{"id":1051,"date":"2017-03-15T12:41:39","date_gmt":"2017-03-15T17:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brandonu.ca\/english\/?p=1051"},"modified":"2017-03-15T12:41:39","modified_gmt":"2017-03-15T17:41:39","slug":"2016-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brandonu.ca\/english\/2017\/03\/15\/2016-news\/","title":{"rendered":"2016 news"},"content":{"rendered":"

November 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

English Faculty among those honoured in the Arts Research Celebration<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Top<\/a>\n

Take a look at the first row\u2013all members of the Department of English and Creative Writing. For the full story, click on the image.<\/p>\n

Gary Geddes and Ann Eriksson bring Double Trouble to BU<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"20161101_190938_hdr-1\"<\/a> \"20161101_194323_hdr-1\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ann Eriksson and Gary Geddes are both launching books this year\u2013she a novel, and he a book of poetry. On their cross-country reading tour, they stopped in Brandon to read from their new works. Ann\u2019s new novel addresses poverty and privilege in New York, and Gary\u2019s new poetry deals with the harsh realities of one of Canada\u2019s worst residential schools. Their readings were bold, beautiful, and moving. After the reading, Ann, Gary, and the audience had a lively discussion about cultural appropriation, theory versus creativity, persona, and the life of a writer. The two authors came to BU as part of the Hawkweed Literary Forum.<\/p>\n

October 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

English prof among those honoured at BU\u2019s celebration of research<\/strong><\/p>\n\"20161025_200748_hdr-1\"<\/a>\n

Brandon University has had unprecedented success in tri-agency funding <\/a>this year, and BU hosted a party to celebrate! Amongst those honoured was Dr. Jonathan Allan, one of the faculty members of the English and Creative Writing Department.<\/p>\n

Dr. Allan was awarded $27,917 for his project entitled, Discursive Analysis of Circumcision and Masculinity<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Project Description:\u00a0The debates over \u201cto circumcise or not\u201d are so complicated and so vexed that one hardly knows where to begin.\u00a0 As such, this project asks: what are the secular reasons to circumcise?<\/p>\n

Four BU alumni share their wisdom about graduate school<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deanna Smid<\/p>\n

<\/strong>Have you ever thought about pursuing a Master\u2019s or PhD in English or Creative Writing? Four BU alumni\u2013Neal Hackler, Trent Gill, Lesley Glendinning, and Brandy Robertson\u2013did more than think about it: they all went to various graduate schools and were awarded a Master\u2019s or PhD. The four graciously agreed to speak about their experiences at a \u201cgrad school round-table discussion\u201d organized by the English and Creative Writing Club. Each spoke about their positive and negative experiences, providing first-hand accounts of the collegiality and competition of grad school. All of the speakers advised BU students to start planning early: gathering reference letters, applying for lucrative financial grants, etc., all takes time.<\/p>\n

Members of the English and CW club were generous enough to provide snacks for the event. In fact, I was so excited about the delicious treats that I forgot to take a picture of our speakers, and I only photographed the snacks. Yes, shameful, I know. Even worse, I didn\u2019t include the delicious cookies and coffee that graced the snack table, too. But here it is: a snack photo:<\/p>\n\"20161025_155911_hdr\"<\/a>\n

 <\/p>\n

University of Manitoba Hosts Student Journalism Conference<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nathan MacKrith, Reporter<\/p>\n

On October 15th<\/sup> there was a student journalist conference held at the University of Manitoba. The Manitoba Student Journalism Conference was organized by the Manitoba, one of U of M\u2019s student newspapers. This was the first time this particular event has ever taken place. I was one of the three Quill members fortunate enough to be able to attend.<\/p>\n

The day-long conference went from 9:30 AM until 4:30 PM. Among the topics covered were: how to produce clean copy, dealing with communications people, How to file a FIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) request, ways to interview people, and more. I could not go to every session because sometimes there were two running simultaneously.<\/p>\n

In the session on how to deal with communications people I learned how to scrum. In Canada the scrum is a daily ritual at Parliament. Members of the press surround politicians as they exit the chamber of the House of Commons. The reason the scrum is a favoured media interview tactic is because of its ability to draw out impromptu and controversial remarks. An example of one such comment is \u201cjust watch me\u201d which was spewed at journalists from the mouth of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.<\/p>\n

In the session on filing FIPPA requests, I learned about what a FIPPA is. According to the gov.mb.ca, FIPPA provides \u201ca right of access to records held by public bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

I found the sessions to be informative and full of great insight. I feel that I gained some valuable knowledge and useful skills in the world of journalism. I would highly recommend that anyone interested in journalism considers attending next year\u2019s conference.<\/p>\n

