Call for Papers
This multifaceted conference marks the launch of a new project to promote and encourage the inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary study of all aspects of prison writings and the literature of incarceration and confinement.

Imprisonment following conviction and detention without trial occur in various forms in most societies across the world, sometimes sanctioned by the state itself, sometimes used as a political strategy by military, ideological, political or religious groups within a state, or by groups desirous of becoming a state. We welcome contributions about the experience of incarceration from prisoners, detainees, incarcerated asylum seekers, former prisoners of war, political prisoners or those detained because of nationalist, religious or other convictions.

The conference will explore literature about the experience of imprisoning and imprisonment across the entire range of perspectives, including historical, fictional, phenomenological, biographical and autobiographical. All genres and media will be considered, in order to examine the widest possible range of representations, past and contemporary, which communicate the experience and nature of imprisonment.

We also invite contributions from agents concerned with the delivery side of incarceration, including correctional, detention and prison staff of all ranks as well as those who target and detain on behalf of groups working in the name of a political, religious, or social cause. Contributions would also be welcome from those involved in providing amelioration to incarceration in one form or another, such as literacy, political education, counselling, religious instruction or support, and other forms of service provision.

Reflections on the historical, political, social and economic contexts which produce such literature will also be considered, as well as reflections on the ways in which prisoners and detainees are treated, and the implications and consequences of such treatment.

As well as written papers, workshop presentations, reports, graphic and illustrative representations on the above perspectives will all be welcome. Papers will be considered on related themes.

The project is to be supported by an e-mail discussion group, ISSN e-journal, and dedicated ISBN publication series.

All papers accepted for and presented at the conference will be published in an ISBN eBook (with possible CD Rom support). Selected papers will be developed and published in a themed hard copy volume.