Graduate student Kasia Stempniak’s paper, “L’île de la toilette: Fashion and Space in Flaubert’s Le Château des cœurs and L’Éducation sentimentale,” won the Naomi Schor prize for best paper presented by a graduate student at the Nineteenth-Century French Studies Colloquium held at Brown University this past weekend. The conference was attended by 250 scholars of nineteenth-century French studies from around the world, and Kasia’s paper was the best of the outstanding graduate student… read more about Graduate Student Wins Naomi Schor prize »
Romance Studies is happy to be welcoming Visiting Assistant Professor Gabriel Richard to the department next semester. Professor Richard will be teaching two exciting new courses for Spring 2017, Si Versailles M’était Conté (Versailles and the Arts) and From the Court of Louis XIV to the Hip-Hop Garage: Dance in French Culture which will be co-taught by Romance Studies Assistant Professor Anne-Gaëlle Saliot. Below is a brief biography on Professor Richard. We hope many of our students are… read more about Romance Studies Welcomes Violinist Gabriel Richard »
The Duke Romance Studies Department regrets to announce the passing of Emeritus Associate Professor of the Practice Dr. Leslie Damasceno on October 6, 2016. Dr. Damasceno was instrumental in building the undergraduate program in Portuguese at Duke and offering our graduate students opportunities to incorporate Portuguese and Brazil into their research and training. She closely worked with the department of drama and her research was on Brazilian theatre in particular. In 1994, Dr. Damasceno was hired as Assistant… read more about In Memoriam: Dr. Leslie Damasceno »
Duke in Bologna, a new program supported by Duke’s Italian professors and run by GEO, is celebrating the success of its inaugural summer. Two Duke volleyball students have shared their thoughts and experiences here. A six-week, two-course program offered through Duke’s Department of Romance Studies in conjunction with the University of Bologna, the program offers students the opportunity to improve their Italian language skills, introduces students to more advanced topics in Italian, develops students’ cultural… read more about Duke Students Savor Experiences in Bologna »
The Romance Studies Department wishes to recognize and congratulate the following graduating seniors on their awards: Emily Jeanne Berntsen - The Robert J. Niess/Alexander Hull Award for excellence in French Peter Nicholas Ciaccia - The Guido Mazzoni Award for excellence in Italian Leta Hazard Hallowell - The Robert J. Niess/Alexander Hull Award for excellence in French Quinn Arthur Holmquist - The Richard L. Predmore Award for Excellence in Spanish In addition, three graduating seniors have earned levels of… read more about Romance Studies Class of 2016 Awards and Distinctions »
A student and faculty member from the Romance Studies department have both been honored this year for their work with service learning. Assistant Professor of the Practice Deb Reisinger has received the Faculty 2016 Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Award. Reisinger was praised for her commitment to all aspects of service-learning as a service-learning instructor, a previous service-learning faculty fellow and a member of the Community Based Language Initiative. She was acknowledged for her “attention to building… read more about Romance Studies Faculty Member and Student Win Alden Awards »
Rising senior Ben Brissette has been named a Humanities Writ Large Summer Research Fellow. A native of Des Plaines, Illinois, Brissette is double majoring in Neuroscience and Spanish, with a minor in Russian. This fellowship, generously supported by the Humanities Writ Large initiative at Duke through a grant from the Mellon Foundation, is awarded to select Duke students to support research in the humanities. Brissette’s research proposal involves traveling to the Spanish capital of Madrid and engaging in research at the… read more about Brissette Wins Award, Plans Literacy Research in Spain »
The Radio Haiti Archive, housed in the Human Rights Archive at Duke University’s David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, will be an invaluable resource for scholars, educators, and members of the public interested in twentieth-century Haitian politics, society, and culture. The project will result in the preservation of the comprehensive archives of Radio Haïti-Inter, the voice of Haitian democracy from the station’s genesis in the… read more about Forum for Scholars and Publics: Radio Haiti Lives »
The Department congratulates graduate alumnus Micah True, now an assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies at the University of Alberta, who has published his book on the Jesuit Mission ethnography in seventh-century New France. Describing it as "The Jesuit Relations re-evaluated," True chronicle's the Jesuit mission to teach their view of the world. Excerpt from the jacket copy: The word The word "mission" can suggest a distant and dangerous attempt to obtain information for the… read more about Micah True's Masters and Students »
A Symposium on Flamenco, with master teacher/performer Meira Goldberg, scholar and musician Esteia Zatania, and Brook Zern (knighted by the King of Spain for contributions to Flamenco) will be held Saturday, Feb. 28th in the White Auditorium, Duke East Campus, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be also three nights of world-renowned Flamenco dancers and musicians at a tablao setting at Motorco Music Hall from Feb. 27th through March 1st. Get tickets at tickets.duke.edu. This event is sponsored by the Department of 'romance… read more about Symposium: The Passion of Flamenco »
