THE INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM inaugurated the year 2000 with the re-establishment of its traditional structure as a writing residency, and the appointment of a new director, Christopher Merrill.۠The IWP continues under the administrative aegis of the Office of the Vice President for Research.۠Vice President David Skorton led the IWP through the process of selecting a new director and restructuring the program. Assistant Dean Sandra Barkan of the Graduate College served as interim administrator of the IWP during the previous school year, heading staff consisting of Program Associate Rowena Torrevillas and interim secretary Catherine Kaufman.۠In May this year, Christopher Merrill was named the Director, and he assumed his new duties shortly before the start of the International Writing Program챠33rd session.
He came to the IWP from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., where he taught since 1995, and where he held the William H. Jenks Chair in Contemporary Letters.۠He has published in a wide variety of literary forms, and is the author of three collections of poems, including Watch Fire, for which he received the Peter I.B. Lavan Award for younger poets from the Academy of American Poets; four book-length works of translation; several edited volumes; and three volumes of non-fiction, with a fourth volume forthcoming, all of which concern his travels through foreign lands.
The IWP conducted its thirty-third consecutive year of service to international letters with a streamlined staff.۠When Christopher Merrill joined the IWP and the University faculty, the only other fulltime administrative staff was the program coordinator, Rowena Torrevillas. At the start of schoolyear 2001-2001, Rowena Torrevillas was appointed adjunct assistant professor in the Department of English.
Continuing۠ their۠roles۠in۠the۠IWP are۠Rowena Torrevillas, Program Associate since 1985, and Mary Nazareth, housing assistant for the IWP since 1973.۠ Peter Nazareth resumed his services as moderator of the IWP챠in-house readings and discussions, assisting with the class, International Literature Today; similarly, Lem Torrevillas, video coordinator previous to a new appointment in Film and Broadcasting, volunteered his services to record interviews with program writers. Prof. Shelley Berc, playwriting consultant and IWP faculty since 1996, set up highly productive venues for the IWP playwrights in November in New York and in Maine.
The services of these current and former staff provided the IWP with a continuity that represents a total of 90 years of combined affiliation with and work experience for the program.
The program support staff consists of the half-time secretary, Jennifer Baum (taking the place in mid-July of the program) temporary secretary Catherine Kaufman, who came out of retirement and had previously been affiliated with the IWP during the interim directorship of Fredrick Woodard); and two graduate assistants provided by the Graduate College, Li Yi and Jim Sidel.۠The program services were augmented throughout the year by staff from the Office of the Vice President for Research, notably Mary Schott, Carolyn Frisbie, and Larry Rettig.
Eighteen writers, representing fifteen nations, took part in the IWP this year. The United States Department of State, through the Office of International Visitors, provided operational funding and support for nine of the participants (from Argentina, Ireland, Russia, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, and two writers from Nigeria).۠International Exchange Specialist Audrey Annette Ford was the project administrator for the Department of State.۠The other nine writers attended the program through support from agencies such as the US-Israel Educational Foundation, the Open Society Institute챠Burma Project, the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation, and the National Arts Council of South Africa. The Singapore National Arts Council inaugurated a new funding initiative with the IWP, with full subsidy for two authors. Rowena Torrevillas provided liaison arrangements throughout the nominations and grant negotiations process with these agencies, which have been IWP supporters of long standing.
The University of Iowa academic programs offered outstanding support for visiting scholars, particularly the South Asian Studies Program, which brought an Indian writer from Karnataka to the IWP, and the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, which augmented the grant for the Korean writer.۠ The programs in Film Studies and Theatre Arts were instrumental in presenting the works of IWP participants and the graduate students of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese have resumed the publication Torre de Papel, which includes alumni of the IEP.
This year IWP also saw enhanced connections with the University챠other academic and administrative units, notably International Programs and the Graduate College.۠International Programs is resuming the spring residency for an IWP writer in 2001, a project initiated by the former Center for International and Comparative Studies director Virginia Dominguez, which brought one or two writers back to the University of Iowa for five consecutive spring semesters, culminating with the spring residency of Suchen Christine Lim (Singapore 1997); playwright Mike Finn, who represented Ireland in this year챠IWP, holds the International Programs residency in the spring term 2001.۠Christopher Merrill now serves on the executive committee of International Programs, led by Associate Provost Steven Hoch.
New Initiatives
Under Dr. Skorton, an advisory committee was constituted to guide and assist the IWP.۠Complementing the advisory committee챠administrative oversight, a vigorous fundraising campaign is underway, spearheaded by the University of Iowa Foundation.۠One major goal of the campaign is to endow the directorship, thereby opening up funds to restore and augment staff, and to endow 10 writing fellowships to ensure stability in the program챠representation.
Among the other new developments in this year챠session was housing at the Hawkeye Drive Apartments.۠Twelve two-bedroom units were leased to the IWP, and two writers shared each apartment.۠The accommodations at Family Housing provided a closer approximation of autonomous living for the writers, although the distance from campus, and lack of air-conditioning and Ethernet access, necessitated additional logistic and transportation arrangements by writers and staff.۠University administration, including Pat Boutelle of Space Planning and Utilities, Fran Burns of Information Technology Services (ITS) and Gerry Miller of the Equipment Rental Pool, were helpful in addressing these specific needs as they arose.۠The IWP has fortunately secured accommodations for the next several years in the Iowa House, the university-run hotel located in the center of campus.
