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Adina Ciugureanu President of RAAS, Professor of English and American, Dean, Letter from the President Faculty of Letters, Ovidius University ConstanŃa Adina Ciugureanu
Dear colleagues, American Studies Ana Karina Schneider Since the RAAS Conference organized in Bucharest in May 2008, the Board met once in Constan Ńa, September 11, 2009. The first point on American Corners our agenda was the establishing of the topic and dates for the next Baia Mare biennial national conference. After analyzing the proposals, the board decided on the topic which has already been launched to the Conference Participation Romanian members and those of other European associations on the Marius Jucan RAAS and EAAS sites. Our next conference, whose subject is The Silvia Florea, Lucia Pavelescu American Tradition of Descent/Dissent – The Underground, The Countercultural, the (Anti)Utopian will be held at Ovidius University Academic Exchanges and Summer Constan Ńa, Oct. 7-9, 2010. We are happy to announce the Schools participation of Professor Janice Radway, Walter Dill Scott Professor Anda tefanovici of Communication Studies, Northwestern University, Illinois, who will Costinela Dragan be our key-note speaker, and of all the Fulbright scholars (senior and Ludmila Martanovschi junior) who will participate both in the conference and in the two day training organized in Constan Ńa at the time. Our conference will Research Projects continue the tradition of the former scholarly events organized in Anamaria Schwab Bucharest, namely being a joint event between the Romanian Michaela Praisler Association for American Studies and the Fulbright Commission. We Daniela Angelica Dorobantu also address our thanks to the American Cultural Center in Bucharest PhD Thesis for its constant and generous support which will make the Constan Ńa event possible. Anca Lumini a Iancu
Book Reviews An important issue raised at the September board meeting was the Maria Sabina Draga Alexandru fee which the members of our association have paid yearly so far. A Eniko Maior thorough analysis of the amount due to be a member of the RAAS and EAAS revealed the fact that the amount left after paying for our Calls for Papers EAAS membership is so insignificant that nothing can be done with it. Many of our colleagues have wondered what other benefits they can US Embassy Events/Notices get from the association, besides receiving a yearly newsletter and participating, if they wished, in a biennial conference. There are also Fulbright Scholars 2009-2010 young academics and graduate students who would like to become members of the RAAS, but would also be much happier if the RAAS Officers & EAAS membership brought them reciprocal benefits. To all these colleagues and prospective future members, the board brings the news that a higher fee means a reserve fund which will be used primarily to of our association for their participation in the encourage young academics to do research and publish. We intend to biennial conference. Thus, the non-members offer awards for the best MA and/or PhD dissertation on a topic will have to pay a much higher fee, unless they related to American Studies. It is true that at a time of economic decide to become members by September 1, recess, it is not easy to pay a higher fee. Yet, if we think of 2010. encouraging research in general and young academics in particular, moreover, if we think of keeping our association alive, we might then The third point of the agenda was the proposal see a reason behind the enlarged fee decision. We have also decided to create and publish the RAAS journal, with to charge differently the members and non-members the title The Romanian Journal of American Studies . In view of its editing, the board launched a call for editorial conference. Our next national event is, projects and topics, but has not received any response yet. We will re- obviously, the October conference at Ovidius discuss the matter and make decisions about it at our general meeting University Constanta, for which we have held at the end of the October conference. The creation and already received some extremely interesting publication of an American Studies journal will not only raise and challenging proposals. It is my hope that academics’ and graduate students’ interest in our association, but will most RAAS members will attend the also make the RAAS much stronger and more credible at European conference. Meanwhile, do search our site, level. Meanwhile, we are happy to announce the publication of the where you will find the latest news, think of an RAAS volume The Sense of America (Histories into Text) (eds. appropriate title and a short abstract by March Rodica Mih ăil ă, Irina Grigorescu Pan ă, Univers Enciplopedic, 2009), 15 and fill in the registration form for the RAAS containing a large number of the papers presented at the 2008 RAAS Conference, Ovidius University. conference, held in Bucharest. Looking forward to seeing you all in The next important event, which will probably bring some changes to Constan Ńa, the organization of EAAS as regards the delegation of responsibilities, is the European Conference for American Studies, Dublin, March 24- Adina Ciugureanu 29, 2010. Though unfortunately Romania does not have a large representation, there are a few members whose papers have been accepted. The next newsletter will contain a presentation of this huge European event as well as the dates and topic of the 2012
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Professor Ciocoi-Pop. All this has American week comprising the American been supported logistically by the students’ symposium, “Cultures in existence in Sibiu of the American Transit”. A selection of the Studies Library, hosting, since 1995, the proceedings of both events are American Centre that had included in the two publications previously functioned in Bucharest. issued by the C. Peter Magrath Moreover, a number of professional Research Centre, East-West American Studies at Sibiu associations has facilitated Cultural Passage and the students’ interaction and exchanges with journal, Cultures in Transit . The AnaAnaAna Ana KarinaKarina Schneider specialists, nationally and presence of Fulbright lecturers and Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu internationally: Sibiu staff have been American specialists has been a a constant presence at the events constant at LBU, our Department Lucian Blaga University has organised by the Salzburg Seminar having hosted over the years both had a long tradition in fostering of American Studies and were professors temporarily based in interest in American culture and among the founding members of the Sibiu and guest lecturers delivering civilisation. With a prestigious Romanian Association for American talks and convening workshops in Americanist, Professor Dumitru Studies; the Academic Anglophone American literature, creative writing, Ciocoi-Pop, as its President after Society of Romania, founded by political science, history and so 1989, the University quickly Professor Sever Trifu at Sibiu in forth. As of 2008, our Department established student and staff 1997, has always encouraged has also become the venue of the exchange programmes with American scholarship and included fortnightly meetings of the American American universities (most notably it among the fields of its Culture Club uniting highschool and the University of Missouri at international publication, American, university students with an interest Columbia) and has hosted Fulbright British and Canadian Studies ; and in American culture from across the lecturers since the early 1990s. In the C. Peter Magrath Centre for city. both the philology and modern Cross-cultural Studies was set up at With such a rich tradition in languages study programmes Lucian Blaga University in 1999. both research and teaching, the courses in American literature, The latter in particular is devoted to Department of British and American culture and civilisation feature promoting Romanian-American Studies in Sibiu was bound to set extensively, and for a number of academic interaction: it has up a programme in American years in the late nineties the most organised a number of events, of Studies, and after some institutional popular master’s programme was in which the annual Fulbrighters’ hesitations, it finally did so in 2009. modernist British and American conference, “East-West Cultural Embedded in a thorough literature. The local doctoral Passage”, has reached its eighth understanding of the special programme in philology has trained edition, and has also triggered the requirements of the cultural studies many of the country’s Americanists, organisation of an annual Anglo- programme, LBU’s American under the masterful supervision of Studies curriculum combines Put very simply, AMS studies efficiently the core subjects of American culture. There are foreign language specialist study consequently two sides to its object with an interdisciplinary approach to of study: On the one hand, the American culture and civilisation, social, political, economic and and the ministerially recommended cultural realities of so large a subjects of the national curricular country have inevitable engendered American core with a creative approach to the intense debate as to what can be study of America relying on local defined as American: who is a real resources. The curriculum was put American; who speaks for America; Corners together by a team of specialists what does America stand for? On holding doctoral degrees and the other hand, cultural studies diplomas in American Studies and worldwide concerns itself with the American Corner Baia Mare having extensive experience in question, what does the concept of curricular development, and it is put culture encompass? Current critical Coordinators: Adina DorolDorol an an and tefan to good account by an academic interrogations of the criteria on Selek dream team made up of no less which the canonicity of artistic than three Fulbright lecturers, one works and of art forms has been American professor who has been established have resulted in the based in Sibiu for some ten years, study of culture as a way of life, Like all the American Corners and a number of local specialists embracing all the cultural forms and around the world, in this case, variously holding academic degrees practices that make our world American Corner Baia Mare was from American higher education meaningful, from literature to founded through a partnership institutions and impressive portfolios cinematography and television, from between the U.S. Embassy in of publications in the field of AMS. painting to graffiti and cartoons, Bucharest and „Petre Dulfu” Among the study courses from classical music through jazz County Library in Baia Mare. The offered are: lectures and seminars and rock’n’roll to house and hiphop, official opening of American in American history and cultural as well as the videos that Corner Baia Mare was in May 2006 geography, sociology and politics, accompany them, clothing, and we are proud to say that our literature, visual arts, music and buildings, marketing etc. corner is one of the most active ones sports, as well as critical methods in This programme introduces in Europe and maybe the best one in American Studies as a scholarly students to many of the methods Romania. American Corner Baia discipline; and practical courses in and approaches deployed by AMS Mare is located