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Wednesday 27 July 2011

Man Booker Prize longlist announced

The Man Booker Prize longlist was announced yesterday:

Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending (Jonathan Cape - Random House)
Sebastian Barry On Canaan's Side (Faber)
Carol Birch Jamrach's Menagerie (Canongate Books)
Patrick deWitt The Sisters Brothers (Granta)
Esi Edugyan Half Blood Blues (Serpent's Tail - Profile)
Yvvette Edwards A Cupboard Full of Coats (Oneworld)
Alan Hollinghurst The Stranger's Child (Picador - Pan Macmillan)
Stephen Kelman Pigeon English (Bloomsbury)
Patrick McGuinness The Last Hundred Days (Seren Books)
A.D. Miller Snowdrops (Atlantic)
Alison Pick Far to Go (Headline Review)
Jane Rogers The Testament of Jessie Lamb (Sandstone Press)
D.J. Taylor Derby Day (Chatto & Windus - Random House)

John McAuliffe, Vona Groake, MJ Hyland, Ian McGuire and Jerome de Groot will be discussing the Booker (amongst other prizes) in a special session at the Manchester Literature Festival in October, and Nick Turner will be giving a paper on prize culture on the 19 October to the EAS Research Seminar (all welcome).

How many have you read? Remember to add your selections to #EASsummerreading

Friday 22 July 2011

Dates for your diary!!!

EAS Research Seminar, Semester 1, Autumn 2011

Location: probably the Poetry Centre but tbc

Lunchtime sessions will include sandwiches



Week, date
Speaker, time
2 5 Oct

Michael Bibler, 4pm

3 12 Oct

Postgrad (yr2) panel 1, 1pm

4 19 Oct
Nick Turner (Manchester/ MMU), 4pm, linked with Booker Prize (18 Oct)
5 26 Oct
Critical MASS: Martin Halliwell (Leicester), 4pm
7 9 Nov
Noelle Gallagher, 4pm
8 16 Nov

CIDRA: Martin Kemp, 4pm

9 23 Nov

Helen Freshwater (Newcastle), 4pm

10 30 Nov

CIDRA letters day including 5pm Mary Beard

11 7 Dec

12 14 Dec

Shane Weller (Kent), 4pm


Critical MASS: Fionnghuala Sweeney (Galway), 4pm

Thursday 21 July 2011

Well done, Natalie!

    I am sure that you will all want to join me in congratulating Natalie Zacek on receipt of the 2011 Gladstone History Book Prize from the Royal Historical Society for her monograph Settler Society in the English Leeward Islands, c.1670-1776.

    This is a terrific achievement and represents well-deserved recognition.

Professor Brian Ward

The Gladstone Prize for 2010 was awarded to:
Dr. Natalie Zacek (University of Manchester) for Settler Society in the English Leeward Islands, c.1670-1776 (Cambridge University Press, 2010).

Judges’ citation:
The dominant tendency among the historiography of Britain’s West Indian colonies has been to depict the plantation societies of the Caribbean in dark, deeply negative hues. The sugar planters who settled in that region have been variously characterised as grasping capitalists, moral degenerates and cultural philistines, whose get-rich-quick mentality militated against the creation of stable societies committed to the preservation of a common English identity.

In her sparkling study of the Leeward Islands (Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis and St. Kitts) from their independence from Barbados in 1670 to the outbreak of the American Revolution, Natalie Zacek challenges the notion that the English colonies in the West Indies were in any way failed societies. While she in no way downplays the centrality of black slavery to the economy of the Leewards, Zacek is primarily interested in exploring the complex dynamics of settler society and in doing so engages with a wide range of themes, including topography, migration, slavery, religion, ethnicity, gender and the family. The picture that emerges is of colonists who while ready and able to adapt to an unfamiliar and sometimes hostile environment were equally determined to uphold English social and cultural ideals. Subtle, reflective and elegantly written, this enlightening analysis not only rescues the Leewards from the margins of colonial studies, but is an important contribution to the wider discussion about the character of British colonial settlement in America.

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Sad news

I am sad to report the death of our former colleague Dr David Hill yesterday, less than a year after his marriage to (another former colleague) Margaret Worthington.

David was a member of our Extra Mural Studies Department, and latterly in the English Department. He was one of the great figures of our time in medieval archaeology, and a great personality too. Since retirement from the University he has remained very research active, and despite his appalling health problems -- which he bore cheerfully for many years -- his death was unexpected, and peaceful.

He will be sadly missed by colleagues and his army of disciples -- many of them former students of his Anglo-Saxon Diploma and MA classes.

Gale Owen-Crocker

UCU Early Careers Network bulletin

Dear colleague

Welcome to July’s UCU Early Careers Network bulletin - I hope you enjoy reading it. Please do let me know if there is anything you would like to share with the network or if you would like to tell us about what’s been going on at your college or university. Thanks and have a fantastic summer.

