The YAWP: Villanova's Graduate English Program Blog

The English department celebrated the 20th anniversary of of its yearly Literary Festival with a reception and reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess  on Jan. 30 in the President's Lounge. The Literary Festival brings five award-winning, renowned and emerging writers—including poets, novelists, memoirists and playwrights—to campus each spring as part of the University's Creative Writing Program. During their visits to Villanova, the writers offer readings and discuss their writing with students in an English course specially designed around their work.

Visit the posting on the Conference Opportunities page for the Call for Papers for “Interrogating ‘Common Language,’” Simon Fraser University’s 2018 English Graduate Conference. As you may know, Simon Fraser University is far from us—it’s outside Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Unfortunately, the budget for travel from Graduate Studies has been used up: “all of the Graduate Studies funds for conference travel have been expended for this fiscal year. Those students who have already applied and received approval for upcoming conferences will, of course, be reimbursed for their travel expenses up to the amount approved. Applications for funding to present at conferences in the new fiscal year – after May 31 – will be considered after April 1.”

Call for Papers Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium May 3-4, 2018 Conference Theme: Community Outreach and the Arts Keynote Speaker and Workshop Presenter Michael John Garcés, Cornerstone Theatre Company The Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium is seeking abstracts for papers for our 12th Annual gathering of theatre scholars. This year’s theme is “Community Outreach and the Arts.” PTRS is seeking papers which engage a broad range of topics in theatre and drama studies including, but not limited to: Theatre for social change Oral history as performance  Documentary and Ethnodrama Site-specific and community based devising practices  Race, gender, and representation in community based theatre practices Audience engagement Abstracts of 250 words or less should be submitted along with a brief bio to PTRSVillanova@gmail.com The deadline for submission is March 5. About the Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium: The goal of...

When : Monday 2/5 at 6pm Where : Jack McShea's Pub in Ardmore We'll have Irish dancers, Irish trad musicians, and open mic readings. Come out for some great craic!

The collapse of Ireland's economic bubble in 2008 brought to an end the fifteen-year era of prosperity known as the Celtic Tiger. Dr. Sarah Townsend (University of New Mexico) explores Irish fiction and drama in the decade following the financial crash, showing how the upswing and its aftermath have remapped narratives about risk, aspiration, and human potential. When : Thursday, February 8, 5:30 PM Where : SAC 300

UVA has issued a CFP for their upcoming Graduate Student Conference on “Constructing Experience: Narrative Innovations Across Time and Media,” which takes place March 23-24, 2018. Note that the deadline for proposals is Jan. 31. Visit our posting on the Conference Opportunities page for all the details. As always, remember that if you decide to submit proposals to any conferences, be sure to consider applying for funding. See the Graduate Studies Office’s webpage on Conference Travel Funding . And remember that you have to apply for the funding before you attend the conference. (In recent years, the funding has tended to run out early in the spring semester.)

Still interested in the Irish Theatre Summer Studio? You should be! Be sure to come to the LAST info session this coming Monday, January 22, at 3:30 in SAC 300.  Ready to apply?  Visit this page  for more info and click on the "Apply Now" in the right-hand column to start your application.    Background Info: From the studio to the stage, students will study the workings and history of Ireland's world-class national theatre while developing their own theatre skills, knowledge, and practice. Students from Villanova will work alongside students from Irish and other universities and be taught by practitioners and professors from the U.S. and Ireland. Student work will culminate in a showing of final work at the Lir, Ireland's National Academy of Dramatic Art and guided by Abbey Theatre professionals. The Abbey Theatre, the national theatre of Ireland, has long showcased great Irish drama. Emerging out of theatre societies founded by W.B. Yeats, Edw...

CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia is hosting an upcoming public seminar, "Cultural Narratives and National Identities: Revisiting Rodney King, the Film The Fugitive , The Gulf Wars, and Disney’s Aladdin , " with Professor Alan Nadel (a prominent literary/cultural critic). The seminar is a one-day event, on Saturday, February 10, from 10am-3pm. Visit their website for more information! Also, please note that if you register and attend the seminar, the department will reimburse you for the registration fee.