Professor Charles Scruggs, “The Only Light We’ve Got in All This Darkness”

News for 05-14-2012

On Thursday, May 17 at 3:00 pm in Baker Hall, room 231, Dr. Charles Scruggs presented “The Only Light We’ve Got in All This Darkness”: James Baldwin’s Use of the Triptych in Going to Meet the Man.

Charles Scruggs is a distinguished Professor at the University of Arizona and scholar of African American literature, history, and culture. His also the co-author of Jean Toomer and the Terrors of American History. Professor Scruggs spoke about James Baldwin’s short story collection Going to Meet the Man. The talk will focus on the two triptychs in the text, addressing how the stories were published separately and at different times. Reading the stories linearly suggests a progressive movement toward a positive conclusion, whereas if one reads the collection with the focus on “Sonny’s Blues” as the central panel (first triptych), the focus is on the suffering Christ or, in this case, the suffering artist (Sonny) whose music helps both himself and others to endure, and survive in, the earthly city. Professor Scruggs argues that one could read the collection in two ways—the triptych that highlights the central panel, the triptych that highlights the last panel—because Baldwin, living in Europe and knowing the art objects in Chartres and other cathedrals, knew the artistic tradition of the triptych and especially that of the Eisenheim Altarpiece.

This is event was sponsored by the Department of English in partnership with the Departments of African American Studies, History, as well as the Kennedy Lecture Committee.

Professor Amritjit Singh, “Migration and Citizenship: African American and Asian American Stories”

News for 05-13-2012

As part of the Dialogue-on-Diversity Spring Lecture Series, Dr. Amritjit Singh presented his lecture title, Migration and Citizenship: African American and Asian American Stories. The talk was given at the Rhode Island College and is available on Youtube.

In this lecture Dr. Singh explores the internal migration patterns of African Americans from the South and the hurdles that Asian immigrants from various locations faced in their search for home and citizenship during the years from the end of the Civil War to the 1920s. In this examination of the immigrant and non-immigrant movements of population that have shaped the United States, he makes an argument for a fresh understanding of JJcitizenship" and JJrace."

Dr. Amritjit Singh is a Rhode Island College Professor Emeritus of English and a Langston Hughes Professor of English Ohio University. His research and teaching interests include African American Studies, Modernism (with a focus on the Harlem Renaissance), 20th Century American and Postcolonial Fiction, Richard Wright, South Asian cultures and literatures, and Migration Studies. Currently he is working on a documentary history of South Asians in North America. He is committed to exploring inter-ethnic paradigms, particularly in relation to the parallels between the patterns of internal migrations within the Americas and immigration to the U.S and Canada from Europe and Asia. He is a series editor of MELA (Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the Americas) from Rutgers University Press.

Dinty Moore’s “Why I Trained My Dog to Post: One Writer’s Facebook Journey”

News for 05-04-2012

Professor Dinty W. Moore has recently published "Why I Trained My Dog to Post: One Writer's Facebook Journey" in the Facebook Issue (12.4) of Iron Horse Literary Review.

Kristin Lemay’s “Not Celebrating Holy Week”

News for 05-04-2012

Ohio University instructor Kristin LeMay has published her eessay "Not Celebrating Holy Week" in The Cresset, a magazine both in print and online from Valparaiso University.

Kristin LeMay teaches writing at Ohio University. Her writing has appeared in TriQuarterly, Harvard Theological Review, Alimentum, and other magazines. Her book, Because She Cannot Pray: Finding God with Emily Dickinson, is forthcoming from Paraclete Press.

Eric LeMay’s “Writing About Food”

News for 04-17-2012

Food and Writing! On Friday, April 20th from 1:10-2:30 in Seigfred Hall, 201a Ohio University Professor and author Eric LeMay presents “Writing About Food” + food tasting. This is event is organized by OU English MA aluman, Becca Lachman and is part of FEEDING COMMUNITY: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN ARTISTS, WRITERS, & LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS.

