Highlights of the 2014 Neustadt Festival
October 22–24, 2014
The 2014 Neustadt Festival of International Literature & Culture, sponsored by the University of Oklahoma’s internationally renowned magazine, World Literature Today, will take place on the Norman campus this fall. The festival, which is free and open to the public, features award-winning writer Mia Couto from Mozambique, who will receive the 2014 Neustadt Prize that week, plus an exciting lineup of other visiting writers, translators, and scholars.
Biographical information about all the visiting writers, plus a complete schedule, can be found here on the festival website, neustadtprize.org. For questions about any of the events, call the WLT office at 405-325-4531 or visit worldliteraturetoday.org.
Wednesday, October 22
Opening Night
6:30–8:30pm * Beaird Lounge * Oklahoma Memorial Union
The festival kicks off with a reception, live music, and readings by Mia Couto and Oklahoma writers, including Oklahoma poet laureate Nathan Brown.
Thursday, October 23
“The Birds of God” Dance Performance
10–11:30am * Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall * Catlett Music Center
OU School of Dance and Drama students perform a musical choreo-drama adapted from Mia Couto’s story “The Birds of God,” with original choreography by Melanie Bratcher and Clara Cravey Stanley, directed by Susan Shaughnessy, followed by a Q&A with Mia Couto. Co-sponsored by the Norman Arts Council, the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, and African & African American Studies.
“Africa Today” Roundtable and Brown-Bag Lunch
12–1:30pm * Peggy V. Helmerich Collaborative Learning Center * Bizzell Memorial Library
A roundtable discussion devoted to contemporary Africa, featuring OU faculty Moussa Blimpo (coordinator of African Studies), Zermarie Deacon (Human Relations/Women’s & Gender Studies), and Greg Graham (African & African American Studies), plus Gabriella Ghermandi (the Ethiopian-Italian writer who nominated Couto for the Neustadt Prize), moderated by WLT editor in chief Daniel Simon. Co-sponsored by the College of International Studies. A brown-bag lunch will be provided, but reservations are required and seating is limited, so RSVP to Ronda Martin ([email protected]) in the Department of International & Area Studies to confirm your spot.
Friday, October 24
“What Africa Does the African Writer Write About?” Understanding the Work of Mia Couto
10–11am * Meacham Auditorium * Oklahoma Memorial Union
Experts in African lusophone literature discuss Couto’s work, featuring Niyi Afolabi (University of Texas at Austin), David Brookshaw (University of Bristol), and Juan Pérez-López (University of Oklahoma), moderated by Nancy El Gendy (University of Oklahoma).
Mia Couto: The 2014 Neustadt Keynote
11am–noon * Meacham Auditorium * Oklahoma Memorial Union