The program offered exciting new events this year.۠The 6th Biennial Conference of the Short Story in English was held at the University of Iowa October 12-15, and the IWP participated in several conference events, including a panel discussion. Prof. Susan Lohafer was the convenor. In conjunction with the Conference, the first Paul Engle Literary Festival was launched this fall, with readings by returning writers David Toscana (Mexico, 1994) and Arnost Lustig (Czech Republic, 1970).۠Governor of Iowa Tom Vilsack issued a proclamation designating October 12 as Paul Engle Day, honoring what would have been the 92nd birthday of the co-founder of the International Writing Program.
Traditional elements from previous programming were also restored this year.۠The International Literature Today class was offered for three credit hours to nearly two dozen students.۠Five panel discussions took place on Wednesdays throughout the term, and were well attended. The Prairie Lights Sunday Readings were held in conjunction with the Writers Workshop.۠Director Merrill, with Susan Benner, taught the Interactive Translation Workshop on Friday afternoons, which focuses on the writings of the IWP. The program held screenings of films and dramatized readings of playwrights works, made video interviews with approximately half the writers, and facilitated radio interviews and talks for the university and city community.۠A two-day trip to Chicago provided the writers with a chance to take in the city and many cultural opportunities.۠The program culminated with a ten-day period of individual travel; the State Department-supported writers completed their American sojourn at the nation챠capital, with an evaluation session in mid-November and readings in Washington D.C.
Prof. Shelley Berc, IWP faculty and theatre adviser, provides this report on the programming she provided for the playwrights:
During the November travel period, playwrights from the IWP had readings at professional theatres in Portland, Maine. At Portland Repertory over 100 people came to see actors perform portions of plays and fiction monologues by Pascal Mugarra, Martin Rejtman, Motti Lerner, and Mike Finn. The theatre is considering some of these pieces for their festival of new plays next spring.۠In New York City, playwrights had portions of their works performed script in hand for an invited audience of 80 professional playwrights, artistic directors, actors and designers at the New York Theater Workshop, one of the country's most well known theatres for contemporary writers. Here plays by Pascal Mugarra, Martin Rejtman, Motti Lerner, Mike Finn, Izabella Filipiak, and H.S. Shivaprakash were presented. The playwrights also had meetings with New Dramatists artistic director Todd London and Martha Coigney, director of ITI (International Theatre Institute) and executive staff members of Theatre Communications Group. NYTW artistic director, James C. Nicola, would like to see the program of IWP writers expanded into a two-day festival of readings and discussions about their work.
Shelley Berc advised playwrights on where and how to get work produced in the United States, and provided professional contacts. Writers Mike Finn, Motti Lerner, Victoria, Siok, Ogaga, Martin visited her Creativity Workshop and discussed their working methods with the students.
Throughout the IWP's first session in this new century, the staunch support and hospitality of the Iowa community, which sustained the program throughout its 33 years, were abundant and constant.۠An unprecedented number of farm tours and visits highlighted the first weeks of the autumn.۠Receptions and informal gatherings were hosted by the University of Iowa Foundation and by the community, among them Firstar Bank, the Council for International Visitors to Iowa Cities, the annual community gathering hosted by Hills Bank; and numerous individuals offering hospitality, including the families of Keith and Joanne Hemingway, Larry and Wilma Rettig, Tina Bourjaily, and John and Allegra Dane. Deere and Company offered its annual tour and a steamboat ride down the Mississippi.۠The opening reception was held at the home of IWP co-founder and director emeritus Hualing Nieh Engle, with assistance of friends of the program.۠The outpouring of friendship is emblematic of the ideals that undergird the program, and indeed the mission of the IWP, which is to foster friendship among people and nations of the world.
Profile of the IWP 2000 Writers
Eighteen writers representing fifteen nations created a dynamic that was remarkable for its harmony, cohesiveness, sustained and persevering attention to all program events, and a high level of creative energy.
Balance in regional representation is one of the IWP goals that were achieved this year.۠Although no new member-nations were added to the IWP챠roster of 115 countries, eighteen writers came to Iowa City from all regions of the world.۠Africa and Asia were well represented, with each of those regions accounting for one-third of the membership (six writers each from Africa and from Asia). Eastern Europe continued is strong presence with two writers from Poland and one from Russia. Two authors attended from Latin America. Because the author from the West Bank had to cancel his participation due to illness, only one writer represented the Middle East this year; similarly, one writer represented Western Europe. Gender balance is another element we strive toward, since it is remains difficult for many women in mid-career to take three months off from professional and personal commitments to focus exclusively on their writing.۠Four of the five women this year are fiction writers, and the fifth is a playwright椮res that usually require extended periods for writing; the residency thus provided these participants with a significant block of time which they could devote to writing or research.
Nine of the writers identified themselves primarily as fiction writers; five as poets; two as playwrights; one as a screenwriter, and one as a critic.۠ Ten of the participants worked in more than one genre, notably the five writers who wrote plays in addition to writing criticism, fiction, or poetry.
The writers came to Iowa from a variety of occupations: several of them, including Singapore챠Anuar Othman, Vietnamese magazine editor Vo Thi Hao, and Irish playwright Mike Finn, maintained their journalistic responsibilities with regular bulletins and columns about their Iowa experience.۠A number of the writers are teachers: Piotr Sliwinski (Poland) and Hwang JiWoo (Korea) are university professors; Pascal Adyeeri Mugarra teaches high school students in the hill country of Uganda; Heng Siok Tian, a media resources specialist in Singapore챠ministry of education, teaches in a junior college; H.S. Shivaprakash and Izabela Filipiak conduct workshops in creative writing and drama.۠The poet who represented Brazil for a brief residency is a judge in So Paulo.۠
A number of the writers found an important additional benefit from their residency at an American university.۠During their time at the University of Iowa, they explored and applied for admission into graduate programs here and at other American institutions, to further their education in the United States following their return to their homes at the end of the Iowa residency.
