2009 Already? Upcoming Events

Two excellent opportunities to enjoy brilliant discussions about literature and translation:

Poetry and Politics: In Memoriam Mahmoud Darwish
A Commemoration at the University of York, March 14, 2009

The death of Mahmoud Darwish on August 9, 2008 left a void in the global literary and cultural landscape. A profoundly committed poet, Darwish gave voice to Palestinian suffering without allowing his literary expression to degenerate into dogma and cliché; indeed often revealing beauty where others only saw evil. This event will commemorate the life and work of this rare poet, evaluating his legacy and relevance to a historical period still unable—or unwilling—to resolve the Palestinian tragedy.

Papers are invited on all aspects of Darwish’s life and career for a one-day symposium at the University of York on March 14, 2009. Our programme will combine critical interventions with readings from the poet’s work, all with a view to helping the public and scholarly communities come to grips with the complex realities of his poetry and the region’s politics.

Confirmed Keynote : Professor Barbara Harlow (University of Texas, Austin)

Please send proposals (250-300 words) and a brief bio (50 words) to yorkdarwish@googlemail.com by January 31, 2009. Please put the words “York Darwish Conference” in the subject line.

Queries can be addressed to:
Ziad Elmarsafy (ze500 [at] york.ac.uk)
Anna Bernard (ab609 [at] york.ac.uk)
David Attwell (da506 [at] york.ac.uk)
Department of English and Related Literature
University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK

And secondly (although earlier in the year):

Traduttore Traditore? Recognizing and Promoting the Critical Role of Translation in a Global Culture, a week-long seminar (21 Feb - 26 Feb, 2009) taking place in Salzburg, Austria as part of the Salzburg Global Seminar program. Reduced rates are available for participants who can't pay the (fairly steep) fee of 3,300 euros, via an application to the financial aid office. The insanely impressive speakers' list includes:

John Balcom (Co-Chair) - Associate Professor, Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation, Monterey Institute of International Studies, California; past President, American Literary Translators Association
Peter Bush (Co-Chair) - Translator; Past Chair of the International Federation of Translators Literary Translation Committee
Gabriela Adamo - Executive Coordinator, Fundacion Typa, Buenos Aires
Esther Allen - Translator; Professor; Author, International PEN Report on Translation and Globalization; Co-Founder PEN World Voices Festival, New York
Marion Boers - President, International Federation of Translators, Montreal; Office Manager, South African Translators Institute, Rivonia
Antonia Byatt - Director, Literary Strategy, Arts Council England, London
Jacqueline Csuss - Board Member, Austrian Translators Association, Vienna; Board Member, the European Council of Associations of Literary Translators
Geeta Dharmarajan - Executive Director, Katha Books, New Delhi
Susan Harris - Editorial Director, Words Without Borders, New York
Michael Krueger - Translator; Author; Director, Carl Hanser Publishing House, Munich
Göran Malmqvist - Linguist; Translator; Sinologist; Emeritus Professor, Stockholm University; Member, Swedish Academy, Stockholm
Mariusz Tukaj - Creative Industries for Development Section, Division of Cultural Expressions and Creative Industries, Sector of Culture, UNESCO, Paris