inside the county argumentation, rhetoric, text scholars to interpret American library, the most modern and interpretation and essay writing, culture, from the Liberal Humanism beautiful county library in Romania. based on American models and and New Criticism of the 1930s to The opening of the American striving to train skills held in high the “post-theoretical” theories of our cultural centre was a very good esteem in the American education days. Our main focus is on the idea, taking into account that we system. Furthermore, our students political and cultural evolution of the have in town two universities which are given the option of studying a American nation, the relationship have faculties of letters with variety of foreign languages, between people and power, as well English/American studies including German, French, Dutch, as issues of citizenship, belonging departments. Our users’ number Spanish, Italian and Chinese, are (and unbelonging) and identity. We increased each year; in 2009 we had offered classes in computer hope to familiarise our students with over 13000 users and visitors. Most science, and are warmly invited to the jargon of AMS, train them to of them are university and high- participate in the various student operate cogently with concepts school students, but we also have clubs functioning within the such as multiculturalism, pluralism, professors, teachers and Department: the American Culture tolerance, hybridity, acculturation professionals. Our collections Club, the Reading Group, and the and cultural hegemony, consists of over 12000 books Creative Writing Club. globalisation and glocalisation, and (encyclopaedias, dictionaries etc.), Our curriculum is entrenched prepare them to continue their magazines (we have 12 annual in a modern vision of American investigation of the American subscriptions), DVD-s and video- Studies as essentially an Dream and the American mystique cassettes containing documentaries interdisciplinary study programme, at MA and doctoral level, either at or artistic movies. and of American culture as a home or abroad. During these three years of activity, we organised events for a complex imbrication of shiny surfaces and idiosyncratic sounds, large public. We had seminars, of ideologies and practices. We workshops, English clubs, holidays, therefore aim not only to offer games and quizz activities, contests, students a comprehensive overview video-conferences and not last international conferences on of the United States of America as a country and a nation, but also to different topics. train critical thinking and inquisitive In May 2008, American interest in current developments in Corner Baia Mare hosted the first the discipline of American Studies. edition of The Students' and Young Researchers' Conference in American Studies: "Historical Tzara, Ernst Hemingway, Malcolm Moments in Modern Mirrors". The X, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, conference was organized along Ian McEwan, Julian Barnes and with the North University in Baia Conference others showed that being or feeling Mare. exiled is a personal journey into the In October 2009, American wasteland of solitude, awakening Corner Baia Mare organized along Participation human solidarity, eventually. with the North University of Baia The exile mourns its double Mare, the “Edgar Allan Poe memory, complains over a captive International Conference”, the only Ovid, Myth and (Literary) life and deplores the ambiguity of event organized in Romania to Exile Conference, Ovidius living without the “original” fabric of celebrate the bicentennial of one of a life. Ovidius, the poet, the courtier the most important American icons. University, Constanta and Rome’s lover cursed the It was the perfect occasion for Marius Jucan destiny which cast him on Poe admirers to share their Babeș Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca barbarous shores. Exile cannot be knowledge and enthusiasm in the imagined without the barbarity of frame of a scientific and cultural strangers and of foreign countries event. Under Ovidius’s bronze looks and outlandish manners. Yet, after There were plenary lectures, 3 contemplating the sea and the local Ovidius, many exiles fled from DVCs with important professors hour of our postmodernity, exile was barbarity dwelling in their very the subject of a seminal countries. Adorno, Soljenitsyn, international reunion organized by Gombrowicz, Hannah Arendt, the English Department of the Mircea Eliade, Milan Kundera, Faculty of Letters, the Center for Salman Rushdie, and others Cross-cultural Studies of the “representative” men, as Emerson Ovidius University, Constan a and put it, were for a long time deprived the National History and Archeology of their countries. Museum of the same city. Exile does not belong only to Academics and researchers from representative people, writers, Romanian universities, but also politicians, intellectuals, artists. from the universities of Bologna, Poverty, violence, corruption, Bari, Rio de Janeiro, London, tyranny have always been the very Glasgow, Vienna, Izmir, places where people felt Nottingham, Lisbon, Salzburg, dispossessed of their identities and from USA, art exhibitions, Illinois convened to debate on the future. Millions of immigrants chose theatrical and musical meanings, images and lessons of another country to live in, a different performances, poetry recital and a the exile. Is exile a landmark of the culture and another imaginary trip to Maramures County. past, only? What forms of exclusion where to feel free to legitimate We organized events for all are there besides the exile? Are themselves as autonomous human kind of public, from children in there people still facing barriers beings. kindergarten to adults, from tearing up their lives in two Exile was regarded this fall at workshops and seminars, DVCs to separated poles of existence? Key- the University of Constanta as one jazz concerts. None of these events note speakers Stephen Prickett, of the “greatest” stories about the could have been organized without Sean Matthews and Irina human condition. An interesting the support of the American Grigorescu Pan ă competed to give volume will hopefully ensue the Cultural Center in Bucharest. challenging answers to these sessions, the presentations and the We also want to thank to all questions. conversations occasioned by this our collaborators, teachers, students, The theme of the exile is remarkable event. NGO’ s for their support. biblical. Whether political, religious, racial or literary, the exile conveys into everyday life the tension of an More pictures can be seen at General Assembly of The our address irreversible rupture. At the http://picasaweb.google.ro/american beginning of the Tristia , the Roman University Network of the corner.bm poet conjures his book to be the ambassador of his doleful, European Capitals of Culture, estranged life; “Parue -- nec inuideo Vilnius, Lithuania -- sine me, liber, ibis in urbem: / ei Silvia Florea and Lucia Pavelescu mihi, quod domino non licet ire tuo!” Could literature be the truest Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu messenger of the exiled? Ovidius’s drama, the unbearable constraint of Representatives of Lucian surviving with the nostalgia of a Blaga University of Sibiu recently forever lost country and home was participated in a General Assembly conveyed into other experiences of of The University Network of the the exile. Dante, Henry James, D.H. European Capitals of Culture Lawrence, James Joyce, Tristan (UneECC). Rodica Miclea, Vice- Rector for International Relations for creativity and Innovation; and Associate Professors, Lucia Creativity and Innovation and Pavelescu and Silvia Florea European capitals of Culture; Expressions of the Self: represented the university at the Creativity and Innovation in Autobiography and Its October 2009 international University Culture; Didactic conference, held in Vilnius, Innovation and the University; and Avatars Conference, Lithuania, this year’s wonderful The Impact of Innovation and “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” European Cultural Capital. Creativity on Culture. The assembly was the Dr. Florea spoke about the University of Iasi Network’s third annual conference bridge between knowledge of, and Odette Blumenfeld and Sorina Chiper on creativity, innovations and accessibility to, research. In doing “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași culture issues. Vilnius Gediminas so, she detailed the Lucian Blaga Technical and Mykolas Romeris University/industry collaboration The conference “ Expressions Universities played host to the within the Conference Track 2 - of the Self: Autobiography and Its international event. Represen- Creativity and Innovation in Avatars ,” organized by the English tatives from well over 50 different University Culture . During a Department of the “Alexandru Ioan European higher education session on Didactic Innovation and Cuza” University of Ia i between institutions convened to share the University, Dr. Pavelescu September 24-26, focused on the international experience on explored the innovative aspects current theories and practices of university culture, creativity and involved in accessing a teaching autobiography – a genre of innovation, to help academic career in our country. Both contested and shifting communities grow and develop presentations by the Lucian Blaga terminological and multi-modal within the creative spaces in higher professors were visually boundaries. The dynamism of the education, and to explore ways to accompanied by power point genre and of its wide range of enhance higher education highlights. The well received critical approaches stimulated rich institutional development. Among presentations once again evidenced discussions among the participants, many notable attendees, a large the excellence of research in who relished the academic coziness number of delegates responsible for Romanian universities. They spoke of a conference that brought culture policy in Europe about the on-going research efforts together a select group of participated. To mention just two, that encourage culture and Romanian and foreign scholars. these included Prof. Edward de innovation in the Romanian The presentations addressed topics Bono, EU Ambassador for the Year academic community and as diverse as: authorship, selfhood, of Creativity, 2009 and Patrizia substantially contribute to the identity, cultural representation, the Baralli, Policy Officer of European knowledge economy and society- distinction between fact and fiction, Commission Directorate General for building progress. In different ways, memory, subjectivity, morality, Education and Culture. Their both presentations underscored the intentionality, etc. contributions underscored the promotion of a new way of thinking Thus, the keynote speeches importance of academic and a favorable environment as provided thorough theoretical, environment and the benefits of very valuable criteria in assuring historical and cross-cultural implementing such values as quality in Romanian higher perspectives to the genre. Prof. creativity, innovation, science and education. Monika Reif-Huesler from Konstantz culture. “These values are The conference also University offered a “tour de force” completely inseparable and it is also incorporated discussions of the survey of the field, with a few a new approach for the academic students’ point of view, brought to