International Federation for Modern Languages and Literatures

FILLM was founded in Oslo in 1928 as the Commission Internationale d’Histoire Littéraire Moderne. In 1951 it was subsumed under the Conseil International de la Philosophie et des Sciences Humaines (CIPSH), which is a Non-governmental organization under UNESCO.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/about.html|title=FILLM {{!}} About|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154115/http://www.fillm.org/about.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite book|title=The Europa World Yearbook|publisher=Europa Publications, Taylor and Francis Group|year=2003|isbn=1-85743-175-8|volume=1|location=London and New York|pages=375}}

In connection with FILLM's 6th Congress in Oxford, UK in 1954, the Association Internationale de Littérature Comparée (AILC) was founded.{{Cite book|title=Comparative Literature: Sharing Knowledges for Preserving Cultural Diversity|publisher=Eolss Publishers Co, Ltd.|year=2009|isbn=978-1-84826-845-6|editor-last=Block de Behar|editor-first=Lisa|volume=3|location=Oxford, United Kingdom|pages=3|editor-last2=Mildonian|editor-first2=Paola|editor-last3=Dijan|editor-first3=Jean-Michel|editor-last4=Kadir|editor-first4=Djelal|editor-last5=Knauth|editor-first5=Alfons|editor-last6=Romero Lopez|editor-first6=Dolores|editor-last7=Seligmann Silva|editor-first7=Marcio}}{{Cite journal|last=Gillespie|first=Gerald|date=2003|title=The International Comparative Literature Association (AILC/ICLA)|journal=Diogenes|volume=50|issue=2|page=117|doi=10.1177/039219210305000211}}

During the last decades of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, FILLM experienced a period of questioning that reflected tensions in the humanistic studies, especially those addressing international issues. In 2003, David A. Wells edited an issue of Diogenes with “a view to introducing and explaining the history, purpose, and function of […] international learned societies”, specifically FILLM itself and its member associations.{{Cite journal|last=Wells|first=David A.|date=2003|title=Editorial Preface to Presentations by the Member Associations of the International Federation for Modern Languages and Literatures|journal=Diogenes|volume=50|issue=2|page=91|doi=10.1177/0392192103050002010|doi-access=free}} The idea behind the issue had taken form during the 21st International FILLM Congress in Harare, Zimbabwe (1999) and, according to Wells, it was essentially a response to a more widespread crisis among larger academic organizations (in particular those concerned with languages and literature).{{Cite journal|last=Wells|first=David A.|date=2003|title=Editorial Preface to Presentations by the Member Associations of the International Federation for Modern Languages and Literatures|journal=Diogenes|volume=50|issue=2|page=92|doi=10.1177/0392192103050002010|doi-access=free}}

Wells notes that whereas academic organizations such as FILLM had experienced a period of rapid growth and success during the 1950s and 1960s by the end of the 20th century their existence was “often questioned even by professional academics working within the discipline, and their very existence [was] largely unknown outside it, even to educated persons.” Wells provides a number of explanations for this change, ranging from increased specialization within the fields and a lack of financial support from governments to the organizations’ inability to create a useful function for themselves. The issue of Diogenes was intended to create a greater awareness of the role and function of FILLM and its member associations.

FILLM is managed by a Committee which is most often elected in connection with the federation's triennial Congresses. The Committee consists of a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a Communications Officer, a Secretary-General and up to seven Assistant Secretaries-General. In addition, each of FILLM's member associations is required to have a representative on the Committee.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/about/constitution.html|title=FILLM {{!}} Constitution|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154136/http://www.fillm.org/about/constitution.html|url-status=dead}}

Former officers include: Roger D. Sell (President),{{Cite web|url=http://www.abo.fi/public/News/Item/item/4796|title=Åbo Akademi|website=www.abo.fi|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005205642/https://www.abo.fi/public/News/Item/item/4796|url-status=dead}} Nils-Erik Enqvist (President),Enkvist, Nils Erik. 2001. "Reminiscences of a Multilingual Life: A Personal Case History". In Reflections on Multiliterate Lives. Diane Belcher and Ulla Conner (eds).Clevedon, Buffalo, Toronto, Sydney: Multilingual Matters Ltd.: 51-59. Eva Kushner (President),{{Cite journal|last=Beeler|first=Karin|last2=Shewchuk|first2=Sarah|date=2011|title=State of the Discipline Comparative Literature in Canada|url=http://inquire.streetmag.org/articles/29|journal=Bold Inquiry: New Directions in Comparative Literature|volume=1|issue=1|access-date=27 June 2016}} Anders Pettersson (Secretary-General){{Cite book|title=True Lies Worldwide. Fictionality in Global Contexts.|publisher=De Gruyter|year=2014|isbn=978-3-11-030312-4|editor-last=Cullhed|editor-first=Anders|location=Berlin and Boston|pages=329|editor-last2=Lena|editor-first2=Rydholm}} and Rosemary Ross Johnston (Assistant Secretary-General).{{Cite book|title=Children's Literature as Communication|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company|year=2002|isbn=90 272 2642 3|editor-last=Sell|editor-first=Roger D.|location=Amsterdam and Philadelphia|pages=x}}

FILLM does not have individual members. Its members are instead other international academic associations. In 2003, the Europa World Yearbook (2003) recorded FILLM to have nineteen member associations while the special issue of Diogenes edited by David A. Wells included contributions from eighteen associations.

