The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States

The Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS) is a scholarly society first established in 1974. Together with the University of Connecticut, The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States publishes a non-profit journal quarterly titled Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (also known as MELUS) . The aim of the journal and the Society is "to expand the definition of American literature through the study and teaching of Latino American, Native American, African American, Asian and Pacific American, and ethnically specific Euro-American literary works, their authors, and their cultural contexts."^[1]

Founding

The society was formed in response to the continued practice at the MLA annual conference's American Literature section of discussing only works by white men. The society was founded at the following year's conference, and within a few months had almost 100 members. At the conference the following year (1974), society members formally proclaimed their demand, "We must expand the canon of American literature!" In the early years, the society was relegated to the Foreign Languages division of the conference, because they refused to accept that American literature can only refer to English-language works. At this time, the society's goals included the recovery of lost works by minority authors, the compilation of bibliographies of minority literature, and the enlisting of the aid of ethnic studies scholars in all fields, as well as publishing book reviews, connecting scholars, and printing abstracts on ethnic studies dissertations.^[2]

Present

The Society participates "in the conventions of such scholarly organizations as the Modern Language Association and its Regionals, College English Association, National Women's Studies Association, American Studies Association, American Literature Association, and Popular Culture Association".^[1] The society is currently led by its president Wenying Xu of Florida Atlantic University. ^[3]

Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States
Discipline	Literature, Ethnic studies
Edited by	Martha J. Cutter
Publication details
Publisher	The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (United States)
Publication history	1974 - present
Frequency	quarterly
Indexing
ISSN	0163755X
LCCN	2002-227149
OCLC number	50709793
Links
Journal homepage JSTOR

Journal

The journal was first run by founding editor Katherine D Newman, who was succeeded by Joseph T Skerrett, Jr., then by Veronica Makowsky, and, most recently, by Martha J. Cutter.^[4] MELUS is considered one of the premier journals in multicultural literary studies and is included in the JSTOR^[5] and MLA databases. The journal has become a valuable resource for scholars, teachers, and students interested in African American, Asian and Pacific American, Native American, Arab American, Caribbean, and ethnically-specific European American works. It features scholarship and interviews with luminaries in the field as well as articles on multi-ethnic film, history, and culture and on newly emerging art forms, such as graphic narrative and internet blogs. The articles, interviews and reviews encompass the multi-ethnic scope of American literature past and present. Most issues are thematically organized for greater understanding of topics, criticism and theory in the total picture of American literature MELUS hopes to present. The journal is published for members and subscribing institutions; a non-profit publication, the journal is supported by dues of Society members, library subscriptions, funds from Patrons, and by the University of Connecticut.

Notable contributors

Some of the most notable authors that have published in the journal are:

• Annette Kolodny- Professor at the University of Arizona^[6]
• Joseph Skerrett- Noted critic of African-American literature^[7]

Notable interviews

The journal has also published interviews with authors and essayists of note, including:

• Maxine Hong Kingston- Chinese-American novelist^[8]
• Charles Johnson- African-American novelist^[9]
• Gilbert Hernandez- Author of the comic strip Love and Rockets^[10]
• Sherman Alexie- Novelist^[11]
• Richard Rodriguez- Mexican-American essayist^[12]
• Cynthia Kadohata- Japanese American novelist^[13]
• Gloria Naylor-African American novelist and educator^[14]
• Edward Said- Palestinian-American literary theorist and advocate for Palestinian rights ^[15]
• Gloria Anzaldua- Leading scholar of Chicano cultural theory and queer theory^[16]
• Piri Thomas- Writer and poet^[17]
• Chaim Potok- American Jewish author and rabbi^[18]

Annual Conference

Since 1987, The Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States has sponsored themed conferences in various locations around the United States. In 2010, the conference was held in Scranton, Pennsylvania with a theme of "Ethnic Transformations in the Self and the City," and in 2011 the conference met for the 25th year in Boca Raton, Florida with a theme of "Ethnic Canons in Global Contexts." These conferences feature "panels, workshops and round tables on all aspects of the multi-ethnic literaturesof the United States." ^{[19] [20]} The next conference is to be held in Santa Clara, California. ^[21]

See also

Literature portal

• List of African American writers
• List of Arab American writers
• List of Asian American writers
• List of Cuban American writers
• List of Italian Americans
• List of Jewish American authors
• List of Mexican American writers
• List of Native American writers
• List of Puerto Rican writers
• PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
• PEN/Open Book program (a.k.a. the Beyond Margins Award)
• Before Columbus Foundation

References

1. ^ ^{a b} University of Connecticut's MELUS Journal webpage
2. ^ The information in this paragraph comes from Katharine Newman, "MELUS Invented: The Rest Is History," MELUS 16.4, Toward the Multiculture. (Winter, 1989 - Winter, 1990), pp. 99-113.
3. ^ This information comes from the societies website MELUS
4. ^ This information comes from MELUS 35.4, Special Issue: The Bodies of Black Folk
5. ^ JSTOR
6. ^ 'MELUS'; Summer 2009, vol. 34 Issue 2, p81-101
7. ^ 'MELUS'; Fall/Winter 2004, vol. 29 Issue 3/4, p536-539
8. ^ “Reading Back, Looking Forward: A Retrospective Interview with Maxine Hong Kingston.” By: Geok-lin Lim, Shirley. MELUS, Spring2008, Vol. 33 Issue 1, p157-170, 14p
9. ^ “From Narrow Complaint to Broad Celebration: A Conversation with Charles Johnson.” By: Ghosh, Nibir K.. MELUS, Fall/Winter2004, Vol. 29 Issue 3/4, p359-378, 20p
10. ^ “Palomar and Beyond: An Interview with Gilbert Hernandez.” By: Royal, Derek Parker. MELUS, Fall2007, Vol. 32 Issue 3, p221-246, 26p, 3 Cartoon or Caricatures
11. ^ “A World of Story-Smoke: A Conversation with Sherman Alexie.” Nygren, Åse. MELUS, Winter2005, Vol. 30 Issue 4, p149-169, 21p
12. ^ ""I don't think I exist": Interview with Richard Rodriguez." By: Torres, Hector A.. MELUS, Summer2003, Vol. 28 Issue 2, p164-202, 39p, 4 Black and White Photographs
13. ^ ““Interview with Cynthia Kadohata.” Hsiu-chuan Lee. MELUS, Summer2007, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p165-186, 22p
14. ^ “Gloria Naylor on Black Spirituality: An Interview.” Ashford, Tomeiko R.. MELUS, Winter2005, Vol. 30 Issue 4, p73-87, 15p
15. ^ “Interviews with Edward Said.” Dhar, Tej N.. MELUS, Spring2006, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p165-168, 4p
16. ^ “Coming Into Play: An Interview with Gloria Anzaldua.” By: Reuman, Ann E.. MELUS, Summer2000, Vol. 25 Issue 2, p3, 43p
17. ^ “Piri Thomas: An Interview.” By: Greenberg, Dorothee von Huene. MELUS, Fall2001, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p71, 29p
18. ^ “A MELUS Interview: Chaim Potok.” By: Chavkin, Laura. MELUS, Summer99, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p147, 11p
19. ^ This information comes from MELUS 35.4, Special Issue: The Bodies of Black Folk.
20. ^ Information in this paragraph comes from MELUS 35.1, Transgressing the Borders of "America"
21. ^ This information comes from the society homepage MELUS

External links

• MELUS Homepage
• MELUS Journal Homepage
• MELUS NewsNotes Blog