Conference: Literary Scandals as Forms of Cultural Transgression

09.-10.11.2023, 9-18 Uhr

Literary scandals possess the profound ability to impact and challenge mindsets, leaving an indelible mark on literature, cultural consciousness, and societal progression. Such scandals have the potential to disrupt the status quo, unveil societal taboos, and ignite critical conversations. By pushing the boundaries of acceptability and confronting deeply ingrained norms, they compel readers and scholars to reevaluate established notions of morality, identity, and artistic expression. Literary scandals can jolt individuals out of complacency, forcing them to confront uncomfortable truths and question long-held beliefs. Through their disruptive nature, scandals serve as catalysts for introspection, provoking intense intellectual engagement and prompting the exploration of complex ethical and social dilemmas within and beyond the literary realm.

We use a rather wide definition of the term 'scandal' that enables us to include shocking excesses of, say, pedophilia, violence, or misogyny (as in Lolita or American Psycho) but also literary works such as The Satanic Verses (which was a religious scandal for some), Fifty Shades of Grey (which is read by many women to navigate their relationships in the twenty-first century) or Gender Queer (a coming-of-age-memoir of a non-binary person which is banned in many states in the US).