landmarks such as Michel de community, to be creative, the fore by the student Montaigne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, progressive, innovative and representatives from Network Mahatma Ghandi, Paul de Man and cultivating culture,” emphasized universities. Their contributions James M. Coetzee, and gave rich Romualdas Ginevi čius, Rector of offered more proof of UNeECC’s insights into links between the Vilnius Gediminas Technical initiative to merge into one network, flourishing of the genre and periods University. “We should not just talk fostering closer links between of social and political unrest. about the culture in the university, academic communities in different Similarly rich and intellectually we should live with it to encourage countries, while at the same time engaging were the plenary sessions today's ‘engines’ - creativity and providing incentive for a completely which featured Dr. Virgil Stanciu’s innovation,” he added. new, progressive and beneficial Reviewing Family History: Recent The University Network of the approach towards the science, Irish Fiction and the Avatars of European Capitals of Culture education and life of university Memory , and Dr Marius Jucan’s (UNeECC) is an international non- communities. Autobiography and the Emotion of profit association founded in Playing with the Ego. December 2006 in Pécs, Hungary. Papers presented in sessions The association brings together 48 were grouped together under universities from 32 European broader topics such as ethnic cities. Presentations and papers at autobiography (sessions moderated the Vilnius conference were by Prof. Stefan Avadanei and Prof. delivered on a number of topics, Odette Blumenfeld), American including: Cultural diversity as basis literature and popular culture (session moderated by Prof. presentations, debates, and panel Dumitru Dorob ă ), women and Academic discussions, examined some of the autobiography (session moderated critical historical epochs, by Prof. Virgil Stanciu), history and Exchanges and movements, issues, and conflicts autobiography (session moderated that have influenced the by Prof. Remus Bejan), linguistic development of the US nation and expressions of the self (session Summer Schools its people. It also included a strong moderated by Prof. Adrian contemporary component, exploring Poruciuc), expressions of the self in some principal issues underlying British literature (session moderated Visiting Fulbright Scholar some of the most pressing by Prof. Codrin Liviu Cu itaru) and Report, June 13 – July 26, contemporary political, social, and autobiography in Europe (session 2009, New York economic debates in the US. moderated by Prof. tefan Colibaba). As far as papers in the Anda tefanovici field of American Studies were “Petru Maior” University Târgu Mure concerned, they dwelt on salient features of the autobiographical work of authors such as Henry As a Fulbright scholar I spent Adams, Sylvia Plath, Ralph Ellison, six weeks (June 13 – July 26, 2009) Maxine Hong Kingston, Eugene at the NYU Steinhardt Multinational O’Neill, Gertrude Stein, Lillian Institute of American Studies. FY-09 Hellman, Arthur Miller and so on. Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) for A strong point of the American Civilization is an intensive conference was its opening to other summer post-graduate level media, except from the purely academic program with integrated literary ones. Thus, Prof. Odette study tours. Its purpose was to We were expected to Blumenfeld and Assistant Professor provide foreign university faculty participate fully in the program Mihaela Precup tackled and other scholars the opportunity (lectures, organized activities, autobiography in comics form. The to deepen their understanding of integrated study tours, and former retraced Art Spiegelman’s American society, culture and substantial reading assignments for experience of growing up as a child institutions. The program also active participation in seminars and of Holocaust survivors in his aimed at strengthening curricula panel discussions) which at times “Maus”, and the latter discussed and improving the quality of was,understandably, overwhelming. family photography and detective teaching about the U.S.A. in It has been, nonetheless, an work in graphic memoirs by Alison academic institutions abroad. The invaluable experience, the Bechdel and C.S. Tyler. Prof. professor who initiated this project professional and personal benefits Rodica Albu drew on her many years ago, Dr. Phil Hosey, of which cannot be measured in experience of working on an Director of International Education words. For six weeks I was most autobiography-based oral history at New York University, displays a fruitful and productive. We were research project, and Lecturer rare combination of professional, offered to explore American culture Claudia Doroholschi looked at social and human skills. A great and values through the first-hand Stanley Kubrik’s “Full Metal Jacket” organizer, teacher and scholar, Dr. experiences of people portrayed in as an auteur film. Hosey impressed us as a most their history, literature, politics, art, The conference provided an decent, modest and humane and other enduring forms of cultural excellent opportunity for Romanian, person. expression. The program aimed to German, Spanish and British The multinational group foster critical thinking through deep scholars to share their literary, included eighteen scholars from and wide readings on cultural linguistic and cultural interest in eighteen different cultures: Albania, criticism, history and social analysis autobiography, and discuss future Algeria, Armenia, Brazil, Cameroon, works. New York was the perfect projects. It was a successful event, China, Côte d’Ivoire, India, Libya, location to explore the extent to well orchestrated by Prof. Odette Madagascar, Nepal, Nicaragua, which the US has succeeded in Blumenfeld and the other two Nigeria, Philippines, Portugal, reconciling diversity and national organizers, Lecturer Sorina Chiper Romania, Russia and Tunisia; a unity, while the demanding and Instructor Tereza Nitisor, that diverse group from which I interdisciplinary program made showed the high-currency value of undoubtedly learned as much as possible the participation as guest ideas and debates around topics of from the program. speakers of leading figures on the identity, sites of memory, and The complexity and New York, Washington, and Boston expressions of the self. heterogeneous nature of American political and cultural scenes. It is society, as well as the institutions unusual to experience such a and values that have enabled the continuously impressive level of nation to accommodate that organization, debate and diversity was the main focus of the discussion. program “The Reconciliation of We were exposed to all facets American Diversity with National of American culture (religion, Unity”. The program, through its gender issues, home and foreign policy, mass media, visual and and to Washington DC to explore were already old friends. I could performing arts, ethnicity and race, the nature of the democratic have never dreamed of being so economy, postmodernism). The process in America, and to learn close to people coming from such daily coursework was a beneficial how it differs from democratic different cultures. Among other, this combination of individual speaker practices in other countries. Hardly program fostered enduring presentations and panel could one think of a more complete relationships and provided us with discussions. Prominent acade- cultural portrayal. opportunities to increase our subject micians, politicians, business and The luncheons and parties knowledge and understand its labor leaders, journalists and organized also helped us relevance in the greater context of government advisers all contributed experience American traditions the world. The opportunity to reach essentially to the success of the (food traditions, Native American out and touch lives in these new program by introducing us to broad dances, baseball as a national circumstances also gave me academic themes related to local sport, etc.). Contact with other insights into the American autonomy and pluralism in America, international groups, such as the educational mechanism. That will individual liberty and the American British group, was also made help me a lot in introducing my creed, cultural and social possible on these occasions. American experience in my heterogeneity, and last but not And this is not all. Despite this courses. least, to national unity- social and strenuous ‘journey’ into the However, we should not cultural integration. American culture, we still had time neglect one important outcome of Besides being exposed to the to work on individual projects, to do this unique experience: the chance American educational system library research at Bobst Library we have to develop an international through seminars, discussions and and to catch up on reading, partnership that would open debates, cultural events and field shopping, or resting. My American professional and reflective dialogue. trips helped us challenge and experience enabled my access to These exchanges between deconstruct other stereotypical library and computer resources to international scholars usually perceptions about the American collect huge amounts of data and generate international research people and their culture. One of the make audio recordings of the guest networks and collaborative writing guest speakers stated towards the speakers. Also, I have made a lot of projects. And we have already end of the program: “You saw in six professional contacts throughout embraced the chance of a joint weeks more than most of us could the United States. venture project – editing a volume in dream of ‘seeing’ in a lifetime”. And The gains I have from this which all of us, the eighteen she was right. I could not think of a scholarship are multiple. I am participants and the American staff, better program (although I have strongly motivated to continue my will contribute our ‘personal’ been on other scholarships as well) work in this direction. The Fulbright reflections on the American that enables the participants to experience has helped me broaden experience. attend such a full list of cultural my professional and personal The knowledge and events and to get into direct contact horizons and see things from an experiences that I gained from this with the most important cultural international perspective, and I can scholarship have been invaluable communities in America. From now say wholeheartedly that all my and will no doubt impact on my theatre, opera, musical, concerts, expectations were exceeded. future academic teaching work, on films, museums, to author At this moment I would like to my research and also on my presentations, gay parade, baseball offer warm thanks to all of the NYU personal life. It enabled me to (practice and game) – cultural staff for making me feel so establish professional and personal diversity and experimentation – all welcome. The staff included Prof. dialogue with teachers, colleagues of America was included in the Phil Hosey (Director of International and staff and I hope this will be program. Education) and six advanced maintained over the coming years. In addition, the cultural image doctoral students in this I regard myself as privileged to of America was completed by the International Education Program: have had the occasion to field