Trends in American Culture in the Post-1960s Period

First circular

According to Pease, until the 1960s the unique quality of the American experience was manifested in a larger national narrative encompassing a wealth of agreed principles, values, and myths providing  an” image repertoire” facilitating a coherent sense of identity. This macro-narrative was complemented by a stream of  “subjugated knowledge's” operative on the sub-cultural and individual level. Since the above indicated date U.S. culture has been marked by division and opposition rather than agreement and consensus.

Traditional appraisals of American culture resting on the privileged status of the Protestant white male, middle class, heterosexual perspective had undergone significant challenges as the construction of American identity could no longer rely on these prioritized categories. We believe that the resulting multicultural and transnational landscape characterized by clashing, conflicting, yet interrelated cultural fault-lines provides a promising and cultivable field of scholarly inquiry. Thus the organizers encourage the interpretation of the above mentioned “image repertoire” not bound by the chronological restriction imposed by the conference title.

Consequently, we are pleased to invite scholars, researchers, and PhD students dedicated to the exploration of North-American culture to convene in Eger next spring and share their latest findings in the following fields:

               The culture and history of the United States

               Literary theory

               Literary criticism

               The reception of American literature and culture in Hungary

               American English language

               Translation studies

               Cultural studies

               Film and media studies

Abstracts of about 250 words should include

1. name and affiliation
2. e-mail address
3. key terms of the presentation