Organised by Department of English: Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Sfax - GRAD Research Unit: Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Sfax - Higher Institute of Languages, Gabes

The theme and focus of this international conference is Hispana. The conference is trans-cultural and inter-disciplinary in approach and strives for a more comprehensive study, documentation and narrative of the encounter between Hispanics and the U.S and the underpinnings of these complex inter and trans-cultural negotiations, dialogues and passages within the U.S context.

Chicanos often question who they are, where they are going, the impact of U.S encroachment on the traditional Hispanic society, and the history that had produced them. They try to seek ways of relating indigenous “mitos” (myths) to their reality to investigate the roots of Chicano culture in order to rediscover their long forgotten cultural heritage. The questions are usually stated in binary terms: Us versus Them; and ethnic resistance conflict and violence are often the result. (“The Zoot Suit Riots” in Los Angeles and the farm workers’ strike in California led by Cesar Chavez are but two examples).

Even though Latinos/ latinas are the fastest-growing ethnicity in the U.S and comprise the second largest group after African-Americans, they are under-represented and this accounts for the Chicano search for identity and the struggle for cultural survival, mainly for those growing up in the Southwest. The multiple connotations of colour as well as the historical adumbrations of class and cultural membership within the economic structure and dominant culture of the U.S are crucial...