Horizons of Meaning: Expanding Frontiers in Asian Comparative Literature and Film
2025 RMMLA Asian Comparative Literature and Film Sessions
Date: October 16–18, 2025
Location: Spokane, WA
Since its inception, the Asian Comparative Literature and Film sessions at RMMLA have provided a dynamic platform for exploring the intersections of Asian history, politics, culture, language, and art through the lenses of literature and film. This year, we aim to expand these cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural, and cross-temporal dialogues by inviting scholars, researchers, and artists from all fields to contribute to an inclusive and thought-provoking exploration of Asian Comparative Literature and Film.
This panel seeks to illuminate the richness and interconnectedness of Asian and global narratives. We encourage creative interpretations and innovative approaches to understanding the interplay between literature, film, and broader historical, political, economic, religious, and philosophical contexts. We especially welcome contributions that address universal themes and resonate with global concerns.
We invite submissions from a wide range of theoretical and methodological perspectives, including but not limited to: comparative studies, translation studies, postcolonial analysis, gender and sexuality studies, memory studies, psychoanalysis, cognitive science, linguistics, eco-criticism, and media studies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Transnational Dialogues: Exchanges between Asian and non-Asian artistic, philosophical, and literary traditions.
- Comparative Perspectives: Cross-cultural studies connecting Asian narratives with global counterparts.
- Identity and Representation: Explorations of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality in Asian contexts.
- Diasporic Voices: Contributions of diasporic communities to Asian literature and film.
- Memory and Trauma: The role of personal and collective histories in shaping narratives.
- Environmental Narratives: Representations of ecological relationships and sustainability in Asian literature and cinema.
- Technological Frontiers: The impact of technology, digital media, and futurism on Asian storytelling.
- Philosophy and Spirituality: Intersections of religious, philosophical, and aesthetic ideas in storytelling.
- Genre and Medium Innovations: Emerging forms and styles in Asian literature and cinema.
Please submit an abstract (250–300 words) and a brief biography (2–3 sentences) in English, formatted as a Word document. Submissions should be sent to Yingwei Mu at ywmu@ucdavis.edu by April 1, 2025. All presentations will be conducted in person and in English.