Different Lives Global Perspectives on Biography in Public Cultures and Societies
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Different Lives Global Perspectives on Biography in Public Cultures and Societies Biography Conference September 19-21, 2018 biography in their own country. They will demonstrate how biography functions as a truly public genre, featuring specific societal issues and the way biography About the Conference shapes public opinion in specific cultural This conference was made possible by contributions from: backgrounds. “Different Lives: Global Perspectives on Biography in Public Cultures and All featured speakers will present from a Societies” is an international conference wealth of different perspectives, contribu- organized by the Biography Institute, ting to the discussion in a mix of panels, the Biography Society and Biographer’s roundtables, and public discussions. Ri- International Organization. It will take chard Holmes (UK) will provide the key- place from September 19 to 21, 2018, in note lecture for this conference. We will Groningen, the Netherlands. Over the also hear from Evgeniya Petrova (Russia), course of three days, biographers and Joanny Moulin (France), Elsbeth Etty GUP other experts are going to take a look (the Netherlands), Phuong Ngoc Nguyen beyond their own borders and delve (Vietnam), Lindie Koorts (South Africa), deeper into the question of how the art Daniel Meister (Canada), Doug Munro of biography is practiced in other parts of (New Zealand), María Jesús González the world. The focus will be on the- (Spain), Sahar Vahdati Hosseinian (Iran), mes such as the political impact of the Yannick Gouchan (Italy), and Étienne biography, censorship, the history of the Naveau (Indonesia). Carl Rollyson (US) book, and the critical reception of bio- will provide a lecture and Nigel Hamilton graphy. The goal is to learn more about will host a masterclass for young bio- how biography can contribute to a better graphers working on their first books. understanding of differences between so- Additionally, he has agreed to open the cieties and cultures. How can biographers conference with a lecture titled "Truth, from different parts of the world learn Lies, and Fake Truth: The Future of Bio- from each other? Speakers from all over graphy." The conference will open with a the world will inform us about the his- reception on Wednesday, and close with a tory and the state of the art concerning conference dinner on Friday. Biography Conference September 19-21, 2018 september 19 1230 – 1600 Conference Program Masterclass by Nigel Hamilton 1630 – 1730 The main conference venue is Opening Lecture by Nigel Hamilton the Doopsgezinde Kerk Truth, Lies and Fake Truth. (Oude Boteringestraat 33) The Future of Biography. with word of welcome by Frans Zwarts 1730 – 1830 Reception Offered by Groningen Congres Bureau september 20 september 21 1000 1015 – 1115 1400 – 1430 Conference Opening 1430 – 1600 Panel 3 chaired by Madelon Franssen Interview by Hans Renders and Joanny Moulin Roundtable Discussion with John A. Farrell Sahar Vahdati Hosseinian (Iran) with the winner of Dutch Biography Prize Topics: political impact of biography, insti- Doug Munro (Australia) 30 45 1015 – 1115 tutions and status of the biographer, the María Jesús González (Spain) 14 – 15 Panel 1 chaired by David Veltman biopic, categories of biography, biography Panel 4 chaired by Nigel Hamilton 30 00 Carl Rollyson (US) and orality. 11 – 13 Lindie Koorts (South Africa) Evgeniya Petrova (Russia) Lindie Koorts (South Africa) Roundtable Discussion with Patrick Di Mascio Yannick Gouchan (Italy) Joanny Moulin (France) Doug Munro (New Zealand) Topics: biography and censorship, the critical Étienne Naveau (Indonesia) María Jesús González (Spain) reception of the biography, biography and Wilhelm Hemecker (Austria) 1130 – 1230 Yannick Gouchan (Italy) psychology, biography and history. 1600 – 1645 Panel 2 chaired by Joanny Moulin Étienne Naveau (Indonesia) Carl Rollyson (US) Public Discussion with Hans Renders Elsbeth Etty (the Netherlands) Daniel Meister (Canada) 00 00 Daniel Meister (Canada) 16 – 17 Elsbeth Etty (the Netherlands) 1800 Phuong Ngoc Nguyen (Vietnam) Keynote Lecture by Richard Holmes Stefano Magni (Italy) Conference Dinner at Humphrey’s The Biographer’s Handshake 1245 – 1400 Doctoral defense ceremony of Nick 1730 Weber, at Academy Building Drinks at Conference Venue 2 3 Biography Conference September 19-21, 2018 Additional Information On September 19, 2018, Dr Nigel Hamilton, author Dutch On September 18, the Nederlandse Biografieprijs (Dutch of award-winning biographies of Fieldmarshall Biography Prize) will be awarded during a ceremony in Montgomery, F.D. Roosevelt and J.F. Kennedy, will Biography Prize the Hodshon Huis in Haarlem. The award is organized host a masterclass on his best practices as a biogra- in close cooperation with the Koninklijke Hollandsche Biography as pher. It will give Research Master and PhD students Maatschappij der Wetenschappen. The winner will be the opportunity to discuss the way biographical interviewed during the Biography Conference. a Corrective research can