Meaning is one of the central objects of study in literary research. Meanings are created in textual, societal, writerly and readerly interactions. The meaning of a text can become the object of study through the analysis of narration, context, representations, thematic and rhetoric devices. Theories have their part in guiding meaning-construction as well. How is the meaning of a single text constituted? How could the wider societal meaning of a body of several texts be studied?
In addition, literary research has several inherent meanings. Scientific, societal, artistic, personal. We are living through a time of a crisis of appreciation for literary studies and humanities in general. Funding for teaching and research is growing ever scarce, all the while the importance of the field is constantly being questioned in the public discourse. Internally, the field is undergoing a paradigm shift as well, driven by, for example, the criticism from digital literary studies. What kind of knowledge does literary research produce? What societal significance does literary research have? What significance does literary research have in the broader scientific field? What is the meaning that literary research can have for the researchers engaged in it?
The theme of meaning enables cross- and interdisciplinary approaches to literary cultures. We warmly welcome papers from the fields of cultural studies, philology, pedagogy, history, gender studies and any other to bring their own contributions to our shared understanding of the meaning of literature and its study. Philosophical, methodological, and other approaches are welcomed. You can also take the opportunity to talk about your research project.
The approaches to the meanings of literary analysis include but are not limited to the following:
- The scientific, societal and educational meaning of literary research
- The public profile of literary analysis and literary researchers as experts in the public eye
- Funding, and other types of resources, for literary research
- The epistemologies and knowledge interests of literary research and definitions for literature
- The role for literary research in cross- and interdisciplinary projects
- Other forms of art and narrative as objects of literary study
- Meaning-construction outside of the text, for example, study of authors and readers
- Meaning in a single text or a body of texts
Abstracts can also be submitted directly to the following working groups (a description of each group can be found on the subpage of this page):
- Digitaalisuuden merkitykset kirjallisuudentutkimuksessa (chairs Laura Piippo and Hanna-Riikka Roine)
- Kirjallisen elämän uudet työnkuvat osana humanistista koulutusta (chairs Risto Turunen, Jukka Mäkisalo and Anna Logrén)
- Kirjallisuuden yliopistopedagogiikka (chair Elsi Hyttinen)
- Kriittisen eläintutkimuksen merkitys kirjallisuudentutkimuksessa (chairs Lotta Luhtala, Helinä Ääri and Marianna Koljonen)
- Lasten- ja nuortenkirjallisuuden monet merkitykset ja tutkimuksen rooli (chairs Kaisa Laaksonen and Marianna Koljonen)
We invite you to send thematically pertinent abstracts and research project introductions via this form no later than 28 February 2022 (opens to a new window). Presentation proposals for working groups can be submitted with the same form. In addition to the presentation abstracts and research project introduction proposals, we accept proposals for complete working groups until 28 February. Proposals can be in Finnish, Swedish, English, and Saami.
Presentation proposals must include the title of the presentation, a description no longer than 300 words, the name and contact information of the presenter. The organizing committee of the seminar compiles individual abstracts into thematic working groups.
Research project introduction proposals must include a description of the research project no longer than 300 words. The description should include at least the central substance, objectives, and implementation of the project, as well as the project members and their contact information.
Proposals for complete working groups include contact information of the chairs, the title and description of the working group and abstracts of the planned presentations. The instructions for the abstracts are similar to the presentation proposals.
Presentation proposals unrelated to the theme. Working groups or individual presentations do not necessarily need to pertain to the seminar’s main theme, as the program is open to other research subjects as well. Proposals that fit this category are submitted according to the same principles as theme-related proposals.
The annual conference 2022 will be organized as a hybrid event at Tampere University. Depending on the Covid-19 situation in May, we encourage to consider taking part in the conference in person. It is also possible to join the conference and the dissertation workshop via Zoom. All the arrangements of the seminar will be based on the Covid-19 guidelines of the Tampere University.