The three-day symposium that will unite well-known German and Swiss Writers

DESCRIPTION

The three-day symposium unites well-known German and Swiss Writers who each taught for one semester in the German Studies program at MIT as part of the Max Kade Writer-in-Residence Program. “Topographies of Writing” will address topics such as identity formation in different cultural contexts, shifting borders, cultural closeness and distance, language and cultural spaces, and the “taste” of languages. Combined with readings from works by the authors, this symposium will offer unusual and novel insights into notions of cultural globalization, migration and diaspora, as well as multilingualism, topics that have become increasingly more relevant over the past years.

MIT’s Max Kade Writer-in-Residence Program focuses on bringing German writers who bridge multiple cultures and/or languages by virtue of their biographies and writing to MIT to teach for a full semester.

The symposium will feature the following Max Kade writers:

  • Kristof Magnusson
  • Perikles Monioudis
  • Hansjörg Schertenleib
  • Zafer Senoçak
  • Saša Stanišić
  • Tzveta Sofronieva

PROGRAM

Thursday, April 26, 2018

6:00 – 9:00 PM:
Opening event with readings and discussions (in German and English) followed by a reception
Max Kade Writers with writer Helen Lee (MIT)

Location: Stata Center, Room 32-155

Friday, April 27, 2018

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM:
All-day symposium (in German) with six panels on the following topics (tentative)

  • Language spaces/culture spaces/transgressing borders
  • Exploring multicultural/-lingual identities
  • Connections/distances/shifting borders
  • The “taste” of language(s)
  • Translation-Übersetzung-Übertragung
  • Shifting notions of the concept of “Heimat”

Panels consist of combined readings and discussions between authors and with the audience.
Location: Ashdown, Hulsizer Room, Building NW35, 235 Albany Street

Saturday, April 28, 2018

10:00 AM – 12:30 PM:
Workshops and roundtables with authors in English and/or German

12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Closing plenary discussion
Location: Rooms in MIT building 56 and 66

Sponsors

Max Kade Foundation, Goethe-Institute Boston, Global Studies and Languages, Comparative Media Studies/Writing

Internet Access

MIT is a part of eduroam. If your institution is a member, please register using your institution’s instructions before you arrive. Otherwise, MIT offers a “MIT Guest” WiFi network that anyone can use.

Any other questions?

Please contact Kurt Fendt, Global Studies/Comparative Media Studies/Writing

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