Thousands declare NO CONFIDENCE in the government’s education policies: please sign the petition today

Nearly 14,000 people have now signed our petition declaring NO CONFIDENCE in the government's policies in further, higher and adult education and you can add your name here https://www.ucu.org.uk/noconfidence It's especially important for younger members at the start of their careers that we build this campaign to make the government think again on post-school education. Please do sign this important petition and then circulate it to your colleagues, friends, family, Facebook and Twitter (anyone can sign regardless of whether they are a UCU member).

This is why Ed Granter of the UCU Young Members' Steering Group signed:

"I am signing the no confidence petition because I am concerned for the future of education in Britain. In an increasingly competitive global context, Britain is less able to compete in manufacturing but is still a world leader in education so it's clear that cuts to education risk undermining our competitive position.

In terms of social cohesion, or what is now referred to as 'the big society', everything possible should be done to widen access to education. Inequalities in access mean a waste of the intellectual talent that is the core of our economy.

Raising financial barriers to entry and cutting funding for already overstretched colleges and universities does not make sense in either social or economic terms, unless we take into account the existence of the government's (barely) hidden strategy to speed up privatization of the education sector along with health and welfare."

Building a stronger UCU: everything you need to recruit autumn term new starters

Many thanks to everyone who has contacted me about recruiting new starters and preparing for UCU induction events for the new academic year. UCU is now recruiting more younger college and university staff than ever, but we need your help to make sure that every new member of staff starting in the autumn knows about the union and is asked to join. We now have a really good range of recruitment materials available (download here or contact me for hard copies) including model UCU presentations for staff inductions, information on how the cuts are affecting younger workers and our ‘Know Your Rights’ cards.

Another excellent resource for introducing new colleagues to the work UCU does to support members is the ‘Early Careers Guide for New Staff in Further and Higher Education’ which is a free book containing professional guidance for those starting a career in post-school education; including finding the right job, what to expect when you start work, tips on getting the most from your career and practical advice on what to do if you have a problem. Contact me for hard copies and why not give one to a new colleague starting in the autumn along with a UCU application form? 

Pensions under attack – an issue for younger members
I’m sure you will be aware of the major campaign and disputes that UCU and other teaching unions are involved in on the issue of pensions. The proposed changes to both the TPS and USS pension schemes could affect younger staff most and yet it is not necessarily something that is always foremost in our minds. We are currently producing some educational resources including a short film aimed at younger members in order to answer some common questions and explain the basic arguments on pensions reform. We want to make sure that we pitch these resources right for members so it would be really helpful if you could email me some suggested FAQs that we can use. ebailey@ucu.org.uk

Education Is Not For Profit! Has your MP signed the Early Day Motion?

Over a hundred MPs have now signed the Early Day Motion which warns of the dangers of for-profit companies and the privatisation of education. . If your MP hasn’t signed it and you haven’t written to your MP yet you can do so here: https://www.ucu.org.uk/notforprofit The Government is encouraging the growth of private education providers but UCU argues that this could leave students with lower quality degrees, and put the reputation of UK education at risk. You can watch the excellent US documentary film ‘College Inc.’ here which exposes the reality of for-profit education in the USA and should act as warning to all who would see UK go down the same route.

Join the 2011 Jarrow to London “March For Jobs” in October

This year is the 75th anniversary of the Jarrow Crusade when hundreds of unemployed workers marched from the shipbuilding town of Jarrow on Tyneside to Parliament in London petitioning for assistance for those out of work. In 2011 once again a generation of young people are facing the prospect of widespread unemployment and the organisation Youth Fight For Jobs is recreating the famous march this October as part of their campaign to highlight the effects of public spending and education cuts. UCU is supporting the march which stops off at towns and cities across the country and you can support the event by joining the march or donating. More details here http://jarrowmarch11.com/
Regards

Ed Bailey

UCU, National Organiser

PS. UCU’s education and training programme is open for bookings for the new academic year including UCU Reps Induction courses for new activists. See here http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3311


Stay up to date with UCU by signing up to our weekly web update, news feeds, twitter or facebook services: http://www.ucu.org.uk/stayupdated

Want additional support? The College and University Support Network (Recourse) offers UCU members a range of services - from factsheets to counselling. Access these services online http://recourse.org.uk/ or through the 24/7 telephone support line, Freephone 0808 8020304

Monday 18 July 2011

Forward Prize for Poetry

The shortlist for the Forward Prize for Poetry has just been announced:

Best Collection:
  • John Burnside - Black Cat Bone
  • David Harsent - Night
  • Geoffrey Hill - Clavics
  • Michael Longley - A Hundred Doors
  • D Nurkse - Voices Over Water
  • Sean O'Brien - November

Thursday 14 July 2011

Lassfest

If you're bored of having to travel between venues or pay through the nose for the International Festival (although kill for tickets to Marina Abramović at the Lowry, worth it for Antony's voice alone), The Lass O'Gowrie is having a one-pub festival of music/ literature/ comics:

http://www.lassfest.co.uk/literature.php

SRS Panel CFP


‘My country Penne would alwaies shun the City’: Regional manuscript transmission, 1500-1700 @ Society for Renaissance Studies 2012, 9-11th July, University of Manchester.

