Etudes Lawrenciennes, a French journal devoted to the English writer D.H.Lawrence (1885-1930), first appeared in 1986. It offers articles on the different aspects of this prolific author's production : novels, short stories, poetry, travel books, plays, essays and painting, and on the historical, artistic, and literary context of his work.

The words 'power' and 'law' would suggest a specific focus. The latter term for Lawrence scholars immediately evokes Study of Thomas Hardy : Old Law - New Law - Natural Law - the Law of the body - the Law found strongest in woman, etc.On a different level, the term evokes the confrontation between creative output and state repression. It therefore encompasses issues of censorship and the artist's struggle with attacks on artistic expression by the apparatus of the Establishment.'Power' may give rise to micro-explorations within a context of domination, man over man, woman over woman, or man over woman. The Nietzschean ramifications of power may lead to an examination of the nature of charisma, the figureheads of 'natural aristocracy'. Within the macro-context, we may also consider the clash of civilisations.The term 'creativity' is perhaps one of greater scope especially for those of us obsessed with the creative act itself and the way in which Lawrence constructs his imaginative space.We would hope therefore that, whilst the terms employed may suggest a focus, the theme of next year's conference will be understood as an attempt to offer a wide context to embrace the multiple facets of Lawrentian scholarship.