correct existing historiography. How can ‘agency’ be used as a hermeneutic device to compare the way different individuals acted during a certain time and place? By reading different samples from Excursions For those who are interested to see what Groningen and Dr Hamilton’s biographies, students will investigate September 19 the Netherlands have to offer, we have organized two the structural incoherence between the agency of an cultural trips on Wednesday. At grid, the Museum of individual, and the mentality of the time in which he Printing in the city center, you can get a tour of Dutch or she lived. What makes historical practice compre- historic printing and bookbinding. Or you could visit the hensible, if it is not related to some larger structure memorial center and grounds of Kamp Westerbork, an ex- or development? Students will delve into the debate hibition depicting the Netherlands during World War II, on what did biographers do to contribute to metho- focusing on the persecution of the Jews. You can express Masterclass dology of Microhistory, in which developments on a your interest in visiting one of these sites while booking September 19 small scale can be an analytical framework for a more your tickets. 30 00 12 – 16 complex historical phenomenon. 4 5 Biography Conference September 19-21, 2018 To Student Hotel Important Addresses Hotel Corps de Garde Doopsgezinde Kerk (Main Conference Venue) Oude Boteringestraat 33 Doopsgezinde Kerk Biography Institute Grid Museum Biography Institute Land van Kokanje Oude Boteringestraat 32 Academy Building Academy Building Broerstraat 5 Bagels & Beans Taxi Stand Humphrey’s Restaurant Vismarkt 42 De Wolthoorn Pigalle Humphrey’s Contact Information Biography Institute [email protected] Prof. Hans Renders (Director of the Biography Institute) t: +31 6 5321 6666 e: [email protected] To Railway Station 7 Madelon recently Her research focuses on biographies Organizing Madelon finished her MA within their social contexts. In her MA Committee Franssen degree at the Univer- thesis, From Poet-Naturalist to Radi- sity of Groningen. cal Dissenter, Madelon compared three She studied American Studies, as well biographies written about Henry David as Writing, Editing, and Mediating. Thoreau during three different time During her studies, she completed the periods. By pointing out the myriad ways university’s Honours College, focusing biographers construct a life story that specifically on the role of religion in the reflects the biographer’s own cultural public domain. Furthermore, she went on setting, she was able to conclude that a foreign exchange, which allowed her to biographies are true products of their study at the University of North Carolina time. Madelon is especially interested in at Chapel Hill for one semester. studying the biographer’s authorial deci- sions, interpretations, and place within a Hans is the director of Institute for the History and Theory of historical context. Hans the Biography Institute Biography (Vienna); member of the Best Renders and holds a chair in His- Biography Awards committee for bio tory and Theory of Biog- Best Biography of the Year (Plutarch David works as a PhD interface between the artist’s self-repre- raphy; vice president of the Biographical Award 2018). David student at the Biogra- sentation and the shifting place of the Society; editor-in-chief of the book series Veltman phy Institute (Univer- artist in society. Together with Hans Biography Studies (Brill); editor at ZL. He publishes on theory and biography, sity of Groningen) on Renders, David wrote the yearly report Literary-historical magazine; book critic for e.g. Theoretical Discussions of Biography a biography of the Flemish artist Felix for the Netherlands in the International Het Parool; he provides a monthly column (with Binne de Haan, Brill, Boston/ de Boeck (1898-1995). In his biography, Year in Review issue of the journal on biography with his ‘Leven in Letters’, Leiden 2014) and The Biographical questions will be raised about his relation Biography (2017). which can be heard every third Sunday of Turn, Lives in History (with Binne de to the avant-garde of his time. At an the month on the radio program Met het Haan and Jonne Harmsma, Routledge, early age, De Boeck decided to earn his David has a Master’s degree in Dutch Oog op Morgen; he is member of the Board London/New York 2017); he published living as a farmer, in order to be inde- modern literature. After graduating in of Stichting Het Biografisch Portaal van two full-length biographies (Jan Hanlo pendent from art galleries and museums. 2005, he worked eight years in the Haar- Nederland; member of the Board Biog- (1998), Jan Campert (2004)) and is now This decision will be used as a framework lem based auction house Bubb Kuyper. raphers International Organization (bio); working on the biography of Theo van to examine the way his artistic develop- There he specialized in Dutch private member of the board De Nederlandse Doesburg (in collaboration with ment was of influence to the evolution of presses and fine printing. He is freelance Biografieprijs; member of the Scientific Sjoerd van Faassen).