trips we made. The New York Elly (the Administrative Director of experience such a hothouse of tours (Ground Zero, Times Square, the Institute), Ashley, Amy, intense intellectual exchange. I Queens, Harlem, Chinatown, Ellis Karleigh, Ally, Rachel (all Program would invite any colleague to seize Island, etc.) focused on the impact Officers) and Nick (a Program this exclusive prospect. of technology on city planning, on Associate). The staff assisted us in the diverse communities that make all our endeavors and offered up neighborhoods in the United precious support in all situations States, on the tension between the (not only during the program, but process of assimilation and the after we left New York as well). formation of an Asian American They were the best organizers and ethnic identity, etc. the nicest people I have ever met. We also went on longer field I am also grateful to the people trips to New England to study the I met there. I am proud to have character of a New England been part of such a group. We not community, to New Mexico to see only developed and shared our patterns of ethnic confrontation and professional expertise but I had the assimilation on the Western frontier, feeling we had met before and we First International Summer present their Ph.D. projects. The Quinn. For the second time in the academic program was full of history of this summer course, Academy for Doctoral interesting events: a reception at students from Bulgaria joined their Students in American Studies, the Amerika Haus, excursions to Romanian colleagues in an Dachau, Neuschwanstein, visits to interesting and fruitful cultural May 9 23, 2009, Munich museums and places of interest in exchange. We were happy to meet Costinela Dragan Munich. four Bulgarian students from the University of Bucharest University of Plovdiv and to invite Professor Rodica Mih ăil ă to join one Creative Writing Summer of the workshops. This year’s Munich was the venue of The summer course was successfully First International Summer Course, July 6 – 19, 2009, organized and it was beneficial to Academy for Doctoral Students in Ovidius University, Constan a the participating students who American Studies, American acquired and improved their Studies in a Transatlantic Guest Instructor: John Quinn, analysis and writing skills, which will Perspective: Cultural Mobility and University of Nevada, Las help them in their studies and Intercultural Exchange , which Vegas, USA subsequent careers. As a result of sought to address current issues in the students’ successful completion American history, culture, and Ludmila Martanovschi of the course assignments, they literature. The program was Ovidius University, ConstanŃa were better prepared to meet the supported by German Academic course requirements that involve Exchange Service (DAAD), writing and to receive higher grades Bavarian-American Academy Due to the financial support of throughout the present academic (BAA), Friedrich Alexander- the US Embassy, the Creative year. Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, the Writing Summer Course at Ovidius Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, University, Constan Ńa had a new Munich, Wayne State University, edition last summer, thus confirming Detroit, and the University of a tradition that has taken shape Research Southern Denmark, Odense. over the last ten years. Professor The two weeks of the and poet John Quinn, University of Projects summer school featured key-note Nevada, Las Vegas, USA, led a lectures on crucial issues of cultural new challenging and exciting course mobility and transatlantic exchange in which fifteen undergraduate “Spaces of Seclusion, Spaces students majoring in American delivered by Prof. Dr. Heike Paul of Freedom in the City in (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Studies and English A were Erlangen-Nürnberg): "Cultural involved in writing personal essays, Contemporary American Mobility"; Prof. Dr. Klaus Benesch poetry and short fiction and were Literature” Research Project, (Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, helped to improve their composition Munich): "Mobility and Rootedness"; skills and develop their creative Gent University Prof. Dr. David Nye (University of abilities. The course also focused Anamaria Schwab on important American writers while Southern Denmark, Odense): University of Bucharest, Romania "Mobility, Technology, and the students engaged in the analysis of th Production of Difference"; Prof. Dr. 20 century writings and enriched their knowledge of American The 2008 Intra European Barrett Watten (Wayne State Grant that EAAS had the generosity University, Detroit): "Mobility and literature and culture. The course also deepened the students’ to offer me proved of invaluable Poetics"; Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel help to the progress of my Ph.D. (University of Regensburg): knowledge of American issues from a variety of fields as discussions thesis. During my October- "Transatlantic Cultures of Memory"; November 2008 stay with Gent Prof. Dr. Rudolf Freiburg (Friedrich- tackled contemporary reality in the United States. As a long term result, University, Belgium, I was granted Alexander-Universität Erlangen- unrestricted access to the library of Nürnberg): "Transatlantic this joint program strengthened the cooperation between the University Gent Urban Studies Team (GUST) Discourses on Religion and that is dedicated mostly to the Atheism"; Werner Sollors (Harvard of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA and Ovidius University, Constanta, domain of urban studies in America. University): "Transatlantic I also had the chance to meet some Encounters”. Prof. Dr. Carla Romania and paved the way for future projects. Among the project of the professors who are GUST Harryman (Eastern Michigan members and specialists in my field University) offered us an activities, some of the most notable are: the opening of the course at the of doctoral research, namely the city unforgettable moment of grace with in contemporary American her reading from her new book American Corner, Constanta on July 6th, creative writing exercises literature. Adorno’s Noise . I carried out research mostly This summer school gave and workshops on the margins of the students’ work, lectures on with GUST very pleasant library and doctoral students working in the also with the Library of the English field of American Studies the writing, group discussions on contemporary American and Department and a number of other opportunity to discuss seminal libraries at Gent University. As a scholarly texts in the field and to Romanian writers, and readings by the guest instructor, poet John result, I managed to study about sixty essential books and articles has become aware of multiplicity Slovakia, Tallin University – dealing with my topic, especially and of the various differences of Estonia, Daugavpils University – theoretical books and contemporary class, race and gender that define Latvia, University of Pecs – novels which I had been unable to contemporary America. Simulta- Hungary, Warsaw Agricultural reach in Romania. Not to mention neously, the same realism is University – Poland, The Institute of the elegant bike that Gent Urban capable to dissolve reality, Lithuanian Scientific Society – Studies Team were so kind to rent rendering the city’s endless play of Lithuania, Europarama – Lithuania, for me and that I fully enjoyed riding surfaces, the simulacrum it has The University of Warwick – Great for a whole month. come to represent (as in Paul Britain, The University of Salford – In what concerns the Auster’s City of Glass ). Great Britain, Centre for Analytic theoretical part of my dissertation, A novel like Toni Morrison’s Studies and Development – Russia, after reading especially Edward Jazz for example helped me expand Scientific Research Centre Region Soja’s Third Space , Postmetropolis a chapter in my dissertation that is – Russia, Centre of Sociological, and Imagining Cities where he dedicated to inner spaces in the city Political and Psychological Analysis accounts for the constantly and their relationship to – Moldova. restructuring, incessantly growing everydayness. In reading Jazz, one Coordinated by Vytautas urban sprawls of today that defy becomes fully aware of the intricacy Magnus University – Lithuania and comprehension, I detailed my and denseness of destinies that can funded by the European analysis of the way in which be compressed between a flat’s four Commission, the project literature attempts to capture a city walls and of the extent of drama presupposed research that is fragmentary and simulated to that is confined to the small, collaboration, fieldwork, data such an extent that it becomes anonymous, domestic spaces of the processing, disseminating findings ultimately absent. In doing so, I was city. and formulating policy asking myself if contemporary I must admit that without the recommendations (see project American literature is capable to access to information made website: www.sal.vdu.lt ). ‘radically rethink and perhaps possible through the grant and The strategic objectives deeply restructure ... our inherited without the invaluable help that I envisaged and met via the forms of urban analysis to meet the received from the GUST professors, interdisciplinary approach to the practical, political and theoretical I would not have been able to main research fields (New Religious challenges presented by the post- discover essential primary as well Movements, Ethnic/Religious metropolis’, as Soja puts it in as secondary sources that perfectly “Fringers” and “Taste” Subcultures) Imagining Cities. fit the scope of my dissertation. This were: the analysis of differences Novels such as Jonathan way I succeeded to make significant with social subgroups in post- Lethem’s Motherless Brooklyn, Toni and substantial progress in my communist societies, the study of Morrison’s Jazz or E. L. Doctorow’s thesis. social differentiation processes, the Lives of the Poets account for a investigation of the way in which variety of marginal voices and their social structures and processes different perceptions of the city. The Sixth Framework vary from one post-communist They helped me deepen and society to another, their comparison nuance my perspective on International Research with Western models. In other literature’s understanding of urban Project: “Society and words, the activities and work space. I had a view of the city as a packages of the project were fortress and a suffocating presence Lifestyles. Towards Enhancing oriented towards: but due to discussions with the Social Harmonization through • analysing the role played by researchers there and the books different cultural communities within they recommended me I realized Knowledge of Subcultural contemporary European societies; that such a space is also one that Communities” studying dominant values, beliefs, helps unleash individuals’ Michaela Praisler ideals and the way they are inventiveness and freedom, often “Dunărea de Jos” University of GalaŃi communicated; understanding the through the creation of small concepts of freedom and lifestyle communities that reinstitute with different social groups (under From 1 January 2006 to 31 difference at the very heart of big focus were the historical cities. December 2008, the English perspective and the emergence of Department of the Faculty of The conclusion that I have new resistance patterns in Eastern reached