Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

[Karey Perkins <kareyperkins AT gmail.com>]

CALL FOR PAPERS:

The annual SAMLA (South Atlantic Modern Language Association) Convention is in Jacksonville, Florida, this year:  November 4-6, 2016.  Its theme is "Utopia/Dystopia:  Whose Paradise Is It?”  (See https://samla.memberclicks.net/conference for description of conference theme.)

We will be having two or more sessions on Walker Percy related to both the conference theme of Utopias and Dystopias and also related to Walker Percy in general - anything related to Percy’s life, fiction or non-fiction - in honor of Walker Percy’s 100th Birthday Anniversary.  

SAMLA is also willing to expand our Walker Percy sessions into a “Centennial Track” of more than two sessions given the special occasion of his birthday.  

I know some of you had papers that you submitted to the 2015 New Orleans Walker Percy Conference that was cancelled; here’s a great opportunity to present that Percy paper at another conference.  

Please submit abstracts to me, Dr. Karey Perkins, at both: 

kareyp AT uscb.edu AND kareyperkins AT gmail.com 

by June 7.  

Call for papers are below:

WALKER PERCY'S UTOPIAS AND DYSTOPIAS

Much of Walker Percy’s fiction and non-fiction writing is social commentary. At least two novels - Love in the Ruins and The Thanatos Syndrome - may be called dystopian or post-apocalyptic.  His numerous essays on race relations, on secular materialism, on misguided “self-help” books in a postmodern world seem to indicate that he suspected 20th century America was a dystopia itself.  Additionally, Walker Percy’s personal life included social action in his local community and through the Catholic Church.  Proposals addressing the SAMLA 88 theme "Utopia/Dystopia: Whose Paradise Is It?" in Walker Percy’s fiction, non-fiction, or life are welcome.  Send 300-word abstracts, brief bio, and A/V requirements to Dr. Karey Perkins, University of South Carolina - Beaufort, at both kareyp AT uscb.edu and kareyperkins AT gmail.com by June 7.

WALKER PERCY’S 100th BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY

In honor of Walker Percy’s 100th Birthday Anniversary, proposals addressing any topic or area celebrating Walker Percy’s life, his fiction, or his non-fiction are welcome.  Send 300-word abstracts, brief bio, and A/V requirements to Dr. Karey Perkins, University of South Carolina - Beaufort, at both kareyp AT uscb.edu and kareyperkins AT gmail.com by June 7.