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International Committee
Report from the International Committee 2009
Boris Vejdovsky, University of Lausanne, Switzerland, Chair
I. Activities of the IC and planning of the Washington D.C. Convention
International Partnership Luncheon. Thursday, 5th November, 12:00-1:45
This year again, the Fisher Foundation will generously subsidize the luncheon. The IC wishes to thank Shelley Fisher Fishkin who actively supported the IC’s request for funds with the Board of the Foundation. The IC will be advertising the luncheon actively to draw as many attendees as possible to this important moment of scholarly exchange and convivial contact. The IC is extremely grateful to the Fisher Foundation for their support. In order to make the best possible use of that support, US and international members of ASA participating in the luncheon will be asked to contribute a co-payment. The IC has sought to reduce the costs of the luncheon as much as possible. In the future alternative solutions to receptions held in hotels will be examined and actively sought.
II. IC business meeting. Thursday, 5th November, 2:00-3:45
In addition to examining current issues, The IC will pay tribute to Emory Elliott whose work was central to the foundation and the development of the IC.
III. Newly appointed members, new chair, and reduction of the size of the IC.
Three persons were proposed and accepted as new members of the IC: Kate Delaney, MIT, Deborah Madsen, University of Geneva, Switzerland, and
Manuel Martin-Rodriguez, UC La Merced
Boris Vejdovky (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) succeeds Paul Lauter as chair of the IC.
In Albuquerque, it was decided that in order to be a more efficient committee, the IC had to shrink in size. It was also decided that more contact and communal work would be done between the conventions. Boris Vejdovsky has been in contact with the members of the committee to prepare the work of the Washington convention and establish plans for the years to come.
In addition to working on current and future projects, members of the IC have been active online discussing current issues in American studies on the international scene, the state and development of American studies outside the US, as well as questions of US policies and politics and their impact on American studies.
IV. IC Talkshops. Friday, 6th November, 8:00-9:45; 10:00-11:45; 2:00-3:45
Three talkshops topics were discussed at the Albuquerque business meeting. The topics were specifically chosen to echo the general topic of the convention. As in previous years, the workshops insist on practical aspects of American studies on an international level.
The three workshops in Washington will be:
a). The United States Is Not Enough—International Research and Teaching Opportunities in American Studies Talkshop organizer: Andrew Gross, Freie Universität, Berlin
b) Presidential Politics, Administrative Change, and Teaching American Studies Overseas Talkshop organizers: Isabel Durán, Universidad Complutense, Madrid & Paul Lauter, Trinity College
c) “Only in America is my story possible”: Teaching Race and American Studies Overseas; Toni Morrison’s The Blest Eye as a Case Study Talkshop organizer: Boris Vejdovsky, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
V. In Memoriam: Emory Elliott, Fri. 5:00-6:45
This is not strictly speaking an activity of the IC, but given the implication of Paul Lauter, IC former chair, and given the essential role Emory played in the internationalization of American studies, the IC will be very much present at this event.
VI. Business Meeting of the International Journal Editors
The Editors’ meeting is of utmost importance to increase the circulation of journals reflecting American studies conducted outside the US. It is essential that encounters take place and strategies develop among the individuals who lead American studies in their respective countries. As of this year, American studies series published internationally will appear on the site of the ASA and a link will be established between journals and the series.
VII. Business Meeting of the Presidents of International Studies Associations
This meeting was reinstituted this year as suggested by Deborah Madsen, the president of the Swiss association. It seems indeed that Presidents of national associations should be able to meet in order to establish contacts and propose new working strategies. This meeting has not been held for a number of years. This year in Washington, an agenda with practical issues will be established for the upcoming year so that the presidents can remain in contact and work together during the entire year.
VIII. Current projects and developing action of the IC
A. Exchange with/for international scholars in combination with ASA conventions
This is a long-term and slowly developing project of the IC. Its aim is to foster contact between US institutions and international members of the ASA. The IC is seeking to develop a network of universities and colleges interested in inviting international scholars who attend the convention. Paul Lauter, Jean Pfalzer and Marcy Newman have done a considerable amount of work on this account. The IC is currently examining the first results of this work and seeking to develop the contacts and network that have been established.
B. International American Studies Journals & Series
Udo Hebel, Alfred Hornung and Pin-chia Feng have been working to include international book series on the site that lists the international journals.
C. Revision of the the ASA Guide for Reviewing American Studies Programs and Centers
In response to a request from John Stephens, the Committee on American Studies Programs and Centers and the International Committee established a task force to revise the existing “ASA Guide for Reviewing American Studies Programs” to include guidelines for the review of international American Studies Programs. The task force is co-chaired by Liam Kennedy (University College Dublin) and Boris Vejdovsky.
The two co-chairs are agreed that there seems to be little point in creating an “international” version of the current guidelines on reviewing American Studies programs because there would be too many disparate constituencies and concerns to address. International program people should certainly be able to “translate” the ASA guidelines in terms of their own educational context. The co-chairs propose two possible courses of action that we may take. The first is to advertise the existence of the guidelines among international constituencies; this will be done in particular via the International Committee and at the Presidents’ meeting (see above). The second is to communicate with directors of international programs to ask if there are particular concerns they would like to see covered by the guidelines—based on their responses, there may be merit in adding a suitable appendix document to the existing guidelines.
D. Maintenance of the IC site on the ASA site
The IC will appoint one or two of its members to improve the links of the site and improve the visibility of the work of the IC.
Quick Links
American Quarterly [official journal site]
American Quarterly [editorial site]
Encyclopedia of American Studies
Encyclopedia of American Studies [editorial site]