is that contemporary Letters, “Dun ărea de Jos” University European communities during the of Gala i, Romania has been literature tends to employ Ń period of Soviet domination, nineteenth century realism in a involved in an international research together with the modifications of project entitled “Society and refashioned manner which ‘corrects’ religions and cultural traditions it and implicitly criticizes it, while still Lifestyles. Towards Enhancing under the influence of Western Social Harmonization through benefitting from its accessibility and culture); popularity. No longer omniscient, Knowledge of Subcultural • understanding the Communities”, alongside thirteen and having renounced the totalizing, perception of individual identity by all encompassing perspective upon other academic teams from: The cultural community members in University of Central Lancashire – the city that characterized it at the different European regions in view beginning of modernism, realism Great Britain, University of SS. Cyril of identifying the meanings they and Methodius in Trnava – attach to the values of their own representatives, their expression of slavery/pre-colonial indigenous identity; identity and the law. traditional cultures. • exploring the impact of The results were posted on the Set in Harlem, during the counter-cultural values on the internet, disseminated at academic 1920s, the novel ingeniously individual identity of different group conferences (including the one employs cinematic techniques to members from the standpoint of organised on the project at the juxtapose fact and fiction, ancient gender studies; University of Gala Ńi – 2-3 November and modern history. It follows the • studying the level of 2007, whose proceedings were cyclical path of HooDoo detectives tolerance/intolerance within counter- published a year later in the volume PaPaLaBas and Black Herman in cultural communities, the Culture, Subculture, Counterculture tracking down the Western predominant attitudes towards them Gala Ńi: Europlus) and included in conspiracy to destroy the creative in institutional spheres (the media, articles accepted by prestigious spirit and vitality of man which Reed organisations for leisure activities, periodicals: Isabela Meril ă and calls Jes Grew and to replace it with schools and workplaces) and the Michaela Praisler – ‘Textually the imitative and repressive modes of expressing solidarity with Constructing Identity and aesthetic order of Western and opposition to ethnic and cultural Otherness: Mediating the Hip-Hop civilizations whose museums are minorities; Message’; Daniela orcaru and Centers of Art Detention for • investigating the role of Floriana Popescu – ‘On Linguistic treasures from Africa, Asia and symbols used by counter-cultural Politics: The Stylistic Testimonies of South America. community members and their Romanian Hip-Hop’, in Subcultures Since learning the Yoruba subsequent transformations; and New Religious Movements in language, Reed has been able to • examining the dominant Russia and East-Central Europe , reassess the character of Pa processes which lead to the division Cultural Identity Series (CIS), 2009, PaLaBas presenting him as a North of the contemporary European ed. G. McKay, C. Williams, M. American version of the West Community into individual social Goddard, N. Foxlee, E. African Legba. He is the one who groups with different socio-cultural Ramanauskaite, Oxford: Peter Lang sets the action into motion and identities; Publishing. interconnects the parts. • identifying the social power In a more direct way, Mumbo structures which stimulate the Jumbo is Reed’s dissertation about emergence of new cultural groups the manifested aspects of Voodoo in the region (the concept of power Ishmael Reed’s Poetics of and Hoodoo and the role of Africa being used to imply ability, authority Multiculturalism in Mumbo and Haiti in the origin of African and coercion) through the analysis Jumbo American culture. Voodoo of oppositional cultural groups; represents the countercultural • signalling the main reasons Daniela Angelica DorobantDorobantuuuu moment within Reed’s work, for the opposition which has given University of Craiova including its refusal to Western rise to numerous groups and aesthetic norms. As a movements in Eastern Europe This study explores the way postmodernist, Reed uses voodoo (identifiable in religion, ideology, Ishmael Reed promotes a new as an antidote to the master ethnicity, identity, lifestyle, gender discourse; I mean one which narratives of Western cultures. and traditions). reassesses the social experience of The book opens with a The Gala Ńi team (coordinated diversity and differences. The close prologue, situated in New Orleans by Michaela Praisler, with Daniela analysis of his fiction will prompt us and we can see the authorities orcaru and Isabela Meril ă as main to enhance what it means to be part getting worried and trying to stop researchers and Floriana Popescu of a “diasporic” and “creolized” or the strange phenomenon called in as representative in steering “postcolonial” world, where the beginning a “Creeping Thing” . committee meetings), together with boundaries and borders are always All the reports describe the first the specialists in history, sociology, redefined. For black Americans this manifestations of this one. The ethnology and cultural anthropology process has been shaped by a people were doing “stupid sensual they have collaborated with, spent distinctive history-Africa, slavery, things” were in a state of 2970 hours working on the project’s the South, Emancipation, “uncontrollable frenzy”. This entire research, innovation, demonstrative Reconstruction, post- phenomenon is called Jes Grew and managerial activities dedicated Reconstruction. and seems to resemble another to the study of urban culture and its We shall see that for Reed, phenomenon -Voodoo- that erupted dynamics, of interculturality and the “blackness” is “a dimension of a in the 1890s in Place Congo or Easternisation of the West, with larger cultural process of formation Congo Square in Haiti. The emphasis on the particular case of that he sometimes identifies as authorities see Jes Grew as a Romanian hip-hop, under its many multiculturalism”. In Mumbo Jumbo , disease that may become pandemic aspects: the discourse of violence his third and perhaps, best novel, which it could be equivalent to the and the violence of discourse, Reed demonstrates how in order to End of Civilization. The worst is that rooted in and influencing the social fight the forces of colonialism and nobody can explain or solve this milieu; its counter-cultural monoculturalism, post-colonial mystery. manifestations as an alternative to artists must artistically return to their All the infected persons seem mainstream culture; its roots or tap into their pre- to breathe the air of Africa, to feel like being in Kongo and dancing a tribal dance. They could hear the ideologies under one umbrella and spaces of the American music of shank bones, jew’s harpes, lets them sort out their differences. environment, in the private and bagpipes, flutes, conch horns, Although the members of the domestic spaces inhabited by first- drums, banjos, kazoos, all the Mu’tafikah share the same post- generation immigrant women, it traditional African instruments as if colonial vision of returning the functioned as a catalyst that helped the writer tried to orchestrate our “plundered art” to the countries them negotiate the practical and feelings into a great symphony of where it was looted from, there is emotional aspects of the the African Spirit. evidence of occasional mistrust and acculturation process. In general, The novel is obvious a racial tensions among them. for the women in this study, literacy refashioning of the New World and At the end of the novel, PaPa promoted acculturation, at a more the first indication of this one starts LaBas and Black Herman capture accelerated or at a slower pace, with the title “Mumbo Jumbo” which Hinckle Von Vampton, but Jes Grew depending on the time period when may have different meanings. At the goes underground only to rise once they emigrated, on the areas of end of the prologue part, Reed more, we learn in the epilogue, in settlement, and on the impact of provides a dictionary definition of the 1970s. ethnic communities and American “Mumbo Jumbo” and suggests that So, Reed’s aim is not simply contexts on immigrants. it is an English corruption of “ma- to assert “the blackness of Individual literacy practices, in ma-gyo-mbo”, a Mandingo phrase blackness” or an Afrocentric their first languages or in English, that designates “a magician who aesthetic in the manner of Amiri informed by a number of variables, makes the troubled spirits of Baraka, Molefti Asante and others, such as ethnicity and social class, ancestors go away”. but that his writing goes beyond the allowed first-generation women to The key figures in the action of reconnection to African spirituality in create cultural, ethnic, and the plot are the Atonist Path and its order to create a multicultural space generational bridges between the military wing, the Wallflower Order, for all cultures and modes of being old world and the new and between on the one hand and the Neo- and thinking. themselves and their descendants. HooDoo detectives and its military Immigrant women used their literacy wing, the Mu’tafikah , on the other practices (of reading and writing) for hand. Reed satirizes the mission of various purposes, such as the Atons, their army and their maintaining the comfort zone of the crusading agents from the Research first language, preserving the ethnic Teutonics, Knights Templars to culture, gaining social prestige and Hinckle von Vampton, the Templars’ Projects status in various communities, librarian. The Wallflower Order facilitating the absorption of the new launched the war against Haiti culture, and/or leaving a written hoping to fight against Jes Grew’s Visible Invisibility: Literacy cultural legacy for family members. symptoms by attacking their Practices of Non English Thus, this study explores a number miasmatic source and using a of literacy practices experienced by Talking Android. Speaking European American first-generation immigrant women For Reed and his characters Immigrant Women (1835 from different ethnic groups, such in Mumbo Jumbo , Haiti is the 1930) as German, Norwegian, Swiss, symbol of political freedom from Jewish, and Italian. The materials foreign oppressors, of awareness of AAAncaAncancanca LLLLuminitauminita I Iancuancuancuancu researched come from published cultural identity and of aesthetic Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu collections of letters, diaries, freedom. By aesthetic freedom one memoirs/autobiographies, and from has to understand the freedom to This dissertation examines the unpublished manuscripts from write or create art from a syncretic intricate connections between American archives, such as The or multicultural point of view. It is literacy and acculturation by looking Filson Historical Society in stated in the novel that when an at individual literacy practices of Louisville, KY, the Historical Society artist discovers new forms, he first-generation non-English- of Cincinnati, OH, and the exclaims: “I Have Reached My speaking European-American American-Jewish Archives in Haiti!” Throughout Mumbo Jumbo , immigrant women between 1835 Cincinnati, OH. the interest in Haiti stems from the and 1930. Based partly