While the transmission of manuscript texts in early modern England has been understood as a phenomenon based in metropolitan centres, a number of recent studies have now shown that hand-copied texts were an important means of communicating literary culture all over the British Isles. As suggested by the title’s quotation from Nicholas Oldisworth, regional manuscripts can show a lively culture of composition and circulation that operated quite independently of the cities, though important exchanges were maintained between urban and non-urban environments.

This panel will present papers that explore any aspect of the role and significance of manuscript dissemination outside of urban centres in the early modern British Isles. Topics for proposals may include (but are certainly not limited to): the accumulation, collection, and anthologising of hand-copied texts; the importance of social groupings based around families, friends, and other institutions; the geographical spread of copied texts; the literary forms of texts available to provincial readers and copyists; the relationship between writing, place, and dissemination. 

Please send short abstracts or informal enquiries to Joel Swann at j.swann [at] ihum.keele.ac.uk by the 2nd of September 2011 (ahead of the general SRS deadline). For more information on the 2012 SRS conference, go to http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/srsnc/ .

Tuesday 12 July 2011

Graduation - Congratulations!!!

Congratulations to all Third Year students who are graduating tomorrow. Well done! All your hard work finally come to an end.

There is a celebratory reception for all graduates in the Graduation Marquee, next to University Place, from 1.15-2.45 tomorrow.

Light refreshments and entertainment. See you there!

Thursday 7 July 2011

Shield Maidens and Sacred Mothers: Medieval Women in Truth and Legend October 7, 2011, Cardiff


 Call for Papers
This forthcoming interdisciplinary international conference seeks to examine images and representations of medieval women. Our aim is to promote new scholarship and innovative approaches to the study of this figure within the wider context of literary and historical studies. Our purpose is to foster an interdisciplinary discussion of the ways in which the medieval female is depicted within myth, folklore, legend and historiography.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Roberta Lynn Staples, Sacred Heart University, Connecticut, USA.
Author of The Company of Camelot. Arthurian characters in Romance and Fantasy (with Charlotte Spivack)
Abstracts of not more than 250 words are invited for individual 20-minute papers on the theme of the conference (interpreted in literary or historical terms, or both). Abstracts should be emailed to:
TAL2011@cf.ac.uk
Deadline for receipt of abstracts: August 31, 2011
The Conference will take place at Cardiff University’s main campus
General Enquiries:
Conference Organisers
Nicole Thomas
Sarah Williams
Please visit our Facebook Page: Shield Maidens and Sacred Mothers

No Confidence?

I'm writing to ask you to sign our petition declaring NO CONFIDENCE in the government's policies in further, higher and adult education which you can do here https://www.ucu.org.uk/noconfidence. Thousands have already added their names and it's especially important for younger members at the start of their careers that we build this campaign to make the government think again on post-school education. Please do sign this important petition and then circulate it to your colleagues, friends, family, Facebook and Twitter (anyone can sign regardless of whether they are a UCU member).

This is why Ed Granter of the UCU Young Members' Steering Group signed:

"I am signing the no confidence petition because I am concerned for the future of education in Britain. In an increasingly competitive global context, Britain is less able to compete in manufacturing but is still a world leader in education so it's clear that cuts to education risk undermining our competitive position.

In terms of social cohesion, or what is now referred to as 'the big society', everything possible should be done to widen access to education. Inequalities in access mean a waste of the intellectual talent that is the core of our economy.

Raising financial barriers to entry and cutting funding for already overstretched colleges and universities does not make sense in either social or economic terms, unless we take into account the existence of the government's (barely) hidden strategy to speed up privatization of the education sector along with health and welfare."


Please add your name to the petition and help defend post-school education: https://www.ucu.org.uk/noconfidence

Many thanks.

Regards


Ed Bailey

UCU National Organiser

EAS Prizes 2011 (First and Second Years)

Well done to the following EAS First and Second years who have been awarded prizes in recognition of their achievements over the past year (not all prizes have been allocated yet):

Second Year

ENGL Prize Winner
Shakespeare Scholarship Georgia Easteal
Shakespeare Scholarship Duncan Jaycock
Shakespeare Prize Lloyd-Davison,Katherine Elizabeth
Shakespeare Prize Goss,Polly Julia
AMER
Kaiser Roisin Dervish-O'Kane
First Year

ENGL Prize
Stella Brook Prize Jessica Cusack
Stella Brook Prize Rosie Stafford
John Jump Prize Rosie Stafford
John Jump Prize Annie Dickinson
George Gissing Memorial Prize Nathaniel Ogle
George Gissing Memorial Prize Thomas Short
Henry Charles Duffin Prize Catherine Stewart
AMER
Kaiser James Benfield

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Message from the general secretary: Vote Yes

Dear colleague

I'm writing to you to urge you to use your vote in our ballot over the USS dispute and to vote yes to support your union.

