International Society for the Empirical Study of Literature and Media is aimed at the advancement of empirical literary research through international and interdisciplinary cooperation. The principal duties of the Society are to support scientific projects through information and cooperation, to further personal contact in all areas of research supported by the Society, to support students and junior researchers in the field of empirical literary research, to press for the application of empirical results, and to organize international conferences.
IGEL was founded in 1987. Since then, biennial conferences have been held, alternating between Europe and North America. For a list of these conferences and their Presidents, see Past Conferences. In 2010 IGEL became a registered society; it is registered as a Foundation in the Netherlands.
News and Announcements
The 2012 IGEL Conference will be held at the Westin Hotel in Montreal. The conference will begin Saturday evening (July 7) and run through Tuesday evening (July 10).
The 2012 IGEL Summer Institute will occur during the day on Saturday (July 7), just prior to the conference. The goal of the Summer Institute is to support the development of selected research areas by facilitating contact and collaboration among early career and experienced researchers with common interests.