David Mitchell Conference 2017: Call for Papers

Saturday 3rd June 2017, School of English, University of St Andrews, UK



Contemporary British writer David Mitchell is the author of seven novels, two libretti and over twenty short stories. Since the publication of his first novel, Ghostwritten, in 1999, his work has attracted substantial academic and popular acclaim, with two novels shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and his writing is now taught, researched and studied in universities across the globe. David Mitchell has created a fictional universe that spans literary realism, historical fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, twitter fiction, opera (Wake and Sunken Garden) and film (Cloud Atlas and The Voorman Problem) – and has featured in Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.



This one-day conference on the author’s works, to be held on Saturday 3rd June 2017 at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, seeks to broaden the understanding of this author’s fictional world through critical discussion of these literary works and their wider cultural impact. It aims to stimulate new and unexplored critical perspectives, bringing together those researching, teaching and studying this author’s work. The conference will include a showcase of David Mitchell’s rare works held in the university’s Special Collections, and a talk from the author.



This conference welcomes submissions for twenty-minute paper presentations from any discipline, and submissions are also welcomed from early career academics and postgraduates as well as established academics. The presentation should also be accessible to an interdisciplinary audience which will include both academics and non-academics with an interest in the author’s work.



This call for papers covers any area related to David Mitchell’s writing. Topics may include, but are not limited to, any aspect of David Mitchell’s works and:



- Postmodernism and the contemporary

- Globalisation, capitalism, world-mapping

- Time, history, the Anthropocene

- Experimental poetics, narratology

- Biopolitics, ecocriticism, posthumanism

- Dystopia and utopia

- Postcolonialism and world history

- Religion and mythology

- Gender, ethnicity, sexuality, transgender and queer readings

- Science fiction, fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, autobiography

- Digital humanities, social media storytelling

- Musicality, film, multimedia performance

- Terrorism, politics and international security

- Aging and mortality

- Literature and science

- Popular culture, high and low genres

- Influences and contemporaries

- Translation, non-fiction, intertextuality

- Panopticism and surveillance

- Dis/ability studies

- Teaching Mitchell in universities and beyond

- Fan communities and fictions



Papers are also particularly welcomed on David Mitchell’s lesser-known works, including his short stories, writing for opera, essays, collaborative works and work in translation, as well as adaptations of his works for film. Please send your paper title, a 300-word abstract for a twenty-minute paper, and 100-word biographical statement with your name and affiliation to dmcon2017@st-andrews.ac.uk by Monday 9th January 2017. Successful applicants will be informed by the end of January 2017.



Conference organiser:

Rose Harris-Birtill, School of English, University of St Andrews.