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Call for Proposal

MLA 2026 in Toronto

January 9-12, 2026

Call for Proposals Sponsored by the East Asian LLC

The Future of East Asian Comparative Literature

Both area studies and comparative literary studies have changed much in the past 20 years. We are inviting submissions for a guaranteed double session in MLA 2026 that explores the future of East Asian comparative literature. Our aim is to explore the ways in which East Asianists think transnationally and across languages to produce new scholarship on the region and inter-regionally from fresh perspectives. This includes textual dynamics involving under-represented languages around major East Asian languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as trans-Asian or other transregional relationships. The ultimate composition of these two sessions will be determined by the number and kind of proposals we receive; however, we are open to having two conventional paper-drive sessions, two roundtable sessions, or one of each. To that end, we seek proposals that address this issue broadly and with the future direction and development of comparative East Asian cultural studies in mind. Possible topics include but are not restricted to the following: what does the future look like for those of us who compare two or more linguistic heritages? Have we moved beyond the East-West paradigm or is there still room for further theorization of it? How do we foster a sustainable model for the multilingual training of East Asian Comparatists? How do we rethink CJK-centric comparisons? How could methods and ideas of comparison change according to different kinds of languages, periods, and textual genres involved? We envision this roundtable will include between 6 and 10 scholars of mixed backgrounds, both senior and early-career scholars, depending on the responses we receive. We are committed to inclusivity, which means in terms of ethnic, racial, gender, and gender-orientation diversity. It also means inclusivity in terms of rank and experience: graduate students, early-career, mid-career, and senior scholars. We also welcome proposals from MLA members regardless of where they live or work.

Title, abstract, and bio of up to 250 words each to Christopher Lupke <lupke@ualberta.ca> and Satoru Hashimoto <shashimoto@jhu.edu> by March 7, 2025.

Teaching with Generative AI in East Asian Literature and Culture Studies

The rapid emergence of generative AI has transformed pedagogical approaches, creating both opportunities and challenges for teaching in the humanities and especially so in literary studies where reading, writing, and analysis are at the heart of our pedagogical practices. This session seeks proposals examining innovative applications and critical perspectives on integrating AI tools in teaching East Asian literature and culture in the classroom. We aim to delve into identifying critical frameworks for using AI to enhance student engagement with classical and contemporary East Asian literary texts in their original language as well as in translation. The session is also interested in ethical considerations in AI implementation, particularly regarding academic integrity where often language proficiency and cultural translation become important factors. We are interested in presentation on case studies of successful (or unsuccessful) AI integration in East Asian studies courses that can address these issues and beyond. We welcome submissions that address the unique challenges and opportunities of using AI tools in teaching specific aspects of East Asian humanities.

Please submit a 250-300-word abstract, title, and a short CV to Jina Kim, jinak@uoregon.edu, by March 7, 2025.