- Event Type
- Call for Papers
- Starts
- 7 July 2026
- Ends
- 9 July 2026
- Attendance Mode
- In person and online
Conference date: 7-9 June 2026
Host Organization: Jadavpur University, Kolkata
International Conference on Academic Social Responsibility and Literary Studies in India (In memory of Prof Chandra Mohan)
Organised by the Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, in association with the Humanities in India Programme, University of East Anglia, and the Comparative Literature Association of India
We invite academic papers on the theme, “Academic Social Responsibility and Literary Studies in India” for the Second Chandra Mohan Memorial Conference on Comparative Literature.
The conference celebrates Professor Chandra Mohan’s contribution to Comparative Literature in India. The first edition was organized the Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University, in association with the Comparative Literature Association, Kolkata Chapter, in 2025.
Literary Studies in India has changed radically over the last few decades. Many of the curricular and pedagogical changes have, in fact, been influenced and impacted by Comparative Literature and its disciplinary practice. As Sisir Kumar Das had written many years ago, the success of Comparative Literature in India cannot be measured in numerical terms in terms of the number of university departments dedicated to the study of Comparative Literature; it can be understood better in terms of how our discipline has impacted, and often transformed other disciplines, thereby leading us towards a more interdisciplinary and holistic Humanities.
One of the underpinnings of Comparative Literature practice in India has been the idea of Academic Social Responsibility. The anxiogenic nature of our discipline meant that it was, right from its inception in India, concerned with the question of relevance, and of making itself part of the larger move to effect positive social change. The conference hopes to feature academic papers focusing on the myriad aspects of the relationship between Academic Social Responsibility and Comparative Literature, and take a critical look at pedagogic trajectories of the Humanities in India as well as beyond it.
We invite abstracts of around 300 words by midnight of May 31, 2026. Abstracts must be accompanied by your name, status (postgraduate student, PhD research scholar, faculty, etc.), and university/ college affiliation (see form below). Please also indicate if you wish to present in the offline/ online mode. This is primarily an offline conference, though we shall arrange a few online sessions as well. There are a few registration waivers for BA and MA students only, who can demonstrate need—if you wish to apply for the registration waiver, please indicate that while submitting your abstract.
Sub-themes: History of Literary Studies in India / Scope of Comparative Literature / Translation and Comparative Literature / Literary Studies beyond India and Literary Studies in India: Influence, Reception, Collaboration / Interdisciplinarity and Literary Studies / The Humanities: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow / Literary Studies in a Globalised World / Comparative Literature and the Social Sciences / Internationalisation of the Humanities in India / Curriculum Formulation and Academic Social Responsibility / Cultural Studies / Literary Studies and the Digital Imperative / Medical Humanities / Environmental Humanities / Literary Studies and the Subaltern / Indigeneity and Academic Social Responsibility / Translation and Academic Social Responsibility /
How to submit proposal
Abstracts must be sent to [email protected] with CM in the subject line.
Papers should be of 15-minutes’ presentation length.
Abstracts are being accepted in the rolling mode now. They will be read on a weekly basis starting from April 3, 2026. You should get an acceptance or a rejection within seven days of sending in your abstract. You will have another seven days to register your participation. This is important so that outstation participants have enough time to do their travel bookings, and to avoid last-minute rush. Therefore, we encourage you to apply early.
Last date for accepting abstract: May 31, 2026
Last batch of acceptance letters: June 7, 2026
Registration deadline: within seven days of getting acceptance letters
Registration fee
Online: Rs 750+ GST Rs 135 = Rs 885
Offline:
Students: Rs 1500 + GST 270 = Rs 1770
Faculty: Rs 3000 + GST 540= Rs 3540
Registration for offline participants includes kit and lunch on 2 days. Participants need to make their own arrangements for their travel and accommodation in Kolkata, as the organisers are not in a position to fund these, However, up to 10 need-based registration waivers are available for BA and MA students who apply for the same.