Society for Latin American Studies, Leeds 26-27 March 2009
45th Annual Conference of the Society for Latin American Studies
(Re) Invasions and Inventions: Latin America Confronts the 21st Century
The Society of Latin American Studies (SLAS) held its annual conference at the University of Leeds. It was jointly organised by the School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) and the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies.
The theme chosen for this year's conference was (Re) Invasions and Inventions: Latin America Confronts the 21st Century
IISC PANEL
Cuban Politics, Society and Culture in the Discourse of Leonardo Padura Fuentes
The Cuban journalist and author Leonardo Padura Fuentes has seemingly done the impossible in producing a body of work that challenges and critiques the existing orthodoxy - while at the same time being received enthusiastically by the artistic establishment and the Cuban public. Padura seems to occupy a unique space having achieved celebrity status within the island’s cultural elite while maintaining a voice that is often critical of the political establishment. This panel focuses on his discourse and how it helps to shape our understanding of Cuban culture, society and politics as they have changed in the past two decades.
Panellists:
José Antonio Michelena Gutiérrez, Instituto de Literatura y Lingüística José Antonio Portuondo Valdor, La Habana: ‘La neblina de ayer: lecturas cruzadas, enigmas, laberintos’
Fabienne Viala, Université Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris -France, 'Novela negra y crónica de transición: las investigaciones culturales de Mario Conde en La Habana y de Pepe Carvalho en Barcelona;
Luis Pérez-Simon, Université Sorbonne - Paris IV, France, 'The Long and Winding Road: From New Journalism in El viaje más largo and Entre dos siglos to El hombre que amaba a los perros'
Dr Dennis Seager, Oklahoma State University, USA, 'Sinophobia and the Education of Mario Conde in Padura Fuentes’ La cola de la serpiente'
Two participants who did not make it to the conferecne were:
Dr Tilmann Altenberg, Cardiff University, 'Echoes of the past - reflections of the future: pseudo-autobiographical narration in La novela de mi vida'
For further information regarding the conference please email slas2009@leeds.ac.uk.
SLAS website: http://www.slas.org.uk/events.htm#anConf
Leeds conference website: http://www.polis.leeds.ac.uk/research/events/slas-conf-09/
