The British Comparative Literature Association (BCLA)
International Conference:
Comparative Literature and Decoloniality
This conference, sponsored by the British Academy, will bring together scholars, writers and thinkers from around the world to explore the intersections of literary studies and decolonial thought. The event aims to investigate how literature can serve as a site for decolonial resistance and reimagining identities in a post-colonial world. Participants can expect a rich programme of keynote lectures, panel discussions and workshops that foster critical dialogue and innovative perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within comparative literature today.
“Comparative Literature and Decoloniality” is supported by St John’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford Comparative Criticism and Translation, and organised in collaboration with the British Comparative Literature Association as a central event in the BCLA@50 celebrations, in the year of the BCLA’s 50th anniversary.
The conference will be held at St John’s College, Oxford, OX1 3PP, 11 – 12 September 2025. Attendance is free, but prior booking will be required. For full information concerning convenors, speakers and contact details, please follow the link below.
The British Comparative Literature Association (BCLA)
Culture & Quarantine
The British Comparative Literature Association, in the light of the unprecedented changes that the world is undergoing, and affirming that the discipline of comparative literature is predicated on the breaking down of the borders between literatures and cultures, invites reflections and engagement with what it is to live in the age of confinement.
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BCLA Support
BCLA Membership
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Events
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Prizes & Awards
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Resources
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Post Graduates
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Join the BCLA
Become a member today
The BCLA welcomes applications for membership from UK and international scholars, researchers, authors and lecturers working in the field of comparative literature and related fields such as translation, creative writing and poetry.
BCLA History
The BCLA has a distinguished history: founded in 1975, it was created through the leadership and collaboration of Britain’s preeminent intellectuals in the field of Comparative Literature.
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MEMBERS’ PUBLICATIONS
With the aim of fostering dialogue and collaboration between comparatists, we invite the contribution of information about recent publications authored by BCLA members.
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Malcolm Bowie
The Malcolm Bowie Memorial Lecture is held every two years in honour of Malcolm Bowie, president of the BCLA from 1998 to 2004.
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John Dryden Translation Competition
The BCLA maintains its close links with the field of Translation Studies through the annual John Dryden Translation Competition: members have one free entry.
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Comparative Critical Studies
Comparative Critical Studies, the BCLA’s journal, is published in three issues a year by Edinburgh University Press. Full members receive each issue free.
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Studies in Comparative Literature
The BCLA collaborates with the publisher Legenda in the book series Studies in Comparative Literature (SICL). Fifty-eight titles have been published.
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Become A Member
The British Comparative Literature Association (BCLA)
Comparatively Speaking
The BCLA is proud to announce the new release of a series of interviews, entitled “Comparatively Speaking,” which delves into the exciting new research being undertaken by early career comparatists. These interviews, carried out by the BCLA Early Career Representatives themselves, aim to light on emerging trends and direction in the field of Comparative Literature, and promote the ground-breaking work by scholars who cross disciplinary boundaries. The project also aims to build an inclusive and supportive community of researchers who share their thoughts, insights and experiences with each other.
Latest News
Call for contributions, BCLA Postgraduate Seminar Series: Emerging Voices in Comparative Literature 2025
9th July 2025
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The British Comparative Literature Association has a vibrant postgraduate community with members from across the UK and abroad. The Postgraduate Representatives organise dedicated events on …
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The BCLA Arthur Terry Postgraduate Essay Prize open for submissions (deadline 31 July 2025)
9th July 2025
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The BCLA is delighted to relaunch the Arthur Terry Essay Prize as part of the BCLA@50 celebrations. The prize, awarded by the British Comparative Literature …
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The BCLA Glyn Hambrook Postgraduate Research Award
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The Glyn Hambrook Postgraduate Research Award was established by the BCLA in 2020 to offer support to postgraduates affected by the COVID pandemic, and is now …
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Keynote speaker: Dr Aristoteles Barcelos Neto, University of East Anglia This conference will examine how colonial and neocolonial powers have influenced representations of non-Western countries …
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Winners of the 2023-24 John Dryden Translation Competition
2nd October 2024
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Please find below the results of the 2024 competition. Many thanks to everyone who entered. The John Dryden Translation Competition is sponsored by the British …
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Inaugural BCLA First Book Prize 2025
6th July 2023
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The BCLA launched the First Book Prize in 2023, with a deadline of 1 January 2024, and the prize to be awarded in 2025. The …
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