I began Italian at Duke after years of longing to learn what I thought of as the most beautiful language in the world, and now my study of Italian language and culture has become an integral part of my college experience. In conjunction with my ICS major, the Italian and European Studies major has sparked a deep interest in the global food system, as Italy is a country where culinary traditions are of the utmost importance. My engagement with Italian spurred me to spend a year studying in Bologna, where I became completely… read more about Defining Connections: Margot Tuchler »
Senior Tara Trahey is a double major in Art History/Visual Arts and European and Italian Studies at Duke. She is minoring in Classical Studies. Deciding to pursue a new language at Duke, she chose Italian—based on her past brief travel experiences in the country and her fascination with the culture. The study of Italy, both in history and language, has now entirely informed her academic and research experience at Duke. Tara’s research is centered around the art of the ancient Mediterranean world, particularly in the figured… read more about Mediterranean Ancient and Modern: Tara Trahey »
Francophone Digital Humanities [FDH] is a multilingual initiative in research and teaching launched with the support of the Dean of Humanities, and the Cultural Services of the Embassy of France. FDH comprises 6 projects providing open-access to major collections in film, early modern literary manuscripts, ethnopsychiatry, poetry, and criticism. Digital in design, and experimental in format, it offers a palette of new resources to stimulate debate in the Humanities with French-speaking communities. In the fall of… read more about Francophone Digital Humanities »
Already an experienced international traveler, junior Laura Brody is aiming to study abroad in at least four countries during her undergraduate career. Brody, from Thomasville, N.C., is majoring in international comparative studies and French, and minoring in history. “I chose international comparative studies as a means of fostering my passion for interacting with people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds, and through it have been able to significantly deepen my sense of cross-cultural understanding and… read more about Cross-Cultural Understanding Drives Brody »
Senior Alexis Pearce chose an immersive global experience to supplement her Spanish and French studies. Pearce, from Charlotte, N.C., is majoring in Spanish and French and minoring in English. She is focusing her studies on Latin American literature, and has used several study abroad experiences in South America and Europe to enhance her majors. When Pearce came to Duke, she knew she wanted to focus her academic studies on Spanish and French. Although at first she wanted to do a combined Romance Studies major, which… read more about Study Abroad Inspired Pearce Early On »
Second year graduate student Sandie Blaise is using her experiences with Haitian writers to guide her studies at Duke. Blaise is a student in the Romance Studies department, focusing on French and Francophone studies. “I decided to do my PhD here because Duke is among the best schools in the U.S. and has one of the strongest programs in Caribbean Studies, and more especially Haiti,” Blaise said. “I was eager to work with Professors Laurent Dubois and Deborah Jenson, among others. Also, with its emphasis on… read more about Sandie Blaise Follows Haitian Diaspora »
Senior Margaret Rote said no matter what career she chooses, she will be able to use the Spanish skills that she refined at Duke. Rote said her upbringing in Dallas, Texas, heavily influenced her decision to major in Spanish. “A lot of signs at stores and in the city are written in English and Spanish,” she said. “I do a lot of community service in hispanic neighborhoods, and I knew I wanted to continue improving my speaking abilities when I got to college.” She is also majoring in neuroscience and minoring in philosophy.… read more about Margaret Rote Sees Spanish as Gateway to Her Life Plans »
Senior James Powers has used international experiences to combine his passion for healthcare with his knowledge of Spanish. The pre-med student from Beverly, Massachusetts is majoring in Spanish and neuroscience, with a minor in chemistry. Since coming to Duke, he has studied and volunteered in several Spanish-speaking countries. Powers first studied abroad in Madrid during the summer after his freshman year. During the fall of his junior year, Powers studied abroad in Peru. Throughout the semester, he explored everywhere… read more about James Powers Has Passion for Healthcare »
Senior Leasly Salazar is using her studies at Duke to explore her own heritage. “I was able to read a lot of different novels and books by a lot of different Mexican authors,” she said. “Reading more about my own culture and history has allowed me to expand on things I didn't know about Mexican literature and politics.” Salazar is majoring in Spanish and Latin American studies, with minors in political science and psychology. She grew up in a Spanish-speaking household in Los Angeles. Although she is fluent in the… read more about Leasly Salazar Immersing in Her Heritage »
A self-declared Francophile, senior Victor Chen enjoys learning about Western cultures through the French perspective. Chen, who is from Boulder, Colorado, is majoring in French studies and economics, with a minor in environmental sciences and policy. Although he had taken French in high school, he was not initially planning on majoring it when he came to Duke. “My French and Romance Studies classes have been generally the most interesting ones I’ve taken at Duke.” Chen said. “I wouldn't have expected this when I started… read more about Victor Chen Sees the World Through French »
