Call for Papers for the Special Issue: Jane Austen after 200 Years

One of the original bestselling authors, Jane Austen (1775-1817) has successfully managed to bridge the gap between what is often perceived as the non-negotiable chasm between canonical and popular literature. Her works, two centuries after her demise, are, in fact without exaggeration, more popular now than in her own period. Once written off as an author who provides the readers with a limited perspective of the world — as her characters are seemingly unperturbed by political events, Austen shows unparalleled finesse in depicting the characters and setting using a “fine brush” to artistically explore and exploit her “two inches of ivory”. What is evident, debates regarding her subject matter notwithstanding, is that Austen’s popularity has not faded. Right from the first stage production of her work, The Bennets in 1901 to the currently-on-air Kumkum Bhagya — a Hindi TV soap opera inspired by Sense and Sensibility, Austen has successfully straddled generations of readers as well as continents and cultures. Earlier known simply as a novelist who wrote in the tradition of the “novels of sensibility” and one who was part of the transition to nineteenth century realism, Austen is now appropriated by various sections of the intelligentsia. As the conservative Gene Koppel grudgingly pointed out, the ambiguity of Austen’s works lends them to multi-dimensional interpretations.
On Jane Austen’s two hundredth death anniversary, Spring Magazine for English Literature invites articles that explore these interpretations that Austen’s works encourage. The ramifications of Austen’s works when interpreted using literary theories will be dealt with in this issue. Broad areas include (but are not limited to):

  • Jane Austen and Psychoanalysis
  • Deconstruction and Jane Austen
  • Marxism and Jane Austen
  • Feminism and Jane Austen
  • Jane Austen and New Historicism/Cultural Materialism
  • Jane Austen and Eco-criticism
    Jane Austen and Filmic Representation/Adaptation
  • Jane Austen and Sequels
  • Appropriation and Jane Austen
  • Cultural Referencing of Jane Austen
  • Sexuality and Jane Austen
  • Intertextuality and Jane Austen
  • Unreliable narrators in Jane Austen
  • Jane Austen and the Age of Transition/Compromise/Conflict

Articles should be student-friendly, (as the journal is primarily aimed at students of English Literature); however, articles should not be derivative of established research on Jane Austen — as there is a high premium on originality. New applications of theories and hitherto-unexplored topics will be given preference. Plagiarism in any form is condemned.
Word Count: 1,500-3,000 words
Style: All articles must adhere to the latest MLA guidelines, and include a 150 word abstract, 5 keywords, and the contributors should have a valid ORCID ID. Please check this link before submitting: http://www.springmagazine.net/submission-guidelines/
Deadline: December 31, 2017.


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