World Literature Studies 2/2027: Reading Medieval and Early Modern European Literature Emotionally
In recent years, the role of emotions in medieval and early modern European literary cultures (up to the mid-18th century) has attracted growing interest among scholars, particularly in Anglophone and Francophone contexts. The research has focused on both literary depictions of emotion (i.e., the inner worlds of characters) and the emotional impact of literature on contemporary audiences. The latter area is inextricably linked to the collective and oral reception of literature, which dominated in Europe throughout the Middle Ages and persisted in rhetorical and folkloric genres long afterwards. In contrast, the potential of medieval and early modern literature to resonate with modern audiences (post-19th century) has received far less attention. The issue aims to further these reflections by examining the various forms of emotional communication between modern readers and literature from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment in different European countries (France, Great Britain, German-speaking regions, Spain, Italy, the Czech lands, Romania, etc.).
Deadline for abstracts: May 15, 2026
Call for Papers

World Literature Studies 3/2027: Authorship in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
From antiquity to the present day, the concept of authorship has taken many forms in European history, carried various meanings, and often represented an important reference point for understanding literature. As a theoretical framework with its implications and consequences, it has long been investigated by several different disciplines and approaches, emphasizing literary, historical, sociological, or legal contexts. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed, and continues to change, a large number of human activities, including the field of literature. AI is becoming an important link in the literary process at all stages. It naturally asserts itself at the stage of creating literary texts, whether it generates texts based on human instructions or serves as an assistant to the human. This new situation naturally calls for a new theoretical reflection on authorship and a reconsideration of some basic concepts.
Deadline for abstracts: June 30, 2026
Call for Papers