The first international conference on
Jawdat Haydar’s Poetic Legacy:
Issues of Modernity, Belonging, Language and Transcendence

Call for Papers

The Department of Humanities at the Lebanese American University will be hosting an international conference on April 24, 2013 in Beirut, Lebanon under the title “Jawdat Haydar’s Poetic Legacy: Issues of Modernity, Belonging, Language and Transcendence”.

Jawdat R. Haydar (1905- 2006) was a prominent Lebanese Poet from Baalbek who contributed world literature directly in the English language. He is the author of several books of poetry, including Voices (1980), Echoes (1989), and Shadows (1998). In 2006, he published his last book of poems 101 Selected Poems at the age of 101.Haydar is the recipient of several awards including the Lebanese Order of the Cedars, the Gold Medal of Lebanese Merit, the Medal la Croix de Grand Officier of France and the papal medal from Pope John XXIII for humanitarian work.

We invite comparative literary papers exploring aspects of Haydar’s poetic works including inter alia literature and humanism, the politics of language, and cross-culturalism in modern poetry. Scholars are invited to present academic papers that explore:

• The placement of Haydar in the literary canon, providing a comparative poetic analysis of Haydar’s work in relation to other Lebanese and Arab poets of his time including the Mahjar poets;
• Cross-culturalism in modern poetry and the influence of the Romantic, Victorian and Modern poets on Haydar’s work;
• The role of the poet and poetry in transcending difference and promoting cross-cultural dialogue and empathy;
• The politics of language and the use of English as the primary mode of literary expression;
• Any other major poetic themes prominent in Haydar’s work.

Submissions are encouraged that address one or more of these topics. Proposals (300 words) should be sent by July 15, 2012. The time allotted for each paper presentation is between 15-20 minutes. The primary language of the conference is English.

The Friends of Jawdat Haydar will publish all conference proceedings. Please send your abstracts and CV to jhaydarconference@lau.edu.lb by July 15, 2012. For more information about the poet, please visit: http://www.jawdathaydar.org/