The newsletter of the ialjs LITERARY JOURNALISM
VOL 12 NO 1 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR LITERARY JOURNALISM STUDIES WINTER 2018
MEMBERSHIP REPORT Working Towards the Future pages three of the journal. Today, how- As of December 2017, we are happy to be able ever, I would like to take the opportunity to report that the association currently has 156 2017 Endevours and Beyond. to thank our latest recruit and Literary paid-in-full members. Please note: For all Journalism Studies Associate Editor, Marcia members, the 2018 IALJS membership fees By Isabel Soares, Prior-Miller. are due by 1 January 2018. See “Membership Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal) he first time Payments” at
PRESIDENT’S LETTER Continued from previous page for which we constantly strive, the work every sentence and would like to add the lee Nelson, our SSC Co-Chairs, are now of Marcia Prior-Miller is added value to contribution of Christina Prevette, Marcia’s joined by (alphabetically) Kevin Lerner Literary Journalism Studies. As Bill Reynolds editorial assistant, in helping make Literary (US), Jennifer Martin (Australia), Mônica puts it and I am quoting with his permis- Journalism Studies a reference in our field Martinez (Brazil), Kate McQueen (US), Jan sion: “I have been working with Marcia of study. Miklas-Frankowski (Poland), Jeffrey Neely for only a year but I think I can rightly say conference and a journal do not (US), Holly Schreiber (US) and Pascal Sigg that her hard work and dedication has materialize on their own without (Switzerland) whom we welcome and already improved LJS. I certainly think she the dedication of an extended team thank for taking on more formal capacities has the capacity to make junior scholars A(the back stagers that give IALJS the TLC it within our association. better scholars and more accurate writers, needs to flourish). A few months ago I told Having come here to give you the period. But this ability probably applies you about our plans to set up a Strategic latest updates, let me rush backstage again to all scholars, both junior and senior. As Service Committee (you may rightly note and do my bit for our common cause. To for working with Marcia, she is both the SSC is an abbreviation making its way all the talented, multi-taskers that make consummate professional and the warm, to our IALJS lingo). We are very happy things happen for IALJS: Thank you!/ collegial colleague.” I subscribe to Bill’s to announce that Mitzi Lewis and Ash- Obrigada! t
OUR IALJS-13 HOST WILL BE THE AUSTRIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Located in Vienna, the Academy promotes research in the natural sciences and humanities. By Megan Ballew, Northwestern University (U.S.A.)
he up- learning, like that of Britain and France. outside of universities in Austria, helping coming The Academy then began research in both to promote and propel research in both the IALJS the natural sciences and humanities and sciences and the humanities throughout Tconference will became the Austrian Academy of Sciences the country. Finally, the Academy educates be hosted by in 1921 after the First Republic of Austria those interested through events and lecture the Austrian was founded. series, also promoting science in the youth Academy through awards and scholarships. of Sciences ______The Austrian Academy of Scienc- (Österreichische es governs many research institutions, Akademie der The Academy helps to some of the most exciting being the Wissenschaften) Vienna Institute of Demography, the Gre- in Vienna, promote and propel research gor Mendel Institute, and the Institute for HOME OF Austria. What both in the Comparative Media and Communication is today the Studies. LEARNING Austrian sciences and the humanities The Vienna Institute of Demog- Academy of throughout Austria raphy works to analyze and predict Sciences was demographic trends and look at the established in consequences of population changes on 1847 as the Imperial Academy of Sciences ______both society and the economy. The Gregor after Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz suggested Mendel Institute helps to promote research an academy for research (scientific and oday, the Austrian Academy of in molecular plant biology, of which Gre- otherwise) and promotion of scientific Sciences has two branches—one for gor Mendel was a pioneer. The Institute mathematics and natural sciences for Comparative Media and Communica- Tand the other for humanities and social tion Studies “investigates the connection sciences—just like its first iteration. between media change and the changing Literary Journalism Winter 2018 Vol 12 No 1 The Academy has three func- forms of political communication and the Editors: Ashlee Nelson and David Abrahamson tions. The first is as a scholarly society public opinion formation” as their mission ISSN 1941-1030 (print) with 100 elected full members and statement says. ISSN 1941-1049 (on-line) 250 corresponding members who are © 2018 The Newsletter of the International Association appointed. Secondly, the Academy funds for Literary Journalism Studies. All rights reserved. and works with 28 research institutions Continued on next page
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IALJS-13 Continued from previous page
of the Academy’s published scientific jour- ly launched the “Refugee Support, Refugee s the Academy works to promote nals, going along well with the Academy’s Research” initiative to help refugees in scientific learning as well as scien- Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Austria who are academics or scientific tific research, it publishes several Research, which focuses on montology. researchers integrate into the Austrian Apublications and scientific journals, one be- Some exciting initiatives by the research community. Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum ing the OeAW (abbreviated this way due to bviously, the Austrian Academy Latinorum , which Latin works by Christian its Austrian name) include promoting of Sciences is more than just the authors of the Late Antiquity period. Eco. women in the Academy and in the field of pretty building in the beautiful city n mont—Journal on Protected Mountai research in general. The OeAW also recent- Oof Vienna. This society has a long tradition Areas Research and Management is another of promoting all types of research through- IALJS-13 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SUMMARY out Austria, and with its progressive and exciting new initiatives, it will be a great host university for the upcoming year’s Wednesday, 16 May 2018 IALJS conference. t
Session 0 16.00 – 18.00 Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, 17 May 2018
Sign in 8.00 – 9.00 Pick up conference materials Session 1 9.00 – 9.15 Welcome and Introduction Session 2 9.15 – 10.45 Work-in-Progress Session I Session 3 11.00 – 12.00 Keynote Speech Lunch 12.00 – 13.15 Session 4 13.15 – 14.45 Research Paper Session I Session 5 15.00 – 16.30 Work-in-Progress Sessions II and III Session 6 16.45 – 18.15 Panel I (Conference Host’s Panel) Session 7 18.30 – 20.00 Conference Reception
Friday, 18 May 2018
Session 8 9.00 – 10.30 Work-in-Progress Session IV and V Session 9 10.45 – 12.15 Panel II (President’s Panel) Lunch 12.15 – 13.30 Session 10 12.15 – 13.30 Working Lunch: LJS Staff Meeting Session 11 13.30 – 15.00 Research Paper Session II Session 12 15.15 – 16.45 Panels III and IV Session 13 17.00 – 18.00 President’s Address & Annual Business Meeting Session 14 19.00 – 21.00 Conference Banquet (per reservation)
Saturday, 19 May 2018
Session 15 9.00 – 10.30 Work-in-Progress Session VI and Panel V Session 16 10.45 – 12.15 Panels VI and VII Session 17 12.30 – 13.00 Closing Convocation
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 3 The newsletter of the ialjs
CALL FOR PAPERS International Association for Literary Journalism Studies
“Literary Journalism: Theory, Practice, Pedagogy” The Thirteenth International Conference for Literary Journalism Studies (IALJS-13)
Austrian Academy of Sciences Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies Vienna, Austria
17-19 May 2018
The International Association for Literary Journalism Studies invites submissions of original research papers, abstracts for research in progress and proposals for panels on Literary Journalism for the IALJS annual convention on 17-19 May 2018. The conference will be held at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Austria.
The conference hopes to be a forum for scholarly work of both breadth and depth in the field of literary journalism, and all research methodologies are welcome, as are research on all aspects of literary journalism and/or literary reportage. For the purpose of scholarly delineation, our definition of literary journalism is "journalism as literature" rather than "journalism about literature." The association especially hopes to receive papers related to the general conference theme, “Literary Journalism: Theory, Practice, Pedagogy." All submissions must be in English.
The International Association for Literary Journalism Studies is a multi-disciplinary learned society whose essential purpose is the encouragement and improvement of scholarly research and education in Literary Journalism. As an association in a relatively recently defined field of academic study, it is our agreed intent to be both explicitly inclusive and warmly supportive of a variety of scholarly approaches.
Details of the programs of previous annual meetings can be found at: http://ialjs.org/past-ialjs-conferences/
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I. GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH PAPERS
Submitted research papers should not exceed 7,500 words, or about 25 double-spaced pages, plus endnotes. Please regard this as an upper limit; shorter papers are certainly welcome. Endnotes and bibliographic citations should follow the Chicago Manual of Style. Papers may not be simultaneously submitted to any other conferences. Papers previously published, presented, accepted or under review are ineligible. Only one paper per author will be accepted for presentation in the conference’s research sessions, and at least one author for each paper must be at the convention in order to present the paper. If accepted, each paper presenter at a conference Research Session may be allotted no more than 15 minutes. To be considered, please observe the following guidelines: (a) Submission by e-mail attachment in MS Word is required. No other format or faxes or postal mail submissions will be accepted. (b) Include one separate title page containing title, author/s, affiliation/s, and the address, phone, fax, and e-mail of the lead author. (c) Also include a second title page containing only the paper’s title and the paper’s abstract. The abstract should be approximately 250 words in length. (d) Your name and affiliation should not appear anywhere in the paper [this information will only appear on the first title page; see (b) above].
