Elective Affinities (Philadelphia, 23-27 September, 2005)

International Association of Word and Image Studies:
Elective Affinities

Location: Pennsylvania, United_States
Call for Papers Deadline: 2004-10-01 (in 27 days)

Call for Proposals

International Association of Word and Image Studies: Elective Affinities
Philadelphia, 23-27 September, 2005

The title of the conference has been borrowed from Goethe’s 1809 novel
Elective Affinities. There, the term “elective affinities” is the subject
of an energetic debate. A chemical term that was in currency from the late
eighteenth century, in the novel it extends to human relationships, both
intimate and political. Since this is a novel that foregrounds “mixed
media” such as tableaux vivants (i.e. dramatic performances of artworks)
and the picturesque garden, the concept of “elective affinities” also has
profound implications for the relationship between words and images. Like
the alkalis and acids of which Goethe’s characters speak, words and images,
though apparently opposed, may have a remarkable affinity for one another.
At the same time, as one of the protagonists objects, such affinities are
problematic, and “are only really interesting when they bring about
separations.”

The conference will explore word/image interactions in literature and
visual arts from a broad historical perspective, and in a variety of
national traditions. Discussion will extend to fields such as Political
Science, Religious Studies, and History of Science. Please see the
conference website for a list of individual descriptions.
IAWIS invites submission of proposals for papers (250-300 words) to
affinitiesccat.sas.upenn.edu

The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2004.
Please contact the organiser with any queries.
International Association of Word and Image Studies website:
http://www.iawis.org

Catriona Macleod
Associate Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures
745 Williams Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305
cmacleodsas.upenn.edu
tel. (215) 898-7332
fax (215) 573-7794
Email: cmacleodsas.upenn.edu
Visit the website at http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/affinities/