The University of Minnesota Department of English is pleased to announce the 2009 Diaspora Studies Conference entitled “Diasporic Hegemonies IV: Artists, Activists and Academics on the Uses of Diaspora” on June 26-28, 2009.
2009 Diaspora Studies Conference
On June 26-28, the Department of English will be holding a conference here on campus on Diaspora Studies entitled Diasporic Hegemonies IV: Artists, Activists and Academics on the Uses of Diaspora.
The keynote speaker is M. Jacqui Alexander, author of Pedagogies of Crossing, and the department will be bringing in a number of scholars and artists who work on Diaspora, such as Carole Boyce Davies (Cornell), Agustin Lao-Montes(U Mass Amherst); Rinaldo Walcott(U Toronto); Fatima El-Tayeb(UCSD); Abdi Roble (artist/photographer); Kao Kalia-Yang (writer, poet, performance artist); Esi Edugyan (novelist); Lise Erdrich (poet, essayist, activist); Suki Ali (London School of Economics); Michelle Stephens (Colgate); Katherine McKittrick (U Toronto); Jafari Sinclaire Allen (Yale); Natasha Barnes (Univ of Illinois at Chicago) –and many more.
The focus of the conference is not panels-and-papers, but conversation, conviviality, and inspiration. It's important to learn from one another the ways in which the concept of diaspora changes across histories, ethnicities, genders, sexualities and politics.
There will be a number of prominent scholars from the U.S. and Europe in attendance, and on the final morning, Sunday, from 11-1, there will be four workshops which grad students should not just to attend but use for their own careers and education.
In addition to questions, it's encouraged to bring answers, ideas, and to feel quite welcome in joining in these conversations for the duration of the conference.
The schedule is posted below. While you cannot attend the dinners, you are invited to all other events, including the Saturday lunch at Coffman.
Please send an e-mail to Michelle Wright, mimawright@yahoo.com to let her know if you would like to attend the lunch, one of the Sunday workshops… and if you want to attend Richard Iton's workshop, please let her know so that she can order a copy of his book for you asap!
Friday
7:00- Arrive at Loft Literary Center/Open Book (1011 Washington Avenue South)
http://www.loft.org>http://www.loft.org
7-7:15 Introduction of writers by Maria Damon, Professor of English, UMN
7:15- 8:15 Readings with Esi Edugyan (award-winning African Canadian novelist, author of The Second Life of Samuel Tyne) and Kao Kalia Yang (The Latehomecomer) CoffeeeHouse Press; Lise Erdrich (Turtle Mountain Chippewa poet, children’s author, essayist, indigenous communities and women’s activist)
8:15-9:00 Audience Q&A
http://www.d.umn.edu/unirel/homepage/07/amindmn.html>http://www.d.umn.edu/unirel/homepage/07/amindmn.html
Saturday
All events in Mississippi Room, 3rd Floor of Coffman Union
10:00-10:10 – Welcome – TBA
10:10-10:20 Keyneynote Introduction: TBA
10:20- 11:15 Opening Keynote: M. Jacqui Alexander; (title TBA)
11:15- 11:45 Q& A
12:00-1:30 – Buffet Lunch on Campus Club Summer Terrace
2pm-3:30 – Roundtable: What Can Diaspora Do?
Moderator: Rinaldo Walcott (U Toronto)
Participants: Maisha Eggers (Stendal University/ZtG Associate, Humboldt U, Berlin), Jigna Desai (UMN), Agustin Lao-Montes (U Mass Amherst), Michaela Mudure (Babes-Boylai University, Cluj, Romania) Tina Campt (Duke U)
3:30- 4:15pm Q & A
4:30-5:15pm: In and out of diaspora, in and out of Africa, Abdi Osman, Toronto,
5:30-6:30- Reception at Weisman with photo exhibition: Stories from the Somali Diaspora: The Photographs of Abdi Roble
http://www.weisman.umn.edu>http://www.weisman.umn.edu
http://www.abdiroble.com/
Presentation by Abdi Roble and Doug Rutledge
7:30-9pm- Dinner at Spill the Wine- 1101 Washington Avenue S. Tel: 612-339-3388
Sunday DHP
Third Floor Conference Rooms, Coffman Union
9 -11:30 – Asssemble into the workshop of your choice, one may also move in between workshops as they go. Workshops are the place to ask for information (books titles, articles, etc) to ask questions, to offer answers, and to participate in the conversation.
Diasporas and Visuality
Diasporas and Social Justice
American Diasporas
In Search of the Black Fantastic: A Conversation with Author, Professor Richard Iton
9:15 -11:00 Workshops