II. GUIDELINES FOR WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRESENTATIONS (ABSTRACTS)
Submitted abstracts for Work-in-Progress Sessions should not exceed 250 words. If accepted, each presenter at a conference Work-in-Progress session may be allotted no more than 10 minutes. To be considered, please observe the following guidelines: (a) Submission by e-mail attachment using MS Word is required. No other format or faxes or postal mail submissions will be accepted. (b) Include one separate title page containing title, author/s, affiliation/s, and the address, phone, fax and e-mail of the lead author. (c) Also include a second page containing only the work’s title and the actual abstract of the work-in-progress. The abstract should be approximately 250 words in length.
III. GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSALS FOR PANELS
(a) Submission by e-mail attachment in MS Word is required. No other format or faxes or postal mail submissions will be accepted. (b) Panel proposals should contain the panel title, possible participants and their affiliation and e-mail addresses, and a description of the panel’s subject. The description should be approximately 250 words in length. (c) Panels are encouraged on any topic related to the study, teaching or practice of literary journalism. See http://www.ialjs.org/?page_id=21.
IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA, DEADLINES AND CONTACT INFORMATION
All research paper submissions will be evaluated on originality and importance of topic; literature review; clarity of research purpose; focus; use of original and primary sources and how they support the paper’s purpose and conclusions; writing quality and organization; and the
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LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 5 The newsletter of the ialjs
degree to which the paper contributes to the study of literary journalism. Similarly, abstracts of works-in-progress and panel proposals will be evaluated on the degree to which they contribute to the study of literary journalism. All submissions will be blind-juried, and submissions from students as well as faculty are encouraged.
Please submit research papers or abstracts of works-in-progress presentations to:
Prof. Tobias Eberwein, Austrian Academy of Sciences (Austria) IALJS Research Chair; e-mail:
Please submit proposals for panels to:
Prof. Rob Alexander, Brock University (Canada) IALJS Program Co-Chair; e-mail:
Deadline for all submissions: No later than 1 December 2017
For more information regarding the conference or the association, please go to http://www.ialjs.org or contact:
Prof. Isabel Soares, Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal) IALJS President; e-mail:
Prof. Thomas Connery, University of St. Thomas (U.S.A.) IALJS First Vice President; e-mail:
Prof. Bill Reynolds, Ryerson University (Canada) IALJS Treasurer; e-mail:
Prof. David Abrahamson, Northwestern University (U.S.A.) IALJS Secretary; e-mail:
Prof. John S. Bak, Université de Lorraine (France) Founding IALJS President; e-mail:
NOTE: Submissions from students are encouraged, and a competitive Student Travel Fund has been established to assist in funding student travel. Applications will be available upon acceptance of submission.
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2018 IALJS CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM 17-19 May 2018 Austrian Academy of Sciences School Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies
Please indicate 1.a. PRE-REGISTRATION FEES (MUST BE POSTMARKED ON OR BEFORE 31 MARCH 2018) the applicable amounts: Current IALJS Member – $120 (rate for those already having paid their 2018 dues) Current IALJS Member retired – $100 (rate for those already having paid their 2018 dues) Student – $5 (rate for those already having paid their 2018 dues) Student – $30 (Includes a one-year IALJS membership) Non-IALJS member – $170 (Includes a one-year IALJS membership) Spouse/Partner – $50 (This fee is required only if a spouse will be attending scheduled research sessions and/or panels)
1.b. REGISTRATION FEES POSTMARKED AFTER 31 MARCH 2018 (Note: Meals & special events may not be available to those who register after 31 March 2018)
Current IALJS Member – $155 (rate for those already having paid their 2018 dues) Current IALJS Member retired – $135 (rate for those already having paid their 2018 dues) Student – $30 (rate for those already having paid their 2018 dues) Student – $55 (Includes a one-year IALJS membership) Non-IALJS member – $205 (Includes a one-year IALJS membership) Spouse/Partner – $85 (This fee is required only if a spouse will be attending scheduled research sessions and/or panels)
1.c. ON-SITE REGISTRATION – $180 for IALJS members, $230 for non-members (includes a one-year IALJS membership). NOTE: Meals & special events may not be available to those who register on site.
2. SPECIAL EVENTS: Please indicate the number of meals required next to each item below
Number of meals needed: Regular Vegetarian Conference Banquet (Friday evening) Number attending x $60
Make registration checks payable to “IALJS” TOTAL ENCLOSED:
BILL REYNOLDS, For a reservation at the convention hotel, Please return completed form IALJS Treasurer with a check or bank transfer School of Journalism Hotel Domizil (http://hoteldomizil.at) payable to “IALJS” to >>> Ryerson University Special IALJS rate, incl. tax (single €109,00/double: €139,50). To 350 Victoria St., register at the hotel, send an e-mail mentioning the booking code To register on-line via PayPal, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3 CANADA see “Conference Payments” at Tel: +01-416-979-5000 x6294 “IALJS 2018” to: [email protected] WWW.IALJS.ORG Fax: +01-416-979-5216 [email protected]
3. REGISTRATION INFO Name: University School, Department City, State, Zip, Country Phone E-mail Address
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 7 The newsletter of the ialjs
IALJS-13
“Literary Journalism: Theory, Practice, Pedagogy” The Thirteenth International Conference for Literary Journalism Studies
Austrian Academy of Sciences Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies Vienna, Austria 17-19 May 2018
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IALJS SESSION AT ACLA CONFERENCE IN UTRECHT A three-day exploration of global literary journalism. By Rob Alexander, Brock University (Canada)
or the of voice in Alexievich’s work. The use of substantial change. Panelists in this year’s first time fictional devices in contemporary Russian meeting included Liliana Chávez (Univer- in its 57- reportages was the subject of a third paper. sity of Cambridge), Ignacio Corona (The Fyear history, The ACLA typically attracts Ohio State University), Robert Alexander the American strong presentations on Latin American (Brock University), Chenwen Hong (Uni- Comparative themes, and this year was no exception. versity of Connecticut), Anna Jungstrand Literature Topics included a study of the ethical force (Stockholm University), George Prokhorov Association of the metafictional techniques of first (State University of Humanities and Social held its annual person narrators in Latin American literary Studies, Moscow), and Hilde Van Belle meeting in journalism and a stunning account of the (KU Leuven). Europe this new prominence of the “Black Chronicle” he IALJS has been a part of the summer, and in Latin America and its particular focus ACLA conference for eight of the last IALJS the IALJS was on issues of violence connected to crises nine years. Among the special plea- there. Utrecht such as the “war on drugs.” Participants Tsures of the 2017 gathering was an opening OUTREACH University, one also heard a paper on the work of the reception in the hall where the Treaty of of the oldest Chinese writer Xie Bingying, a solder in Utrecht was signed in 1579, the wonderful universities the Nationalist Army who, in two highly commute between Utrecht’s campuses in in the Nether- praised memoirs and a volume of journal- conference-organized bicycle posses, and, lands, played host to the sprawling annual istic writing, described her experience of when the sessions were done, continuing event on 7-9 July. The IALJS-sponsored ses- battle in prose which included subtle rhe- the conversation over drinks and dinner sion, “Global Literary Journalism after the torical challenges to gender expectations. by the canals in Utrecht’s splendid old Nobel: Reading and Writing Journalism as The session concluded with a town. t Literature,” was one of 312 in a conference fascinating comparison of two books on which attracted more than 2300 registrants female trafficking by the Flemish writer from around the world. In the three-day Chris De Stoop, the first investigative, IALJS session, seven scholars from six the second, a more personal reflection on countries presented papers and exchanged the failure of that first book, despite the views on literary journalism’s history fact it was a bestseller, to bring about any and current state, all from a comparative perspective. ______The ACLA typically attracts strong presentations on Latin American themes, and did so this year ______
The winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature, Svetlana Alexievich, was the subject of two talks: one concern- ing her representation in Voices from Cher- nobyl (1997) of new paradigms of human and animal relations in the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear power plant disaster, the oth- FROM LEFT: MARIBEL CORONA, IGNACIO CORONA, GEORGE PROKHOROV, LILIANA er, a theoretical consideration of the ethics CHÁVEZ, HILDE VAN BELLE, ROBERT ALEXANDER, ANNA JUNGSTRAND, CHENWEN HONG.
