An interdisciplinary conference to be held at the University of Wales Lampeter, August 22 – 24 2008

‚The past is never dead. It’s not even past‘ (William Faulkner)

Keynote Speakers include Professor Imelda Whelehan and Dr. Deborah Cartmell

The nineteenth century continues to preoccupy modern thought, exerting its influence upon contemporary film, art and literature, and the fascination with the period shows no signs of diminishing. This conference seeks to address the ongoing interest in and engagement with the history, culture, literature and art of the nineteenth century, asking how our proclivity for adapting the past impacts not only upon modern perspectives of this period, but also upon the production of contemporary works.

Possible topics for papers/panels might include, but are not limited to:

• Television/stage/film adaptations of 19th century literary classics
• Hollywood and the literary film
• Audiences and adaptation
• Theories of adaptation/theorising adaptation
• Adaptation: commodification and commercialism
• New media and the nineteenth century
• The historical novel
• Neo-Victorian art/architecture/fiction
• Adapting women of the nineteenth century
• The nineteenth-century heritage industry
• The nineteenth century in popular culture: Dickensian Christmas; Dickens World; Austen as self-help; the mythology of the nineteenth-century monster etc.
• The influence of and contemporary response to nineteenth-century thought: Darwinism; imperialism; spiritualism; feminism etc.

To express an interest in this event, ask to be placed on the mailing list, or to submit an abstract, email: adaptationsconference#lamp.ac.uk

For further details, visit the conference website: http://www.lamp.ac.uk/adaptations/

Abstracts should be 300-500 words, and should be accompanied by a short biographical note.

Deadline for abstracts: 15th March 2008

Conference Organisers: Dr. Alexia Bowler (Swansea University), Dr. Jessica Cox (University of Wales Lampeter)

CfP aus: http://www.fwsa.org.uk/cfp.htm