Sessions:
We want to be as flexible as possible and allow for lots of different ways of approaching topics. So, we hope that those who have volunteered to facilitate a session will really feel free to decide on the format for that meeting -- whether they prefer to present, or have a discussion, etc. It would be helpful if all of us have read at least one text relevant to the topic, presumably something suggested by that week's facilitator. Facilitators may choose to present on their own work, facilitate a suggestion of a text, and/or present on issues around a particular topic (i.e. give us an introduction to the relevant theory).

Schedule:
time: every other Wednesday, 7:00 - 8:30
place: to be announced prior to each week's meetings.

Readings:  We will try to keep copies of the readings in the OGSCL mailbox in Comp Lit (303 South College Building) and in the Grad Student Office in Bartlett 15.  Stop by and borrow a copy for photocopying, if you like.

Wednesday, September 13th: Issues in Feminist Scholarship
Facilitator: Mariela
Readings:
1) "Feminist Content Analysis," chapter eight of Shulamit Reinharz's Feminist Methods in Social Research.  New York:  OUP, 1992.
2) Introduction to Feminist Cultural Criticism.  Terry Lovell, ed. Aldershot UK: Elgar, 1995.

Other optional (not required) readings might be:
*Butler, Judith.  "Performative Acts and Gender Constitution.  An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory" in Writing on the Body:  Female Embodiment and Feminist Theory.  Katie Conboy, Nadia Medina, and Sarah Stanbury, eds.  New York:  Columbia UP, 1997.

*Franklin, Sarah, Celia Lury, and Jackie Stacey.  "Feminism and cultural studies:  pasts, presents, futures."  in Lovell's book mentioned above.

Place: Lilian Feitosa's house:  I live in Rolling Green, an apartment complex on route 9, exactly 2 miles West from Amherst center (going towards Belchertown). Those of you who came to Yehudit's house, it's a little further from where you turned to get to her place. The "Belchertown Road" bus stops right in front of Rolling Green (across the street).

The apartment is #13, in the first building on the right (the parking lot is after you pass the building, also on the right).

If you need any further directions, please call (256-0368) or email me.

Wednesday, September 27th: "Sexual Identities and their Histories"
Facilitator: Kelly
Readings:  Available online at:
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_lesbian_and_gay_studies/v006/6.1halperin.html
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_womens_history/v011/11.2freccero.html

Place:  Kelly's house, .7:00pm
1A East Plumtree Road.
Directions: Take 116 North from campus or Route 9, until you reach Bub's BBQ, the Citgo station(on right) and Breakaway Sports(on left) .  East Plumtree Road is on the right, just after Breakaway Sports.  Take the very first drive way on the left, and take the left-hand fork of that drive way.  My apartment is the first one, 1A- enter by the porch. Bus- stops right opposite my driveway, first stop after Bub's BBQ. Some folks spoke of carpooling, so you can probably find a ride.

Wednesday, October 11: workshop on conference papers and abstract writings. We hope that those who have conference experience will share their process and provide sample abstracts.
Facilitator:  All of us!

Hello everybody! The next reading group will be run workshop style, with little leadership :-), as Anita cannot join us. Everybody who has presented conference papers may want to bring a copy of the CFP and the abstract (perhaps the paper as well, if you'd like) to share.

We also want to provide some support for the new students who will be writing grad papers for the first time. Perhaps we can all jot down some notes on the process we go through for writing papers and hints for the students. Let's keep in mind that many students will be writing papers in the US for the first time, so we may want to mention some of the differences between Anglo style papers and academic papers from other settings.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule this date. So, even though Wednesday is Monday, this group will be held Wednesday at 7:15 (I have to get home from my class) at Beverly's house. I do have a large house with oil heating -- so please dress warmly! :-) (though I promise to turn the heat up on this special occasion :-) )

I think most of you have been here, but here are the directions just in case. The bus stop is only a minute from my house.

BUS: Take the #30 (Belchertown Rd), which picks up passengers on Pleasant St, not at Haigis Mall. You will go through Amherst Center. You can request your stop anytime after you pass the Black Sheep/the Courthouse. When the bus stops, you will be near the Amtrak station. Cross Main St -- the street on the other side is Gray St. You will walk down the street only a minute or two. My house is the second house BEFORE THE NEXT CROSSSTREET on the right hand side. It's huge and white, and I'll leave the light porch on. The number is 55, but it is hard to see the number in the dark. There are couches and windchimes on the porch.

FROM CAMPUS: Take Pleasant St towards Amherst Center. At the second stoplight, instead of turning right to go to the center, drive straight down Triangle St. Go down the street to Main St. Take a left on Main St and the next left on to Gray St. See above.

FROM NORTHHAMPTON: Come into town on 9. Take a left and drive past Amherst Common, take your first right onto Main St. Drive Down the street, past black sheep-Courthouse, etc. Take your first left AFTER the first stoplight onto Gray St (Amtrak station will be to your right where you turn left). See above.

Wednesday, October 25th:  Landscape and Literature
Facilitator:  Yehudit
Tentative Readings;  from Bachelard's __ Poetic Spaces __

Wednesday, November 8th: migration, diaspora, and exile
Facilitator: Beverly unless somebody else volunteers!
Tentative Reading: From R. Radhakrishnan's __ Diasporic Medications __

Wednesday, November 22nd: Thanksgiving holiday.

Wednesday, November 29th: workshop on paper/article writing and  publications -- hopefully we can start with tips for the new students, anybody who has published (or tried!) can share their experience, and we can also each briefly discuss a paper topic for we are working on so that we can share ideas.

Wednesday, December 13th: Postcoloniality and Nationalism
Facilitator: Beverly

for information email bweber@complit.umass.edu or yehudith@complit.umass.edu .