"Read food writing. Not just recipes. Mostly stories." --Eric LeMay

Becca Lachman’s “The Apple Speaks”

News for 04-10-2012

The English Department is proud to recognize Instructor and M.A. alum Becca J.R. Lachman has published her first collection of poetry, The Apple Speaks, recently featured on the Englewood Review of Books.

Reviewer Caitlin MacKenzie calls the work "A densely woven fabric of faith, longing, and embrace...these poems are some of the most mature and introspective I’ve read in years."

Dr. Jennie Nelson Pioneers Undergraduate Writing Certificate

News for 04-09-2012

Professor Jennie Nelson has created a new certificate program that will give students of nearly all majors the chance to graduate with distinction. The Writing Certificate coursework provides OHIO students the opportunity to enhance their writing while also providing documented proof of the effort they put forth. The Writing Certificate is the only certificate of its kind offered in the state of Ohio.

Professor Nelson says of the Writing Certificate, “One of the key skills you must have in any job is the ability to communicate clearly...I really wanted to give students from across campus the opportunity to put this certificate on their transcript because it will separate them from all of the other applicants when applying for jobs.”

Writing is one of the many subjects that students, regardless of their course of study, must be able to do well. Writing is a universal skill that will enhance a student’s marketability upon graduation. This program is not available to English majors; however, those studying in fields not usually thought of as “writing intensive” are greatly encouraged to participate. To sign up for the Writing Certificate, students should go to their college's Dean's office and get an Update of Program Form. There they will be asked to fill it out and bring it to the Director of the Writing Certificate, Dr. Jennie Nelson, in the English Department. Dr. Nelson's office is Ellis 317, and students can leave messages for her by calling 593-2838. She can also be contacted through email at . In the event that students cannot meet with Dr. Nelson, they can take the form to the English department's office, Ellis 360, and one of the staff members or Dr. Rouzie, the Director of Composition, can sign the Update of Program form in Dr. Nelson's place. Once students have completed the form, they will take it to Chubb Hall and have the Writing Certificate added to their program of study. Read the full compass story here.

Jaswinder Bolina Wins Donald Murray Prize

News for 03-28-2012

Post-Doctoral fellow and poet Jaswinder Bolina is the 2012 winner of the Donald Murray Prize for his essay “Writing Like a White Guy.” The prize was awarded by the Creative Nonfiction Special Interest Group as part of the recent Conference on College Composition and Communication.

Bob Miklitsch’s Siren CIty Named Oustanding Academic Title

News for 03-16-2012

Professor Robert Miklitsch's book Siren City: Sound and Source Music in Classic American Noir was named one of the Outstanding Academic Titles for 2011 by Choice, the library selection organization. Robert Mikllitsch is a Professor of Film (noir, melodrama, gangster film, Hollywood musical), music (pop, jazz, classical), media (TV, video) and popular-cultural studies. His other distinguished publications include Roll Over Adorno and From Hegel to Madonna.

Distinguish Professor Mark Halliday’s 2011 Lecture

News for 02-24-2012

The English Department is proud to announce Professor Mark Halliday's 2011 Distinguished Professor Lecture title "The Personal Appeal of the Short Poem." Ohio University President Roderick J. McDavis extends his invitation to this event to be held on March 1st at the Margaret M. Walter Hall Rotunda. Festivities begin with a reception at 7 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Professor Halliday is honored as a poet, writer, and critic. He has been with Ohio University's Creative Writing program since 1996 and is an internationally recognized for his poetry. He has received numerous awards and distinctions throughout his academic and literary career, including the the Rome Fellowship in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Lila Wallace/Reader’s Digest Foundation Writer’s Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Professor Halliday's has published numerous books of poetry including "Little Star," a National Poetry Series selection; "Tasker Street," winner of the Juniper Prize; "Selfwolf"; "Jab"; and "Keep This Forever." Halliday's book on Wallace Stevens, "Stevens and the Interpersonal," was published by Princeton University Press in 1991. Also in 1991, Johns Hopkins University Press published "The Sighted Singer," a book on poetics co-authored by Allen Grossman and Halliday. Read the full Compass story here.