Second Biennial John Dos Passos Society Conference
Madrid, Spain, June 2-4, 2016
The John Dos Passos Society invites papers for its second biennial conference. The meeting will include a screening of Robles, Duelo al Sol, a new documentary about the fate of José Robles during the Spanish Civil War, and its impact on Dos Passos and his relationship to Hemingway. Here is a link to the trailer.
Following the screening there will be a roundtable with Sonia Tercero (director of Robles, Duelo al Sol), as well as Ignacio Martínez de Pisón (historian of the Spanish Civil War and novelist), and John Dos Passos Coggin (writer, political strategist, and grandson of John Dos Passos).
Important Dates:
Extended deadline for paper submissions: January 30th 2016
February 28th Notification of acceptance-Registration until May 1st.
March 1st Registration opened
May 25th-Extended registration for students and the general public
Registration Fees:
Panelists €100,- includes JDPS membership fee for a year, JDPS Newsletter, certificate of participation, entrance to the screening of Robles Duelo al Sol and The Music in Dos Passos’s Novels concert by the students of the Faculty of Music and Scenic Arts.
General Public €35,- includes certificate of attendance, entrance to the screening of Robles Duelo al Sol and The Music in Dos Passos’s Novels concert by the students of the Faculty of Music and Scenic Arts.
Students €20,- includes certificate of attendance, entrance to the screening of Robles Duelo al Sol and to the Music in Dos Passos’s Novels concert by the UAX Faculty of Music and Scenic Arts student band.
Optional Final Dinner:
Botín Restaurant, a Dos Passos favorite.
Calle Cuchilleros, 17
28005 Madrid, Spain
(Dinner at Participant’s expense.)
Publication Opportunities:
After the Conference, participants are invited to submit revised versions of their work for publication at an international publisher. A committee will peer review and choose a selection of papers to be published in a single volume. The manuscript volume is subject to approval by the publisher.
About Our Location:
During his first trip to Madrid as a young student in 1916, John Dos Passos be- came “mad about Spain” as reflected in his works Rosinante to the Road Again, A Pushcart at The Curb, and his letters and diaries. His understanding of Spanish history, literature, art and politics turned him into an exceptional witness of the events that led up to the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) as reflected in his
non-fictional writings on the Spain of the 1930s collected in Journeys Between Wars and In All Countries. With his novel Adventures of a Young Man and his essay “Farewell to Europe,” Dos Passos expressed his political disillusionment after the execution of his Spanish friend and translator José Robles during the war – a tragic event that meant a turning point in his life and writing career and which has been frequently revisited by critics and scholars since.
Madrid is located right in the heart of Spain, with frequent flights to/from the main international airports into Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, and excellent speed train connections to major cities such as Barcelona, Málaga, Córdoba and Se- ville. The city is well known for its extraordinary art museums (Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia among others), its varied cultural offer and its lively street at- mosphere, cafes, restaurants and bars. And of course, the Sierra de Guadarrama, a Dos Passos favorite: “My chief joy […] is the Sierra de Guadarrama; the long range of brown mountains to the North and West: Behind them the sun sets with numbing glory. I’ve never seen such sunsets; they stir up your soul the way a cook stirs a pot of broth but with what a golden spoon” (JDP The Best Times).
The Conference will be hosted by Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Spain’s larg- est private university with around 11,000 students, at its Madrid-Chamartín Cam- pus where the Faculty of Music and Performative Arts is located. The Conference Site is in the Pio XII area, an average 20-30 minute ride by bus and underground to Madrid’s main attractions and historical center, as well as to the airport and Chamartin Railway Station. There are three hotels within walking distance (5 to
10 minutes): Hotel Ilunion Pio XII [notice name change, formerly Confortel], La Posada del Chaflán and Hotel Don Pío. Whatever your choice, Madrid is full of places to stay, but early booking is strongly recommended since June is a very busy month.
Here are some links for those who want to know more about the city: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/travel/36-hours-in-madrid.html?_r=0
http://www.telemadrid.es/programas/madrid-desde-el-aire/madrid-desde-el-aire- madrid-villa-y-metropolis
