Sea Change: Representations of Transformation in the Caribbean and Mediterranean

CFP Edited Volume
Sea Change: Representations of Transformation in the Caribbean and Mediterranean

sea change n (from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, I. ii. 403) 1: a profound or notable transformation

2: a substantial change in perspective, especially one which affects a group or
society at large 3: archaic : a change brought about by the sea

The proposed volume, Sea Change: Representations of Transformation in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, will consider notable transformations in the context of the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas in the 20th and 21st centuries. We aim to bring together scholarly studies of cultural texts that depict changing human experiences examined through multiple lenses–corporal,psychological, environmental, (infra)structural, and others. Among the questions we encourage contributors to consider are

how environmental factors influence cultural changes and exchanges in these two regions;
to what extent cultural, physical, and ideological transformations of human experiences correlate with political and economic changes;
how human experiences of the Caribbean and Mediterranean continually shape individual, communal, and national identities;
what two-way exchanges result from contact, conflict, transit, and/or communication between shores and transatlantically between seas; and
how cultural productions contribute to a greater consideration of human rights and human dignity.

The juxtaposition of the Caribbean and Mediterranean in this volume offers new possibilities for understanding these regions by bringing to light their many parallels and connections. These seas–and the nations whose shores they touch–have witnessed centuries of migration, trade, and cultural contact, often accompanied by human conflict, suffering, and loss. During the late 20th and 21st centuries in particular, profound change has resulted from such interconnected factors as (post)colonial relations, immigration policies, xenophobia, economic exigencies, and tourism, as well as natural disasters and other environmental conditions.

We welcome analyses of cultural texts, including, but not limited to, fictional and nonfictional literature, film, television, theater/performance, and material and visual cultures. Papers should be written in English and may consider the portrayals of transformation in either region or through a transatlantic comparison, broadly defined. Abstracts of 250 words and a short bio of 100 words should be submitted to seachangevolume@gmail.com by May 1, 2022.

Timeline:

May 1, 2022: Abstract submissions due
June 1, 2022: Notification of acceptance
December 1, 2022: Complete essays due (up to 6,000 words, including notes and references)
February 1, 2023: Editors’ comments sent to contributors
April 1, 2023: Final revised essays due

Please use the email address above to contact the editors: