CFP: SHOFAR Vol 33, No. 4 (Summer 2015)
Hebrew Literature Now: Special Issue on Contemporary Israeli Literature
Deadline for submissions, 1 May 2013
Hebrew Literature Now is a special issue of Shofar: A Journal of Jewish Studies, exploring the dynamic and diverse Israeli literary scene among a new generation born since the 1970s, who mostly began publishing during the 21st Century. Though much of this writing has had a huge impact on the Israeli reading public; shaped the translation and production industry in the US; and reflects an entirely new kind of discourse taking place in Israeli culture, this writing has received little scholarly attention to date.
Scholarly approaches to this new writing within a generational framework emerge out of ideas discussed at a symposium on ‘Hebrew Literature Now’ at the University of Illinois, March 4-6, 2012. This special volume seeks to expand on these first conversations, and provide a venue for exploring the topic and the new directions that Israeli writing has taken. Areas under consideration include: new approaches to writing the Holocaust; changing uses of the historical novel; the rise of Mizrachi writers within Israel’s mainstream; the popularity of Arab-Israeli writers using Hebrew in their creative work; the presence of the religious community in the literary scene; as well as a dynamic and diverse poetry scene, ranging from literary journals with an agenda to increase the presence of translation and return to previous literary forms to performance poetry and poetry slams, both in mainstream centers and in Israel’s periphery. This volume seeks to explore the understanding of Zionism, the Israeli, and national culture, as it is conceived by today’s young literary generation. Discussion and analysis is sought of the works of writers and poets of new generation such as Alon Hilu, Eshkol Nevo, Almog Behar, Sayed Kashua, Ayman Sikseck, Dori Manor, Anna Hermon, Yehezkel Rahamim, Mati Shemouelof, Amir Gutfeund, Nir Baram, Tahal Ran, Dror Burshtein, Assaf Shur, Dudi Busi, Iris Elia-Cohen and others.
Submissions should be 6,000-8,000 words including endnotes, formatted according to Chicago Manual of Style (Humanities Style) and be accompanied by a 100-150 word abstract. Please supply all translations of Hebrew.
For more information, or for submission details, please contact the guest editor of this issue:
Rachel S. Harris
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Online Israel Studies Bulletin Board 