Poetry and Sexuality
1-5 July 2004
University of Stirling, Scotland, UK FK9 4LA
Deadline for proposals: February 28 2004

Papers are invited which consider the theme of sexuality in relation to poetry from the classical to the postmodern. There will be themed strands within the programme covering such areas as: Classical / Medieval / Renaissance / Gothic / Victorian / Modernist / Postmodernist / Colonial / Postcolonial and Posthuman sexualities. The following list suggests some possible areas for development, but proposals in any area relating to the conference theme will be welcome: Sexuality and spirituality; Sexuality, technology and the body; The politics of desire; Censorship; Colonising sexualities; Deviance and the discourse of the normal; Violence; Metaphors and euphemisms; Strategies of seduction; Obsessions; Sexualised communities; Stratification of sexualities (race, gender, age, class); Incest; The construction of pre-adult sexualities; Subcultures and sexualities; Virginity; The Aids pandemic; The boudoir; Sexuality and madness, death, law, religion, subcultures, health, the supernatural, the fantastic. Poets and Plenary speakers include Patience Agbabi, Jackie Kay, Liz Lochhead, Sharon Olds, Joseph Bristow, Germaine Greer, Esiabi Irobi, James Kincaid, David Punter, and Gregory Woods.

Send abstracts of 200-250 words of papers not lasting longer than twenty minutes in delivery. Contact via email. Please visit the conference webpage for further details.