Submissions for volumes 5 and 6 are welcomed. The theme is laughter and crying in the context of transfer, translation and reception processes. We encourage discussions in the following thematic areas:
The space of crying and laughter and its role in culture (Polish and German-speaking culture)
Transfer of laughter between cultures (Polish, German, Austrian and Swiss culture)
Is laughter / crying a global concept? Are there cultural boundaries for laughter?
Different forms of laughter (comedy, sarcasm, irony, wit, sense of humour) in a comparative perspective
Traces of tearful laughter - ways to translate
Does laughter go beyond the sex? Does laughter connect or divide? The liberating and destructive power of laughter
Laughter and crying between generations - different and identical expressions of laughter and crying
The meanings of joyful, triumphant, sardonic, derisive, scornful, transgressive, hysterical, crazy, threatening and suppressed laughter
Does laughter go with wisdom? The space of laughter and its role in culture (Polish and German-speaking culture)
Tears as a sign of the moral value of the weeping person or devaluation of tears in contemporary culture
Does crying in literature still remain a medium of non-verbal communication?
Have the meanings given to tears - a diachronic perspective - changed?
The affective function of tears
Different types of crying in a comparative perspective
Traces of tears and how to translate them
Is crying limited to women? Does crying connect or divide?
The liberating and destructive power of crying
The importance of hysterical, suppressed crying etc.
Language of publication: Polish, English and German
Deadline for submission: Volume 5 - 30 April 2020; Volume 6 - 30 November 2020.