From the "Proust Effect" to music's
"reminiscence bump", the senses can evoke strong memories and convey
complex details of an event. Each sense is encoded in the brain in its own
particular way and registers unique characteristics of a moment. Likewise, the
senses in tandem can build relations that resonate the multisensory qualities of
an event. We are looking for papers that explore the link between the senses
and memory in various forms of media and texts. The proposals should interact
with Sensory Studies (Smell, Sound, Taste, Touch, and Sight) in some way or be
works that consider the intersection of the senses (synesthesia, etc). With the
current growth in Sensory Studies and Sensory History, it is vital that the
54th edition of NEMLA consider resilience as it is linked to sensory memories.
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a sensory revolution that pushes us to
reconsider the role that the senses play in society. This panel will provide an
intellectual space for stimulating conversations about the sensorium and all
those interested in questions of perception. We will consider questions
such as: What can the senses reveal to us about memory? How is sensory memory
different from other forms of memory? What is unique or particular about one
specific sense's ability to trigger memories of the past? How do the senses
work together to gather information about an event?