FALL 2009

October 2009

Constellations: Of Comparative Literature and the New Humanities
October 16th-18th, 2009
Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Hosted by the Emory Comparative Literature Department

Featuring a Two-Day Roundtable with Geoffrey Bennington, Peggy Kamuf, Thomas Keenan, and Gayatri Spivak.

And two days of panels, including a Saturday session on interdisciplinarity and the humanities, featuring Laurie Patton, Elizabeth Goodstein, and Andrew Mitchell.

“Constellations: Of Comparative Literature and the New Humanities” seeks to inquire about the nature, role, and definition of interdisciplinary research across the humanities: how can research that intrinsically crosses disciplinary borders and brings together multiple types of knowledge articulate its purpose, set itself limits, and constitute the type of objects and inquiries appropriate to it?  “Constellations” aims to negotiate this critical task of self-definition by bringing the questions of comparative literature and the humanities together. On the one hand, we hope to produce well-informed perspectives on comparative literature within the broader context of the humanities. But on the other hand, we will ask the question of the humanities from within the fold of comparative literature itself.  For more information please see website.

http://comparativelit.emory.edu/Constellations/index.php

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Undergraduate Reading Theory Session
with
Patrick Blanchfield and Asher Haig

******Dearest Friends******

As the daylight hours grow shorter and shorter, why not turn to texts that are themselves as short as the winter is cold? And warm up with pizza at the same time?

That's right - the UG Theory Reading Group is back, and this semester the theme is Short
is as Short Does: Epigraphs and Fragments Galore! Join us this Wednesday, October 21st, at7:30 PM in the CPLT Conference Room (Callaway N106) for shortastic reading selections,  low-key theoretical exploration, and the best pizza we Grad Students can schlep to campus.

This week we'll be theoretically reading two or three Zen Koans - little riddle / narratives that are supposed to bend the mind and produce crazy insight - translated from the Classical Chinese by yours truly and which we'll ponder without the help of the ole' 'encouragement stick' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keisaku). NO PREPARATION (or enlightenment) IS NECESSARY.

Come get satori!

Patrick and Asher

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Coffee and Chocolate Hour
with
David Ritchie and Christina León of Comparative Literature

Thursday the 22nd of October 2009 @ 6pm
in Calloway N106

Join us for a lively discussion of three incredibly short, yet abundantly decadent stories by the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges.  Coffee and pastries will be served to conjure up the literary café spirit.

Readings will be available in the Comparative Literature lounge, N108.  For more information email cleon@emory.edu or dritchi@emory.edu.

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November 2009

Undergraduate Reading Theory Session II
with
Patrick Blanchfield and Asher Haig

Dear Comp Literati,

It's not just an off-year election this week, it's time to question the entire point of it all by GETTING YOUR KAFKA ON.

That's right, this UG Theory is going to be K-tastic, with mournful, perplexing, and hilarious epigraphs translated by our very own Asher Haig. Come before the law this Wednesday, on two, six, or how ever many legs you want (or need) and read some awesomeness / eat pizza like nobody's business. NO PREPARATION NEEDED.

Wednesday, November 4th at 7:30 PM, in  Callaway N106

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Lecture:
“Who Needs Poetry?
Baudelaire, Benjamin, and the Modernity of ‘Le Cygne’”

4:30 p.m., Thursday, November 12
White Hall 103

Seminar:
“The Prose in Baudelaire’s Poetry*”

12:00 p.m., Friday, November 13
Callaway N106

Professor Kevin Newmark
Department of Romance Languages
Boston College

Organized by the Graduate Speaker’s Committee of the Department of Comparative Literature.
Sponsored by the Departments of French and Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, and the Institute for the Liberal Arts (ILA).

*Readings for the Seminar will be available at the Comparative Literature lounge, Callaway N108

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A Wilde Coffee and Chocolate Hour Session II
with
David Ritchie and Christina León of Comparative Literature

Thursday the 19th of November 2009 @ 6pm
in Callaway N106

Join us for a reading of an unpublished short story by the famous poet and playwright Oscar Wilde.  Coffee and pastries will be served, imaginations provoked and delights dazzled.

Readings will be available in the Comparative Literature lounge, N108.  For more information email cleon@emory.edu or dritchi@emory.edu.

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Reading On: A Journal of Theory and Criticism