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 9 The newsletter of the ialjs
Call for Panel Participants
Session organized for the International Association for Literary Journalism Studies at the 2018 IAMCR Conference (International Association for Media and Communication Research) June 20 -‐ 24 , 2018 University of Oregon, Eugene
"Giving Voice to the Environment"
“Nature does not name itself. Granite does not self-‐identify as igneous. Light has no grammar.” -‐-‐Robert Macfarlane, Landmarks , p.10
Yet literature has taken on the task ng of naming, identifyi and structuring experience, s a has literary journalism. From Robert Louis Stevenson to authors such as Annie Dillard and Barry Lopez, writers have given voice to meadows and creeks, mountains and ice fields. In line with IAMCR 2018’s theme of ‘Reimagining Sustainability’, we would like to put together a panel that looks at literary journalism on environmental subjects. To quote again from Robert Macfarlane, “metamorphosis and -‐ shape shifting, magnification, miniaturization, … hollows and dens, archives, wonders, views from .” above All this can be found in literary journalism and deserves greater exploration.
Climate change and the environment of are vital concerns in our times. We would like to call on the member of IALJS to highlight literary journalism’s involvement in this major matter of interest.
Interested participants are invited Dr. to contact Beate Josephi [email protected] at with a preliminary title and an abstract of about 150 words. The deadline for submission is January 1, 2018. The decision on the panel composition will be made in mid January, with the panel submission to IAMCR due at the end of the month. IAMCR accepts presentations in English, French and Spanish. However, it is requested that abstracts be submitted in English.
IALJS has had a presence at IAMCR at he past conferences, and t proposed literary journalism panel at IAMCR is intended to give literary journalism continued exposure amongst a wide circle of journalism and communication scholars. IAMCR, founded in 1957 at UNESCO in Paris, is one of the oldest and most recognized organizations promoting research in communication worldwide. Today its annual conferences comprise about 30 sections and working groups, and are noted for their global outlook, as is IALJS.
Further information about this conference (in English and Spanish) is available on the respective website: http://iamcr.org/oregon2018/
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FLEXIBLE APPROACHES TO TEACHING LITERARY JOURNALISM An American from France, teaching Literary Journalism in Brazil.
By John S. Bak, Université de Lorraine (France)
Because Empire, especially the United States, boasts that I was coming there since the previous Brazil- of Roman roads, whose intersections are November, and knew more specifically ians love as sharp as a shrew’s tongue. But Brazil about my travel dates as early as February. Bto use meta- often lacks such order, probably because So, it was not much of a surprise for me phors – ok, the Portuguese, who were also colonized to learn that my seminar was planned just “use” is per- by the Romans and who still do have such days before it was scheduled to begin in haps not the roads, were not building straight roads early August. What will be the title and right word… themselves by the time their own empire content of your course? I was asked. And more like “in- grew in Latin America, probably because how long do you plan on giving it? Let’s dulge” – and the extreme mountainous terrain in Brazil be honest for a second: Bauru is not Rio, I am writing bedeviled their cartographers. but nor is it Rio, Illinois (yes, it exists… this from São I had the pleasure (and, admitted- Google it). Most professors here, save RESEARCH Paulo, I’ll start ly, the frustration at times) of discovering Danilo Rothberg, who became my contact with one my- this about Brazil and the Brazilians for and friend during my stay, live somewhere ESSAY self: Brazil is nearly two months this past summer. I else, anywhere else. an acute angle. was lucky enough to have been awarded a At any rate, Danilo, who spoke In fact, Brazil Franco-Brazilian Chair, which sent French English (conversations at one dinner seemingly party were held in English, French and despises all right angles. Door jams are ______Portuguese), took control of the situation slightly askew, so that you need to prop – I think he likes right angles to a certain them open with a stone from the garden Doing things the extent, since his father was American – and or push them closed so snuggly that you my class seminar was finally set. It would almost do not need to lock them. Bath tubs “Brazillian way” be a panorama of U.S. literary journalism often lack a bubble level. Intersections essentially meant not from the Civil War to the New New Jour- rarely require a 90° right or left turn, which nalism. My students would all be graduate creates hell for the lady in the Waze app doing them in students, a mixture of master’s and PhD trying to find the right word to tell you the most direct way possible candidates. Some even drove over 200 where and precisely how to turn: “stay to kms per day just to come to class. The only the left, and then turn right,” “slight right ______prerequisite for the course was to be fluent here,” “take the slip road right then turn in English (I offered to teach the course slightly left before turning back”…. I guess in French but was told that I would have this is the case because there are so many scholars from all disciplines to one of three even fewer students). roads in Brazil that Waze does not even universities in the state of São Paulo. Since n the end, eleven or twelve enrolled know about, so it is really her just taking my chair was in Journalism Studies, I was (there was not really a class list), and all an educated guess in telling you where sent to the Communications faculty of the of them stayed on till the end, save one to turn. Of course, that can be fun: you State University of São Paulo, located in I(two never even showed up). They listened might be led down one of the ubiquitous Bauru, about a three hour’s drive from to me ramble on, PowerPoint in tow, for dirt roads (to be avoided after a few days the state’s capital (or four or five hours, four hours straight, from 2 pm till 6 pm of rain, unless you are driving a monster depending on where Waze decides to (bearing in mind two things: classes here truck) to an incredible coffee farm or pousa- send you first). Doing things the “Brazil- can end at 11 pm for some degrees, and da (inn) with babbling brooks and cascad- ian way,” as I soon was to learn from my this was winter time, so it was pitch black ing waterfalls. Or you might be led directly friend and colleague Monica Martinez by 6 pm). They not only managed to fol- into a favela (slum), with the pleasant voice – who selflessly engineered nearly every low me but were largely interactive. If they on your iPhone proudly announcing: “You detail of my stay, including a couple of could not respond in English, they did so have arrived at your destination.” talks at other universities – essentially in Portuguese, and if I did not understand I think the reason that Brazilians meant not doing them in the most direct them, someone in the class translated for do not like right angles is that they never way possible, and almost certainly not on me. (Funny thing, Brazilian Portuguese… had the pleasure – or boredom – of a prop- time. with French and a smattering of Spanish, er Roman road. We have a few in France As such, my host university, the one can read Brazilian Portuguese fairly in cities that the Romans took from the Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de well, but I guess Brazilians figured that out Gauls, and they can be found, of course, all Mesquita Filho (Unesp, for short….all uni- over England. Most of the former British versities here go by acronyms), had known Continued on next page
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 11 The newsletter of the ialjs
BRAZIL Continued from previous page early enough that they seemed determined group defended its choices. It was a really 3. Write a 700 word introduction to pronounce their colonizer’s words in enlightening experience for all of us, and (in English) to a literary journalistic story ways that belied how they are spelled.) It it taught us as much about the differences that you have wanted to write for a while was a great teaching experience overall, between our cultures as it did about our now. Then, in a short self-analysis of 300 especially for me: the students are rarely international views of what actually passes words or so, explain the reasons behind offered courses from foreign professors in for literary journalism today. the choice of your story’s topic, as well English, and I finally found students who Finally, I had to grade the as the literary journalistic characteristics actively participated in class (anyone who students. I was told in advance that you hoped to reproduce (is it more like has taught French students will under- most get As and a few Bs and the odd C, pre-New Journalism, New Journalism, stand what I mean). but nothing lower, really. For their final or New New Journalism?). Next, discuss I quickly had to find ways to fill mark, I asked them to write an essay of the difficulties you had in writing and re- up the four hours without putting them about 1,000 words in English, including a searching this story: show what you hope to sleep, so I designed a basic program of self-analysis of about 300 words, on one of this story will reveal for the reader; discuss lecture, group work, video clips, and more the following topics: your plans for finishing the story, if you lecture and group work, if time permitted. 