Call for Papers: Arkansas Philological Association (2026)
(Held in conjunction with UCA’s Graduate English Conference)
How might the possibility of surprise animate our approach to literature, film, and language? The element of surprise might be said to underlie recent debates within the humanities in general and English in particular that pertain to the so-called “Methods Wars,” the question of “how we read now” (Stephen Best and Sharon Marcus), and disenchantment with the longstanding predominance of what is known as symptomatic reading (Rita Felski and Elizabeth Anker). Kinohi Nishikawa perhaps puts it most plain: he encourages “reading without guarantees,” which “allows a critic to be surprised by what she finds.” We welcome papers that consider how we interact with literature, film, and/or language in light of these conversations.
At the same time, papers might take up the elements of surprise: how do literary works and films construct surprise—whether for characters within the worlds they depict or readers/viewers— and to what ends? Yet another way in which surprise proves fundamentally relevant to literature and film concerns classification and iteration: what do such things as genre, format, venue, translation, and adaptation mean for readers’/viewers’ expectations? Last, what might receptiveness to surprise as interpretive approach mean for classrooms with respect to practices and assignments? While particularly interested in papers that address the conference theme, we will consider papers on any aspect of literature, film, or language.
A Warm Invitation to Student Presenters: This year’s APA conference is being held in association with UCA’s Graduate Conference in English. We are excited to host graduate students and undergraduates, including those participating in their first academic conference.
Plenary Speaker: Dr. William A. Quinn, who has been a scholar and teacher of Chaucer and other medieval literature at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville for many years, joins us to speak of his current scholarship exploring Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy.
Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026
• Individual Papers:
o Send an abstract of no more than 300 words to apa2026@uca.edu.
o Include university affiliation at top.
o For students, please indicate at top whether graduate or undergraduate.
• Panels:
o We welcome pre-formed panels of 3-4 presenters.
o Each presenter should submit an abstract (no more than 300 words) to apa2026@uca.edu.
o Include language at top indicating panel title and fellow presenters.
Presentations will run 15 minutes.
Conference Dates: November 6-7, 2026
Location: University of Central Arkansas (Conway, AR)