At the end of another energetic term, we still have little idea of the shape of our future relationship with many of our European partners, but we have continued both to offer high-level intellectual stimulation in the languages we teach and to work with new partners to ensure that our work may continue.
The main intellectual highlight of our term was the Taylor lecture, delivered by Yanis Varoufakis in indomitable and inimitable style. Blending references to literature, philosophy, history, politics and economics, he examined utopian thinking forensically, without completely dismissing the possibility of a realisable utopia in the future (see his next book!) On the development side, we are delighted and grateful to be developing a relationship with Lidl, who generously offered financial support to the Faculty, funding 4 new Year Abroad prizes, available to students reading German, and the Lidl Graduate Scholarship, which supports a full-time M St Modern Languages student.
In these pages, students and colleagues offer a number of insights into the research they have been doing. Following the highlight of Michaelmas term, Pierre Michon’s Zaharoff,Lecture, Emeritus Professor Ann Jefferson discusses that author’s canon. Professor Andrew Kahn outlines his digital humanities project, working on the pilot edition of Catherine the Great’s correspondence, CatCor. Madeleine Chalmers, winner of the prestigious Gapper Prize, tells us about her DPhil project. Our Early-Career Researchers are represented by Dr Diana Berruezo Sanchez and Dr Marta Arnaldi. The former writes on rediscovering the presence of black people in early-modern Spain. The latter considers the paradigms which creative writing and academic work may inhabit and the interconnectedness of the two outputs, in her article on research, poetry and self-translation.
Translation and its creative properties are also highlighted in Professor Katrin Kohl’s presentation of the Babel: Adventures in Translation exhibition at the Bodleian, which runs until June 2nd. Taking in the Koran, mathematics, Tolkien, Beatrix Potter, medieval French and much more, Babel, argues Professor Kohl, ‘explodes the idea that translation is becoming obsolete in the era of global English and Google Translate’. If you can come to Oxford, do visit the exhibition. If not, the Bodleian website has some further information about it.
Looking forward to Trinity Term, On 9th May, Professor Catriona Seth, Marshal Foch Professor of French will deliver her inaugural lecture: Girls with books: reading, contagion and acquired immunity in 18th-century fiction. I hope many of you will be able to attend.
In the meantime, we all wish you a relaxing Easter vacation.
Best wishes,
Professor Ian Watson
Chair of the Medieval and Modern Languages Faculty Board
Professor of French Languages and Literature