The average age of the participants was 43.۠Several writers brought to the IWP seniority in their accomplishments: Yves-Emmanuel Dogbe of Togo is the author of over thirty volumes of work; Abubakar Gimba is the president of the Association of Nigerian Authors; Nu Nu Yee챠two dozen novels are bestsellers in Burma; H.S. Shivaprakash is the leading voice in Karnataka챠 play writing and art criticism.۠Other writers have had their work presented to high acclaim abroad, among them Martˮ Rejtman of Argentina, whose films have been shown at international film festivals, and Mike Finn, who returned to Ireland for five days in October for the premiere in Dublin of his latest play.۠
The overarching mission of the IWP is to create a space where dialogue between nations may have a chance to spontaneously take place. In this respect, the Israeli playwright Motti Lerner embodied that aspiration.۠This summer, while preparing for his participation, he learned of the nomination of his counterpart from the West Bank.۠He obtained the writer챠West Bank address from the IWP coordinator, in the hope that he and the Palestinian writer could arrive in Iowa City as acquaintances and colleagues.۠Unfortunately, the Palestinian writer underwent emergency surgery that precluded his participation in the IWP this year; Motti then made contact with the family in the West Bank, to offer his assistance and good wishes. It was primarily through his initiative that Motti챠hope was fulfilled: a link was forged during this crucial moment between the people of his region. ܓimilar genuine connections are made among writers during the eighty-three days spent in Iowa City.۠The books and articles about the IWP experience,
which have been written throughout the past thirty years, are a living testament that these connections, spanning the globe, are lifelong.۠
Program Support
The United States Department of State, through the International Visitor Program, continued its vital partnership with the IWP.۠State Department funding provided a major portion of the year챠grant support.۠Full grants were given to nine writers. Ms. Audrey Annette Ford, International Visitor Exchange Specialist, concurrently serving on the State Department's Africa desk, was the project coordinator; her consistent and painstaking efforts were instrumental in seeing the IWP, and its partnership with the Department of State, through the past two years of transition.۠Her leadership, her astute management of resources, and her sensitive and flexible responses to the program챠evolving needs, were of tremendous value to the IWP, particularly to the IWP coordinator who worked in liaison with her.۠We are deeply grateful to the public affairs officers of the posts worldwide who selected writers of remarkable adaptability, amiable outlook, and breadth of talent for the IWP 2000.
The grants of individual writers were facilitated by the Office of International Visitors in Washington, D.C., and administered by the IWP and the Institute of International Education.۠The grants and travels of the USIA-supported writers were coordinated by the IIE챠Programs Coordinator for Professional Exchange Programs, Samantha Pirog.۠The Meacham Travel Service of Iowa City, under the management of Elaine Shalla, in conjunction with the University of Iowa Travel Office, provided travel arrangements for all privately sponsored writers.
Six writers attended the program through the IWP챠network of supporting arts agencies worldwide.۠The United States-Israel Educational Foundation provided full subsidy for renowned playwright/scriptwriter Motti Lerner.۠The Singapore National Arts Council, encouraged by the initiatives of previous Singaporean participants such as Dr. Wong Yoon Wah, provided full and generous support for two authors this year, each representing a language group in Singapore, Anuar Othman and Heng Siok Tian. Continuing its valuable support was the Burma Project of the Open Society Institute, with a full grant for fiction writer Nu Nu Yee Inwa.۠The Vitae Apoio 䫴ura, EducaSo a PromoSo Social of Brazil supported a four-day visit for poet/translator Regis Bonvicino. The Korean Culture and Arts Foundation also continued its tradition of partial subsidy, and sent a fine poet, Hwang JiWoo.۠The Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation, under the management of Ms. Bluma Cohen, provided the grant for Polish author Izabela Filipiak. Our outreach to the world is dependent upon the mission of these agencies and the dedication of the individuals who run them.
Several departments in the University of Iowa provided strong support with writing fellowships and augmentational funding.۠The South Asian Studies Program, through the generous outreach of Prof. Paul Greenough, enabled the remarkable participation of H.S. Shivaprakash.۠ The IWP is very grateful for the commitment we have just received from the South Asian Studies Program, toward alternating-year support for a South Indian writer.۠Prof. Jae-On Kim of the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies was instrumental in providing augmentational funds for the participation of the distinguished Korean poet Hwang JiWoo.
International Programs sustains its support for the IWP.۠Associate Provost for International Programs Steven Hoch has extended the support of his programs럲esources.۠The IWP spring residency, formerly known as the project, 듨rough a Writer챠Eyes,쟣ontinued this spring with a full residency for Irish playwright Mike Finn.۠Office space at the International Center has also been offered to our writers. Through International Programs, the Stanley Foundation has continued its grant support to the IWP.
The Office of Arts Center Relations, under the directorship of Peter Alexander, has been a source of ever-increasing support as our outreach expands.۠Assistant Director Winston Barclay has been especially instrumental in the increased visibility of the program in the media, seeking wider audiences for the writers럷orks by encouraging contact with newspapers within and outside the state.۠The ACR office also assigned a research assistant to liaise with the IWP. Peter Alexander and Winston Barclay attended all our staff meetings, to coordinate the program챠media needs.۠
The University of Iowa Foundation has been instrumental in guiding us through the crucial tasks of fund raising and the administration of privately raised funds. The Foundation hosted a reception at the Levitt Center to welcome Director Merrill and the visiting writers.۠President Michael New and Assistant Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations Viana Rockel and her staff are key to our vitality in this area.
We are very grateful for the assistance and administrative guidance of University of Iowa Provost Jon Whitmore and College of Liberal Arts Dean Linda Maxson.۠The Dean of the Graduate College, Leslie Sims, provided two half-time assistantships to the IWP for the fall semester, and he offered the administrative services of Prof. Sandra Barkan last school year. Prof. Barkan챠advice has been most helpful to Director Merrill.
