The Fifth Biennial John Updike Society Conference
Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Hosted by Faculty of Philology
The Fifth Biennial John Updike Society Conference will be the first one outside the United States of America, and it will take place in Serbia. John Updike visited Belgrade in 1978—it was then the capital of Yugoslavia and now it is the capital of Serbia. Updike also visited Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, which was then one of the six constitutive republics of Yugoslavia. In both cities Updike gave important interviews for magazines and TV stations. Papers on any aspect of John Updike's work or life will be considered, but topics that are especially appropriate for this conference are listed below. The conference celebrates John Updike's works in translation—in Serbian, as well as in every other language—and the translators themselves. We would like to discuss:
- —How translations have added to the reputation of John Updike.
- —What has been the history of reception of translation of Updike’s works.
- —What are the relations between translation and censorship; i.e., what omissions, additions to and selection of certain works by JU tell us about the culture of reception, etc.
- —What is the human element involved in translation, and how important is author interaction? Translators will share personal stories connected to Updike and there will be analyses of their contributions to John Updike’s opus.
Another focus of the conference will be on meeting John Updike outside the U.S., featuring a panel of journalists, translators, writers, editors and others who have met Updike in a country or region outside.
Scholars may also wish to consider the anniversaries of the translations of John Updike’s works into their language, and do bring copies with you. At the end of the meeting we will donate these copies to The John Updike Childhood Home in Shillington, Pennsylvania.
Conference highlights:
- — Ian McEwan will deliver the keynote address. As a well known and widely translated author in Serbia, he will surely have a large audience in Belgrade.
- — Tracing Updike in Belgrade: a walking tour through Kalemegdan Fortress, Skadarlija bohemian quarter, ending with the meal at the Writer’s Union club or Skadarlija—a kind of hedonist mapping of Belgrade and reenactment of a tour the writer had taken 40 years before.
- — Meeting Updike: a panel of the translators, journalists, writers, editors… who have met Updike on this and other trips.
- — A one-day trip to the selected historic sites inside or outside Belgrade.
Proposal Deadline: January 31, 2018
One-page proposals for 15- to 20-minute papers on all aspects of Updike’s life and work and especially suggested topics should be sent, along with a brief oneor two-paragraph bio, to conference director Biljana Dojčinović: jus5thconference@gmail.com and cc: jus5thconference@fil.bg.ac.rs
Successful proposals will be acknowledged within two weeks of receipt. To present a paper or moderate a panel at the conference, participants must be members of The John Updike Society and register for the conference. Membership is $30 per year, and those who have papers accepted can join when they register for the conference.
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://blogs.iwu.edu/johnupdikesociety/category/5th-international-jus-conference/