CHANGE and CHALLENGE

Change and Challenge are mutually inclusive, one breeding the other. Consequently, the dichotomy between them characterizes a wide range of social, aesthetic, economic, political, cultural, and literary phenomena lending itself to endless possibilities of discussions. In the view of this overarching construct, we invite and welcome submissions of papers of varied import: papers of theoretical, interpretive or expository nature from disciplines across the spectrum of British-American and cultural studies enhancing our understanding of changes and transformations in relation to myriad aspects of literature, linguistics, fine arts, architecture, film/media, communication, gender and political studies, critical theory, literary criticism, history, psychology, philosophy and sociology – all exploring the notion of Change as a Challenge. Topics (and suggestive subtopics):

Change and Challenge as Theme: stories, heroes, themes, images in relation to metamorphosis, adaptation, transformation, mutation, transition, transcendence, evolution, revolution etc...

Academic Adjustments and Theoretical Innovations: eco-criticism, eco-feminism, magic realism; post-modern, feminist, psychoanalytic, post-colonial, - apocalyptic approaches and narratives; reconsiderations of language (bilingualism, heteroglossia, dialogism, pidgins); changing fields (i.e. Men’s, Islamic, Arab-American, Middle-East Studies, Cyber-culture inter-, trans-disciplinary studies, feminist geography) etc.. Altered, Adapted and Appropriated Texts: Translations, adaptations; conflation of genres, (sub) genres, forms and techniques (i.e. non-, docu-, oto-, fictions, graphic novels, eco-poetry) "writing back" or responses to or revisions of earlier texts, meta-narratives; shifting techniques of intertextuality, borrowing, plagiarism, etc... Redefining Spatial and Temporal Perceptions: alteration of territorial, geographical, historical, limits, deterritorialization, reterritorialization, changing spatial practices and space-power relations, fluidity, consumption of space, new spatial organizations and allocations, (i.e. malls, hypermarkets, theme parks), hybrid spaces, intercity relations and the evolution of the urban hierarchy etc..

Alternating Cultural Paradigms and Politics: new cultural tensions in representations, adaptation of multi-, bi-, inter-, intra-, cross- and trans-regional/national/cultural structures and values, cultural nomadism, digi-modernism, religion’s changing role perforating cultural boundaries, multinational productions, alliances, globalization, glocalization, environmental, climatic change and changing political discourses etc.. Liminal Nature of Body and Identity: modified, hybrid, mixed, post-human, cyber, trans-gender, queer bodies and identities, deviated gender roles, altered and/or conversed race, class identities, new landscapes of the self spatial identity etc. Adaptation to Technological Advancements: Digital humanities, Hyper–media, cyber-texts, virtual reality, multimedia literacy, e-learning, nodes (social networks like Facebook, Twitter) etc...