The Writers럗orkshop, under Director Frank Conroy, continues to pool resources with the program, and during the Fall semester, organizes readings and visits by writers of note.۠ The Workshop챠program associate, Connie Brothers, is a strong source of insight and support.۠
We are proud to share our resources with a widening circle of related programs and departments.۠Most notable among our interactions during the semester were the South Asian Studies Program, the Department of English, the Writers럗orkshop, the faculty of Theatre Arts, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese; an individualized listing appears later.۠The Council for International Visitors to Iowa Cities and the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, under Tom Baldridge챠executive directorship, have reached out to the writers, throughout the year as in the past.
We received generous support from numerous friends in the community, including Jim Harris, owner of Prairie Lights Books, who gave gift certificates to each of the writers, and provided the space and staff for our Sunday afternoon readings; Drs. Ramڮ and Victoria Lim; Dr. and Mrs. Janusz Bardach; Prof. Jae-On Kim; Bob Sierk and the staff of Firstar Bank; Cheryl McCaw and John Gerstner of Deere and Company; and all the friends who offered the warmth of their homes ﳨe Hemingways, the Danes, friends on the University staff and faculty.۠
The University of Iowa administration under President Mary Sue Coleman has stood by the program and steered it through its restructuring.۠The accomplishments of the IWP 2000 testify to the University챠commitment to the program and its goals.
Program Staff
The Program Director, Christopher Merrill, sets general directional policies, is in charge of fund-raising, and maintains the prominence of the program on campus, nationally, and abroad.۠He confers and works with other units at the University of Iowa on cooperative ventures, among them the English Department, the Program in Cinema and Comparative Literature, the Writers랊 Workshop, and International Programs.۠He holds an extensive breadth of contacts in the literary world樴hin the United States and abroad謠 the fields of publishing, broadcasting, translation, and teaching. Among his many literary commitments, he is the international book critic for Public Radio International챠daily program, 듨e World,쟡 co-production of the BBC and WGBH. His literary contacts are instrumental in providing entree to IWP writers in this country.۠In addition to his heavy schedule teaching the IWP courses and the Translation Workshop, he teaches a twice-weekly class for the writers, 듥xt and Context.He leads program events, is moderator of public presentations, and hosts the writers during their stay, while representing the program within the University administration.
Rowena Torrevillas is the Program Coordinator, and she manages the program챠 activities.۠She handles the IWP챠administrative aspects, beginning with the nomination process through to the planning and execution of the program챠 literary events.۠She is responsible for setting the budget and for grant administration; writes the IWP grant proposals, reports, and project descriptions; helps determine programming and schedules.۠She coordinates with the State Department and other funding agencies; liaises with university departments and other schools; arranges readings and appearances here and at other institutions; manages the travel project; oversees office staff; prepares grants and reports; organizes seminars and readings; assists with leading panels and classes, and reading the works of writers at public presentations.۠ She assists the director with communications and other aspects of program administration, and works as liaison with the community.۠Through collaborative efforts between the English Department and the Office of the Vice President for Research, she now holds an adjunct assistant professorship in English.
Jennifer Baum, the program secretary, joined the staff in July 2000 from a previous appointment in Human Resources.۠In addition to working with Mary Schott in maintaining the finances for the IWP, Jennifer volunteered her time and expertise for a multitude of services beyond her half-time capacity, including providing daily transportation to the writers, and helping organize field trips around the locality and to Chicago.۠In addition to maintaining the director챠increasingly congested schedule, Jennifer takes charge of the front desk, maintains the mailing lists, assists with the dissemination of program publicity.۠To her work with the Program, Jennifer has brought several years럥xperience in Hong Kong.
Mary Nazareth, the housing assistant, oversaw the program챠transition to housing at Hawkeye Drive, as much by her expertise as by her kindness and compassionate efficiency.ޝ More than any other person on the staff, she has charge of the writers럷ell-being, a responsibility she has carried for two and a half decades with grace and generosity.۠Hers is a job that is defined as much by its flexibility and improvisational quality as by its steadfastness.۠ The staff and the writers would be lost without her.
Peter Nazareth, Professor of English and African-American World Studies, has served as Adviser to International Writers and continues offering his services as moderator for the writers in-house discussions and conducts television and radio interviews with the writers.۠He and his wife, Mary, have the longest tenure on the IWP staff, since their association with the program dates back to the 1970챠when he himself took part in the IWP. His readings of the writers럷ork and his ready participation in the discussions are informed by openness to the thinking behind the text, and the dialogue he promotes is central to the program챠purpose.
The graduate assistants during the fall semester were Jim Sidel and Li Yi; Jim is a first-year student in the graduate fiction workshop, and Li Yi is a graduate student in comparative literature.۠Both GA챠helped in the initial setting-up of the housing equipment at Hawkeye Drive, and Jim gave some much-needed help behind the wheel of the IWP van for grocery runs and other driving errands.۠Jim served as liaison for the Prairie Lights readings and worked on the IWP events newsletter; he provided audio recordings for all program readings and panels, in addition to taping the Writers럗orkshop readings.۠Li Yi provided office support and was responsible for disseminating posters and fliers in all buildings across campus.
The IWP Program is supported by a unique blend of University, State, federal and corporate resources.۠The program continues its work only because of the many unseen acts of kindness from friends and volunteers.۠All of them have reached out and brought the writers truly into the life of the community. Their loyal presence has affirmed the IWP챠efforts to bring the world to Iowa.ޝ The following lists of activities are a detailed record of the program챠activities during IWP 2000.
