Adam Winkel (High Point University)
awin@****.com (Log-in to reveal)

This panel explores the rich tradition of literary representations of sport created by authors from throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Panelists will analyze and interpret sport as it appears in a variety of genres and from a variety of time periods and national origins. Special attention will be placed on sport and literature as cultural phenomena that can work together to reflect and inform their social contexts.

As a cultural phenomenon, sport commands worldwide attention from fans, clubs, governments, corporations, and the media. Global events such as the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, Formula 1, and Wimbledon are able to unite worldwide audiences while simultaneously connecting to local identities. Every sporting event, no matter the level, contains its own narrative, which makes the athletic experience a compelling artistic subject. Still, authors must contend with the difficulties of transforming athletic movement and the experience of athletes, clubs, and fans into the written word.

For over forty years, scholars have explored the links between sport and literature in aesthetic, mimetic, and poetic terms, yet, at least in the North American academy, Hispanic sport literature remains underrepresented and under-analyzed. This panel explores the rich tradition of literary representations of sport created by authors from throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Panelists are invited to propose papers on any genre of sport literature (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, or film), in the hopes of illustrating the current state of the sub-discipline of sport literature. Inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to the study of sport literature will also be considered. The panel is open to papers on all sports, time periods, and countries of origin, but must have some connection to Hispanic literature.

Please send an abstract in English or in Spanish (max. 250 words) and a short bio (max. 100 words) to Adam Winkel at awinkel@highpoint.edu by September 1, 2025.