Departmental Newsletter for Modern Languages & Literatures at the College of William & Mary
During the summer of 2011, Hispanic Studies major Katherine Brown (’13) travelled to Peru to study the political uses of Quechua in the construction of national, regional, and class-based identities in present-day Peru. Under the auspices of the Christian-Ewell Scholarship granted by the Charles Center, Katie spent seven weeks in Cusco and Lima studying Quechua… Read More
Students in Jennifer Taylor’s Freshman Seminar, “The Berlin Wall,” are researching cinematic and literary depictions of life in the former German Democratic Republic and finding some surprises. Many texts they are reading paint a bleak picture of oppression and state control behind the iron curtain that is familiar to readers in the post-Cold War era…. Read More
We had a great time at the Modern Languages 2nd Annual Homecoming Reception this year, which was once again held in the Reves Room at the Reves Center for International Relations. The turnout was good, with plenty of alumni, many faculty members and some of our best current students to round out the party. I… Read More
The Arab world has witnessed a series of political upheavals this past year which would have been difficult to imagine in past years. The events have affected the faculty and students of the Arabic section in many different ways. Several students found themselves in Egypt or Syria as the revolutions were getting underway, and had… Read More
Students of French & Francophone studies have done original research for years. In order to recognize students who embarked in such projects and inspire other students to do the same, the French & Francophone studies section decided to create an annual Student research conference in 2010. In this video interview, Stephanie Kumah, a senior (French… Read More
by Cassie Prena Last Spring, I spent an unforgettable semester abroad at John Cabot University in Rome. Although my courses at the university and my daily life in a foreign country allowed a certain level of immersion, I was nevertheless determined to experience the more intimate aspects of Italian culture. I decided that an internship… Read More
by Jes Therkelsen The documentary filmmaking process requires a tremendous amount of patience, discipline, creativity, and flexibility. You need to deal with people, but know how to troubleshoot technology; you must be organized, but open to spontaneity; you should be prepared for everything, but comfortable working in the unknown. For the eight students who studied… Read More
by Leslie McCullough | November 7, 2011 Nicaragua is often thought of as “a nation of poets.” National poets such as Rubén Darío and Ernesto Cardenal have made significant contributions to world literature. Less known but also significant is the transformative role poetry has played in educating Nicaraguan youth in resource-scarce schools and in adult… Read More
by Leslie McCullough | October 17, 2011 Kranbuehl Travel Award In late 2009, Chemistry Professor David Kranbuehl established a charitable remainder trust to support travel for Modern Language’s continuing faculty who teach introductory language courses. “I believe in the importance of international studies, and I wanted to reward the people who teach language courses,” says Kranbuehl… Read More
Prof. Ann Marie Stock, Professor of Hispanic Studies and Film Studies, and Director of the Literary and Cultural Studies program at W&M recently published On Location in Cuba: Street Filmmaking during Times of Transition (UNC Press, 2009). A specialist in visual culture whose research focuses on the role of film and media in identity formation,… Read More
In March 2011, at an event sponsored by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress, Prof. Regina Root discussed and signed copies of her latest book Couture and Consensus: Fashion and Politics in Postcolonial Argentina (U of Minnesota P, 2010) at the Mary Pickford Theater. Couture and Consensus, which was recently awarded the 2012… Read More