on archival The dissertation has five idea that since Haitians are closer research, the dissertation explores chapters. Chapter I offers an to Africa than are African the various contexts in which overview of the main immigration Americans, it is normal that they women acquired, developed, and issues between 1830 and 1930, provide a cultural base for North used literacy in their first languages with particular emphasis on America. and in English by employing a immigrant women’s literacy. At the The Mu’tafikah , in addition to comparative method: geographical same time, this chapter discusses compounding the discourse of post- regions (rural vs. urban) and the most relevant literature colonial resistance in Mumbo historical periods (mid-nineteenth- regarding historical studies of Jumbo , represents Reed’s to early twentieth century). While literacy, sponsorship, and women’s multicultural poetics at best, which during the nineteenth century immigration experiences. Chapter II includes a multitude of characters literacy functioned as a powerful examines the European and with different racial, ethnic, and social, ideological, and political tool American contexts navigated by the cultural backgrounds and different of Americanization in the public first-generation women in this study, mentioning their individual reasons more advanced conversations. literacy in one’s first language and for emigration and their levels of More knowledge of English most in English is still a complex process education in Europe. This chapter likely fostered a desire to for first-generation immigrant also points to various practical, acculturate at a more rapid pace women. Among many elements that emotional, and linguistic challenges and to adapt not only to the have influenced individual literacy that immigrant women encountered practical American ways but also to practices and acculturation, during their acculturation processes the cultural ones. While on the one personal acceptance and in America. Chapter III looks at hand urban areas offered more acceptance from the members of specific instances of practical opportunities for Americanization, the host country are essential. (domestic) literacy, individual on the other hand, the pressure to Furthermore, individual contexts literacy practices, and sponsorship Americanize was also higher than in and choices have determined the (of acculturation and literacy) of the rural areas in the mid-nineteenth degrees to which first-generation first-generation immigrant women century, for example, because of immigrant women are prepared to who settled in rural areas in the the economic, social, and political acculturate (by acquiescing, nineteenth century. The reading and conditions around the turn into the resisting, and/or accepting the writing practices of first-generation twentieth century (strong anti- American ways), as well as the women are analyzed in conjunction immigrant sentiments and a degrees to which they choose to with social class (their husbands’ sweeping Americanization develop and use their literacies (in occupation) and ethnicity movement). In addition, influenced both languages) in order to facilitate (particularly the role and impact of by the perceptions of American- or impede successful acculturation. ethnic communities on individual born citizens concerning immigrants literacy practices). From a in different decades of the 1800s The thesis was defended at the comparative perspective, Chapter and early 1900s, first-generation University of Louisville, KY, USA, IV examines similar issues of women from rural and urban areas in May 2009. acculturation, work patterns, literacy responded differently to various practices, and sponsorship of urban sponsors of acculturation and immigrant women, particularly in the literacy. late 1800s and early 1900s. One of Finally, Chapter V draws the significant differences in the conclusions about literacy use in acculturation patterns of first- different contexts and languages generation rural and urban women and makes connections with resides in the amount of contact experiences of first-generation they had with American-born immigrant women in the twenty-first citizens. Sometimes, more contact century. As this study with them encouraged women to demonstrates, literacy has played learn English faster or to acquire an important role during the more than basic linguistic skills in acculturation processes of first- English in order not only to generation immigrant women. communicate but also to sustain Acquiring, developing, and using
organized by the Center for American Studies, the University of Bucharest, in the presence of distinguished guests from the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Patricia Guy, Book ReviewReviewssss Counselor for Public Affairs and Julie O’Reagan, Cultural Attaché. Romanian literary and cultural critic, prof. Ion Bogdan Lefter presented the volumes in question: The Sense of America. Histories into Text , edited by Rodica Mih ăil ă and Irina Grigorescu Pan ă (Univers Enciclopedic, 2009) and Transatlantic Dialogues. Eastern Europe, the The Sense of America. Histories into Text . U.S. and Post-Cold War Cultural Spaces , edited by Eds. Rodica Mih ăil ă and Irina Grigorescu Pan ă Rodica Mih ăil ă and Roxana Oltean (Bucharest University Univers Enciclopedic, Bucharest, 2009. Press, 2009). The two volumes draw together the newest Transatlantic Dialogues. Eastern Europe, the U.S. work of American Studies scholars from university centers all over Romania, but also from the United States, Europe, and Post-Cold War Cultural Spaces . including neighboring countries, and contribute to the Eds. Rodica Mih ăil ă and Roxana Oltean international debate about the new representations and Bucharest University Press, Bucharest, 2009. narrations of America in the world, and the multiple vistas opened by transatlantic dialogue.
Maria Sabina Draga Alexandru The volume The Sense of America is a collection of University of Bucharest essays selected from the fifth conference of the Romanian Association for American Studies held at the University of On the 9 th of December 2009, the Galateca Gallery of the Bucharest, Romania, May 22-24, 2008; it reflects the Bucharest University Library hosted a double book launch remarkable growth of the discipline in this country, with contributors from major university centers in Romania, and and palimpsestic nature of identity in an inevitably it also testifies the insertion of the work carried out by transatlanticized world, in which permeable boundaries these scholars in the international academic context. dissolve Cold-War polarities and reinstate, perhaps, new models of transatlantic contrast and communion. As the distinguished guests and speakers highlighted on the occasion of the book launch, the question of America’s role on the world stage is a story about reinvention, and the two volumes testify to the fine attunement of local and global voices in the production of convincing narratives.
Bernard Malamud and the Type Figure of the Schlemiel
Eniko Maior Partium Christian University, Oradea The volume addresses multiple facets of America as a historical and cultural construct, from the narrations that constitute the ethical, post-traumatic or global foundations In writing my book on the type figure of the schlemiel of the nation (in the section Histories in Narration ) or and its treatment in the works of Bernard Malamud my narratives foregrounding the techniques of cross-cultural main objective was to contribute to a better understanding interchange and strategies of mediation in the construction of the American literary culture through a detailed study of of U.S. narratives, explored in The U.S. in Perspective , to the type figure of the schlemiel. The book attempts to offer the material dimensions of American mythologies, a complex analysis of a type figure which migrated from its revealed in the section on New World Cartographies. Two East-European Yiddish cultural and regional origins to further sections ( Marginality and Empowerment and Sites penetrate and influence a particular ethnic mode of New of Conflict ) focus more extensively on the tensions lying at World expressiveness. The task of this work is to prove the heart of American political, cultural, racial and ethnic the existing similarities between the European and the constructs. American variants of the schlemiel . It is not a hero in the general sense of the word, a hero who we envy for his The second volume launched on the occasion, greatness and for his power, but rather a product of Transatlantic Dialogues , is based on a workshop with centuries’ long oppressions and pogroms. It is a character nd the same name, held on May 22 2008 within the that accepts life’s hardships and does not try to fight with framework of a team project carried entitled Romanian the inhuman condition in which he finds himself, but rather Cultural Space in Transatlantic Perspective. From Post- tries to survive somehow. In this specific sense the figure Communism to Post-Accession , carried out at the Center of the schlemiel is a building block and a cultural for American Studies, led by prof. dr. Rodica Mih ăil ă and component. However it is also a safety valve and the funded by CNCSIS. Working towards the final goal of the product of a saving transaction. The East European Jewry project, which is to chart a theoretical map for Romanian was locked in a paradoxical relationship and could solve post-communist cultural identity in the global context, and this only through indirections. They could find a few to provide an analysis of Romanian and Eastern European moments of peace and comfort against the surrounding cultural identities in their interaction with the transatlantic repressive world. perspective, the present volume of papers is devoted to The ethnicized Eastern European schlemiel came to rich cultural and political interchanges between Eastern be universalized in America. The first and second Europe and the U.S. The volume comprises theoretical generation of Jewish-American writers found themselves analyses of the insertion of local (Romanian, Eastern in a new world and had to reformulate their positions in the European voices) in the global/U.S. context in the section Golden Land. The type figure in Europe was used to mock Exploring Transatlantic Spaces , which highlights these issues through the prism of culture wars, post-imperialist at the confines of their European lives through their bitter- models, literary or economic discourses. A special mode sweet irony and predilection for satire. In America, it had of circulating cultural models in a global age is the mass to stand for the relatively wider margin of freedom. The media, and the mechanisms of this two-way transatlantic American type figure takes on the so much vaunted negotiation of imagological narrations are explored in a American pluralism, freedom of speech and thought, and special section devoted to the topic, Media Cultures and as well as individualism. Finally, it becomes an active hero Transatlantic Reflections , which interrogates areas of formerly unknown. culture from rap music and film to digital communities and the printed press. The last section of the volume, Identity Politics in Transatlantic Perspective illustrates the hybrid
Calls for Papers
The 2010 RAAS – Fulbright Conference has already confirmed our invitation to participate in the The American Tradition of Descent/Dissent: conference as a key-note speaker.
