44th Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)
March 21-24, 2013
Boston, Massachusetts
Host Institution: Tufts University

The concepts of purity and impurity, in the sexual as well as in the aesthetic realm, are both, paradoxically, held up as ideals in 18th- and 19th-century German literature. Female sexual purity is a standard, yet female and male characters who deviate from their assigned roles and call into question social mores and gender boundaries figure prominently. At the same time that catharsis (purification), both a physical and a spiritual process, resurfaces as a model for dramatic literature, concepts such as “Weltliteratur” (Goethe) and “gemischte Charaktere” (Lessing) privilege the mixing of cultures and artistic genres. Papers exploring purity/impurity from any perspective are welcome. Please send 250-word abstracts to Eleanor ter Horst at eterhorst@clarion.edu.

Deadline: September 30, 2011
Please include with your abstract:
Name and Affiliation
Email address
Postal address
Telephone number
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee with registration)

The 2013 NeMLA convention continues the Association's tradition of sharing innovative scholarship in an engaging and generative location. The 44th annual event will be held in historic Boston, Massachusetts, a city known for its national and maritime history, academic facilities and collections, vibrant art, theatre, and food scenes, and blend of architecture. The Convention, located centrally near Boston Commons and the Theatre District at the Hyatt Regency, will include keynote and guest speakers, literary readings, film screenings, tours and workshops.

Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable.