The Gothic Labyrinth: Trauma, The Real and The Unreal – CfP
Dear All,
We are delighted to announce The Gothic Labyrinth: Trauma, The Real and The Unreal, a student-organised interdisciplinary conference taking place on 21–22 May 2026 at the Faculty of Modern Languages, University of Warsaw, Dobra 55, Warsaw.
The conference is hosted by three student clubs at the Faculty of Modern Languages: Beyond Theory, Cinemates, and Bookin’ It.
Building on over 260 years of Gothic tradition — from Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto to the present day — we invite scholars and students to explore the motif of trauma in Gothic fiction and to examine how Gothic traditions are challenged, reshaped, and revitalised in the contemporary world.
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
– Evolution and revival of Gothic fiction
– Trauma and the supernatural in the Gothic
– Character archetypes and their functions
– Contemporary Gothic in relation to its predecessors
– The Gothic in visual art, cinema, and popular culture
– Gothic aesthetics and historical memory
– Intersections of Gothic fiction and psychoanalysis
If you are interested in participating, please submit a 250-word abstract and a 100-word biographical note by 31 March 2026 using the submission form linked below. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 30 April 2026.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe27shcy8Dao9GSlzU70YI7ASTHdXdme4zVkWwRNJYft0FedQ/viewform
The anticipated format of the presentation is a 20-minute speech, followed by a 10-minute discussion. The language of the conference is English.
We welcome contributions from academics, postgraduate researchers, and advanced undergraduates across literary studies, film studies, cultural studies, philosophy, and adjacent fields.
For any questions, please contact us at gotyk.konf.student.uw2026@gmail.com.
We look forward to welcoming you to Warsaw.
Warmest regards,
Beyond Theory, Cinemates, Bookin’It