Abstract de mi ponencia "Silencio, exilio y suicidio en 'Atenea' de Ignacio Manuel Altamirano"

"Mid-America Conference on Hispanic Literature" (October 12-14, 2012) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: http://www.unl.edu/modlang/content/machl.shtml

 “Silencio, exilio y suicidio en 'Atenea' de Ignacio Manuel Altamirano”

                                               Asbtract

El último periodo creativo de Ignacio Manuel Altamirano es el menos estudiado. Hago referencia a la época en la que el escritor mexicano ha dejado de ser el centro del desarrollo cultural de México y está a punto de exiliarse hacia Europa (ca.1886-1889). La narrativa de Altamirano de esta época se encuentra signada por su separación radical del largo proyecto nacionalista-romántico que concibió durante gran parte de su carrera literaria. El cambio en la narrativa del escritor mexicano no sólo tiene que ver con su poética—que deja de ser de estilo romántica y se vuelve una de corte modernista—, sino también con el desarrollo de historias que se relacionan con los fenómenos del silencio, el exilio y el suicidio. El epítome de este giro en la narrativa de Altamirano se encuentra en su novela menos estudiada: Atenea (escrita entre 1886 y1889, y publicada hasta 1935). Esta obra es un artefacto literario lleno de silencios, fragmentos y experimentaciones que dicen mucho sobre la etapa literaria final de Altamirano y, también, sobre el desarrollo del modernismo en Hispanoamérica. En esta ponencia sugiero que  el exilio forzoso que experimentó Altamirano lo obliga a replantearse gran parte de las ideas que desarrolló en sus primeras dos etapas narrativas: la del nacionalismo identitario, y la de su proyecto mestizo mexicano. En Atenea, en cambio, se escucha una voz desencantada que, mientras analiza las condiciones de su exilio, y habla sobre sus deseos eróticos y suicidas; posa su mirada en recovecos estéticos preciosistas, en cuerpos y objetos diversos que traslucen un modernismo narrativo que insinúan una serie de silencios y fracturas que nos obligan a repensar la  visión canónica que la crítica ofrece sobre la narrativa de Altamirano.   

Aquí se puede consultar el programa completo: 
http://modlang.unl.edu/pdfs/MACHL%20Program.pdf

Lecture on Latin American Culture

Carla Eckels interviewed me to promote the lecture I gave on Latin American culture within and outside the United States. I have to thank Dr. David E. Hayes-Bautista for his innovative ideas on the Cinco de Mayo tradition in the United States. I recommend you to buy his book: El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition http://goo.gl/4qJLe

A Wichita State University professor will give a lecture Thursday reflecting on Latin American culture in the US and Cinco de Mayo celebrations. The latest US census shows Hispanics are the fastest growing minority in Kansas, reaching 13 percent of the population in Sedgwick County. WSU’s Francisco Flores-Cuautle says he plans to have an open dialogue Thursday night and share information on new perspectives on thinking and experiencing Latin American culture in Wichita. “My main purpose is going beyond stereotypes,” says Flores-Cuautle. “Trying that Wichita’s community see Latino Americans as people that are not just coming to in finding jobs but in interrelating with the whole community.” Flores-Cuautle says he’ll give some specific examples about misconceptions. For example, he says Cinco De Mayo is not a Mexican celebration, but more of an American celebration. “Not all people celebrate the Cinco De Mayo in Mexico,” says Flores-Cuautle. “And this talk is going to be a really good opportunity, that we reflect together in this American celebration.” The lecture will take place a the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita’s Old Town tonight at 6:00. To listen the interview go to: http://goo.gl/Trpzd

 

Latin-American Poetry Recital: “Performance and Intercultural Dialogue”

The MCLL Department Invites you to the:

Latin-American Poetry Recital:
“Performance and Intercultural Dialogue”

Introductory Remarks by Dr. Francisco Flores-Cuautle,
Assistant Professor of Latin-American Literature and Culture

April 30, 2012: 6-7:30pm at 100 Lindquist, WSU

To see the project follow the link:  http://poetrywsu.blogspot.com/

Description: This recital deals with the interpretation and representation of Latin-American poetry by the students of the Span 832D/623N seminar. With the academic advice of Dr. Francisco Flores-Cuautle, students look for establishing an intercultural dialogue between American and Latin-American cultural traditions by facilitating the comprehension of poetry written in Spanish to English speakers.

A lecture by Dr. Francisco Flores-Cuautle: Museum of World Treasures

“Becoming Cosmopolitan: New Perspectives on Thinking/Experiencing Latin-American Culture in Wichita” Museum of World Treasures Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 6pm. Link to the event: http://www.worldtreasures.org/worldtreasures.php?name=Dr.%20Francisco%20Flores-Cuautle

Abstract: This year it is the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the “Cinco de Mayo:” a battle in which the French army was defeated by the Mexican troops in Puebla (Mexico, 1862). This is an excellent opportunity to reflect on Latin America in the US. My lecture will discuss the idea of becoming a cosmopolitan citizen in Wichita by re-thinking Latin America beyond stereotypes.

La activista y Premio Nóbel de la Paz (1992), Rigoberta Menchú y el Dr. Francisco Flores-Cuautle

"Nation, Nationalism and Exile in the Formation of Latin-American Countries"

Dr. Francisco Flores-Cuautle presented the lecture:"Nation, Nationalism and Exile in the Formation of Latin-American Countries" in the LASI 300-Global Issues course, Spring 2012, coordinated by Dr. Doris T. Chang, Associate Professor of Women Studies at Wichita State.

Abstract

During Nineteenth century, Latin-American nations were born. Researchers from a variety of fields are still describing the complex process of forming these new nations. In my presentation I will discuss the emancipation of the ancient Spanish colonies by explaining the close relationship between the phenomena of nation, nationalism, and exile. The previous conceptual interrelationship is the basis of the model of textual analysis that I will apply to understand the foundational narratives of two representative cases: Mexico and Argentina.

Hypothesis

The idea of a nation and its nationalism in Latin America was conceived—in many cases—by intellectuals in exile such as Servando Teresa de Mier (Mexico, 1765-1827) and Faustino Sarmiento (Argentina, 1811-1888). These two writers, while narrating the tragedy of their exile, they constructed a fictional narrative that reflected the tension between their experience of exile and a desire to return home to found/reform their young nations. These fictional/foundational narratives became true political projects that (trans)formed the reality of Latin American nations.

Conclusions

The origin of Latin American nations were consolidated not just by the fight and ideas of local people who look for the emancipation of their land, but also by intellectuals in exile who were able to see their nations from a twofold perspective: as a desire, and as a suffering. In Mier’s case, he was a Mexican national founding figure who criticized in his Memoirs the others, the Europeans (the monsters and barbarians) and as well he predicted the emergence of the hybrid-mestizo nation that Mexico is today. Sarmiento, on the other hand, anticipated the almost total disappearance of Argentinian peasants in his Facundo and, in the same way, projected the idea of a Westernized Argentinian nation. In addition, through his dialectic formulae: Civilization and barbarism, Sarmiento explained the ambivalences of his fascination for the “gaucho-barbarian,” world, and conversely, expressed his desire for constructing a civilized nation. Summing up, Sarmiento’s fiction tells us not just historical facts but it narrates feelings, sensations, and exciting emotions through a powerful poetic prose that consolidated his national politic project.

Professors Flores-Cuautle and Doris T. Chang