September 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sargent & Victor & Me<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>By Nathan MacKrith<\/p>\n

Winnipeg playwright, director, and actor Debbie Patterson was in Brandon last week to give a talk at Brandon University and to perform her one person play Sargent & Victor & Me. <\/em> Patterons\u2019s talk, \u201cWriting from the Body: Disability, Art, and the Physical Nature of Theatre\u201d took place on Tuesday September 27th in Clark Hall Room 104, and focused on her own personal experiences as an actor and artist living with Multiple Sclerosis. She spoke on the kinds of challenges she faces daily and how she has been and continues to learn how to learn how to overcome them through creativity and ingenuity. Patterson\u2019s talk was part of the continuing Brandon University Faulty of Arts Speakers Series.<\/p>\n

Patterson\u2019s play Sargent & Victor & Me<\/em> was performed on Wednesday September 28th and Thursday September 29th at the Park Community Center. Debbie Patterson was brought to Brandon University with support from the Dean of Arts, the Rowe Fund, the Department of English and Creative Writing, and the Hawkweed Literary Forum.<\/p>\n

(Excerpted from The Quill<\/em>, Issue 5, Volume 107)<\/p>\n

\"img_1236\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What a crowd!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hawkweed Literary Forum: Paul Dutton<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>By Nathan MacKrith<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, September 27th, Toronto-born sound poet, writer and musician Paul Dutton was at Brandon University. He had a 1:40 pm reading in the BU Library\u2019s Gathering Space, followed by at 3:00 pm Sound \"20160927_134834_hdr\"<\/a>Art Master Class in the Elephant Room of the Knowles-Douglas Center. Dutton was brought to Brandon University by the Hawkweed Literary Forum.<\/p>\n

The Sound Art Masterclass was an occasion which escapes being fully described by words. Any attempts to do so by this Quill reporter, who was in attendance, would result in amphiboly. However, what can be said is that it was a transcendental experience. Led by Dutton, the group was encouraged to let loose and explore the summits and nethermost regions of human vocality. The Paul Dutton Experience, as I am dubbing it, was one worth having, and what I learned there will have lasting effects on me that I will not forget any time soon.<\/p>\n

(Excerpted from The Quill<\/em>, Issue 5, Volume 107)<\/p>\n

Richard Van Camp reads at BU<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>On September 26, acclaimed Canadian author, Richard Van Camp, delighted his BU audience by sharing excerpts from his works, as part of the Thin Air 2016 Winnipeg International Writers Festival. What follow is the perspective of one student\u2013Shawna Harding\u2013 on his reading:<\/p>\n

Richard Van Camp is a Canadian author from the Northwest Territories. He has a wide range of writing styles including novels, children stories and even comic books. By using these different writing styles, Van Camp is better able to convey specific messages to his audience. For example, Van Camp wanted to \"\"write something to deter youth from violence and gangs: he said he could have easily done a pamphlet but wanted to appeal to his target audience and show more emotion for such an important topic. This is why he chose to write a comic book. In his comic Path of the Warrior<\/em> he gives some insight as to why people join gangs and the destruction they cause to communities. His other comic, Kiss me deadly<\/em> explores the important issues of sexual health, especially in remote areas, like the NWT where there are limited resources and privacy. \u00a0I think Van Camp does a great job at showing awareness and educate the reader on such important topics by using his writing in a non-conventional way. Within these comics he is able to evoke a strong emotional response within a short period of time. Not only are these important topics written in a way directed at the youth, he also tried to create a comic for everyone, including women. His effort to include all genders in his comic books is refreshing as they are typically directed toward men. A common inspiration in Van Camp\u2019s writing is writing from heart break. These stories are inspired by heart breaking situations which is why they deserve so much awareness.<\/p>\n

May 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Jonathan A. Allan launches Reading from Behind<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

At the University of Regina Press display at the 2016 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Allan launched his new book, Reading from Behind: A Cultural Analysis of the Anus.<\/em> Excerpted below are portions of the speech he read at the event:<\/p>\n