As a third year graduate student in Spanish and Latin American Studies, Ana Ugarte is investigating disease narratives in colonial countries. Through her research Ugarte plans to look specifically at how different health factors, like the spread of disease and drug experimentation, are represented in Mexican and Puerto Rican literature. “I’m focusing on the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century and on Puerto Rico, around the beginning of the 20th century when the U.S. occupation took place,” Ugarte said. Ugarte, who is… read more about Ana Ugarte Seeks the Story of Disease »
First-year graduate student Filippo Screpanti is building on his cross-cultural background to study early modernity. Screpanti, who grew up in Rome and Paris, decided to focus his studies on French and Italian because of his fluency in the languages and extensive knowledge of both cultures. earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Rome. His main academic focus is on the early modern period, which ranges from about 1500 to 1800 C.E. Screpanti, who earned a Master of ARts in French from Colorado University, is… read more about Filippo Screpanti Studying French & Italian Modernity »
By combining policy with Latin American studies, Stephanie Reist is exploring issues of land claims and displacement in South America. Reist, from Oak Park, Illinois, is currently a fourth year graduate student in the Latin American studies doctoral program. Last year, she decided to enhance her education by simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree in public policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy. “There isn't really a formal PhD-Master of Public Policy, but everyone that I've worked with to establish the path I… read more about Stephanie Reist Explores Displacement in South America »
First-year graduate student Nicolás Sánchez Rodriguez is combining his diverse academic background into a truly interdisciplinary Romance Studies education. As a student on the Latin American studies track, Sánchez Rodriguez is planning on focusing on social issues in his home country of Colombia. “I would like to try to combine an approach from the humanities and an approach from economics to try to understand the political and economic context of Colombia in the last 30 years,” he said. Sánchez Rodriguez has a… read more about Nicolás Sánchez Rodriguez Envisions Public Policy Career Path »
Senior Jaclyn Grace, a Baldwin Scholar, has utilized her experience abroad to enhance her academic endeavors at Duke. Grace is majoring in international comparative studies and French. As part of her international comparative studies curriculum, Grace had to select a region that matches a language of her choice. Thus she decided to pair Sub-Saharan Africa with the French language. She spent her entire junior year abroad in two different countries: Cameroon and France. In the fall, she studied in Cameroon through… read more about Jaclyn Grace Plans Career in International Development »
When official reports fail to fully capture the extent and effects of violence in society, Giulia Ricco turns to literature. Ricco is a second-year romance studies graduate student focusing on Brazilian Portuguese and Italian. She is specifically looking at the intersection of three fields: the representation of violence in literature, the politics of memory and cinema studies. “Literature, in a sense, is better suited to represent violence than a critical language that is sometimes very limited,” she said. Critical… read more about Giulia Ricco Studies Violence in Society »
The largest country in Latin America and the fifth largest in the world, Brazil has emerged as a leading 21st century state by virtue of the vibrancy of its culture, the development of its economy, the richness of its natural resources and, foremost, the democratic energies of its people. Global Brazil aims to generate new conversations between the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences by including students in research focused on Brazilian arts, social movements, and natural environment. The Lab will be directed… read more about Humanities Lab: Global Brazil Lab »
The central goal of this project, funded by the Humanities Writ Large Initiative, is to expand the bridges we have begun building between Duke and the Durham Latino communities and simultaneously make them into bi-directional ones. In other words, we will seek to offer means for the Latino community to have greater access to our university and to have Duke students engage the community both in the community and here at Duke. Duke can be changed by these relationships, as will the community that surrounds us;… read more about Emerging Humanities Network: Two-Way Bridges Connecting Duke, Durham & the Americas »
This Emerging Humanities Network’s objective is to extend the rich topic of “subnature” from architecture to cuisine, querying how one discipline can inform another, providing a better understanding by studying a problem from a novel perspective. “Subnature” is a word coined by architectural historian David Gissen for aspects of nature that the architectural discipline has traditionally shunned, such as dankness, darkness, mud, weeds, smoke, puddles, dust, debris, crowds, and pigeons. Subnature encapsulates the “problems”… read more about Emerging Humanities Network: Subnature and Culinary Culture Site »
For Staging Cultural Networks in the Language Classroom, the entire group of Italian Language Lecturers and Lecturing Fellows will redesign the third semester of Italian toward a student-centered pedagogy based on collaborative and experiential learning. This approach, funded by Humanities Writ Large, underlines the socially constructed nature of knowledge and empowers students by tapping into their specific fields of interest and promoting ownership of learning. For more information, visit: http://humanitieswritlarge.… read more about Emerging Humanities Network: Staging Cultural Networks in the Language Classroom »