1. Take an event within a story and My group work consisted of various ac- find a gap. That gap can be temporal or ______tivities to get them thinking about literary spatial; it can be within two paragraphs, journalism, and it is that which I wish to within two sentences, or even within two The goal was share with my readers here. One activity words. Now, add new material of 700 asked them to break up into small groups words to fill that gap you found. You will for students to recognize of three students and then to choose five be inventing material here, recreating rath- what makes items – and only five items – from a list of er, but you will need to copy the style of thirty or more of what they considered to the writer as closely as you can. The goal literary journalism be the most important elements of literary is to make the new material so transparent “literary” journalism. Each item on the list was im- that another reader would not be able to portant and individually valid, so choos- see where the original author’s work ends ______ing only five of them proved a very tough and your addition begins. Then, add a task. 300-word self-analysis of why you chose Among the thirty items proposed this author and this text, and, moreover, have one, including where you would like were these: why you chose this particular place in the to send it for publication, etc. 1. The writer should be a journal- text to add your recreation. Finally, explain First of all, I understand that a ist first and foremost, with noted literary how you tried to recreate the original couple of these assignments run against skills. author’s voice (in other words, what did the basic tenets of literary journalism, 2. The story can be a prose poem, as you find in reading that author which namely to “create” material. But the goal long as it is journalistic. distinguishes his or her voice from another was not for students to learn how to write 3. The story should contain the writer of literary journalism? what did you original literary journalism, per se, but author’s editorializing comments. try to do to reproduce that style in word rather to recognize what makes literary 4. The author should be free of all choice, sentence length and rhythm, etc.?). journalism “literary.” I am a firm believer prejudice in reporting the story. 2. Take an extract of about 700 in the idea that it is the role of the reader to 5. The story must be backed up by words from one author studied in class make journalism “literary.” Too often we written or recorded notes for later verifica- (the text should be in English originally, focus on the author and the text, looking tion, if necessary. and not a translation into English). Now for scenes, for dialogue, for metaphors, for 6. The story must be 100% factual. choose another author we studied whose imagery….for obvious “traces” of literary 7. Etc… style you particularly liked or found in- journalism per Wolfe and others. But this After about half an hour, each group pre- teresting. Next, attempt to rewrite the first approach leaves the reader out of the for- sented its findings to the rest of the class. author’s extract of 700 words by imitating mula. When I teach literature, I never ask a Surprisingly, each of their top five lists was the voice of the second author. Finally, in student, “Is this literature?” (it is assumed different, and only one item was common a short self-analysis of 300 words or so, a priori.) but rather, “What makes this among all of them – and it was not that explain the traits of the second’s author’s literature?” (literary analysis rarely asks the story must be 100% factual. The only voice/style that you have attempted to this question and instead provides answers item common among all the groups was replicate (in other words, what did you indirectly by looking for various insights that the author should be free from all find in reading that author which dis- into the text). This is how I wish all my stu- prejudice in reporting the story, and, even tinguishes his or her voice from another dents would address literary journalistic then, the item was never ranked the same writer of literary journalism? what did you texts. on each list. We then discussed why they try to do to reproduce that style in word came up with these five items, and each choice, sentence length and rhythm, etc.?). Continued on next page
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BRAZIL Continued from previous page
For example, writers of literature, I saw how everything is designed to fuck rest, maybe that’s an exaggeration, as the just like writers of literary journalism, trust you, so they can keep coming at you. How family of pilots like Pete never have a real their readers to interpret, to analyze, to everything is part of a game - the network quietness, but in the weeks that followed find meaning in the text – not just to rec- of games that covers the world, the role there was no accident on the airbase, ognize the presence of stylistic elements in that is determined for each. All true! How no apprehensive phone call of the other the text but, instead, to recognize how those is this possible? wives. Unfortunately, a period like this is elements are being used or are working What a curious bunch of bohos... atypical in the world of fighter pilots; it on the reader. For me, this is what makes a in which I now feel myself included ... So would only be a matter of time before the text “literary,” and I wanted in my course that is the way they live. bridge coat came out of the wardrobe and to see how the students would respond to That is what the cops-and-robbers the remaining little Indians would gather the various texts I assigned. In asking them game does to you – the Mountain Girl tries and chant their song again. to reproduce the style of an established to get back in, expressing what, I am sure, Three months later another literary journalist, I was not intending for everyone was thinking about what Kesey member of the squadron crashed and them to copy that author but to recognize was saying. That strange presence - look at was burned beyond recognition and Pete what makes that author’s literary style him. hauled out the bridge coat again and Jane particularly unique and exciting. Hersey’s tudent two, recreating material from saw eighteen little Indians bravely going understatement, Capote’s free indirect a gap in “The Angels,” chapter one of through the motions at the funeral. speech, Wolfe’s unorthodox punctuation, Wolfe’s The Right Stuff: couple other students chose to rec- Herr’s impressionism, Didion’s decep- S Jane wanted to say ‘You can reate passages from In Cold Blood, tive objectivity… So while the students’ freak out sometimes, it’s natural’. But the and a few others attempted to write material was creative in the end, their protocol, the invisible – and yet present, Athe introductions to their own literary reproduction of the text’s style was proof very present! – protocol. So she remained journalistic articles. In all, it was a pleasure of their conscious attempt to understand silent, and waited for the moment that the ______the literary quality behind the journalism man seated next to her would freak out – if (since they were all journalists or students this happened she would be there, because of journalism, they did not need that much the protocol demands that when a woman I do not know if my course information about the “journalistic” quali- marries a pilot, a man who has this kind had the “right” stuff. ties of the text). of dangerous vocation, she must suffer in Just to provide a few examples silence, but should be prepared to be a But this is Brazil, and things of the final work they produced, mostly in fortress when everything around her falls rarely need to be recreating material within a gap they locat- apart – if this happens, although appar- “right” to be deemed “correct” ed in the original text, let me cite directly ently this would never happen – but she from their writing (nothing here has been would be there, just in case! ______altered or edited): When they got home, there was Student one, recreating materi- that sadness in the air that accompanies fu- al from “The Electric Suit,” chapter 3 of nerals, of course, but Jane would never get to read the assignments. Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test: used to the mixture of sadness and regret offer up these “teaching tips” to anyone No one there seemed preoccupied that Pete felt, because she knew that, at who is simply looking for a different with naming things, or intervening in the that moment, he was thinking about what way to study the “literary” adjective of flow of meanings that in that moment Bud Jennings could have done differently Iliterary journalism. The assignments can hovered. It was a strange sensation, to avoid being burned beyond recognition. be modified to fit the teacher’s and the tremendously weird, but for those who Jane no longer had trust in machines, even students’ needs. But I strongly suggest that remained there, in that fraction of time, it though they were very diverse from the each exercise be accompanied by a short made perfect sense. It was as if they knew ones her husband operated. Maybe she did self-analysis, where the student explains there was an exact order for things ... and not trust them because her husband could what motivated him or her in their choice they simply were not interested in acceler- not see that the weight of the situation of the exercise and how they understood ating it, they did not bother to wait for the was in their odds. He could only see the the author’s style and content. That, for natural sequence of events. Na-tu-ral... inexperience or lack of emotional stability me, is as important as the recreated text ... it was so clear! That idea of of a young man. itself. mysto steam, for them, is serious. It is That day remained that way, I do not know if my course had definitive. So I realized... Jane only thought of the day she would the “right” stuff, or if I was even “right” ... while Kesey was talking about return home with her son but without her in allowing the students to create materi- creations and the universe of the prison, husband who would be in a casket under- al within their literary journalistic pro- I remembered the hinge of the secrétaire, ground. And Pete busied himself with any- ductions. But this is Brazil, after all, and the kind that opens out into a desktop you thing, but with that look that Jane would things here rarely need to be “right” to be can write on – the old bullshit thrust. And never understand. For a while, Jane had a deemed “correct.” t
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 13 The newsletter of the ialjs
NEW TERRITORIES, NEW DISCOURSES Cartagena in Colombia is Gabriel Garcia Marquez country. By Beate Josephi, University of Sydney (Australia)
