Shapes of Shame in Literature: International Conference

Shapes of Shame in Literature: International Conference • UNG


University of Nova Gorica, Research Centre for Humanities, Nova Gorica, Slovenia, 15–16 June 2026
Call for participants
Shame is a deeply social and moral emotion, arising when individuals perceive themselves as failing to meet the expectations of others or internalized societal norms. It manifests through physiological responses, behaviors, and metaphoric expressions, often operating below the threshold of explicit language. In literature, shame functions both as a thematic and structural force, shaping characters, plots, and the emotional charge of texts.
We cordially invitejunior and senior researchersfrom literary studies and related disciplines to participate in the international conference "Shapes of Shame in Literature," which will take place inNova Gorica, Slovenia, on 15–16 June 2026. The event is part of the research project Shapes of Shame in Slovene Literature (J6-60113), funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS). The project is focused on the poetics and politics of shame in literature, through close, computational and other readings.
We welcome contributions exploring how shame operates in literary texts – whether through motifs of humiliation, the representation of marginalized identities, intersections with class, gender, ethnicity, disability, queerness, or bodily otherness, or via literary techniques such as narrative voice, metaphor, and embodiment.