ACTIVITIES OF THE INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM 2000
The IWP Course, International Literature Today
Held each Monday at 109 English-Philosophy Building (EPB), 3:30-5:20 PM.
Taught by Christopher Merrill, assisted by Peter Nazareth and Rowena Torrevillas.
21 students were enrolled for 1 to 3 credit hours in the class during the fall semeter of schoolyer 2000-01.
August 25-September 11:۠Discussion of course texts, including works by Milan Kundera, Salman Rushdie, Czeslaw Milosz and others.September 18: Creating Multiculturally: Heng Siok Tian and Anuar Othman (Singapore)
September 25: Writing Plays: Mike Finn (Ireland); Pascal A. Mugarra (Uganda); Motti Lerner (Israel).
October 2: Literary Criticism and Social Commentary: Piotr Sliwinski and Izabela Filipiak (Poland).
October 9:Women Writing Fiction: Nu Nu Yee (Burma); Vo Thi Hao (Vietnam); Viktoriya Fomina (Russia).
October 16:African Writing and Publishing: Abubakar Gimba and Ogaga Ifowodo (Nigeria); Yves-Emmanuel Dogbe (Togo).
October 23:Poets Teaching Drama: H.S. Shivaprakash (India); Hwang JiWoo (Korea).
October 30:African Literature in a Transitional Time: Zachariah Rapola (South Africa).Scheduled for presentation:Latin American Literature (Regis Bonvicino, Brazil; Mart Rejtman, Argentina)
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Moderated by Christopher Merrill, Rowena Torrevillas
Held Wednesdays, 3:30-5:20 PM
at the John C. Gerber Lounge, 304 English-Philosophy Building
September 13: Writing a Myth: Creating a National Identity Through Literature
Motti Lerner (Israel); Abubakar Gimba (Nigeria); Piotr Sliwinski (Poland)
September 20: Playwriting and the Dialogue Between Language and Action
۠Mike Finn (Ireland); Shivaprakash (India); Motti Lerner (Israel).
September 27: Writing in a Non-Native Language
Heng Siok Tian (Singapore); Pascal Adyeeri Mugarra (Uganda); Viktoriya Fomina (Russia); Yves-Emmanuel Dogbe (Togo).
October 4: Appropriated Voices: Writing Across Genders and Cultures
Izabella Filipiak (Poland); Ogaga Ifowodo (Nigeria); Shivaprakash (India)
October 18: Literature and Politics
A
bubakar Gimba۠and Ogaga Ifowodo (Nigeria); Viktoriya Fomina (Russia);Hwang Ji-Woo (Korea); Anuar Othman (Singapore); Nu Nu Yee (Burma).
READINGS BY IWP PARTICIPANTS
Prairie Lights Series (held jointly with the Writersorkshop) Sundays, 5:00 PM Prairie Lights Books
September 10 - Martin Rejtman (fiction, Argentina)
Joyelle McSweeney (poetry, Workshop)
September 17 - Ogaga Ifowodo (poetry, Nigeria) and Abubakar Gimba (fiction, Nigeria) Faith Adiele (fiction, Workshop)
September 24 - HS Shivaprakash (poetry, India) Jacinda Townsend (fiction, Workshop)
October 1 - Pascal Adyeeri Mugarra (fiction, Uganda)
Cody Petterson (poetry, Workshop)
October 8 - Anuar Othman (fiction, Singapore) and Heng Siok Tian (poetry, Singapore)
Jim Sidel (fiction, Workshop)
October 15 - Viktoriya Fomina (fiction, Russia) Aaron McCullough (poetry, Workshop)
October 22 - Nu Nu Yee (fiction, Burma) and Vo Thi Hao (fiction, Vietnam) David Rosenthal (poetry, Workshop)
October 29 - Izabela Filipiak (fiction, Poland)
Eduardo C. Corral (poetry, Workshop)
November 5 - Yves-Emmanuel Dogbe (fiction, Togo) Sarah McCann (poetry, Workshop)
Other Readings
October 17 IWP Playwrights at the Seacrest Residences
Readings of works by Mike Finn (Ireland); Motti Lerner (Israel) ;
Shivaprakash (India); Heng Siok Tian (Singapore); Pascal Adyeeri Mugarra (Uganda).
Readings performed by Theatre Arts faculty Carol MacVey, Bill Lee, Ladd Brown.
October 16 Film screening and discussion, 40 Schaeffer Hall: KastnerTrial, screenplay by Motti Lerner (Israel); an award-winning Israeli television mini-series.
October 24 Film screening and discussion, 101 Becker Communications Studies Building: Silvia Prieto, award-winning feature film by Mart Rejtman (Argentina).Co-sponsored by the Institute for Cinema and Culture, Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and the Latin American Studies Program.
First Paul Engle Memorial Reading Oct.11, Richey Ballroom
David Toscana, fiction writer (Mexico, IWP 1994)
Arnost Lustig, fiction writer (Czech Republic, IWP 1970)
Reading by IWP Alumnus, sponsored by IWP
Teresa Arij & Brbara Belloc (Argentina, IWP 1995), Oct. 19, Will Billspan style="mso-spacerun: yes">Coffeeshop, Room 321, North Hall.Translations read by translator and former IWP staff translator Hillary J. Gardner.
