>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 > > >Building a website is a piece of cake. >Yahoo! Small Business gives you ><http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48251/*http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting/?p=PASSPORTPLUS>all >the tools to get online. 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