he 2018 Badillo, Interna- and finally tional into the TAssociation Calle del for Media and Curato. On Communica- other maps tion Research the street (IAMCR) simply conference was appears as held in July Carerra 7. in Cartagena, At the end Colombia. The of it, facing MARQUEZ IN theme of the the city wall conference was and the sea, CARTAGENA “Transforming is a former Culture, Poli- convent, tics & Commu- now a nication: New hotel, and media, new territories, new discourses,” opposite although social justice, deficiencies of de- is Garcia mocracy, populism, journalism, and global JAIME GARCIA MARQUEZ Marquez’s media policy also played a significant role. house, which is still in the family. While there was no IALJS/IAM- venciones now stands was the rough and Although Garcia Marquez only CR session on literary journalism in Cart- dangerous harbour precinct. In an even lived in the city for two years, his ashes agena, the city itself is a story. Cartagena earlier time, the plaza inside the city wall were brought for their final rest to Cart- is Garcia Marquez country. This was never near the clock tower was the slave market. agena in 2016. Cartagena also houses clearer to me than when, after three and It is the ensuing mix of races that makes the FNPI, la Fundación Gabriel García half days of being cooped up in the admit- Cartagena very much Afro-Caribbean. Márquez para el Nuevo Periodismo tedly lovely new Centro de Convenciones, Garcia Marquez came to Cart- Iberoamericano, founded in 1995. FNPI is we went on a guided Garcia Marquez agena at the wishes of his father, so we testimony to the fact that for Garcia Mar- walk. were told, to study. He reluctantly did two quez, journalism and literature were two The tour started at that bewitch- semesters of law but was far more inter- sides of the same coin. ing hour, when the sun sets and the colour ested in writing. He took his first job at artagena would have been a very of houses takes on a painterly quality. The the Cartagena paper, El Universal, which fitting location for a literary journal- walk was led by Jaime Garcia Marquez, still exists. Garcia Marquez, or Gabo as he ism panel – but it was not to be. So “Gabo’s” youngest and only surviving is commonly called, only stayed for two Clet’s look to next year: In 2018 the IAMCR brother. In the late 1940s when Garcia Mar- years, but these marked the beginnings conference will take place in Eugene, quez arrived in Cartagena, and until quite of his journalistic and literary career. His Oregon from June 20 – 24. The theme is recently, the area where the Centro de Con- novel, Love in the Time of Cholera, is set in “Reimagening Sustainability – Communi- Cartagena. cation and Media in a Changing World,” ______alking the old city centre under pointing to an environmentally themed the darkening skies made it easy conference. A separate call for IALJS schol- Gabo only stayed in Cartagena to appreciate Cartagena as the ars interested in taking part in a panel will Wsetting for strange happenings, devastating be issued. t for two years, downpours, and the unusual appearing but these marked the as entirely normal. This is so much so that people who visited the town with Garcia beginnings of his Marquez in his lifetime got the impression journalistic and literary career he was a mere chronicler, not the inven- tor of stories. We turned into the Calle de ______las Carretas, which turned into the Calle Primera de Badillo, then Calle Segundade
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LITERARY JOURNALISM IN CHILE The chronicle and the epic. By Patricia Poblete Alday, Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano (Chile)
hileans Iberoamericano). Within this context, ed as an object of study was the Modernist study- the aesthetic relevance of a text was best sort; and it primarily focused on literature, ing gauged vis-à-vis its ethical commitment as if journalism lacked scientific validity Cjournalism to said Other and to the profession as a and academic relevance, and could only be during the whole, rather than with regard to its com- understood vis-à-vis expressly profession- 1990s waded mercial value. al criteria. through the long with its chronicling aspects, Secondly, the educational of- after effects of modern Latin-American journalism ferings associated with journalism have the romantici- has also begun to take on traits changed. Along with courses on strategic zation of the Aof the forgotten epic. The best examples communication, business management, profession, the of this evolution are El Faro, which is and digital resources, Chilean universities mystique of its published in El Salvador, Plaza Pública in now offer courses that seek to guide stu- AROUND exercise under Guatemala, La Silla Vacía in Colombia, and dents in their search for narrative identity. the exigencies Periodistas de a Pie in Mexico. These entities This is pursued in a context which presup- THE WORLD of an environ- personify a free-wheeling, passionate Press poses that objectivity is a fallacy and that ment involv- operating outside the sphere of large-scale whenever we write, observe or read, we do ing heightened media outlets; journalism which manag- so from a specific point of view. In recent political es to inspire and recoup some of its lost years, enrollment in Chilean journalism consciousness, and increased awareness respect within society. This new take on programs is on the upswing, after a period of society’s most pressing issues. Chil- journalism is most needed in nations like of little to no growth and low enroll- ean reporters such as Patricia Verdugo, Chile, where entertainment often passes ment levels. Some universities have even Raquel Correa, Manuel Salazar, and José for information due to the overwhelming introduced postgraduate and diplomate Carrasco (murdered during the Pinochet’s predominance of its two major national programs in narrative journalism and dictatorship) continue to serve as guiding outlets. non-fiction writing, as a result of constant lights within the field today. However, as growth within the field. graduates entered the workforce in the ______t has been said that narrative or literary 1990s, they fell victim to the tenets of neo- journalism is a trend. I think that liberal capitalism and opted en masse for The phenomenon phenomena such as those summarized positions as consultants, corporate PR, and Iabove denote a social need that surpasses work with IT firms. Poorly-paid positions of the modern chronicle has mere information or commercial endeav- at newspapers held little to no attraction. aroused interest ors – a need to identify deep meanings in This trend was even present in journalism the midst of so many mirages, and a need interns’ preference for audiovisual outlets among researchers and for reasons which transcend explanations over print media. scholars and evidence. From its beginnings, the By the end of the first decade of chronicle has set forth on that quest; a the 21st century, the field had undergone ______quest so ancient and universal, that to call another major evolution. In the wake of it a passing trend would be truly absurd. the popularity of narrative chronicles, Fortunately, many Chilean students seem mainly manifestos, incoming students In academic terms, the phenom- to intuit this, and their faith should be seemed to fall in love again with the more enon of the modern chronicle has resulted cause for hope within the field. t humanistic aspects of journalism, and with in two outcomes. The first is the interest the opportunity to experience a connection it has aroused interest among research- with the so-called Other; to address the ers and scholars, who have utilized it traditionally under-reported human side of to understand its potential beyond the the story. This tendency is best evidenced tainted (and generally misunderstood) by the publication of books written in the hybridization. Conferences and symposia aforementioned style, as well as organi- on chronicling have been held, theses and zations such as the Tomás Eloy Martínez articles written, research projects funded, Foundation (TEM, Fundación Tomás and journals and books published on the Eloy Martínez) and the Foundation for subject. All of this is significant, as until New Latin-American Journalism (FNPI, recently the only type of chronicle that Fundación Para el Nuevo Periodismo Chilean academia recognized and validat-
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 15 The newsletter of the ialjs
HTTP://WWW.THESAGERGROUP.NET/?BOOK=THE-STORIES-WE-TELL-VOLUME-1
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RESEARCHING THE HISTORY OF LITERARY JOURNALISM An interview with John Hartsock.
: Give us a summary of your book. not have written my book. They provided Hartsock: I attempted to provide the building blocks, the foundation. Be- a history of American literary jour- yond that I looked up every related search Qnalism. term for the subject I could think of, such as literary nonfiction, which was more in Q: How did you get the idea for your book? vogue at the time. (To some extent cre- Hartsock: I had returned to graduate ative nonfiction replaced it, but then from school at mid-career, and I knew I wanted my perspective creative nonfiction has to do a dissertation on literary journalism. evolved in other directions so that today When it came time to determine what it is something of a grab bag in meaning.) about literary journalism I wanted to These led me to new primary sources. I research, I went to the library to gather as also attempted to contextualize literary much literature on the subject as possi- journalism within the literary movements ble. I decided that I especially needed of the various eras, especially late 19th to find a history so I could get a suitable century realism and naturalism. overview. That’s when I discovered that while there had been important historiciz- Q: Besides the sources you used, were there any ing by Norman Sims, Tom Connery, and others you wish you had been able to examine? John Pauly, among others, there was not a Hartsock: Yes. I just wish I could remem- ning, to history. Rather, there are always history as such. Frankly, I was somewhat ber all of them. One is David Mindich’s temporary beginnings and endings. That’s discouraged. I went home to think about it, book Just the Facts. Also, I noted in the his- humbling. Also, be cautious in approach- wondering how to get my hands around a tory that I undoubtedly left out someone’s ing the contemporaneous moment (how- subject that, relatively speaking, had been favorite literary journalist, such as John ever one may define it) in attempting to little studied. A couple of days later the old Dos Passos, who I have since discovered contextualize it historically. In my research, newspaper reporter in me