Sixth International Conference on the Short Story in English October 12 - 15
Readings:
Stuart Dybek, Aleksander Hemon, Oct. 12,Richey Ballroom, 1:30 PM
Christopher Merrill, Janette Turner Hospital
Clark Blaise, Ethan Canin, James McPherson, Oct. 12, Richey Ballroom, 8:30 PM
Tobias Wolff
Ellen Douglas, Deborah Eisenberg, Francine Oct. 13, Richey Ballroom, 4:30 PM
Prose, Olive Senior
Frederick Busch, Robert Olen Butler, Richard Oct. 13, Richey Ballroom, 8:30 PM
Ford, Bharati Mukherjee (work read by
Clark Blaise)
Frank Conroy, Amiri Baraka, Chris Offutt Oct. 14, Richey Ballroom, 8:30
Panel Discussion:
IWP panel on fiction writing and publishing October 15, 2nd Floor Ballroom, IMU, 10:30 AM
Viktoriya Fomina, Anuar Othman, Heng Siok Tian, Pascal Mugarra. Moderated by Christopher Merrill.
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ReadingsCo-Sponsored by the IWP and the Writersorkshop
James Salter, fiction Sept. 15, Shambaugh Auditorium
Philip Levine, poetry Sept. 22, Shambaugh Auditorium
Agha Shahid Ali, poetryOct. 5, 221 Chemistry Bldg.
Anthony Hecht, poetryOct. 26, 221 Chemistry Bldg.
Michael Palmer and Regis Bonvicino, poetryOct. 28, 101 BCSB
Readings Sponsored by the Writersorkshop and Attended by IWP Participants
Aleksander Hemon, fictionAug. 28, Prairie Lights Books
Iowa Review Reading, with David Hamilton,
Marvin Bell, Rowena Torrevillas Aug. 29, Prairie Lights Books
Steven Sherrill, fiction Sept. 1, Prairie Lights Books
Tucker Malarkey, fiction Sept. 7, Prairie Lights Books
Fanny Howe, poetrySept. 14, Van Allen Hall II
Richard Jackson, poetrySept. 18. 101 BCSB
Alan Lightman, fiction Sept. 26, Prairie Lights Books
Doug Powell, poetrySept. 27, Prairie Lights Books
Bob Perelman, poetrySept. 30, Shambaugh Auditorium
Stephen Bloom, non-fiction Oct. 5, Prairie Lights Books
Will Self, fictionOct. 18, Prairie Lights Books
Kyoko Mori, fiction Oct. 19, Prairie Lights Books
John Yau, poetry Oct. 20, 101 BCSB
Steven Kuusisto, poetry Oct. 24, Prairie Lights Books
Michael Chabon, fictionOct. 25, Prairie Lights Books
Ahdaf Souief, fiction Oct. 31, Prairie Lights Books
Madison Smartt Bell, fictionNov. 3, Prairie Lights Books
Joy Williams, fiction\ Nov. 3, Prairie Lights Books
Sally Keith, poetry Nov. 7, Prairie Lights Books
Chad & Elizabeth Oness,
poetry and fictionNov. 8, Prairie Lights Books
Ellen Douglas& Mark Levine,
fiction & poetry Nov. 15, Shambaugh Auditorium
John McNally, fictionNov. 16, Prairie Lights Books
Mona Simpson, fictionNov. 17, Prairie Lights Books
Jane Hamilton, fictionNov. 28, Prairie Lights Books
Meeting with a Literary Agent Beth Vesel, literary agent with Stanford Greenburger Associates:Question-and-Answer Session organized by the Writersorkshop,
October 26, 1:00 PM, in the North Lounge, Currier Hall.
Field Trips, Receptions, Cultural Events
Orientation Meeting Tuesday, August 29th.
Welcoming Dinner Wednesday, August 30th, Engle home
Hill Bank Barbecue Friday, September 1st
Labor Day Barbecue Monday September 4th, Merrill home
Library Tour Tuesday September 5th,
Reception, UI Press Wednesday September 6th,
Amana ColoniesSaturday, September 16th, Rettig home
CIVIC Picnic Thursday, September 21st
Foundation Reception Thursday, September 28th, Levitt Center
Conf. on Craft, Critique and CultureFriday September 29th,
Pilobolus PerformanceFriday September 29th, Hancher Auditorium
Hemingway FarmSaturday, September 30th
Presidential Debate Tuesday, October 3d, Nazareth home
Tour, UI Center for the Book Thursday, October 5th
Center for the Book get-together Friday, October 6th.
Dinner Sunday, October 8th, Barkan home
Effigy Mounds field tripTuesday, October 10th.
Group PhotoWednesday, October 11th.
Paul Engle Memorial Readings Wednesday, October 11th.
Short Story Conference Friday, October 13th-15th
John Deere/Mississippi Boat Ride Thursday, October 19th
Redbird Farm/Nature walkSaturday, October 21st, Bourjaily farm
Firstar Bank ReceptionMonday, October 23d
Dane Family Farm visit Sunday, October 29
Presentation to Mayor LehmanTuesday, October 31st.
Chicago Field Trip Wednesday, November 1st-2nd.
Writers PotluckFriday, November 3d.
Closing Party Saturday, November 4th, Merrill home
PRESENTATIONSGIVEN AND CLASSES VISITED BY IWP WRITERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND IN IOWA CITY and at OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
Yves-Emmanuel DOGBE (Togo)
at the University of Iowa
September 15 French Department: talk, "My Literary Itinerary"
September 26 Open-Mike Reading, extracts from "L'Incarcquot;
Septemb 27 Panel discussion, "Writing in a Non-Native Language."
October 16 International Lit. Today class, "Writing and Publishing in Africa"
October 29Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading.
/span>at Other Universities and Institutions
October 26 Hamilton College, Cedar Rapids: talk, "Globalization and Its Impact on African Cultures"
Novermber 7 University of Norther Illinois (DeKalb): talk.
