Call for papers for publication in the special number of the 9th issue

“La parte de los críticos.” Approaches to the work of Roberto Bolaño 20 years after his departure

 

When thinking about “La parte de los crítcos,” the section that inaugurated the iconic 2666 and the title of this special number, it is impossible to avoid the fact that, perhaps, the Chilean author would disagree with this decision. Probably, he would have condescendingly amended that his work has an important ironic dimension that should be considered before proposing any readings. He would even underpin his position by reminding us that the old vision of literary studies assumed that a prestigious university education delineated the critic’s functions when analyzing an author’s literary production, thus opening an insurmountable gap in the field. In addition, writers like Jorge Luis Borges and Ricardo Piglia, who incorporated the problem of criticism into their essayistic reflections and fiction, forged their careers by clearly separating one task from the other in a way that the fact that their writing began in university classrooms is not entirely obvious.

 

All things considered, it seems that calling this dossier “La parte de los críticos” might be counterproductive; however, it is important to point out that the discussion on the importance of literary criticism is no less relevant, especially when it comes to situating an author in a particular field and context. Furthermore, due to the influx of U.S. and European schools in Latin America —whose departments and colleges offer creative writing programs— the line between criticism and creation has worn, spurring numerous discussions. In this sense, writer and academic Piere Bayard is one of the most outstanding exponents of “fictocriticism,” a form of writing that incorporates the logic and epistemology of literary interpretation into narrative, as if it were fictional matter.

 

In this spirit, it is still astonishing that this subject has not been fully analyzed in the work of Roberto Bolaño and mostly in “La parte de los críticos.” This is not to say that there is a shortage of studies about it or that they do not address the intertextual possibilities in the writer’s work; rather, we want to draw light to the fact that there is usually an unconscious resistance to analyze certain aspects of Bolaño’s work that could have their origin in literary criticism. This, perhaps, is because the discursive position of the Chilean author was strongly against academic protocol; in fact, on several occasions, including “La parte de los críticos” he even ridiculed them sardonically. It would be worthwhile, however, to reread this section from the opposite perspective.

 

Considering this, “La parte de los críticos” we propose seeks to destabilize, rework, and update the response, research, and analysis of the author’s work. This interest was born from the stimulating discussions and exchanges that took place in the Colloquium, also titled, “‘La parte de los críticos.’ Approaches to the Work of Roberto Bolaño”, which was held on November 15, 2023, in the Research Department of the School of Philosophy and Literature, organized by Dr. Karla. Urbano Gómez, guest editor for this number, and Dr. Armando Velázquez. Thus, for issue 9 of Nuevas Glosas. Estudios Lingüísticos y Literarios, we invite specialists in Hispanic linguistics, Spanish and Latin American literature, linguistics, literary theory, and methodology in general to submit unpublished and original articles on the contents, circulation, and modernization of Roberto Bolaño’s work. Some potential subjects are:

 

• Re-readings and new readings of Bolaño’s work
• The circulation and publication of Bolaño’s work, inside and outside Latin America
• Criticism-fiction and fictocriticism
• Modern perspectives on violence and literature (prioritizing theoretical approaches from the last twenty years)
• Precariousness and instability in Bolaño’s work
• Bolaño’s presence and influence on contemporary authors
• Poetry by Roberto Bolaño and other authors of the Infrarealist Movement
• Crime literature (femicide, drug trafficking, organized crime, displacement, etcetera)
• Bolaño’s short stories
• Gender, sexuality, class, and racialization
• Intermediality and intermodality in the author’s work.

 

Although this issue will prioritize contributions about the Chilean writer, we will also accept articles on the subjects that characterize Nuevas Glosas, such as Mexican, Latin American, and Spanish literary studies; synchronic and diachronic linguistic studies; and studies in literary theory, from any theoretical framework, as long as it contributes to the study of Spanish, its characteristics, and literary products. We will also accept reviews on recently published books related to the abovementioned subjects (which should be no more than three years old).

 

Articles must have a minimum of 5000 and a maximum of 7000 words, including notes and bibliography. The maximum length for reviews is 1800 words, including notes. All contributions must adhere to the author guidelines, and regulations established by the journal. While we will consider submissions received throughout the year, the deadline to be included in this issue is July 10, 2024. The ninth issue is scheduled for publication in January 2025.

 

Guest Editor: Dr. Karla D. Urbano Gómez (DGAPA, FFyL, Postdoc)

 

Nuevas Glosas. Estudios Lingüísticos y Literarios

Dr. Rodrigo Flores Dávila | Editorial Director

Hispanic Literature Department | School of Philosophy and Literature | UNAM

revista.nuevasglosas@filos.unam.mx

https://revistas.filos.unam.mx/index.php/nuevasglosas

 

 

DOWNLOAD THIS CALL FOR PAPERS HERE