said that if there had a profound influence with his early I wanted to see what other critics were was no history, at least I could contribute work on writers of a rough equivalent of saying about nonfiction, journalism and to the writing of one. At the time I was not literary journalism in the young Soviet literature during their own eras. This is thinking I would write a history per se Union. when I discovered that Fred Lewis Pattee, (and, of course, there can never be “the” who is credited with holding the first chair history). Q. Based on your research for the book, what in American literature, said in 1915 that would you advise other historians in our field belletristic “literature” would increasingly Q: Tell us about the research you did for your be in the form of historical romance ala book. What were your sources, how did you ______Lorna Doone. He was dismissive of Stephen research your book, how long did you spend, Crane, who, in addition to being a fiction- and so forth? ist, was a wonderful literary journalist. I Hartsock: Because of disciplinary bound- It comes down to don’t know anyone who reads Lorna Doone aries, literary journalism really didn’t fall appreciating that there today. Or, there was Frederic Hudson, who into any one particular discipline. Most really is no published what is considered one of the obviously it falls between journalism first histories of journalism in 1873 (if not and literary studies. Most of my research end, much less beginning, the first, depending how you approach it). straddled literature and journalism, to history. He predicted that in his near future news- although there is also American Studies. papers would be delivered by balloons. Probably there was more of an emphasis, ______These were cautionary lessons to me. at least initially, on the literary, because my own background is in literary histo- Q: What were the challenges you faced in ry and my doctorate is in English. But about working with sources? researching your book? of critical importance was Norm Sims’ Hartsock: Hmm …. Always expect the Hartsock: Well, again I was studying an Literary Journalism in the Twentieth Century, unexpected. Especially after you finish a area that was not widely studied in both which introduced me to the scholarship. book. I discover something new, and say, the journalism and literature academies. Equally important was Tom Connery’s A “Darn. I wish I had known that for the You had the pioneering work, but I found Sourcebook of American Literary Journalism. book.” It also comes down to appreciating Without them I think it is fair to say I could that there really is no end, much less begin- Continued on next page
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 17 The newsletter of the ialjs
HARTSOCK Continued from previous page a faux omniscience would have been disin- I had a lot of latitude, and that can be genuous. Omniscience is faux anyway. somewhat intimidating. It felt like I was Finally, I really loved the subject traveling into parts unknown, and you matter. And that can be a problem. Yes, are always second-guessing yourself as it can blind you, as it blinded me when I to which trail or trails to take. It’s espe- became disenchanted with how much the cially challenging because we tend to New Journalism overshadowed earlier think of history as linear or chronologi- variations. But the virtue was that I never cal, but I would bump up against issues tired of the subject. I’ve published three I felt I couldn’t ignore, such as sensa- books, and the history was the only one I tional journalism that reads like literary never tired of working on. journalism. I felt strongly, because of my literary training, that just because it Q: What new insights does your book provide? “reads like a novel or short story” it isn’t Hartsock: How new they are today, I necessarily the kind of narrative literary can’t say, but I hope there are still relevant journalism I was interested in. If any- insights after seventeen years. I think the thing, solely sensational accounts are the most important is that we have a need for opposite epistemologically in that they different kinds of journalism. I am an old seek to disengage a reader’s subjectivity. beat reporter from newspapers. (I know I was highly aware that my chapter on that makes me a dinosaur.) And I respect the subject was a side trail to the overall ______the old tried and true models. They are a chronology. But I felt it was important. So great training ground. However, one thing I let it fly. And this is why I call the book I think sometimes we have I hope my book brings out is the virtue of “a” history and not “the” history. But a journalism, whatever its imperfections, again I learned that there is no such thing to admit we can’t be that tries to understand other people’s sub- as “the” history. neutral. So I very consciously jectivities — or to narrow the gap between At the same time the kind of decided to subjectivities so that we can have a better latitude I had with such a relatively understanding of how they feel. That is understudied area I found liberating. I write in the first person very central, I think, to understanding can’t think of anything worse than being ______literary journalism. a Shakespeare scholar given how closely the bard’s work has been combed over. And I’m tired of books on the Civil War Journalism began to subside after the and World War II that keep repeating book came out. Frankly, I began to themselves. So it was a bit bracing to have rediscover the New Journalism. And this kind of freedom. I genuinely believe that it represents today the high point of American Q: Is it possible to get too close to a research literary journalism. Of course, that is subject? How do historians maintain their also a judgment about the contem- neutrality of viewpoint when conducting and poraneous moment (however one interpreting research? defines it), and perhaps by the time Hartsock: Absolutely! After I focused on I die I will have another perspective. earlier versions of literary journalism I In any event, if I were doing it again found myself somewhat disenchanted I would discuss the New Journalism with the New Journalism of the 1960s. much more. It was because of the New Journalism I think sometimes we have that scholars really began to wake up to to admit we can’t be neutral. For the existence of literary journalism (soon that reason I made a very conscious discovering that there was nothing new decision to write in the first person. about the New Journalism!). I found It seems to me that this was not be- myself somewhat resentful that the earlier ing done a lot at the time. But I felt I stuff had been neglected by both the jour- had no choice precisely because this nalism and literature academies. Because was a relatively understudied area. the New Journalism had been, in the To me it was more honest to say, scheme of things, relatively well-covered, hey, this is just my perspective on a I downplayed it. But I feel the opposite subject that we are really only in the early Continued on next page today. My disenchantment with the New stages of understanding. I felt to write in
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HARTSOCK Continued from previous page PERIODICALS IN-BE- Q: What findings most surprised you? TWEEN Hartsock: What surprised me the most Q: What advice would you give to people in Periodicals in the Ecology of Print and Visual Cul- was just how much literary journalism or our field who are considering doing a book in tures; 7th International Conference of the European a proto-literary journalism there has been JMC history? Society for Periodical Research;
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 19 The newsletter of the ialjs
SPECIAL ISSUE, NOW AVAILABLE “Periodicals and Colonial Empires”
I. Gonzalez Gonzalez and F. Renucci (eds.), Clio@thémis, n. 12, 2017
Periodicals are omnipresent within the scientific, institutional and political realms (and even everyday life). They are often comprised of abundant and interesting information but are disparate in providing international scientific literature. This is likely because, behind the apparent homogeneity of the object, the plurality of forms, temporalities, contents and actors is concealed.
A number of sociologists, literary scholars, historians, political scientists, jurists, amongst others, have published numerous works about periodicals. Within the literature, their study is quite developed in Belgium, where it is often associated with a sociological approach. In Anglo-Saxon countries, an autonomous field of research has been built around periodical studies. This historiography reveals the relationship between periodicals and politics, their gender implications, and their structuring role.
The structuring role should be examined. Initially, it appears to be based on a paradox: reviews, often ephemeral regarding their lifespan, with a more or less coherent editorial line (the legitimacy of which is less than that of other works, such as novels, essays, patents or law texts) are particularly effective organizational vectors. Applied to the imperial or colonial context, this hypothesis means that specialized journals (scientific or popular) produce political, social, legal or ideological unity. How? By what means? Do magazines collectively create networking? To what extent do they transmit homogeneous representations? Do they organize content to be a decisive element in the construction and dissemination of knowledge or a discipline?
It is these questions that the nine articles of this special issue of Clio@themis on "Periodicals and Colonial Empires" aim to answer.
It is available at
PAGE 20 LITERARY JOURNALISM/ WINTER 2018 The newsletter of the ialjs
NETWORK OF AMERICAN PERIODICAL STUDIES SYMPOSIUM Travelling the world with magazines. By Victoria Bazin, University of Northumbria (United Kingdom)
