JOINT POSTGRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME IN ITALIAN. Third session: UCL

 

Venues to be announced.

 

4-5 May 07

 

This session will consist of a morning dedicated to training followed by an International Graduate Student Conference (for details see below) on the afternoon of the 4th and the whole day on the 5th May

 

Friday 4 May 2007

 

Afternoon panel theme and Saturday conference (in collaboration with Bologna): Ex-centric (offers of papers sought)

 

10.30 coffee and welcome (John Foot)

 

first year sessions

 

11.00 -11.30: Italian studies and comparative literature (Florian Mussgnug)

11.30 -12.00: ‘Periodisation’, Dilwyn Knox

12.00 - 12.30: British Library resources (Denis Reidy)

 

parallel session for second and third years

 

11.00 –12.00 writing up the PhD (John Foot with ex-PhD students Matilde Nardelli and Eleanor Chiari)

12.00 -12.30 teaching tips on Italian history/politics/cultural studies (John Foot)

 

for information and to communicate that you are coming to this session please email John Foot ([log in to unmask]) or Patrizia Oliver.

 

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4-5 May 2007 (programme to be announced in April)

 

 

International Graduate Student Conference in

Italian Studies and Comparative Literature

 

 

Ex-centric

 

University College London
4 May - 5 May 2007

 

With the support of the AHRC-sponsored Joint Postgraduate Training Programme in Italian, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Reading,                                                              Royal Holloway, University College London and the University of Bologna.

Keynote Speaker; Professor Naomi Segal (IGRS)

This conference seeks to gain insight, from a variety of disciplinary angles and cultural practices, into how individuals and communities construct, perceive and represent eccentricity.

The organisers particularly welcome papers that explore and assess the relevance of conventional definitions of eccentricity – such as “deviating from usual methods, odd, whimsical” (OED) – in relation to theories of cultural and social identity.

How do social conventions and artistic practice define our understanding of cultural centres and margins? What is the relation between eccentricity and social critique? How does eccentricity reflect psychological and physical displacement? How does it relate to ethnic and gender identity?

Possible topics may include:

  • Cultural representations of eccentricity in literature and film
  • Art as an “eccentric” social practice
  • Definitions of eccentricity in social and political discourse
  • Sub-cultures and minority cultures
  • Cultural centres and margins 
  • Ex-centricity and gender identity

The conference organisers welcome contributions from graduate students working in the fields of Italian studies, comparative literature and cultural studies.

Proposals, including a 250-word abstract in English or Italian, should be sent to:

Florian Mussgnug,                                                                                                      Department of Italian, University College London                                  ([log in to unmask])

The deadline for submissions is Friday, 30 March 2007.