CRITICAL IMPRINTS
THE JOURNAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH,
LORETO COLLEGE, KOLKATA

ISSN: 2319-4774
VOLUME XI 2023: LITERATURE AND ARCHITECTURE
Last Date of submission of Abstracts: November 30, 2023



Concept Note

Literature and architecture can be seen separately as realms allowing extraordinary scope to the imagination, and are essentially interlinked as well. If literature is a design of words into thoughts, opinions, emotions leading to a coherent arrangement of narratives, architecture can be seen as a design of space with buildings leading to a kind of an arrangement that also counterpoises different narratives in a spatial medium. Both grow out of humanity's cultural, socio-historical, political and economic aspects, and become strong markers of the changing paradigms of the human civilization. Both are linked by their quest to enrich the intellect and ethos of humanity.

Literature and architecture are interdependent as they often act as foils to each other. Architectural styles such as Renaissance, Minimalism, Deconstructivism are manifestations of the era's literature, while many works of fiction are results of specific architecture as inspiration. The historical fiction of Dan Brown can be cited as an example. Sometimes even architecture, design, buildings and spaces become emblematic characters in a narrative. David Trueba's Blitz, Notre Dame and The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet, Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino are some classics that underscore architecture’s intrinsic presence and centrality in literature and vice versa.

The eleventh volume of Critical Imprints will focus on the emerging interdisciplinary study of literature and architecture, in recent times and invites critical papers (in not more than 5000-6000 words, Chicago Style Citation) on how architecture and space designs are drawn upon in literary texts reciprocally.

Abstracts are invited (by November 30, 2023) on sub themes not restricted to the following:

Architecture in Literature

Literature in Architecture

Architecture as Characters

Space and Design as Visuals in Literature

Digital Mapping, Photographic representations and Architectural Planning in Literature

Architecture as dystopic context

Narrative strategy and use of architectural space

Evolution of Architecture in Literary Texts

Abstracts to be emailed at: criticalimprints11@gmail.com
Last Date of Abstract submission: November 30, 2023.

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