Critical Literary Regionalisms
Organizer: Susie DeCoste (Waterloo)

Frank Davey has argued that regionalist ideology tends toward environmental determinism, resulting in certain assumptions about what effects place should have on a person. Within this set of assumptions, any identification with other possible grounds of identity, such as race or gender, is less important. More recently, in Critical Regionalism: Connecting Politics and
Culture in the American Landscape (2007) Douglas Powell contends that region is rhetorical: it is just as much a persuasion as a description. In light of these observations, it may appear that regionalist literatures are as limited as the geographical space they intend to depict. On the other hand, regional literatures perhaps require sustained critical exploration of the relationships between region and race, and region and gender. This panel can gesture toward a criticism of regionalist literatures which explores the construction of region and its effects on subjectivity. This panel welcomes papers on any aspect of the relationship between criticism and regional
literature from any disciplinary perspective and any time period. Papers may focus on a specific text(s), or may address theoretical concerns for the study of regional literatures.

Following the instructions on the ACCUTE website (www.accute.ca, under Conference), send your 700 word proposal (or 8-10 page double-spaced paper), a 100 word abstract, a 50 word biographical statement, and the submitter information form, to susiedecoste@gmail.com by November 20th (EXTENDED DEADLINE).

Note: You must be a current ACCUTE member to submit to this session.