INCLUSION/EXCLUSION: EXPLORING DIFFERENCES ACROSS BOUNDARIES

Societies have long defined themselves through processes of inclusion and exclusion. This has often occurred at the expense of certain groups of people. Slavery, prison systems, citizenship rights, partition and its aftermath, class struggles, gender discrimination, etc. – all of these historical and problematic events were born from excluding people from society. Recently, “inclusion” has become a buzzword across universities and industries in response to an increased awareness of exclusionary practices. Some have touted the use of “inclusion” as a cure-all for a plurality of social problems. However, others have critiqued this idea, arguing that “inclusion” erases diversity and individuality. In either case, literature has time and again profited from these themes. In response to this dichotomy of inclusion/exclusion, the aim of this conference is to explore inclusion/exclusion beyond its binary. Can inclusion/exclusion exist in tandem? How do inclusion and exclusion contribute or remedy social struggles? How do authors – both current and past – present societies as inclusive or exclusive?

Topics could include but are not limited to: ~ Inclusivity/exclusivity in literary and cultural studies ~ Micro-aggressions ~ Models of inclusion/exclusion ~ (Im)migration ~ Role of literature in promoting inclusion/exclusion ~ How literature reflects social inclusion/exclusion ~ Inclusion/exclusion in the writing process ~ Partitions ~ Racial tensions ~ Gender disparities ~ Inclusive utopias

Keynotes Dr. Daniel Desormeaux Johns Hopkins University & Dr. Maha Marouan Pennsylvania State University