As you know, we are balloting you again over the employers' imposition of their highly detrimental reforms to the USS pension scheme. We have produced a new full briefing for members on the present situation and the need for a ballot, which you can read here.

But I want to take a little time in this letter to set out why I think we need to do this.

It would be easy to think that these changes only affect new members. I believe that would be a serious mistake. While our campaign has won protection for existing members, who can stay in the final salary pension scheme, the employers are pushing through changes that remove your right to an unreduced pension if you are made redundant. At a time when we face tremendous insecurity in our sector, this is a naked attempt to make it cheaper to sack you and your colleagues.

If you are a new entrant to the scheme, you will now join a vastly inferior pension scheme, with a very poor career average benefit structure. That means you could lose around 30% from the value of your pension at retirement, compared to those in the final salary scheme.

As well as being unfair, I think that's extremely dangerous for the health of our scheme and for the future of all our existing members. The employers have made it clear that in the long term they want to reduce their contributions and that gives them a big incentive to look to move those currently on final salaries onto the new scheme.

If we let the employers impose worse pensions on new members, we are also giving them the opportunity as well as the motive to come back for more. Within five years, active members on final salary pensions will be outnumbered by those on the new scheme. Asking those people to stand up for our pensions in five years time, will be a tall order.

That's why I am asking you to vote yes to industrial action now. I believe this could be our last chance to defend the USS pension scheme for all members.

But I also have to be honest about what I'm asking you to do.

It is clear that one-day strikes will not move the employers. That's why we need to be ready to undertake a sustained programme of industrial action, including action short of a strike, aimed at disrupting the universities' operations. The employers have made it clear that they will take a robust line on partial performance. But I don't believe we can dodge this fight. So we are asking branches to work with us to develop local action strategies now and we are making clear that these must have the support of members.

In the meantime, please make sure you use your vote and vote yes to industrial action. A big, strong turnout and a large majority for action will send a clear message to the employers that their strategy of bullying and intimidation has failed.

Finally, please note that our colleagues in post-92 universities and further education colleges will be taking strike action with teachers across the country next Thursday. Rallies and protests will be taking place across the country. If you can show them your support by attending one of the rallies, please do so. You can find a full list of the rallies here.

Thanks for taking the time to read this letter.

Yours

Sally Hunt
UCU General Secretary
(by email 22 June 2011)

EAS Prizes 2011 (Third years)

Well done to the following EAS third years who have been awarded prizes in recognition of their achievements over the past year:


ENGL Prize Winner





Samuel James Woodall John Roache

Samuel James Woodall Emma Liasides





GL Brooke Emma Liasides









Faye Mitchell Galen Stops





Mary Catherine Slater Samantha Edwards




AMER

Jessie Davis Kandell Ezmi Mulhearn





Kaiser Joseph Morton





Dennis Welland Joseph Morton






Tuesday 5 July 2011

For-profit Universities motion

Early day motion 1999
FOR-PROFIT UNIVERSITIES
•     Lloyd, Tony
That this House is concerned by the possible expansion of for-profit providers in the higher education sector; is further concerned that the world-class teaching and research of the UK's higher education sector could be threatened by new for-profit providers; encourages Ministers to consider the Diverse Provision in Higher Education report by the Higher Education Funding Council for England; urges them to note the report's conclusion that the risks associated with expanding the role of for-profit providers `may amount to a reputational risk for UK higher education'; notes that for-profit providers in the US typically have a lower graduation rate than non-profit higher education institutions; further notes that US education authorities are investigating the recruitment and admissions practices of a number of for-profit universities, including the University of Phoenix, which is owned by the Apollo Group that also owns BPP which was granted private university college status in the UK last year; is further concerned that for-profit providers could cherry-pick the most popular and profitable courses; further notes that for-profit private providers are not required to submit enrolment data to the Government, and are not subject to the same staff employment contract obligations as existing universities; and calls on the Government to protect the quality and reputation of UK higher education.

International Festival

The Festival is in full swing, lots to do and see. If you are a sentient human being you should go to this: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/The-Crash-of-the-Elysium-tickets/artist/5003154 as Punchdrunk are the best theatre company working in the UK today. Other highlights with tickets still available are Dr. Dee at the Palace theatre, Victoria Wood's new play, and many discussion, music and other events.

Wide coverage here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/manchester-international-festival