otting- and Migration in Nordmannsforbundet, ______ham 1907-1940” considered the rhetorical Trent strategies adopted by this state-funded NUniversity’s periodical to build a sense of national pride The final panel Centre for and to persuade Norwegians back to their returned the symposium Travel Studies homeland. (CTWS) hosted The second panel, “Black Travel to where the third Writing and Periodicals,” began with Sofia it had started, with the Network of Aatkar’s (Nottingham Trent University) modernist magazine American Peri- “Motivity and Mobility in Jamaica Kin- odical Studies caid’s ‘On Seeing England for the First ______symposium on Time.’” Aatkar returned to John Locke’s 22 September notion of “motivity” to think about the GLOBAL The final panel of the day 2017. “Mag- position of the diasporic subject moving “Genres, Form and Location” moved azines on the between the U.S. the U.K. and the Caribbe- STUDIES backwards into the nineteenth century Move: North an. Rachel Farebrother’s (Swansea Uni- before returning to where the symposium American Pe- versity) “‘It all depends on how you look had started, with the modernist magazine. riodicals and at it’: Travel Writing in the Brownies’ Book, Josefin Holmstrom (Cambridge Universi- Travel” was organised by Tim Youngs, the 1920-1921” considered this overlooked but ty) gave a paper on “‘A Dream of Enchant- director of CTWS, and Rebecca Butler. The fascinating children’s magazine, edited by ment’: Travelling with Harriet Beecher keynote speaker, Andrew Thacker of Not- Jessie Fauset. Particularly suggestive was Stowe’s Agnes of Sorrento” examining the tingham Trent University, opened proceed- the analysis of Du Bois’s regular column, serialisation of this little known novel in ings with “America Invades Europe: The “As the Crow Flies”, a feature that made the Atlantic Monthly between 1861-1862. Modernist Revue en Voyage,” a discussion connections between African-American Matthew Pether’s (Nottingham Univer- of the modernist magazine Broom and its struggles for civil rights and contempo- sity) “Early American Periodical Cul- continental travels in Europe. rary Pan African movements. Jak Peake’s ture and the Problem of the Picaresque” The (Essex University) “Life ‘Beyond the Color examined Royall Tyler’s picaresque novel first panel, Line’? New York Wanderers and Caribbean The Algerine Captive (1797) in terms of its “Tour- Wonders” examined the representation of representation of travel, as well as the ism and the Caribbean in the 1910s and 1920s in ways in which the novel itself travelled Emigration periodicals such as the Nation, the Messen- across the Atlantic when it was serialised in Peri- ger, the New York Amsterdam News and the in Lady’s Magazine. Eric White’s (Oxford odicals,” (Harlem) Liberator. explored three very different TIM YOUNGS periodicals. Shannon Derby’s (Tufts University) “Tourism Narratives and the Production of Paradise” focused on Wells Tower’s accounts of his vacation to Oahu and Hawaii Island, Claire Lindsay’s (University College London) “Tourism Advertising in Mexican Folkways” exam- ined this fascinating bi-lingual magazine’s analysis of tourism as a means of re-mak- ing modern Mexico after the Revolution, and Mieke Neyens’s (Ku Leuven) “True Norwegians in Mexico: Reports of Travel
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PERIODICALS Continued from Page 21
Brookes University) “On the Move and ical culture. Material circulation was sented in magazines and how magazines on the Margins: Stranded Expatriates in also clearly important in understanding map space and time. Globe and the New Review” analysed the how magazines travel, the transnational Clearly, thinking about maga- tensions between the translocal and the networks and circuits of distribution zines “on the move” opens up a dialogue cislocal in modernist magazines in the that move magazines across nation- between scholars working in periodical 1930s problematising current assumptions al boundaries and that provide, on studies and travel writing that extends about a “frictionless” cosmopolitanism. occasion, the bird’s eye view offered by and enhances the research in both these Tim Woods’s closing remarks a writer like Du Bois in his column “As areas. t elegantly pulled together the various the Crow Flies.” Many papers presented threads of discussion that had emerged at the symposium reminded delegates in each of the panels. Questions of form of the importance of engaging with the were clearly important particularly in magazine as a material object and that relation to genre. Matthew Pethers’s paratextual material, such as advertise- suggestion that we might begin to think ments, are rich historiographical resourc- about a “serial poetics” provided one way es. Spatial theory informed some of the of thinking about the relation between scholarship providing a more nuanced the novel, its various genres and period- understanding of how space is repre-
TEACHING TIPS Continued from Page 27
was awarded one of the Donald Wind- breaking and hard to live through. Once Now that I know how much work jour- ham-Sandy M. Campbell prizes. I realized that, suddenly non-stop sob- nalism is, I have a newfound respect for Working with talented tutors over the bing for an entire weekend invoked less that field of work. The risks in doing an years, including Gillian Lord, Patrick pain in me and more awe at a writer’s investigation, the selection of voice that Mullins, and Bronwyn Watson, I show ability to produce such a reaction.” is chosen and especially the credibility, students what is possible when true I had never considered before. So much stories are well told; along with the ______time, patience, care and interviews go thorny ethical issues that such powerful into their work that I never appreciated pieces throw up, like clods of dirt from The horse will drink - we just before.” a surging racehorse. Yes, these are gratifying com- Near semester’s end, students have trouble ments for a teacher to read about their are asked to revisit the question of their leading it to water students’ learning experience, but really favorite non-fiction, and now few fail to past the for anyone who knows this field of writ- name one. ing they are not surprising. “At the beginning of the sign saying non-fiction The real problem for those of us prose- semester, I admitted I hadn’t read a lytizing about literary journalism is that, lot of non-fiction. I’ve now read much to rework the old proverb, the horse will more non-fiction and I am changing my ______drink – we just have trouble leading it to choice. My main problem with non-fic- water past the sign saying non-fiction. t tion has been that it always seems to be Where this student’s response about sad things and I should probably underscored the power of narrative hate One of Us for just how sad it was non-fiction to move, a second student PERIODICALS Continued from page 19 but I don’t. One of Us was really difficult had a road-to-Damascus moment about — Periodicals as bound volumes/“books” to read; it made me cry and I had to journalism and journalists: — Quotidian periodical cultures keep taking breaks because I didn’t feel “My perception of non-fiction — Alternative periodical cultures ready for what I knew must lay ahead. used to be; boring, dry, and a pain. In Please send proposals in either English or French for But the thing is: it’s supposed to be doing this unit I have discovered that it 20-minute papers (max. 250 words), panels of three really hard to read; it’s supposed to be is interesting, revealing, confronting, and or four papers, round tables, one-hour workshops confronting and heartbreaking because in some parts scary too. I also had the or other suitable sessions, together with a short CV Åsne Seierstad is trying to tell the story perception journalists were just nosey. I (max. one page), to [email protected]. The of the victims and their families. For wasn’t aware that investigations could deadline for proposals is 31st January 2018. those families left behind, it was heart- be carried out, let alone a whole book be
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2018 IALJS Membership Form
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LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 23 The newsletter of the ialjs
IALJS OFFICERS AND CHAIRS, 2016-2018
PRESIDENT CHAIR, PROGRAM COMMITTEE Isabel Soares Rob Alexander Universidade de Lisboa Brock University Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas Department of English Languages and Literature Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Rua Almerindo Lessa St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1 1300-663 Lisboa CANADA PORTUGAL w/+905-688-5550 x3886 w/+351-213-619-430 [email protected] [email protected] CHAIR, PUBLICITY COMMITTEE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Ashlee Nelson Thomas B. Connery Victoria University of Wellington University of St. Thomas School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies Department of Communication and Journalism Wellington 6140 2115 Summit Ave. NEW ZEALAND St. Paul, MN 55105 cell/+64-21-976-112 U.S.A. [email protected] w/+1-651-962-5265, h/+1-651-647-0048, fax/+1-651-962-6360 [email protected] MEMBERS, CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE David Abrahamson (chair) SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Northwestern University Rob Alexander Medill School of Journalism, 1845 Sheridan Rd. Brock University Evanston, IL 60208 Department of English Languages and Literature U.S.A. St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1 w/+1-847-467-4159, h/+1-847-332-2223, fax/+1-847-332-1088 CANADA [email protected] w/+905-688-5550 x3886 [email protected] David Dowling University of Iowa TREASURER School of Journalism and Mass Communication Bill Reynolds Iowa City IA 52242 Ryerson University U.S.A. School of Journalism, 350 Victoria St. w/ +1-319-335-3346 Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3 [email protected] CANADA w/+1-416-979-5000 x6294, h/+1-416-535-0892 Kevin Lerner [email protected] Marist College Department of Communication SECRETARY Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 David Abrahamson U.S.A. Northwestern University w/+1-845-575-3000 x2661 Medill School of Journalism, 1845 Sheridan Rd. [email protected] Evanston, IL 60208 U.S.A. MEMBERS, CONFERENCE ARCHIVES COMMITTEE w/+1-847-467-4159, h/+1-847-332-2223, fax/+1-847-332-1088 Hilde van Belle (chair) [email protected] Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Campus Antwerpen SECRETARY (CORRESPONDING) DESIGNATE Sint-Andriesstraat 2 / 2000 Antwerp Jaqueline Marino BELGIUM Kent State University w/+32-3-206-0491 School of Journalism and Mass Communication [email protected] Kent, OH 44242 U.S.A. Kate McQueen w/+1-330-468-7931 University of Illinois [email protected] Department of Communication Urbana, IL, 61801 SECRETARY (MEMBERSHIP) DESIGNATE U.S.A. Mitzi Lewis [email protected] Midwestern State University Department of Mass Communication Jeff Neely Witchita Falls, TX 76308 University of Tampa U.S.A. Department of English w/+1-0940-397-4375, cell/+1-940-733-0826 Tampa, FL 33606 [email protected] U.S.A. w/+1-813-257-3178 CHAIR, RESEARCH COMMITTEE [email protected] Tobias Eberwein Austrian Academy of Sciences CHAIR, ESSE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies John Bak A-1010 Vienna Université de Lorraine AUSTRIA Centre deTélé-enseignement Universitaire (CTU), 42-44, avenue de la Liberation, B.P. 3397 w/+43-(0)1-51 581-3110, -3113 54015 Nancy [email protected] FRANCE
