Call for Papers: Edited Collection on Latinx Joy in Literature

We are pleased to announce a call for papers for Genealogies of Joy: The Pleasure of Latinx Literature. This edited collection aims to explore the diverse representations of joy within Latinx literary traditions, emphasizing how joy manifests as a form of resistance, resilience, and cultural affirmation from the earliest writings to contemporary moments. How do readers and scholars experience the jouissance of literary recovery, new methodologies, texts, and pedagogies?

Latinx literature often highlights struggles against systemic oppression, discrimination, and socio-political challenges. This collection sees joy not as an elision or erasure of resistance and survival, but an important part of resilience and survival. We are especially interested in essays that trace literary histories of joy that disrupt settler colonialism, heteropatriarchy, and anti-Blackness. Essays could address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Expressions of joy in Latinx poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction
• Gender and sexual expression in Chicana feminist and Latinx literature
• The pleasure of place/belonging/querencia
• The role of community, family, and kinship in cultivating joy
• Enjoyment as a form of resistance and empowerment in Latinx literature
• Celebrations of cultural heritage, tradition, and spirituality
• Unexpected joy in places that are both quiet and sublime
• The scholar’s joy of recovering voices in the archive
• Joy in genre-fiction–sci fi, romance, fantasy, and mystery
• Genealogies of joy as traced through family narratives and histories as well as chosen families and communities
• The use of dichos and folk tales to express humor or enjoyment of oral traditions
• The use of humor, playfulness, and festivity in Latinx narratives—rasquache traditions included
• Representation of joyful experiences in YA and children’s literature
• The impact of migration, diaspora, and transnationalism on experiences of joy
• Artistic and performative expressions of Latinx joy in literature

Submission Guidelines

We invite abstracts of 300-500 words, along with a brief bio (up to 150 words), to latinxjoycollection@gmail.com by November 1, 2024. Abstracts should clearly outline the proposed topic, theoretical framework, and how it contributes to the theme of Latinx joy in literature. Final essays should be 5000-8000 words.

• Abstract Submission Deadline: November 1, 2024
• Notification of Acceptance: December 1, 2024
• Full Chapter Submission: April 15, 2025

Contact Information

For questions or further information, please contact Dr. Erin Murrah-Mandril (University of Texas–Arlington) or Dr. Leigh Johnson (Western Kentucky University) at latinxjoycollection@gmail.com.