Call for Papers: 5th World Congress of Scottish Literatures: Scotland Along the New Silk Road (17-20 June 2027)
The Fifth World Congress of Scottish Literatures will be held at Nanjing Normal University in Nanjing, China, on 17-20 June 2027. Being China’s first city designated as a “UNESCO City of Literature”, Nanjing—the venue for this congress—is not only a time-honored ancient capital of six dynasties but also boasts a millennia-old literary heritage. The main theme of this congress, “Scotland Along the New Silk Road”, underscores the dynamic interplay between Scottish literature with the diverse literary landscapes along this transcontinental bridge of cultural exchanges.
In ancient times, the Silk Road served as a historic trade route connecting East and West, fostering economic and cultural communications across continents. Today, the New Silk Road has evolved into a global network spanning Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Europe, acting as a dynamic bridge for economic collaboration and cross-cultural dialogue in an interconnected world. For Scotland, this initiative indicates a two-way exchange: Scottish literature is increasingly translated and published in New Silk Road countries, while Scotland’s own cultural narrative is enriched through deep engagement with these regions’ literary traditions. By situating Scottish literature within this transcontinental framework, this congress seeks to foster reciprocal understanding and cultural collaborations between Scotland and the diverse voices of the New Silk Road.
In light of this, the Steering Committee welcomes proposals for papers that explore these or any of the following themes in relation to Scotland’s literatures (suggested but not restricted to the following):
- Imagining “the Orient” in Scottish Literature
- Scottish Writers Writing from Asia
- The Reception of Scottish Writers and Culture in Asia
- The Reception of Chinese Material and Intellectual Culture in Scotland
- Folk Traditions in Transcultural Contexts: Scotland and Eurasian Cultural Exchanges
- Whisky and Tea: Material Culture Exchanges Along the Maritime Silk Road
- Eco-Writings in the Anthropocene: Scotland, Silk Road and Beyond
- Aesthetics and Literature in the Scottish Enlightenment
- Nineteenth-Century Scottish Literature
- Rethinking Canonical Scottish Writers
- Contemporary Scottish Literature and World Literature
We welcome more topics about Scottish literature, and we also welcome pre-organized panels. In keeping with the conference’s focus on dialogue and in order to maximize discussion and participation, panel organizers are encouraged to explore alternatives to the traditional format of three to four papers, such as workshops or roundtables.
Please note that in the interest of involving as many people as possible, participants are asked to present only one paper at the congress; however, they may also serve on a roundtable/discussion or as a discussant. Papers in English, Scots, Gaelic, Chinese and indigenous languages are welcomed. The working languages for this congress are English and Chinese. For speeches delivered in languages other than English, we recommend preparing English translations in advance either in paper or in PowerPoint.
Please note that the deadline for ALL proposal submissions is 30 November 2026.
Please visit the IASSL website here for more information and to submit your proposals: https://scotlit-iassl.org/2025/11/11/nanjingcfp/
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IASSL