Information


THE INTERNATIONAL SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION

 NEWSLETTER 2007 

NINTH WORLD SHAKESPEARE CONGRESS
PRAGUE 2011

The Ninth World Shakespeare Congress in Prague will mark the next phase in a journey through four continents. Beginning in Vancouver, this international conference has travelled every five years since 1971 to share Shakespearian scholarship, performance, and pedagogy at another great site: Washington D.C., Stratford-upon-Avon, Berlin, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Valencia and Brisbane. The culturally rich city of Prague, a new setting for the Congress in central Europe, offers a wonderful opportunity to engage in dialogue about Shakespearian reception both here and throughout the world.

Professor Jill Levenson, University Of Toronto
Chair Of The ISA Executive Committee


From left to right: Martin Procházka, Jill Levenson, Zdenĕk Stříbrný, Roger Pringle
In 2011 the International Shakespeare Association will fulfil the wish of one of its most enthusiastic supporters and a former member of its Executive Committee, Professor Zdenĕk Stříbrný, by accepting the invitation of Czech Shakespeare scholars to hold our meeting in Prague. Professor Stříbrný is delighted at the prospect of welcoming a world gathering of Shakespearians to his home city. At left, he meets in Prague during July 2007 with three planners of the event in its initial stages.

SITE VISIT

The Municipal Building, a possible venue for the welcoming reception

In preparation for the 2011 Congress, Professor Jill Levenson, Dr. Roger Pringle of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and ISA Executive Secretary Dr. Nick Walton met with Congress conveners Professor Martin Procházka and Professor Martin Hilský in Prague, to discuss arrangements towards what promises to be a very memorable gathering.

Professor Martin Procházka first became involved with the ISA in 1986, when he attended the World Shakespeare Congress in Berlin. He has been a member of the ISA Executive Committee recently, and last year he travelled to the World Shakespeare Congress in Brisbane to take part in a panel on “Shakespeare and Globalisation”.

The Municipal Hall, a possible venue for plenary lectures
Professor Martin Hilský is an eminent translator of Shakespeare’s works into Czech, and soon he will have completed translations of all of Shakespeare’s works. This mammoth undertaking began with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which he translated in 1983. Professor Hilský’s translations are often performed at the summer Shakespeare Festival, which takes place in the grounds of the picturesque Prague Castle that overlooks the city. Václav Havel is currently writing an adaptation of King Lear using Professor Hilský’s translation.

The old National Theatre building
While in Prague the visitors were welcomed at Charles University, which will play host to the Congress, and met with Professor Jan Skrha, the Vice-Rector of International Relations, and Dr. Michal Stehlík, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts. They also viewed various other impressive sites, such as the old National Theatre building, which may be used as one of the conference venues.

Call for Papers

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Ninth World Shakespeare Congress, arranged by the International Shakespeare Association and Charles University, will take place in Prague, The Czech Republic, from 17th – 22nd July, 2011. The plenary lectures, seminar, workshop and short paper programmes, and the supporting cultural, social, and community activities will reflect the theme,

Renaissance Shakespeare/Shakespeare Renaissances

and participants are encouraged to interpret this geographically, historically, culturally, and to consider text and performance in a full range of media.

Proposals are now invited for the seminar, workshop and short paper sessions of the Congress, using the guidelines outlined below. Proposals should be sent to Dr. Nick Walton, ISA Secretary, preferably by email at isa@shakespeare.org.uk, or to

The Shakespeare Centre Henley Street
Stratford upon Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6QW
United Kingdom

to arrive by 30th June 2008

The World Shakespeare Congress Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSING A SEMINAR, WORKSHOP OR SHORT PAPER SESSION FOR THE WORLD SHAKESPEARE CONGRESS, 2011

General: preference will be given to proposals which, in their subject matter, reflect the international nature of the Congress. Geographical diversity in group leadership is actively encouraged so that the two leaders of a seminar, for example, may come from different countries or continents. Those submitting proposals should ensure that their membership of the ISA is current.

All proposals should be as detailed as possible and include a rationale as well as a list of problems or questions that the seminar, workshop or short paper session seeks to explore. They should include brief academic biographies of the proposed leaders and contributors of short papers.

All proposals will be reviewed by members of the ISA Programme Committee.

  1. Seminars.  Each seminar will have two leaders (from two different countries and ideally representing two different language traditions), at least one of whom has experience in seminar leadership or membership, whose role is to facilitate a discussion on papers which have been exchanged in advance. Seminar proposals and descriptions should encourage participants with a range of experience and allow for a number of pathways into a subject.
  2. Workshops.  Workshops will have two leaders (and possibly, for some activities, more), one of whom has experience of running workshops, and may be concerned, for example, with editing, working with archival material, acting and direction, teaching method. Again, workshop proposals should encourage participants with a range of experience.
  3. Short paper sessions (panels).   The usual format of these sessions is for three speakers to address a common subject for about 20 minutes each followed by comments from the floor. Proposals may consider other models, such as roundtable sessions involving up to six speakers.

Membership Application Form

INTERNATIONAL SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM – SUBSCRIPTIONS
(January 2008)

The International Shakespeare Association is a membership organization. Please indicate below the manner in which you wish to pay your subscription for 2008. Annual dues are £15.

I wish to pay my subscription for 2008 at this time         □


In order to receive continuing information regarding the I.S.A. and plans for the 2011 Congress, I wish to pay £60 in subscriptions covering each of the four years 2008 through 2011.

I remit £60 at this time         □


I enclose a cheque on a British banking account or an international money order in the amount of £_______ [made payable to: International Shakespeare Association.]


Please charge my credit card a total of £ ____________. Details as follows:

□  Visa Number__________________________________________

□  Mastercard Number__________________________________________

Expiry Date ______________ 3 digit security code ___________________


________________________________________________________________
Signature

Please print name as it appears on card

Name    _____________________________________________

Address  _____________________________________________

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Email    _____________________________________________

Please return this form to:
THE INTERNATIONAL SHAKESPEARE ASSOCIATION, THE SHAKESPEARE CENTRE, HENLEY STREET, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, CV37 6QW, UNITED KINGDOM

Download the form in doc format.

Acknowledgement:  This page is based on the information from the ISA Newsletter 2007, with kind permission of the International Shakespeare Association.


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