As of 17 September 2016, the following associations are recorded as members of FILLM:

• Association for Commonwealth Language and Literature Studies (ACLALS){{Cite web|url=http://www.aclals.ulg.ac.be/news.html|title=ACLALS: Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies|website=www.aclals.ulg.ac.be|access-date=2016-06-27}}
• Association Internationale de Littérature Comparée (AILC){{Cite web|url=http://www.ailc-icla.org/site/?page_id=20|title=Statutes – International Comparative Literature Association – Association internationale de littérature comparée|website=www.ailc-icla.org|access-date=2016-06-27}}
• Associazione internazionale per gli studi di lingua e letterature italiane (AISLLI){{Cite web|url=http://www.sas.upenn.edu/italians/aislli|title=Associazione Internazionale per gli Studi di Lingua e Letteratura Italiane (AISLLI) {{!}} Italian Studies|website=www.sas.upenn.edu|access-date=2016-06-27}}
• Asociación de Lingüística y Filología de América Latina (ALFAL){{Cite web|url=http://www.mundoalfal.org/|title=. {{!}} Asociación de Linguística y Filología de América Latina|website=www.mundoalfal.org|access-date=2016-06-27}}
• Association for Rhetoric and Communication in Southern Africa (ARCSA)
• Australasian Universities Language and Literature Association (AULLA){{Cite web|url=http://aulla.com.au/about/|title=About {{!}} AULLA|website=aulla.com.au|access-date=2016-06-27}}
• The European Society for the Study of English (ESSE){{Cite web|url=http://essenglish.org/what-we-do/|title=What we do – ESSE|website=essenglish.org|access-date=2016-06-27}}
• The Global Rhetoric Society (GRS){{Cite web|url=http://www.worldrhetoric.com/dynWeb.asp?dataID=2|title=全球修辞学会-全球修辞学|website=www.worldrhetoric.com|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001151101/http://www.worldrhetoric.com/dynWeb.asp?dataID=2|url-status=dead}}
• International Association for Dialogue Analysis (IADA)
• International Association for Scandinavian Studies (IASS)
• International Association of University Professors of English (IAUPE){{Cite web|url=http://www.iaupe.net/history-and-constitution/history-officers/|title=History & Officers {{!}} IAUPE|website=www.iaupe.net|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005205817/https://iaupe.net/history-and-constitution/history-officers/|url-status=dead}}
• International Association for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA){{Cite web|url=http://www.africaisola.org/isola-s-partnerships-les-partenaires-d-isola/|title=International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa-ISOLA - ISOLA's partnerships/ Les partenaires d'ISOLA|website=www.africaisola.org|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005204423/https://africaisola.org/isola-s-partnerships-les-partenaires-d-isola/|url-status=dead}}
• The Finnish Literary Research Society (KTS){{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/news/2017/welcomeKTS.html|title=FILLM {{!}} News|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2017-05-03|archive-date=2023-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001151531/http://www.fillm.org/news/2017/welcomeKTS.html|url-status=dead}}
• The Modern Language Association (MLA){{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/news/2016/welcomeMLA.html|title=FILLM {{!}} News|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-09-17|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154404/http://www.fillm.org/news/2016/welcomeMLA.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mla.org/About-Us/Governance/Organizational-Memberships|title=Organizational Memberships|website=Modern Language Association|access-date=2016-09-19}}
• West African Modern Languages Association (WAMLA)

FILLM's main activity is the organization of its Triennial International Congresses.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/events/fillm/congresses.html|title=FILLM {{!}} Congresses|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154501/http://www.fillm.org/events/fillm/congresses.html|url-status=dead}}

With some exceptions, FILLM's Triennial Congresses have been followed by the publication of a volume of Congress proceedings.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/publications/proceedings.html|title=FILLM {{!}} Congress Proceedings|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154528/http://www.fillm.org/publications/proceedings.html|url-status=dead}}

Beyond these, the federation have been responsible for a few special publications, for example the special issue of Diogenes discussed above.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/publications/others.html|title=FILLM {{!}} Others|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-06-28|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154602/http://www.fillm.org/publications/others.html|url-status=dead}}

FILLM publishes a book series entitled FILLM Studies in Modern Languages and Literatures in collaboration with John Benjamins Publishing.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fillm.org/publications/bookseries.html|title=FILLM {{!}} Book Series|website=www.fillm.org|access-date=2016-06-27|archive-date=2023-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020154623/http://www.fillm.org/publications/bookseries.html|url-status=dead}} The book series is a direct response to twentieth-century professionalization and specialization which, despite its advantages, have "tended to divide scholars into many separate and often smallish groupings between which communication could be rather sporadic". The book series has been created "in the hope of fostering a truly international community of scholars within which a rich diversity of interests would be upheld by a common sense of human relevance". It aims to do so by publishing books which:

"[...] deal with languages and literatures world-wide, and are written in jargon-light English that will be immediately understandable and attractive to any likely reader. Every book presents original findings [...] which will be of prime interest to those who are experts in its particular field of discussion, but also seeks to engage readers whose concerns have hitherto lain elsewhere."

• Wells, David A. 2003. “Editorial Preface to Presentations by the Member Associations of the International Federation for Modern Languages and Literatures”. Diogenes 50 (2): 91-94.

• [http://www.fillm.org/ Official website]

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Category:Organizations established in 1928

Category:Learned societies of Norway

Category:International learned societies based in Europe

Category:Literary criticism organizations