November 8 Howard University (Washington, D.C.): talk at conference: "The Role of African Writers in Africa Today."
at the University of Iowa
October 4 Panel discussion, "Appropriated Voices: Writing Across Genders and Cultures"
October 5 Women's Studies: lecture in class
Mike FINN (Ireland)
at the University of Iowa
September 20 Panel discussion, "Playwriting and the Dialogue Between Language and Action"
September 25 International Lit Today class, on playwriting
October 17 IWP Playwrights at Seacrest Barn: play reading
at Other Universities and Institutions
November 6 New York Theatre Workshop: staged reading of play.
November 13 Portland Stage Company: staged reading of play.
November 17 Hirschhorn Gallery, Washington, DC: reading fragment of play
Also visited Boston and San Francisco
Viktoriya FOMINA (Russia)
at the University of Iowa
September 27 Panel discussion, "Writing in a Non-Native Language"
October 9 International Lit Today class, "Women Writing Fiction"
October 14 6th International Conference of the Short Story: panel presentation.
October 15 Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading
October 17 IWP Playwrights at Seacrest Barn: reading of short play
October 18 Panel discussion, "Literature and Politics"
at Other Universities and Institutions
November 6 New York Theatre Workshop: staged reading of play.
November 13 Portland Stage Company: staged reading of play.
November 17 Hirschhorn Gallery, Washington, DC: reading fragment of play
Also visited Los Angeles and San Francisco
Abubakar GIMBA (Nigeria)
at the University of Iowa
September 13 Panel Discussion, "Writing a Myth"
September 17 Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading.
September 29 Attended Creativity Workshop of Prof. Berc.
October 16 International Literature Today class, "On African Writing and Publishing"
October 18 Panel Discussion, "Literature and Politics" at Other Universities and Institutions
October 26 Hamilton College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa: panel on Africa, 10/26.
October 9 -11 University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH): reading poetry and fiction to students and faculty.
Also visited the Washington Independent Writers (Washington, D.C.), witnessed the election procedures in Washington, D.C., and various sites of interest. HENG Siok Tian (Singapore) at the University of Iowa
September 18 International Lit Today class, "Creating Multiculturally"
September 27 Panel discussion, "Writing in a Non-Native Language"
September 27 Attended Creativity Workshop of Prof. Berc
October 8 Prairie Lights Books, poetry reading.
October 14 6th International Conference of the Short Story: panel presentation.
October 17 IWP Playwrights at Seacrest Barn: reading of short play, A Tiny Cupboard at Other Universities and Institutions
October 25 West High School, Iowa City: visited Library and talked to the school's Librarian and Media Specialist
November 13 American College Testing: visited Media Education Specialist Vo Thi HAO (Vietnam) at the University of Iowa
October 9 International Lit Today class, "Women Writing Fiction"
October 22 Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading at Other Universities and Institutions
October 25-27 San Francisco State University: spoke to students and met with Vietnamese community
November 7 William Joiner Center, University of Massachusetts (Amherst): talk and visit
November 17 The Writers' Center, Bethesda (Maryland): fiction reading Vo Thi Hao visited museums and sites of cultural interest in New York City and Washington, D.C. HWANG JiWoo (Korea) at the University of Iowa
October 18 Panel discussion, "Literature and Politics": presented a paper on "A Shadow Motion as Resistance."
October 23 International Lit Today class, "The Poet in Our Mass-Culture Society"
November 5 Prairie Lights Books, poetry reading
each Friday, Sept. 9-Nov.3 Attended IWP Translation Workshop at Other Universities and Institutions
November 6-9 Santa Fe, New Mexico, Writing Center: poetry reading at the University of Iowa
September 17 Prairie Lights Books: poetry reading
October 4 Panel discussion, "Appropriated Voices: Writing Across Genders and Cultures"
October 16 Internation Lit Today class, presentation
October 18 Panel discussion, "Literature and Politics"
October 20 African Literature class of Prof. Peter Nazareth: talk and readings
at Other Universities and Institutions
November 1 New York City: book party for Step Into a World: A Global Anthology (ed. Kevin Powell, pub. John Wiley & Sons), featuring poem "You Were Chic Now, Che."
November 3-4 Bard College (Annandale, NY): took part in International Celebration of Chinua Achebe at 70.
November 8 Columbia University (NY): Met with Lucie Brock-Broido, poetry coordinator of the School of Writing.Met Michael Scammell, faulty for non-fiction at Columbia and chair of P.E.N. USA.
November 17 Bethesda Writers' Center (MD): reading
Motti LERNER (Israel)
at the University of Iowa
September 13 Panel Discussion, "Writing a Myth: Creating a National Identity Through Literature"
September 20 Panel Discussion, "Playwriting and the Dialogue Between Language and Action"
September 25 International Lit Today class, on writing plays
October 3Open Mike reading, songs from plays
October 16 Film screening, Kastner's Trial
October 17 IWP Playwrights at Seacrest Barn: reading of play
at Other Universities and Institutions
November 5 New York Theatre Workshop: play reading
November 13 Portland Stage Company (ME): play reading
Lectures on political playwriting at Dartmouth
Emerson College
McGill University (Canada)
University of Southern California
Columbia University
New York Univesity
Yale University
Emory University
Geogetown University
Pascal Adyeeri MUGARRA (Uganda) at the University of Iowa
September 25 International Lit Today class, on playwriting
September 27 Panel Discussion, "Writing in a Non-Native Language"
October 1Prairie Lights Books: fiction reading
October 14 6th International Conference of the Short Story: panel presentation on short story in Uganda
October 17 IWP Playwrights at Seacrest Barn: reading of play
October 20 Met with Playwrights' Workshop at Other Universities and Institutions
October 26 Hamilton College, Cedar Rapids: panel, "Globalization and African Cultures in the 21st Century"
November 6 New York Theatre Workshop: staged reading of play.
November 13 Portland Stage Company: staged reading of play.
