GUST concludes third English language, literature conference
Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) concluded the Third edition of its Annual GUST English Language and Literature (GELL) conference, which was organized by its English Department, and sponsored by GUST, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS), and That Al-Salasil.
Carrying the theme ‘Translingualism,’ which defines words and other aspects that are relevant in more than one language, the conference took place on GUST’s campus. Leading the event were internationally renowned academics Professor Lawrence Venuti, Professor Stephen Kellman, Dr Mai Al Nakib, Joumana Haddad, Professor Roumyana Slabakova and Professor Jason Rothman, in addition to 40 other academics from Kuwait and the region. The conference aimed to promote academic exchange and circulation of research among GUST students, staff, faculty, and the general public by exploring translingualism across literature, linguistics, translation and creative writing, with special emphasis on the Arab region.
GUST President, Professor Donald Bates, said, “Every year, this conference gets bigger and bigger - evidenced by the growing number of participants and lecturers. We as educators always look for ways continue to learn and improve how we deliver lessons - which is to the benefit of the students. I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard on making this a success and hope that everyone who participated and joined in found the workshops useful.”
The first three days of the conference featured lectures, presentations, videos, and poetry readings focusing on four categories: Literature, Creative Writing, Language and Linguistics, and Translation. Some of the lectures and presentations included: Border Crossing in Language and Literature, by Dr Inas Mahfouz and Dr Kathy Nixon, of the American University of Kuwait, The Reversing Arrow of Time: Chrono-psychology of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth, by Professor Gayane Hovhannisyan, of the Higher College of Technology in Muscat, and Translating the Muslim Woman in a Cross-Cultural World, by Dr Banan Daraiseh, of the Arab Open University in Kuwait.
The conference also dedicated time for student panels on the last day to support their research. Presentations from GUST and international students included topics such as: Transculturalism in Michael Ondaatje’s Work: Anil’s Ghost by GUST student Sara Chama, and Hold the Reins, by GUST student Fajer Al-Sabah.
English Department Head and GELL Organizer, Dr Cathy Daniel, said “This year’s theme of Translingualism provided an opportunity for us to bring prominent keynote speakers from both literature and linguistics, and provided a venue for academics in literature, linguistics, and creative writing to share their work, dialogue with their peers, and exchange ideas and theories.”
GELL workshops and seminars aim to contribute to the enhancement of the university’s academic environment, along with the development of its faculty, staff, students, and the community as a whole. Scholars from across the globe shared their expertise in the field, and presented collaborations of academics from world-wide institutions, further facilitating research into literature language. The event was free of charge and attended by the GUST community and the general public.