Victoria University’s Stout Research Centre is hosting an international conference on the relevance of nationalism in today’s literature later this week.

Conference organiser Professor Lydia Wevers (pic right) says cultural nationalism has been at the centre of literary history in New Zealand, as in other literatures.

“In New Zealand the intense period of literary activity of the 1930s and 40s produced a body of work that sharply influenced thinking about national identity.

“The 1890s shaped thinking about the defining characteristics of an assertively nationalistic Australian literature, while Canada after World War II sought a cultural identity separate from the overpowering proximity of US nationalism.”

She says these nationalist moments still influence critical discussion and cultural formations but are now being challenged by alternative nationalisms, the outward gaze of contemporary writers, the growth of fantasy and other genres, and, above all, globalism.

“Questions about the relevance of nationalism in literature are relevant everywhere.”

The conference will begin with a public lecture by Professor Leela Gandhi of the University of Chicago on Wednesday 10 December (6pm) in the Hunter Council Chamber. The conference will run until 12 December.

Other keynote speakers include Professor Ken Gelder (University of Melbourne), Dr Alex Calder (University of Auckland), Professor Mark Williams (University of Canterbury), Professor Neil Besner (University of Winnipeg), and Associate Professor Laura Moss (University of British Columbia).

For a copy of speaker abstracts, contact louise.grenside@vuw.ac.nz or call Louise on
(04) 463 5305.