Announcement

Call For Papers—RAL Special Issue on “Women in Contemporary African Literature,” Guest Editor: Anthonia C. Kalu, The Ohio State University

The last two decades have witnessed a significant increase in the number of women’s writings in African literature. The number and quality of works produced continue to increase at an encouraging rate. This special issue of RAL is dedicated to the idea of celebrating writing by and about African women in contemporary African literature. Specifically, although women’s writings have been included in previous issues, this is the first issue of Research in African Literatures (RAL) that focuses on the African woman since 1994. Scholarly essays are invited from practitioners (men and women) in the different genres: the novel, short story, drama, poetry, autobiography, film, and the oral tradition. Submissions will include essays on African literary studies from different regions of the continent. Critical essays that focus on new writings by and about the African woman and that have provided innovative advances in the perceptions and interpretations of women in African literary studies since independence are welcome. Also welcome are works that offer new perspectives on the works of early women writers. Papers on the following areas are welcome: portraiture of women in the African oral narrative; depictions of African women in African film; images of women in contemporary African fiction; women writers and change; women and globalization; African women and conflict/war; border crossings and women; images of African women in poetry; the African woman as mother; making the new African woman; theorizing African womanhood; images of women in contemporary African drama; male perspectives on the African woman; women and leadership; woman-as-wife/mother; women, choice, and representation; the African woman and the African child; stereotypes and the African woman; narrating African women’s lives and experiences. Papers are expected to conform to standard RAL guidelines (MLA style, not to exceed 35 pages double-spaced, inclusive of notes). All submissions will be subject to normal peer review, and the editor encourages potential contributors to establish an early contact so as to help fashion an issue that is broad in scope. The deadline for completed article submissions is June 16, 2011. Please send a title with an abstract by January 15, 2011, to Anthonia Kalu: kalu.5@osu.edu.