Indian Shakespeares is an established field of study, but no international conference has yet centralised the issue of the female in Indian Shakespeares. Recent feminist works include the retelling of King Lear in Sangeeta Datta’s film Life Goes On (2010) or in Preti Taneja’s novel We That Are Young (2017), Romeo and Juliet in Arshinagar (dir. Aparna Sen) or Bornila Chatterjee’s 2016 film adaptation of Titus Andronicus, The Hungry. Indeed, it has been argued that the women in Vishal Bhardwaj’s celebrated
hero-centric film trilogy possess transformative agency. Such works have continued to reshape the debate surrounding the role of women. This conference thus emerges in the context of these retellings and recent historical events in India and worldwide. It aims to explore uncharted territory, bringing together researchers and practitioners to establish the state of current scholarship in this vibrant,
underexamined field.
We invite proposals for 20-minute papers, panels, workshops and creative approaches on any aspect of Women and Indian Shakespeares. Alternative presentations are also equally welcome, such as film shorts, film scripts, etc. 200-300 word abstracts for works to be presented at the conference should be sent by 1 April 2019. Together with the abstract, participants are invited to send a brief (up to 100 words) bio stating their affiliation, research interests and relevant academic output. Decisions will be made by 1 June 2019. If accepted, abstracts will be circulated among conference participants in advance of the event. Auditors are also welcome to attend, but priority will be given to those presenting.
More information can be found at http://go.qub.ac.uk/womenandindianshakespeares.