Australian Literature in a Global World
30th  anniversary conference of the
Association for the Study of Australian Literature
. Dates:  29th  June – 2nd July 2008
. Location - University of Wollongong, Function Centre

Bronwyn Bancroft: "One Family One Earth"

Special Events Page

Focus on Asian Australia 1 July 2008
ASAL will be collaborating with the Asian Australian Studies Research Network (AASRN) to host a one day stream on texts and literature by and about Asian Australia as part of the conference. We welcome work that examines Asian Australian:

• poetry, books, zines, new media (e.g. blogging)
• graphic novels, other illustrated narratives, and artists
• contexts for publishing and translation, and
• life stories and oral histories.

Queries and offers of papers (20 minutes, abstracts max 200 words) for the Asian Australia stream (1st July) should be sent by 15 March to Jacqueline.Lo@anu.edu.au. For information about the AASRN, see
< asianaustralianstudies.org>.

Focus on teaching Australian literature
In response to the roundtable on the teaching of Australian literature organised by the former Minister for Education Julie Bishop in 2007, ASAL 2008 provides the opportunity to rethink this important issue in a new political climate. At least three conference panels will focus on teaching:

• a keynote panel on teaching and researching Australian literature overseas
• a panel on teaching Australian literature in secondary schools
• a panel on Australian literature teaching in our universities

The organisers are seeking to involve the current government in these debates.