The Underground, the Countercultural, the (Anti)Utopian Proposals for 20-minute papers should be submitted by March 15 th , 2010 in the form of an abstract of 150-200 words. As each paper will be followed by 10-minute Ovidius University, ConstanŃa, Romania discussions, participants are kindly asked to limit the October 7 9, 2010 presentation to their time-slot. Those interested in proposing a panel discussion should submit the title and the names of at least three other academics who will The topic of this conference aims at reflecting the participate in the talk. contemporary atmosphere of dissent in the United States at a time when the economic, the social, the political and If you are interested in participating, please fill in the the cultural give rise to underground, countercultural and registration form that you can obtain from the conference (anti)utopian movements and positions in the United e-mail address [email protected] and return it States of America in perfect correlation with the tradition to Ludmila Martanovschi, RAAS Secretary, Ileana Jitaru, that has marked their descent from the colonial period to RAAS Treasurer, and Nicoleta Stanca at the same e-mail the present. Dissent often emerges from reinvestigating, address. reanalyzing and descending into the intricacies of fundamental issues that have long been left untouched. The conference offers space for papers and debates on International Whitman Week 2010 the broader repercussions of the American tradition of Seminar and Symposium descent/dissent in all the acceptations of these terms from an interdisciplinary perspective (literature, literary theory, Università di Macerata, Macerata, Italy history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, imagology, June 14 20, 2010 the history of ideas, cultural studies, geography, political sciences, film studies and other associated fields and The Transatlantic Walt Whitman Association (TWWA) , disciplines). founded in Paris in 2007, invites students, researchers, and Whitman enthusiasts to participate in its third annual We invite proposals for papers and panel discussions Whitman Week, consisting of a seminar for advanced on the following topics: students interested in Whitman and Whitman’s poetry, and a symposium bringing together international scholars and • transnationalism as dissent from inherited national graduate students. identity; • deconstructive readings as dissenting analyses; International Whitman Seminar : Walt Whitman’s Poetry in • postcolonialism/postimperialism as dissent from the 21st Century the Metropolis/the Empire; • minority matters - descent into the Other/the Walt Whitman’s poetry, written in the nineteenth politics of dissent; century, continues to have a strong impact on literatures • feminism and the dissent from patriarchal and cultures worldwide. Every year new editions of discourses and practices; Whitman’s work are published in a variety of languages; • autobiography and life writing as investigating an ever-expanding group of poets “reply” to him in their descent; poetry; his poems are set to music and are quoted in films; • productions outside the establishment e.g. the he is invoked in the discussion of political and cultural avant-garde; issues as well as of gender and sexuality; and he • the unconscious as a site of descent/dissent; continues to be a huge presence in college and university • the descent into the underworld; curricula globally. In order to respond adequately to this • (anti)utopian societies, groups, communities; international phenomenon The Transatlantic Walt • mystery/secrecy/sacredness and the Whitman Association sponsors a series of International underground; Whitman Seminars , where students from different • private and public dissent; countries come together for intensive, credit-bearing • countercultures: dissent from the classes taught by an international team of Whitman mainstream/descent into the self; specialists. • environmentalism as dissent from ecosystem The first seminar was held in Dortmund, Germany, in June destruction; 2008. The second took place in Tours, France, in June 2009. The third will take place in Macerata, Italy, on 14-20 We are pleased to announce that June 2010. In the regular classes, focusing on some of Dr. Janice A. Radway, Walter Dill Scott Professor of Whitman’s major poems, students will have an opportunity Communication Studies, Northwestern University, Illinois, confront Whitman’s books, share their readings of key poems and clusters, and discuss Whitman’s attempts at a multilingual English, his cohesive representation of human ([email protected]), and Jay Grossman (j- relations, and his work’s international significance in the [email protected]) by 21 April, 2010. twenty-first century. In addition, there will be special presentations on the reception of Whitman in various countries and languages as well as other topics. This An Interdisciplinary Humanities and Social Sciences year’s instructors will be Éric Athenot (Université François- Conference: Rabelais, Tours), translator of the 1855 Leaves and TEXTING OBAMA: politics/poetics/popular culture author of Walt Whitman, poète-cosmos; Betsy Erkkila (Northwestern University), author of Walt Whitman among Manchester Metropolitan University, UK the French and Walt Whitman the Political Poet; Kenneth September 7 10, 2010 M. Price (University of Nebraska, Lincoln), co-founder and editor of the Walt Whitman Archive, author of To Walt Hosted by English Research Institute, the MMU Whitman, America ; and Andrew Lawson (Leeds Writing School and The Institute for Humanities and Social Metropolitan University), author of Walt Whitman and the Sciences Research Class Struggle. Confirmed keynote speakers: Simon Gikandi, David Theo Goldberg, Bonnie Greer, Ato Quayson. Students will also participate in the symposium held Readings from Carol Ann Duffy, Jackie Kay and at the end of the week and featuring Whitman scholars others from various countries. Barack Obama’s presidency is widely seen as the beginning of a new era, not only in world politics but also Credits will be issued by the Università di Macerata . in global culture, with the present increasingly glossed as International visiting students will live with their Italian the ‘Age of Obama’. Our conference will ask what the counterparts, thus keeping expenses as low as possible terms of this naming might mean by addressing the and creating opportunities for a meaningful intercultural diverse range of representational forms attached to dialogue. In addition to class work on Whitman and the Obama in contemporary world culture – as a person, icon symposium, students will visit Giacomo Leopardi’s house and phenomenon. The conference will map and explore in Recanati, and will be shown some of the artistic and the specific historical, political and cultural climates in architectural treasures of the area. Macerata is a historic which Obama(’s) texts operate. It will interrogate the city of 42,000 people in the Marche region of Italy set on signifiers, signs and processes that circulate around the hills sloping down to the Adriatic Sea. The university, Barack Obama, and explore his own contributions and located in the beautiful original walled city, owns some of interventions across diverse media. the most interesting historical buildings, including Palazzo Proposals are invited for papers or panels that Ugolini-- the first Neoclassical palace in Macerata, engage with these diverse textualities. Questions might designed by the famous architect Valadier-- where the include: In what ways do Obama texts ‘travel’ and under Seminar and Symposium will be held . what conditions? How might travelling theory or diaspora theory engage with Obama texts? In what ways might Application : 15 non-Italian international students will attention to Obama texts interrogate or develop extant or be accepted to the Week. Applications should include a emerging frameworks at work in postcolonial, curriculum-vitae, a one-page statement of interest in the globalisation, media and cultural studies? How might a seminar, and a short letter of support by an instructor who focus on transnational Obamas include or obscure local or knows the applicant. Applications should be sent to national politics and expressions of black activism? How [email protected] by 4 April 2010 at the latest. ought we to theorise pronouncements of a ‘post-racial’ America or/and a ‘post-Katrina’ America? International Whitman Symposium: "‘In Paths Untrodden’: Possible streams might include: Postcolonial Obama: The 1860 Leaves of Grass" Kenya and Indonesia, Globalisation and Cosmopolitanism, Aloha Obama! Negotiating Hawaii, Obama and African- Università di Macerata, Macerata, Italy America, Rhetoric/Orature /Life writing, The Obama June 18 19, 2010 Families, Screening Obama, Obama and Hospitality, Black and Bi-Racial Masculinities, Race & Racial Politics, This year’s symposium will celebrate the 150 th anniversary Obama in Europe, Publishing/Merchandising Obama, of Leaves of Grass 1860.It will be devoted to the body of Ghosting Kennedy, Race and Fatherhood, Obama’s 100 the 1860 Leaves with a particular focus on the many new days, Obama in the Academy, Law and Civil Rights, Black paths Whitman opened with it. Papers are invited to cover Activism, Obama’s Blackberry: New Technologies/Media a wide range of approaches to Whitman’s poems: his and Race, Obama and Popular Culture: Watching The experimenting with multilingualism and textual Wire , Obama and pedagogy. construction, his focus on the cohesive and energizing Proposals should be emailed to power of human relationships and attachments, his belief [email protected] by no later than 26 March in the creative force of love, language and poetry, his 2010. anxieties about the impending civil war. Papers focusing Organising Committee: Dr. Ellie Byrne, Dr. Julie on international responses to the poems in the 1860 Mullaney, Prof. Berthold Schoene, Department of English, Leaves , including translations into other languages, are Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. also strongly encouraged.
