical and theoretical approaches to Jewish literature, film, and cultural studies, but we are looking for a diversity of topics within this broad category, including but not limited to the list below. This year, we are especially interested in papers that explore the topics of Jewish literature and cultural memory. Additionally, we are looking for papers to address the following themes for two special panels:

“Is it True that Jews Don't Count or that People Only Love Dead Jews?: Jewish American Writers and Filmmakers Respond” (responding to Dara Horn’s recent book on this topic)

and

“Russian, Soviet, Ukrainian or Jewish-Ukrainian? Rediscovering Ukraine’s Jewish Writers”

We also hope to include papers that explore literature in diaspora, literally and symbolically, and outside traditional borders and contexts. We are additionally interested in approaches that question canon formation. You might consider this as you craft your proposals.

Complete panel proposals on additional topics will also be considered, including panels devoted to major anniversaries occurring in 2023 relating to Jewish literature or to important events in Jewish history as treated in Jewish literature. For example: the 80^th Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising or the 75^th Anniversary of Israel’s Independence. In addition, early-career colleagues are especially encouraged to propose panels on topics in their research areas.

Individual paper proposals should be no longer than 300 words and submitted along with a short CV containing contact information. Organizers of complete panels should submit a cover sheet with the title of the panel, a brief description of the panel theme, the titles of each of the papers, and contact information for each presenter. The cover sheet should be followed by the three individual paper proposals and brief CVs. The organizer will serve as chair of the panel. No respondent is necessary.

The symposium will be in-person only. Only individuals able to attend in person should submit proposals. Panel organizers should verify that each proposed panelist is able to attend in person. Please do not submit more than one proposal as the program cannot accommodate more than one presentation per person.

Proposals should be emailed to both Holli Levitsky (holli.levitsky@lmu.edu) and Monica Osborne (monicaosborne@gmail.com). Be sure to pay the registration fee of $175 online when you submit your proposal.

The deadline for submission of proposals is Oct.10, 2023

·        Reconsiderations of canonical Jewish writers (Malamud, Ozick, Roth, Bellow, etc.)

·        Jewish diasporic writing dealing with questions of exile, home, and homeland

·        New and emerging Jewish American writers

·        Israeli and Hebrew literature

·        Comparative and interdisciplinary approaches to Jewish literature and culture

·        Depictions of Jewishness or Judaism in non-Jewish texts

·        Holocaust art, film, and literature; second- and third-generation writing

·        Approaches to teaching Jewish and/or Holocaust literature

·        Multi-ethnic and multi-lingual approaches that focus on non-English languages (such as Yiddish or Ladino)

·        Sephardic and Mizrahi writers and others whose works address issues of hybrid identities

·        Post-soviet Russian-Jewish immigrant writers

·        Poetry, drama, creative non-fiction, graphic narratives

·        Theory and cultural studies

·        Ethical, philosophical, and theological approaches to Jewish texts

·        Critical approaches to Jewish identity

The conference will begin Sunday evening and conclude Tuesday evening. A nightly conference rate will be offered at $379—this is higher than years past but is still an extremely discounted rate. We encourage presenters to secure rooms (by phone—tell them you are with JAHLit) early as there are limited rooms at the conference rate. Less expensive but still lovely alternatives nearby include Winter Haven Hotel and Blue Moon Hotel.