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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