postgraduate workshop on books and reading, Manchester, November 2010

I like the look of this postgraduate workshop, which may be of interest to translation research students too:

POSTGRADUATE WORKSHOP: Same Old Story? New Trends in Books, Literature and Reading in the New Millennium

Friday, 5 November 2010
University of Manchester

Plenary Speaker:
Prof. Stephen Hutchings
School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
~ Ray Bradbury ~

The advent of digital technologies has had an enormous impact on the way we generate and perceive literature. The book as a material object is now facing significant pressure as a result of competition with less traditional means of creating and distributing texts such as the Internet. The authority of the writer is also being challenged by new possibilities to enter into dialogue with the reader. Last but not least, the digital evolution has had an impact on the book market itself, demanding new marketing strategies and new means of communication between the author, the reader and the publisher.

While some perceive these trends with enthusiasm, others react to this changing literary environment in a more sceptical way, predicting not only the death of the book, but also the diminishing role literature will play in society. The aim of this workshop is to look into how the role of literature, readers and books has changed in recent years. What significant trends are emerging? Has there been a shift in our perception of literary works and their creators? Is the digital evolution a threat to the printed book or does it encourage an alternative reading culture, co-existing with the traditional one? The primary focus of the workshop is on the Post-Soviet space, where the digital revolution has coincided with major societal transformations. We also welcome abstracts on relevant topics outside the Post-Soviet area.

Possible topics may include (but are not limited to):

· Changes in the role of the book in print form
· Changes in the role of the reader
· New literary genres
· Impact of new media on the printed book
· Reader/author communication
· Extra-textual factors influencing the book market
· Translation and the canon
· Politics of the book market
· Changing boundaries of the high and low dichotomy
· The concept of the bestseller

Keep informed at http://workshop-manch.livejournal.com/ (I think this is the first time I've seen LiveJournal used for the purposes of research - good idea!).