The Asian American Literary Labyrinth: Theorizing Disciplinary Boundaries

The topic of this standing panel derives from the exponential growth in Asian American literary productions over the last half century and the ongoing need to understand how these texts function within the framework of ethnic and Asian American Studies. This panel seeks to engage what literary critic Susan Koshy has marked as a limitation in Asian American literary studies. That is, “Although substantial historical scholarship has been produced, the field has been weak in theoretical work…. The lack of significant theoretical work has affected its development and its capacity to address the stratifications and differences that constitute its distinctness within ethnic studies” (316) (Fiction, 1997). Consequently, the Circle of Asian American Literary Studies solicits conference paper proposals which address theoretical conceptions of Asian American Literature. Papers might investigate: how the field must be reconstructed or redefined through discursive intersectionalities with queer studies, gender studies, class studies, postethnic theory; area studies, diaspora, transnationalism, globalization, and/or postcolonialism; authors/works which arguably fall out of disciplinary boundaries and/or authors/works which have spawned debates within the field (e.g. Ha Jin’s Waiting, Chang-rae Lee’s Aloft, Angel Island poetry, Lois-Ann Yamanaka’s Blu’s Hanging, among others); canon formation in Asian American literary studies and its East Asian centered focus; poststructuralist discourses which de-stabilize essentialist Asian American literary definitions (“real vs. fake”); conceptions of ethnic/racial heritage and mixed-race within Asian American literature; the possibility of Asian American literature being produced by writers of non-Asian descent (e.g. David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars, Deborah Iida’s Middle Son); regionalism in Asian American literature (South Asia/East Asia/Southeast Asia).

Please send an abstract of 250-500 words, accompanied by an abbreviated 1 page C.V., to Stephen.H.Sohn_at_gmail.com by December 15, 2006. All queries concerning the panel are welcome and may be forwarded to the same e-mail.

American Literature Association Conference
May 24-27
Boston, MA

Stephen Hong Sohn
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of California, Irvine