British Poetry of the First World War. The English Association. English Association Conference September 2014 / Wadham College, Oxford

Transcription

1 The English Association English Association Conference 2014 British Poetry of the First World War 5 7 September 2014 / Wadham College, Oxford

2 2 3 The Conference The poetry of the First World War has been one of that conflict s most enduring and contested legacies. This international conference has been convened to enable all those with a serious academic or nonspecialist interest in war poetry to come together at the start of the Great War Centenary to listen to leading speakers and to exchange views about this body of literature, so appealing and yet still so controversial. The debate about the historical and literary impact of the war poets will be a central theme of the Conference. Another special feature will be the invitation to individual First World War Poets associations to participate by contributing speakers and arranging events and displays of archive material and publications. The conference will include lectures, panel sessions, chaired discussions, exhibitions and recitals, all taking place in the magnificent setting of Wadham College, within easy walking distance of the historic centre of the University. Delegates will have the option of staying in the College or making their own arrangements. The Venue Wadham College, founded in 1611, is an ideal venue. Located in its own extensive grounds and gardens, away from the bustle of the city, it is nevertheless only a couple of minutes from the historic heart of the University: the Sheldonian Theatre (a masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren), the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera. Blackwell s world-famous bookshop is just as close. The College itself boasts one of the finest Halls in Oxford, and a magnificent Chapel with spectacular and rare 17th-century stained glass. The Conference will have as its main auditorium the Holywell Music Room (1748), possibly the earliest purpose-built concert hall in Europe, and it is here too that the music recital on the first evening will be held. Wadham also has fascinating buildings and rooms on a much more domestic scale, and these will provide the venue for panel discussions. Delegates will be able to enjoy the extensive and peaceful College gardens. Full information about the history and architecture of Wadham College can be found on its website:

3 4 5 The Speakers Jon Stallworthy Edna Longley Jay Winter Tim Kendall Stuart Lee Adrian Barlow Conference Patron Keynote speaker keynote speaker conference convenor discussion Chair PRESIDENT of the EA Jon Stallworthy, poet, critic and editor, has been a leading figure in the study of the literature of war for forty years. Publications include his awardwinning biography of Wilfred Owen (1974), and his edition of Owen s Complete Poems and Fragments (1984). He is the editor of the Oxford Book of War Poetry (1984). His latest book is Survivors Songs: From Maldon to the Somme (2008). Professor Emeritus at Oxford University, he is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Society of Literature. Edna Longley is Professor Emerita at Queen s University, Belfast, and a Fellow of the British Academy. A lifelong advocate of the work and significance of Edward Thomas (her definitive annotated edition of his Collected Poems appeared in 2008), she has throughout her career from the publication of Poetry in the Wars (1986) onwards been a highly respected commentator on the impact of war on poetry, and vice versa. Jay Winter is the Charles J. Stille Professor of History at Yale, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His specialist field is the impact of the First World War on the 20th century: in books such as Sites of Memory, Sites of Mourning (1998) and Remembering War: The Great War between History and Memory in the 20th Century (2007) he has had a powerful and controversial impact on current debates about history, memory and memoir. Tim Kendall is Professor and Head of English at the University of Exeter. His books include Modern English War Poetry (2006) and The Art of Robert Frost (2012). He is the editor of The Oxford Handbook of British and Irish War Poetry (2007) and Poetry of the First World War (2013). His War Poetry blog is a leading internet site for information about activity, research and news relating to the war poets. Dr. Stuart Lee is Reader in E-learning and Digital Libraries at Oxford University and Deputy CIO of the University s IT Services. A mediaevalist, he has nevertheless been the founding Director of The First World War Poetry Digital Archive. This is the largest online repository of WW1 poetry material, with over 7000 items of text, images, audio, and video for teaching, learning, and research. Adrian Barlow was formerly Director of Public and Professional Programmes at the University of Cambridge, Institute of Continuing Education where he lectured in English Literature. Among his publications are The Great War in British Literature (2000), World and Time: Teaching Literature in Context (2009) and Extramural: Literature and Lifelong Learning (2012).

4 6 Conference Highlights Conference Booking Friday 5th Saturday 6th Sunday 7th To book a place visit our website at For further information contact Julia Hughes on +44 (0) or engassoc@le.ac.uk (conference opens 2pm) Keynote lecture: Professor Chaired plenary discussion: Opening Keynote lecture: Professor Edna Longley Jay Winter Exhibitions and interactive sessions (Oxford First World War Digital Archive) Book launch - The Arts of Peace, edited by Peter Robinson Reception and Conference Concert Recital - settings Dinner. of First World War poetry. Soloist: Roderick Williams, Baritone. Lives of the Poets : war poetry and life writing Closing plenary discussion: The historians v. the poets Exhibitions and interactive sessions (Oxford First World War Digital Archive). (conference ends 1pm) Early Bird Booking Regular Booking Regular Booking (16 May 2013 to 1 March 2014) (After 1 March 2014) (After 1 March 2014) Day Delegates Early Bird Booking (1 Dec 2013 to 1 March 2014) Across the conference there will be up to fifteen panel sessions for papers and discussion of the main conference themes. Friday only with dinner and Concert Recital 95 These will include afterlives canonising the dead poets 206 aftermaths survivors of the War anthologising war poetry/broadening the canon close readings and re-readings visions and re-visions: good literature but bad history? individual poets / groups of poets: lives of the war poets non-combatant poets teaching and learning war poetry in schools and HE wartime and after poetry and the reading public. 160 Sunday only Friday only Sunday only with dinner and Concert Recital Please note that conference fees do not include accommodation. There will be some accommodation available for delegates at Wadham College further information forthcoming.

5 War 8 8 The English Association and the First World War Centenary About the Centenary This conference is the climax of the English Association s contribution to the events taking place in 2014 to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War: A special edition of the EA s journal for teachers, Use of English (Spring 2014), devoted to the Literature of the Great War A joint English Association and Historical Association conference followed by a reception and symposium on writing for children about the Great War (April 2014) A special Essay Prize competition for schools Publication of a new anthology of specially commissioned poems about the Great War, entitled The Arts of Peace, to be launched at the Conference. About the English Association The English Association is at the heart of the global English community, furthering knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of English wherever it is used. Its international membership includes teachers and academics, writers and readers, librarians and publishers. The Association is uniquely placed to be the representative voice of English at every level from primary to professorial. It contributes to national debates, consultations and policy forums. Its opinions are sought by government departments and the media. Its stance is independent and its principle is always advocacy for English. The Association s journals and serials include English, the Year s Work in English Studies and the Year s Work in Critical and Cultural Theory, Essays and Studies and Peer English. For secondary teachers, the EA publishes Use of English and for secondary students the Bookmarks series, now fully available online. English 4-11 is the EA s magazine for primary English teachers, jointly published with UKLA. The English Association University of Leicester Leicester LE1 7RH United Kingdom +44 (0) The English Association Printed by Scotia Press To join the English Association, go to