\u201cReading from Behind<\/em> is a short book on the role of the anus, the rear, the posterior, the behind, the bottom, the as\"20160530_165618_HDR\"<\/a>s in literary theory and cultural criticism. In this book, I had a basic hunch that the ass is more important than we have cared to admit, or than we have admitted, but only in part. In the book, I argued that the rear can help us to understand a wide range of textual expressions and that reading from behind can illuminate literary and cultural texts in new and exciting ways. However, to do this, we must also change our critical postures and anxieties and address what is arguably the most pressing issue: our discomfort with anal things, with other people\u2019s asses, and with the fact that perhaps the ass is filled with meaning that we have not yet attended to for any number of reasons. It\u2019s tricky, for despite the apparent discomfort with, and avoidance of, the anus, it fascinates us. In fact, Christina Garibaldi boldly writes for MTV News, \u201cIt\u2019s pretty safe to say that 2014 will be remembered as the year of the booty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen promoting the book, when the book was reviewed, I was struck by how often discussions focused on titillation, the juvenile, and laughter. A local radio-station tweeted: \u201cProfessor writes a book about \u2018the cultural history of the anus.\u2019 let the jokes fly\u2026..go\u2026..\u201d The book was even nominated for the Diagram Prize, which awards the book with the \u201coddest title\u201d the prize. Of course, I knew there would be some reaction (I didn\u2019t imagine it would be so widespread), but there are, I contend, serious consequences to not taking the butt seriously. I admit wholeheartedly that the butt is laughable, even embarrassing. But what are the implications of this shamefulness on our engagement with, say, medical care?<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

Consider one example. Prostate Cancer Screening. While it may likely come as no surprise, especially given the number of jokes available in popular culture, it bears repeating: \u201cDigital Rectal\"20160530_160808_HDR\"<\/a> Examination is a significant barrier to participation in Prostate Cancer screening\u201d (Naccarato, et al., 68). In one of the few articles to explore why this might be the case, the \u201cbarrier\u201d is situated along the axis of masculinity and sexuality: \u201cmajor barriers to having DRE among African American men relating to their discomfort, embarrassment, or the believe that the exam is associated with homosexuality\u201d (Winterich 301). While this case study focuses chiefly on straight African American men, we must admit that these reactions are likely not unique to African American men, especially given, as I\u2019ve noted, the numerous jokes about prostate exams in popular culture, that, speak to our deep cultural suspicious around masculinity and the anus. Simply put, the fear of the ass can be detrimental to men\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

As much as Reading from Behind<\/em> was a book devoted to questions of literary and cultural texts and their engagement with questions of masculinity, today, I cannot help but see how this book can participate in growing discussions around men\u2019s sexuality and health care. Simply put, the butt is funny, but it is also deadly serious and we need to recognize these intersections.\u201d<\/p>\n

April 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

They Sing to Us: Poems for Walking With Our Sisters<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\"20160422_171232_HDR\"<\/a>\n

The moving, the unforgettable, Walking With Our Sisters<\/em>, curated by Christi Belcourt and the National Organization of WWOS, was hosted\u00a0at Brandon University from February 22 to March 6, 2016. To memorialize their responses to the art installation and to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children of Canada and the USA, Professor Di Brandt and the students in her 30.353 Creative Writing: Poetry class have published an artistic\u00a0chapbook of poems: The Sing to Us <\/em>(Radish Press 2016).<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The poems are a celebration, a memorial, and a call to action. The chapbook\u2019s cover photograph features the work of another Brandon University professor, Peter Morin and some of his Aboriginal and Visual Arts students: because they are all somebodies daughter, <\/em>an installation that premiered at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba in honour of Walking With Our Sisters last spring. \u00a0<\/em>The chapbooks are available for purchase at cost ($5) in the BU Faculty of Arts office (Clark Hall room 100). Currently, there is a limit of 5 copies per person, but if you wish to purchase a larger number, you can contact Di Brandt at brandtd@brandonu.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Senior Colloquium: A Student\u2019s (Literary) Perspective<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sarra Nazar<\/p>\n

\"20160411_152002_HDR\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Students presenting at the Colloquium in front of an attentive audience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Brandon University\u2019s Senior Colloquium provided me with the unique opportunity to attend numerous presentations presented by senior level students across a variety of faculties. Most notably, I had the opportunity to attend the \u201cFoodies\u201d section with Jessica Fortier and Jemina Gwamna. Both presenters are completing a degree in Gender and Women Studies and focused on different gender based societal issues. Jessica Fortier focused on the impact of colonization on our modern diet and how anti-feminist factory farming culture led her to vegetarianism. Jemina Gwamna spoke about the anti-feminist views in the North American culture toward breast feeding, and how misinformation and lack of education has resulted in a society that sexualizes breasts.<\/p>\n

These presentations led me to think about the variety of ways that gender and society influences not only the topics discussed, but also literature. Primarily, I was left reflecting on rest cures as discussed in \u201cThe Yellow Wallpaper\u201d and the change that occurred as a result of this revolutionary piece of writing by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a writer for social reform and American feminist shows the impact ones\u2019 beliefs has in their writing. As a result of her literature she was able to cause social reform and helped eliminate the prescription of rest cures.<\/p>\n

Introducing Dr. Robson\u2019s newest course<\/strong><\/p>\n

In September 2016, Dr. Robson will be teaching her new course, \u201cJane Austen<\/a>.\u201d What is it all about?<\/p>\n