The Words: March 2022
Congratulations Nick Adams Short Story Contest finalists!
Congratulations to this year’s Nick Adams Short Story Contest finalists! These four students’ stories were selected by a committee of Macalester English professors and will be sent to the American Colleges of the Midwest for consideration. See the list of finalists and their work here…
Coffee House with Marlon James
Patrick Coy-Bjork ’23
Professor Marlon James’ new book has arrived! With this, he was able to stop through the Twin Cities for a coffee house with the English Department. Marlon talked about his new book as well as answering questions from students. Here’s a little summary of some of the things he discussed that evening. Read more about Marlon’s visit to the department here…
Dalton and Julian’s Adventures in England: Updates From Our Oxford Lads
Alice Asch ’22
You’ve maybe noticed that two familiar faces have been absent from recent English Department happenings—Dalton Greene ‘22 (a former Words editor!) and Julian Applebaum ‘23. This semester, these two are both studying abroad at Oxford University! They were kind enough to write to us with some exciting updates about their experiences so far.
We miss Dalton and Julian ever so much, but we’re delighted to hear that they’re having a blast kicking it overseas. Enjoy their letters here!
Professor Sally Franson on Swedish TV!
Zoë Roos Scheuerman ’24
The English Department has a reality TV star! On February 9th, during the department’s weekly Coffee House event, English majors, aficionados, and student workers gathered for a showing of the Swedish reality TV series Allt för Sverige (Great Swedish Adventure), starring none other than professor Sally Franson. Originally a Norwegian show about immersing Americans in Norwegian culture, the Swedish version takes that original idea and frames it in a new way: using the family histories of Swedish-Americans to teach them about Sweden’s past and present. The show’s contestants are all Americans with Swedish ancestry. Throughout the series, they explore family history that they often know very little about. The contestants also participate in games and competitions, and the grand prize is a reunion with their living Swedish relatives. Read more about Professor Franson’s TV career here…
New Human Rights Book is a Family Affair for this Words Author
Chloë Moore ’24
Last month, SUNY Press published a new book called Technologies of Human Rights Representation. It is co-edited by our very own Professor Jim Dawes and Binghamton University English Professor Alexandra Moore, the mother of this reporter—we promise there is still journalistic integrity. The book’s title plays on the use of “technology” and “representation” to show that, “How we understand human rights depends on the technologies through which claims are made and violations are recorded, and who is represented and how they are represented,” according to Dr. Moore (who graciously conducted this interview via FaceTime while I ate ramen in my dorm). This understanding opens up a new range of narrative devices through which, according to Prof. Dawes, “The field [of literature and human rights] can think about expanding the forms of representation that are considered, for example, sonnets, military photos, after-incident reports,” in addition to traditional literary narratives. Read more about their collaboration and new book here…
EHS Takes Students to Book Reading with Professor Marlon James
Kira Schukar ’22
February 22—Last Tuesday night, English Honor Society officers and students braved wintry conditions to hear Professor Marlon James read from his new book, Moon Witch, Spider King, at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis. Professors Emma Törzs and Peter Bognanni joined the students, along with Provost Anderson-Levy and other members of the Macalester community. Read more about this EHS adventure here…
Wordplay! with Birdie Keller
Chloë Moore ’24
This month, the editors at The Words are excited to showcase the work of Birdie Keller ’25 for Wordplay!
Birdie Keller is a freshman Creative Writing major from Saint Paul and Florida. She enjoys writing queer speculative fiction and fantasy, and has a pet yellow lab named Apollo. Read Birdie’s short story “drowning” here…
Other Announcements:
Deadline for department writing contests on Friday!
Submissions for the Harry Sherman writing contest, Academy of American Poets prize, and the Ardis Hillman Wheeler Prize for International Study are all due this Friday, March 4th at midnight! See the department’s writing contest page for information about the Harry Sherman and Ardis Hillman Wheeler prizes, and check out this document to read the requirements for the Academy of American Poets Prize.
Save the Date: Apps & Alums 2022!
English Honor Society is hosting Apps & Alums on Friday, April 8th from 5 to 7 p.m. in Smail Gallery! Join English majors, minors, faculty, and alumni for an informal chat about life after Macalester. This is a great opportunity to ask alumni about careers for English majors, hang out with your peers, and snack on delicious appetizers! EHS will send out official invitations and details later this month.