Shame in literature . Transfer - Reception - Translation

2024-10-04

We invite researchers from the fields of literary studies, cultural studies and translation theory and practice to submit contributions to the category of shame in literature.

The manuscript is to be submitted via the OJS platform until February 28th, 2025.

The publication is planned for the year 2025.

 

In cultural studies, there is no standardised definition for the category of shame. Shame - a basic existential human experience - can be understood as an oppressive force that restricts the body and the consciousness of the subject, then it becomes a regulator of social behaviour in a particular sphere and - following Eugeniusz Jaworski - ‘an important factor in the creation of cultural facts’ (E. Jaworski, Wstyd jako kategoria typologiczna, in: Wstyd w kulturze. Zarys problematyki, ed. E. Kosowska, Katowice 1998, p. 45). Ewa Kosowska is of the opinion that at least five areas of shame can be distinguished, which constitute the inner complexity of culture and make it possible to view the shame-inducing phenomena from the perspective of the individual and the collective. These are:   1. the sphere of scarcity (shame of deprivation), 2. the sphere of abundance, 3. the sphere of desires (shame about phenomena that damage the image, i.e. shame about nature, origin, family, religious difference, etc.), 4. the sphere of competence (realisation of aspirations in connection with shame about ignorance, omission, mistakes) 5. the sphere of display (aimed at reinforcing the previous state of culture or undermining the sense of a certain element of reality) (cf. E. Kosowska, Wstyd. Konotacje antropologiczne, in: Wstyd w kulturze. Zarys problematyki, op.cit. S. 59-60).   The memory of rules sanctioned by shame persists for a relatively long time, therefore one of the important problems associated with the integration of the contemporary world is to get to know the whole spectrum of the phenomenon of shame and to analyse its structure, meaning and function in contemporary culture. Starting from the assumption that a literary text provides a specific model of the world based on cultural categories, the study of the literarisation of the category of shame and the way in which it manifests itself is a way of recognising and reconstructing hidden patterns of culture. Analysing and interpreting literary works through the prism of the category of shame therefore offers the possibility of diagnosing contemporary societies. We invite researchers from the fields of literary studies, cultural studies and translation theory and practice to consider the following aspects of the category of shame: - Shame as a historically variable and yet unchanging category, - prohibitions and commandments associated with the category of shame,   - the cultural conditioning of the category of shame, - the way in which shame manifests itself as a component that indicates cultural difference, - the suppression of shame in different areas of the subject's life, - Shame as an element of the discursive construct of power-knowledge, - shame as a psychosomatic phenomenon that is reflected in cultural behaviour. The proposals presented here do not exclude other representations of shame in literature and culture.

Contemporary Literature?

2023-12-06

Contemporary Literature?

Branching out into the field of English language, culture, and literature, Transfer. Reception Studies Editorial Team would like to cordially invite you to submit articles and reviews to the upcoming issue (2024). We would like to tackle the question of “new,” “recent,” or, simply speaking, “contemporary” literature even though each of these labels seems to be slightly inaccurate and inexhaustive. What is new, fresh, or recent often draws our attention, contributes to comprehensive reading experience, and builds up living literary markets and communities. The 21st century novels, poems, and plays devise new codes and languages to grasp and name rapidly changing and deeply challenging reality. And yet, “centuries” as points of reference orientating us within a historical process seem to mean less and less when facing liquidity of everyday life in global capitalism. The “novelty” of literature might also easily fade away as an abundance of diverse works is being published each year whereas “novel,” “new,” and “innovative” gradually cease to denote the same qualities. As we are more than ever aware of discursive practices of power – which permeate through literary awards, literary capitals, or literary markets – we notice how our sense of “being here” and “being now,” or our very understanding of “contemporaneity,” becomes confused. Under such circumstances, how can we argue whether something is “worth reading” or “worth buying”? Is canon still a valid point of reference, and, if yes, what should it include? What belongs to the literary centre/peripheries? Are these categories still relevant within historical and theoretical reflection?

Contemporary literature is also the literature (of the) “now.” Our globalised and cosmopolitan society, informed by progressing digital revolution, transforms the ways in which knowledge, ideas, and conventions are spread, reworked, (re-)contextualised, or even recycled. It is especially visible in the revolution in AI, manifesting its intricacies and promises in both home and professional uses. These radicalise the way in which we share knowledge and information, and urge us to revisit the roles of the creator, the mediator, and the receiver, all of whom/which might no longer be human.

Regardless of these complexities, it is impossible to look at contemporary literature as a dissolving concept: after all, personal reading experience is still central to understanding literature and literariness. New literary output vitally comments upon the burning issues, many of which might have lacked proper representations hitherto, be it environmental disasters, (post-)pandemic reality, structures of memory and trauma, or anxieties new technologies provoke. Therefore, we would like to invite you to submit papers on recent tendencies or “contemporary” texts as well, which indeed transform literary landscape(s) of the 21st century.

We are looking forward to gathering and connecting with scholars whose work and research interests include (but are not limited to):

• 21st century fiction, poetry, and drama
• reception of contemporary literature
• new / recent / contemporary literature
• “functions” of the critique / criticism
• innovations and revolutions
• comparative and world literatures
• accumulation and transfers of literary capital
• literary market and literary prizes
• literary canons and minority literatures
• literature and activism

Transfer. Reception Studies publishes academic papers, reviews, news, and essays (conference reports are also accepted) on subjects included in the profile of our journal and concerning other national literatures. We would like to create a network of ideas, concepts, methodologies, and problems that the researchers interested in reception, audience, and transnational communication find especially dear nowadays. Finally, we invite you to submit texts that touch upon other issues aligning with broadly understood reception studies.

Articles, including all required metadata, should be submitted through the OJS system by the Mai 1, 2024

ERIH+

2022-04-05

We would like to inform you that the journal "Transfer. Reception Studies" is included in the ERIH+ database and in the ministerial list of scientific journals (70 points). We thank all co-authors for their contribution to our success!

Editors