November 17 Hirschhorn Gallery, Washington, DC: fiction reading
Also visited Orlando, FL, to observe Kennedy Space Center, Universal Studios and EPCOT Anuar OTHMAN (Singapore) at the University of Iowa
September 18 International Lit Today class, presentation on writing multiculturally
October 8 Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading
October 14 6th International Conference on the Short Story: panel presentation
October 18 Panel discussion, "Literature and Politics" at other Universities and Institutions
October 15 Cedar Rapids Islamic Centre: talk on Muslims in Singapore Zachariah RAPOLA (South Africa) at the University of Iowa
October 30 International Lit Today class, presentation on literature of South Africa
November 5 Prairie Lights Books, reading at Other Universities and Institutions
November 15-20 Claremont College (CA): lectures and readings Martin REJTMAN (Argentina) at the University of Iowa
September 10 Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading
October 24 Film screening of Silvia Prieto at Other Universities and Institutions
October 26 Grinnell College (IA): lectures
November 6 New York Theatre Workshop: staged reading of play.
November 13 Portland Stage Company: staged reading of play.
November 17 Bethesda Writers' Center: fiction reading H.S. SHIVAPRAKASH (India) at the University of Iowa
September 20 Panel discussion, "Playwriting and the Dialogue Between Language and Action"
September 24 Prairie Lights Books, poetry reading
October 4 Panel discussion, "Appropriated Voices: Writing Across Genders and Cultures"
October 23 International Lit Today class, "Poets Teaching Drama" at Other Universities and Institutions
October 28University of Wisconsin, Madison, South Asian Studies Department: lecture
November 8 Columbia University, South Asian Department: lecture
November 13 Rockville (MD), Bhoomika (Indian theatre association): spoke to members on Indian theatre
November 18 Renaud Actors' Group, Oakland (CA): lecture on Indian Theatre
November 22 Washington University, St. Louis (MO): hourlong exchange with Prof. Henry Schvey, Department of Performing Arts Piotr SLIWINSKI (Poland) at the University of Iowa
September 13 Panel discussion, "Writing a Myth: Creating a National Identity Through Literature"
October 2 International Lit Today class, presentation on contemporary nonfiction writing in Poland
October 22 Prairie Lights Books: reading at other Universities and Institutions
October 27 University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Slavic and Baltic Languages and Literatures: visited class.
October 31 University of Chicago, Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures: lecture
November 17 Writers' Center, Bethesada (MD): reading Nu Nu YEE (Burma) at the University of Iowa
October 9 International Lit Today class, "Women Writing Fiction"
October 22 Prairie Lights Books, fiction reading
attended all International Literature Today classes and panel presentations.
at other Universities and Institutions
October 12 - 15 University of Northern Illinois (DeKalb, IL): attended the Burmese Studies Conference and participated in many panels about Burmese culture, politics, and literature.Also performed Burmese singing and Burmese dance.
November 6 Burma Project, Open Society Institute, New York City: visit
INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM 2000
Argentina (Mr.) Martin REJTMAN fiction writer, screenwriter, film
director
Brazil (Mr.) Ris Rodrigues BONVICINO poet, translator
Burma (Ms.) Nu Nu YEEnbsp; fiction writer
India (Mr.) H.S. SHIVAPRAKASH poet, playwright
Ireland (Mr.) Mike FINN playwright
Israel (Mr.) Motti LERNER playwright, screenwriter
Korea (Mr.) HWANG Ji-Woo poet
Nigeria (Mr.) Ogaga IFOWODO poet
(Mr.) Abubakar GIMBA fiction writer
Poland (Mr.) Piotr SLIWINSKI poet, critic, professor
(Ms.) Izabela FILIPIAKnbsp; fiction writer, playwright, critic
Russia (Ms.) Viktoriya A. FOMINA fiction writer
Singapore (Ms.) HENG Siok Tian poet, playwright
(Mr.) Anuar OTHMAN fiction writer
South Africa (Mr.) Zachariah RAPOLA poet
Togo (Mr.) Yves-Emmanuel DOGBE fiction writer
Uganda (Mr.) Pascal Adyeeri MUGARRA fiction writer, playwright
Vietnam (Ms.) Vo Thi HAO fiction writer, journalist
IWP 2000 Roster by Funding
Argentina (Mr.) Martin REJTMAN US Department of State
Brazil (Mr.) Ris Rodrigues BONVICINO Vitae, Apoio ura, Educa!o e
Promo!o Social
Burma (Ms.) Nu Nu YEE Open Society Institute, BurmaProject
India (Mr.) H.S. SHIVAPRAKASH University of Iowa, South Asia Studies Program; IWP
Ireland (Mr.) Mike FINN US Department of State
Israel (Mr.) Motti LERNER United States-Israel Educational Foundation
Korea (Mr.) HWANG Ji-Woo Korean Culture and Arts Foundation; University of Iowa, Center forAsian and Pacific Studies; IWP.
Nigeria (Mr.) Ogaga IFOWODO US Department of State
(Mr.) Abubakar GIMBA US Department of State
Poland (Mr.) Piotr SLIWINSKI US Department of State
(Ms.) Izabela FILIPIAK Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation, Inc.
Russia (Ms.) Viktoriya A. FOMINA US Department of State
Singapore (Ms.) HENG Siok Tian Singapore National Arts Council
(Mr.) Anuar OTHMAN Singapore National Arts Council
South Africa(Mr.) Zachariah RAPOLA National Arts Council of South Africa; personal funds.
Togo(Mr.) Yves-Emmanuel DOGBE US Department of State
Uganda (Mr.) Pascal Adyeeri MUGARRA US Department of State
Vietnam (Ms.) Vo Thi HAO US Department of State