>Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 18:49:27 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Juergen Hahn <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Fwd: Nota de Lisa Vollendorf: Coloquio cervantino -Respuesta de
>  Juergen Hahn
>
>I am glad that Prof. Vollendorf has joined the debate,
>though I regret it is under a cloud of displeasure.
>
>Let me say first that her 4. paragraph :("Since my
>name.......") totally answers my original question at
>the conference. It is a fine, balanced statement of
>principle which, if practiced, can surely only yield
>the finest of results.
>
>I regret that Prof. Vollendorf's answer comes wrapped
>with animus. I never intended my original question to
>be a personal assault at all. (Why do so many
>theorists identify hard questioning with attacks ad
>hominem--or "feminam"--, of "lese majesté"?) Rather,
>my concern was about an IDEA,  namely that, as an
>outsider, I might have been listening in on a
>ghettoized presentation. At a time when cultural
>studies have become so ghettoized and politicized
>surely my fear was not unfounded! Let me say that I
>gratefully accept her somewhat reluctant reassurance.
>
>I also hope she will note that our forum discussion so
>far has not at all been disrespectful of her person.
>Because this is a forum dedicated to IDEAS rather than
>personalities, thanks to the tone that Robert and Kurt
>have set, a very open and fair one. I also hope that
>she will feel comfortable to express herself in it in
>the future. And if she feels that she has topics
>worthier of attention than those that we have humbly
>offered up, we should all sincerely encourage her to
>voice them.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Juergen Hahn
>
>
>
>
>
>--- "A. Robert Lauer" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >
> > >Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 15:36:48 -0700 (PDT)
> > >From: Lisa Vollendorf <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Subject: Coloquio cervantino
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > >Dear Colleagues,
> > >I have been informed of the recent discussion
> > >about the Pomona Cervantes Symposium held in
> > >April. Now that I have been added to this list,
> > >I write to say first and foremost that the
> > >event, beautifully organized by José Cartagena
> > >Calderón, was educational and eye-opening in
> > >many respects. All of the ponentes brought a
> > >high level of professionalism to the fore, and
> > >the exchange was tremendously collegial. It is
> > >therefore disillusioning to learn that, in the
> > >face of this open exchange of ideas,
> > >perspectives, and approaches to Cervantes
> > >studies, an ongoing discussion of my purported
> > >'hermetic silence' and lack of scientific bent
> > >has become the focus of the follow-up discussions.
> > >
> > >Fundamentally this is a waste of our efforts, as
> > >there were and still are infinite other follow
> > >up discussions that would benefit us all: about
> > >the possibilities for new understandings of
> > >Cervantes, new means of engaging with his
> > >poetry, plays, and his place in the Mediterranean
> > world, for example.
> > >
> > >The innumerable that have remained sidelined
> > >would have been and still are possible precisely
> > >because scholars of all different stripes were
> > >present in Pomona and we were able to talk
> > >across ideological lines to learn from each
> > >other. Yet it seems the dialogue that has
> > >occurred on this listserve has focused more
> > >specifically on negative reactions to some
> > >people's approaches and also included a very
> > >specific ad feminem attack on me personally as
> > >well as an attack on my 'unscientific' approach to
> > early modern studies.
> > >
> > >Since my name has been trotted about for several
> > >weeks now, I would like to respond by saying
> > >that I did indeed answer all questions asked of
> > >me, including the one about whether working
> > >within an approach of gendered readings implies
> > >that I believe (a) that women write and read
> > >differently from men and (b)  that gender
> > >includes only women. The answer to both
> > >components of the question is no, as I stated on
> > >that day. I do not believe that men and women
> > >are essentially different, neither as readers
> > >nor as writers. Gender includes of course
> > >femininity and masculinity, as well as all the
> > >queer constructions of sexuality and gender that
> > >human beings might possibly conjure. My focus,
> > >as I stated in my response to the question, was
> > >on women in Don Quijote and on new knowledge
> > >about women in the Iberian world during
> > >Cervantes' day, but this does not preclude other
> > >kinds of gendered readings from being done. As I
> > >tried to make clear in my contribution to the
> > >colloquium and as I try to make clear in my
> > >scholarship on the topic, historicized early
> > >modern gender studies offers innumerable
> > >possibilities for rehistoricizing our thinking
> > about Cervantes and his era.
> > >
> > >It seems clear that I did not answer in a way
> > >that was satisfying to the colleague who
> > >initiated this discussion. This lack of
> > >satisfaction has led to a numerous statements
> > >about my intentionality and supposed hermetic
> > >silence. For the record, I want it to be clear
> > >that I believe in professional scholarly
> > >exchange. If I aggressed an audience member on
> > >that day, that I would welcome the opportunity
> > >to discuss that with him to set the record
> > straight.
> > >
> > >I would like to urge the list to shift the focus
> > >away from personal attacks in the future and to
> > >invite all subscribers to work together in this
> > >electronic forum to think through the
> > >complexities of traditional and emerging
> > >scholarly approaches to the subject we all know
> > >and love: Cervantine studies. In the end, we do
> > >share at least this common goal. Perhaps we can
> > >refocus our attention on that goal--by
> > >initiating dialogues about any number of topics
> > >mentioned here--as a way to work more
> > >collaboratively toward enriching our scholarship
> > and teaching.
> > >
> > >It is my fundamental belief that, as proponents
> > >and practitioners of humanistic inquiry, we
> > >should aspire to maintain a high level of
> > >respect and humanity in our treatment of each
> > >other. If any of us falter in practicing utmost
> > >respect, then I hope we can have the
> > >collegiality to approach each other personally
> > >to clear any misunderstandings that may result
> > >from our interactions rather than taking such
> > >complaints to electronic fora that involve
> > >people across the globe in what may be, in some
> > >cases and what is, I would suggest in this
> > >particular case, something best resolved on an
> > >interpersonal level. This will free up the
> > >listserves and other technological wonders of
> > >the 21st century to exchange ideas and advance
> > >our body of scholarly knowledge.
> > >
> > >Respectfully yours,
> > >
> > >Lisa Vollendorf
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Lisa Vollendorf, PhD
> > >Associate Professor of Spanish
> > >California State University, Long Beach
> > >
> > >President, GEMELA
> > >(Grupo de Estudios sobre la Mujer en España y las
> > Américas)
> > >http://www.aeeahome.org
> > >
> > >
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> >
>
>
>
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Prof. A. Robert Lauer
The University of Oklahoma
Dept. of Modern Langs.,  Lits., & Ling.
780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall, Room 206
Norman, Oklahoma 73019-2032, USA
Tel.: 405-325-5845 (office); 405/325-6181 (OU 
dept.); Fax: 1-866-602-2679 (private)
Vision: Harmonious collaboration in an international world.
Mission: "Visualize clearly and communicate promptly"
<http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/A-Robert.R.Lauer-1/vita.html>VITA 
/ <http://www.peterlang.com/all/>IBÉRICA 
/<http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/A-Robert.R.Lauer-1/AITENSO.html>AITENSO 
/ <http://www.ou.edu/bcom/>BCom / 
<http://www.comedias.org/>AHCT / 
<http://www.mla.org/>MLA / 
<http://www.ou.edu/cervantes/coloquiocervantes.html>Coloquio 
<http://www.ou.edu/cervantes/coloquiocervantes.html>Cervantes 
/ 
<http://www.ou.edu/teatro/coloquioteatro.html>Coloquio 
Teatro de los Siglos de Oro