PAGE 24 LITERARY JOURNALISM/ WINTER 2018 The newsletter of the ialjs
IALJS OFFICERS AND CHAIRS, 2016-2018 continued w/+33-(0)383-968-448, h/+33-(0)383-261-476, fax/+33-(0)383-968-449 MEMBERS, AWARDS COMMITTEE [email protected] Isabel Soares (co-chair) Universidade de Lisboa CHAIR, AEJMC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas Holly Schreiber Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Rua Almerindo Lessa University of Maine 1300-663 Lisboa Department of Communication and Journalism PORTUGAL Orono, ME 04469 w/+351-213-619-430 U.S.A. [email protected] w/+1-207-581-2330 [email protected] Juan de Moraes Domingues (co-chair) Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul CHAIR, ACLA ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Faculdade de Comunicação Social (FAMECOS) Rob Alexander Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90619-900 Brock University BRAZIL Department of English Languages and Literature w/+55-51-332-035-696 St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1 [email protected] CANADA w/+905-688-5550 x3886 Hilde van Belle [email protected] Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Campus Antwerpen CHAIR, LATINOAMÉRICAN ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Sint-Andriesstraat 2 / 2000 Antwerp Juan de Moraes Domingues BELGIUM Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul w/+32-3-206-0491 Faculdade de Comunicação Social (FAMECOS) [email protected] Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90619-900 BRAZIL Maria Lassila-Merisalo w/+55-51-332-035-696 Lassilantie 53 [email protected] 13430 Hameenlinna FINLAND CHAIR, GRADUATE STUDENT COMMITTEE cell/+358-50-525-5819 Jael Del Pilar Rincon Blanco [email protected] Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Engagement & Vocational Education/Marketing CHAIR, PUBLICATION COMMITTEE Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Alice Donat Trindade AUSTRALIA Universidade de Lisboa W/ +61-3-9925-5009 Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas [email protected] Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Rua Almerindo Lessa 1300-663 Lisboa MEMBERS, NOMINATING COMMITTEE (includes FIRST VICE PRESIDENT) PORTUGAL Rob Alexander w/+351-213-619-430, fax/+351-213-619-442 Brock University [email protected] Department of English Languages and Literature St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1 CO-CHAIRS, STRATEGIC SERVICE COMMITTEE CANADA Mitzi Lewis w/+905-688-5550 x3886 Midwestern State University [email protected] Department of Mass Communication Witchita Falls, TX 76308 Isabelle Meuret w/+1-0940-397-4375, cell/+1-940-733-0826 Université Libre de Bruxelles [email protected] Campus du Solbosch, ULB CP123, avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50 1050 Bruxelles Ashlee Nelson BELGIUM Victoria University of Wellington w/+32-(0)2-650-4061, fax/+32-(0)2-650-2450 School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies [email protected] Wellington 6140 NEW ZEALAND CHAIR, SOCIAL & MULTIMEDIA COMMITTEE cell/+64-21-976-112 Ashlee Nelson [email protected] Victoria University of Wellington School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies EDITOR, LITERARY JOURNALISM STUDIES Wellington 6140 Bill Reynolds NEW ZEALAND Ryerson University cell/+64-21-976-112 School of Journalism, 350 Victoria St. [email protected] Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3 CANADA WEB MASTER w/+1-416-979-5000 x6294, h/+1-416-535-0892 Nicholas Jackson [email protected] 804 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 ASSOCIATE EDITORS, LITERARY JOURNALISM STUDIES U.S.A. William Dow cell/+1-815-341-8122 American University of Paris [email protected] Department of Comparative Literature 147, rue de Grenelle 75007 Paris
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 25 The newsletter of the ialjs
IALJS OFFICERS AND CHAIRS, 2016-2018 continued
FRANCE John Hartsock (founding editor, Literary Journalism Studies) w/+33-1-4062-0600 ext 718 State University of New York College at Cortland [email protected] Department of Communication Studies Cortland, NY 13045 Miles Maguire U.S.A. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh w/+1-607-753-4103, h/+1-607-749-6756, fax/607-753-5970 Department of Journalism [email protected] Oshkosh, WI 54901 U.S.A. Richard Lance Keeble w/+1-920-424-7148 University of Lincoln [email protected] Lincoln School of Journalism, Brayford Pool Lincoln LN6 7TS Roberta Maguire UNITED KINGDOM University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh w/+44-(0)1522-886-940 Department of English [email protected] Oshkosh, WI 54901 U.S.A. Jenny McKay w/+1-920-424-0862 University of Sunderland [email protected] Research Centre for Media and Cultural Studies, Sunderland SR6 0DD, Scotland UNITED KINGDOM Marcia R. Prior-Miller w/+44-(0)191-515-2157 Iowa State University [email protected] Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication 4038 North Dakota Ave. Lindsay Morton Ames, IA 50014 Avondale College U.S.A. Department of Humanities & Creative Arts, Cooranbong, New South Wales 2265 h/+1-515-292-6648, cell/+1-515-203-9858 AUSTRALIA [email protected] Fax/+61-(02)-4980-2118 [email protected] BOOK REVIEW EDITOR, LITERARY JOURNALISM STUDIES Nancy L. Roberts John J. Pauly University at Albany (SUNY) Marquette University Department of Communication Diederich College of Communication 1400 Washington Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53201 Albany, NY 12222 U.S.A. U.S.A. w/+1-414-288-3588, cell/+1-414-313-7949. fax/414-288-6400 w/+1-518-442-4884, h/+1-518-583-8965, fax/+1-518-442-3884 [email protected] [email protected] Norman Sims CO-EDITORS, LITERARY JOURNALISM NEWSLETTER University of Massachusetts, Amherst David Abrahamson 77 Back Ashuelot Road Northwestern University Winchester, NH 03470 Medill School of Journalism, 1845 Sheridan Rd. U.S.A. Evanston, IL 60208 h/+1-413-774-2970 U.S.A. [email protected] w/+1-847-467-4159, h/+1-847-332-2223, fax/+1-847-332-1088 [email protected] David Swick University of King’s College Ashlee Nelson School of Journalism Victoria University of Wellington 6350 Coburg Road School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies Halifax, NS B3H 2A1 Wellington 6140 CANADA NEW ZEALAND cell/ +1-902-410-1413 cell/+64-21-976-112 [email protected] [email protected] Alice Donat Trindade MEMBERS, BOARD OF ADVISORS Universidade de Lisboa John Bak (founding president) Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas Université de Lorraine Pólo Universitário do Alto da Ajuda, Rua Almerindo Lessa Centre de Télé-enseignement Universitaire (CTU), 54015 Nancy 1300-663 Lisboa FRANCE PORTUGAL w/+33-(0)383-968-448, h/+33-(0)383-261-476, fax/+33-(0)383-968-449 w/+351-213-619-430, fax/+351-213-619-442 [email protected] [email protected]
Susan Greenberg Doug Underwood University of Roehampton University of Washington Department of English and Creative Writing, 80 Roehampton Lane Department of Communication, Box 353740 London SW15 5PH Seattle, WA 98195 UNITED KINGDOM U.S.A. w/+44-20-8392-3257 w/+1-206-685-9377 [email protected] [email protected]
PAGE 26 LITERARY JOURNALISM/ WINTER 2018 The newsletter of the ialjs TEACHING NON-NFICTION Overcoming prejudices to non-fiction writing when teaching literary journalism .
By Matthew Ricketson, University of Canberra (Australia) he word non-fiction arouses of Canberra in Australia that is open to ver the years a good number antipathy from most people with anyone and usually attracts between 100 of students have had difficulty an interest in literary journalism and 150 students. It is called Literary identifying a favorite work; this T– why define such a vibrant activity in Studies: True Stories. The first half of Ois especially true for students enrolled the negative? But the sad fact is that for the title comes from its place as part of a in the Bachelor of Writing who appear many students in Australia, and perhaps literature major while the second signals to have been taught at high school that elsewhere, the term literary journalism the unit will be about works blending a writing is confined to poetry, drama and is less well fidelity to fact with a narrative, literary fiction. If mentioned, journalism is an ac- known than approach to writing. tivity that, as a former Australian leader non-fiction. of the opposition once said, is conducted A second ______by “slimy white things that crawl out of fact is that the sewers.” for many Many students have been Well, at least we know where students, we stand. From this point, though, especially taught that writing students are introduced to gallons of those enrolled is confined to poetry, drama what Tom Wolfe used to call “the creamy in writing and fiction. Journalism stuff” – outstanding examples of artful, degrees, thought-provoking literary journalism, non-fiction is an activity rarely mentioned including classics from Joan Didion, is associated ______Hunter S. Thompson, and Wolfe himself TEACHING with tomes but also more recent works such as Ted that are dull Conover’s Newjack, Åsne Seierstad’s TIPS but worthy One of Us: The Story of Anders Breivik and or just plain After giving students an idea the Massacre in Norway, and Lawrence dull. Readers what will be covered during the semes- Wright’s Going Clear: Scientology, Holly- of this newsletter know just how compel- ter, I ask them to post a blog about their wood, and the Prison of Belief. Additionally ling and memorable literary journalism favorite work of non-fiction and why. If they read works by Australian authors can be, so what to do? they don’t have one, that doesn’t matter, such as Chloe Hooper’s The Tall Man, or Well, here’s a suggestion. For I just ask them to reflect on why they writing by Helen Garner, who in 2016 several years I have taught a first year don’t like non-fiction. undergraduate unit at the University Continued on Page 22
LITERARY JOURNALISM THE NEWSLETTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR LITERARY JOURNALISM STUDIES WINTER 2018 VOL. 12 NO. 1
LITERARY JOURNALISM /WINTER 2018 PAGE 27