More than 35 professors, writers and researchers gathered Wednesday in the Watson Institute for International Studies' Joukowsky Forum for the first session of the Fifth International Conference on Transatlantic Studies. Despite several technical difficulties and an unbearably warm temperature, Cristina Iglesias, a Spanish artist, spoke to an enthusiastic audience about her work.
Later in the afternoon, President Ruth Simmons introduced the keynote speaker, Brad Epps PhD'89, professor of romance languages and literatures at Harvard. The event was conducted entirely in Spanish.
In the keynote session, Epps addressed the lack of attention given to Africa in transatlantic studies. Focusing on Morocco, Equatorial Guinea and the Western Sahara, Epps called for increased attention to the Spanish presence in Africa, as well as the African presence in Spain and the Caribbean in discussion of the transatlantic.
According to Professor of Hispanic Studies Julio Ortega, the biannual conference, which is set to run through the weekend, will host 140 participants from 15 countries and 85 universities over the next three days. This year the conference will focus on the future — its official title is "Futuros" — with special attention to Cuba and Peru. Ortega said Peru was chosen as an area of focus because it is currently undergoing a difficult and conflicting modernization process.
The conference is dedicated to Nicaraguan writer Sergio Ramirez and Cuban poet Reina Maria Rodriguez. Both writers will speak on their work later in the week. In addition, Ortega said at least 15 younger writers from Spain, Mexico and Peru will also participate in the conference.
Elide Pittarello, a participant from the Universita Ca'Foscari Venezia in Italy, said that even though she studies Spanish literature she said she felt it was important to attend the conference. "It is so important to be up to date and involved with what is going on in the world," she said.
Lucero de Vivanco, from the Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Chile, shared a similar sentiment. She said she studies Peruvian literature and is attending the conference because the topics are close to her area of research.
