(Former) Third World Literature and Culture
Chengdu, Sichuan
Organization: Sichuan University, Unicamp
Call for Papers: International Conference on (Former)Third World Literature and Culture
Conference Theme: “What Happened to (Former) Third World Literature and Culture: From the Cold War to a Multipolar World”
The opening ceremony guest will be Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Harvard University). This conference is convened in honor of Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., in celebration of his 75th birthday and in recognition of his pioneering scholarship, which has had a profound impact on minority communities, small nations, and marginalized voices seeking to assert cultural identity and literary agency.
Keynote Speakers: Theo D’haen (Ku Leuven), Svend Eric Larsen (Aarhus University), Daniel Pratt (McGill University)
Date: 8-11 May, 2026
Location: Sichuan University, Chengdu, China (Hybrid: Online and In-Person)
Organized by: Yanli He (Sichuan University), Fabio Akcelrud Durão (State University of Campinas)
Co-organized by: Yingchun Dong (Guanxi Minzu University), Tingting Sun (Yunan University of Finance and Economics)
Conference Description:
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many former Third World countries have renegotiated their global positions, prompting renewed reflection on the meanings and futures of Third World literature and culture. During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union actively defined and instrumentalized Third World cultural production as part of their ideological rivalry. Today, in an emerging multipolar world, it is urgent to revisit these legacies and examine how literature and culture from Asia, Africa, and Latin America continue to evolve.
This conference investigates the shifting dynamics of (former) Third World literature and culture from the Cold War to the present—through frameworks such as Fredric Jameson’s “Third World literature,” and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s African American theory and its resonance across African, Afro-Latin American, and Afro-Asian literary exchanges shaped by Third World and decolonial solidarities, alongside ongoing debates on decoloniality, language politics, and transnational cultural flows. Papers on gender and minority issues, South–South exchanges, and post-1990s cultural transformations are equally welcome.
The conference will feature Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Harvard University) as the opening ceremony guest. We invite submissions on literature, film, media, and performance from or about Asia, Africa, and Latin America across disciplinary boundaries.
Suggested Topics:
1. Theoretical Foundations and Critiques of Third World Literature and Culture:
o Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s influence on Asian, African, and Latin American literatures and cultures
o The global impact of Fredric Jameson’s theory on Third World literature and culture
o Soviet perspectives on Third World literature and culture (e.g., Gorky Institute of World Literature and Inostrannaya Literatura)
o American academic interpretations of Third World literature and culture
o Third World engagement with U.S. and Soviet literary and cultural spheres
o Writing Protest and Cultural Independence in Third World Literature and Culture
2. Third World Cinema and Global Dialogue:
o American and Soviet Representations of the Third World in Film
o Asian Cinema: Development under Cold War Influence and Global Engagement
o African Cinema: Negotiating U.S. and Soviet Legacies in International Contexts
o Latin American Cinema: Shaping National Narratives through First and Second World Cinematic Dialogues
3. “Mutual Learning of Civilizations” in Global Acrobatics Arts and Culture:
o The dissemination and value of Chinese acrobatics in global culture
o Contemporary Chinese acrobatic creation and its strategies for international engagement
o Comparative analysis of Russian circus and Western European/American circus traditions
o Contemporary Western European/American “new circus” and its connections to postdramatic theatre trends
4. Gender and Minority Discourses in the (Former) Third World Within and Beyond the Cold War:
o Superpower Visions: U.S. and Soviet Engagement with Gender and Minority Issues in the Third World
o Cold War Bodies: Women and Minorities in Third World Cultural Production under Superpower Gaze
o After the Cold War: Reimagining Gender and Minority Futures in (Former) Third World Literature and Culture
Submission Guidelines:
1. Abstract or Panel Submission Requirements:
o Abstract length: 300–500 words
o Content: Clearly state the research question, methodology, and preliminary conclusions
o Panel proposals: Should include a panel title, a 300–500 word overview of the panel’s theme, and individual abstracts (300–500 words each) for presenters
o Include: Author’s (or each panelist’s) name, title, institutional affiliation, and contact information
2. Important Dates:
o Abstract and panel submission deadline: 30 September 2025
o Notification of acceptance: 27 October 2025
o Full paper submission deadline: 6 April 2026
3. Submission Format:
o Please submit abstracts and panel proposals as a single PDF or Word document to yanlihe@fas.harvard.edu, yanlihe@scu.edu.cn, fadurao@unicamp.br
o Email subject line: “Third World Literature and Culture Conference Submission”
4. Language:
o Submissions in English, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese are welcome.
Special Note:
No registration fees. Sichuan is the hometown of the Giant Panda. An electronic conference proceeding will be published, and outstanding papers will be featured in partner academic journals and book collections. Additionally, a follow-up conference is planned to take place in Brazil between 2027 and 2028.
Yanli He, Fabio Durao