One-page abstracts should be sent to Marina Camboni, Università di Macerata ([email protected]), Ed Folsom International Conference Separateness and Kinship: Transatlantic Exchanges between New England and Britain 1600-1900 Fulbright Scholars 2009 2010 The University of Plymouth, UK July 14 17, 2010
Here you will find information about the conference ROMANIAN SENIOR GRANTEES 2009-2010 schedule, events, registration and fees, accommodation and travel: Mihaela Marilena ALBU http://plymouth.ac.uk./pages/view.asp?page=28015 Home University: Politehnica University of Bucharest Any additional queries should be addressed to the Project Officer, Viv Minton at vivien.minton Host University: Arizona State University, Department of @plymouth.ac.uk Electrical Engineering Conference theme Field: Power Engineering This three day conference will explore issues arising from the relationship between Britain and New England in the Adalbert BALOG seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the Home University: Sapientia University, Tg. Mures light of recent developments in the reading of transatlantic th Host University: Yale University, Greeley Memorial Lab connections. In the run up to the 400 anniversary of the Field: Biological Sciences sailing of the Mayflower, and in the context of new critical perspectives on transatlantic studies, such as post colonial Eveline CIOFLEC theory with its emphasis on the whole Atlantic rim, feminism, discussions of displacement and debates about Home University: New Europe College Institute of national identity, what does it now mean in the early Advanced Studies, Bucharest twenty-first century to revisit with an interdisciplinary Host University: Bard College, Hannah Arendt Center for perspective the cultural and ideological exchanges Ethical and Political Thinking between Britain and New England 1600-1900? The Field: Philosophy conference will include contributions from literary scholars, art historians and specialists in the history of architecture Virgil-Florin DUMA and material culture. Home University: Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad Keynote addresses will be delivered by Lawrence Host University: University of Rochester, The Institute of Buell, Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature at Optics Harvard University and Susan Manning, Director of the Field: Optical Engineering Institute of Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Grierson Professor of English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. Gabriel LEANCA Submission of abstracts Home University: Al. Ioan Cuza University of Iasi Applicants may submit proposals for panels or Host University: Columbia University in the City of New individual papers. Proposals for entire sessions should York, Department of History include: (1) a paragraph describing the session as a Field: History whole; (2) a one page abstract of each paper; (3) a one page CV for each participant. The conference prefers four Miruna MAZURENCU MARINESCU presenters per session, excluding the chair, although Home University: University of Economics, Bucharest submissions for panels of three will be considered. Host University: The University of Akron, College of Proposals for individual papers should include a 300 word abstract, a one page cv and a 100-word bio. Each Business Administration presenter will be allotted 20 minutes; 15 minutes to Field: Economics present and 5 minutes for questions. All submissions should be sent as Microsoft Word Andrei Cristian MIU attachments to Project Officer, Vivien Minton Home University: Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj ([email protected] ) Deadline: 1 March, Host University: Stanford University, Department of 2010 Psychology Field: Psychology
US Embassy Events/Notices Levente SALAT-ZAKARIAS Home University: Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj http://romania.usembassy.gov/resources/irc.html Host University: University of Maryland, Center for International Development and Conflict Management http://romania.usembassy.gov/resources/educational_exc Field: Political Science hange.html
ROMANIAN JUNIOR GRANTEES 2009-2010 Monica STANCU Ovidiu Constantin COCIERU Home University: University of Bucharest Home University: Al. Ioan Cuza University of Iasi Host University: Sarah Lawrence College, NY Host University: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Field: Gender Studies MA Anca-Maria TOPLICEANU Field: Sports Management Home University: National School of Political and Emil Alexandru DINU-POPA Administrative Studies Home University: Ion Mincu University of Architecture Host University: Ball State University, IN Host University: Carnegie Mellon University, PA Field: Public Relations Field: Architecture HUBERT H. HUMPHREY GRANTEES Ciprian DOMNISORU Home University: Bucharest University of Economics and Cristina ADAM National School of Political and Administrative Studies Home University: University of Bucharest Host University: Duke University, NC Home Institution: Save the Children Romania Field: Public Policy Host University: Pennsylvania State University, PA Field: Educational Administration, Planning and Policy Eliza Rodica GHEORGHE Home University: University of Bucharest Host University: Georgetown University, School of Foreign AMERICAN SENIOR GRANTEES 2009-2010 Service, Washington DC Field: International Relations Mr. Ioan Sherban LUPU Home University: University of Illinois Cristiana Niculina GRIGORE Host University: Academy of Music G.Dima, Cluj, Home University: University of Bucharest University of Arts G.Enescu, Iasi Host University: Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Field: Music The Mastery of Violin Playing; The Folk Music Education & Human Development, TN of Romania for Virtuoso Violin Field: Education Dr. Paul S. SUM Alexandru Ioan MIHAIL Home University: University of North Dakota--Grand Forks Home University: National University of Theatre and Host University: Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Cinematography, Bucharest Field: Comparative Politics; Democratization; Civil Society; Host University: Yale University, CT Political Participation; Ethnic Relations Field: Film and Theatre Directing Dr. John M. POLIMENI Alexandra Melania MIHALE Home Institution: Albany College of Pharmacy, NY Home University: University of Bucharest Host University: Bucharest University of Economics Host University: Ohio University, OH Field: Ecological Economics, Agricultural Economics, Field: Photojournalism Energy Economics, Economic Development
Marta NYESO Dr. Alina Marina CLEJ Home University: Romanian-American University, Home University: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Bucharest Host University: Ovidius University, Constanta Host University: University at Buffalo, The State University Field: Romanians in Paris: Their Contribution to Literary of New York, NY and Artistic Modernity Field: Business Management Mr. David Darius BRUBECK Andreea Laura SAVU Home University: independent, unaffiliated Home University: National School of Political and Host University: Academy of Music G.Dima, Cluj Administrative Studies Field: Jazz Host University: University of Florida, FL Field: Public Relations Dr. Matthew H. CISCEL Home University: Central Connecticut State University Raluca SOREANU Host University: Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu Home University: Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj Field: English in America, Romania, and the World; Host University: New York University, NY Language Learning Attitudes and Practices Field: International Relations Dr. Jane S. LOPUS Ms. Hannah HALDER Home University: California State University--East Bay Home University: Beloit College, WI Host University: Bucharest University of Economics Host University: Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu Field: Economic Education: Active Learning Strategies Field: Teaching English As A Foreign Language & and Evaluation of Teacher Training Advising
Dr. Shari Lynn MUNCH Ms. Iris POSTELNICU Home University: Rutgers, The State University of New Home University: University of Arizona Jersey--New Brunswick Host University: University of Bucharest Host University: Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Field: Anthropology: The Changing Culture of a Romanian Field: Social Work Practice in Cluj, Romania: An Village Since the Fall of Communism: Customs and Opportunity for Teaching and Learning Values
Silvia LOICA-MERSA Home University: Stanford University AMERICAN JUNIOR GRANTEES 2009-2010 Host University: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara Ms. Lauren J. HERMELE Field: Public Health and Private Organizations: The Role Home University: At-Large, New Mexico of NGOs in Romania's Healthcare System Host University: University of Arts and Design, Cluj Field: Photography: Is European Union Membership Mr. Charles HARRIS Jeopardizing Village and Agrarian Communities in Home University: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Romania? Host University: Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu Field: Teaching English As A Foreign Language & Ms. Elyssa FORD Advising Home University: Arizona State University Host University: Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Field: Teaching English As A Foreign Language & Advising RAAS Officers & EAAS Mr. Martin WOODSIDE Home University: San Diego State University RAAS
Host University: University of Bucharest President : Adina Ciugureanu , Department of English and Field: U.S. Culture and Modern Romanian Poetry American Studies, Faculty of Letters, Ovidius University - Constanta, Aleea Universitatii 1, Campus, Constan Ńa; Mr. Wyatt Eugene HARPER
Ms. Diana GLIGA Secretary : Ileana Marin , Faculty of Letters, Ovidius University - Constanta, Aleea Universitatii 1, Campus, Home University: East Carolina University, NC :Constan Ńa;
Advising