Postgraduates
Postgraduate Study Days
2012 ASMCF Postgraduate Study Day
Call for papers: 'Futures'2011 ASMCF Postgraduate Study Day
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Report on the 2010 ASMCF Postgraduate Study Day
The sunny terraces and comfy lounge of Old Whiteknights House, home of the Graduate School of Arts and Humanities at the University of Reading, were the setting for the 2010 ASMCF Postgraduate Study Day. Delegates and speakers were welcomed with good coffee and excellent biscuits, getting the day off to a flying start.
The day began with a short introduction by Dr Steve Wharton, Honorary Secretary of the ASMCF. Dr Joan Tumblety, co-editor of Modern & Contemporary France, then gave some valuable practical advice concerning the world of academic publishing for postgraduates, looking not only at journal publishing, but other forms accessible to students. Having recently submitted his thesis, Matthew Moran, last year's ASMCF Postgraduate Officer, was able to give extremely encouraging talk about the vicissitudes - and eventual success - of completing a thesis. His watchwords were 'contact, discipline, perspective'. Dr Sophie Heywood, recently appointed lecturer in French at the University of Reading, was then able to move the discussion to the next stage. She spoke of the many ways of preparing self and CV to be in the best position to succeed in interview. Following more coffee and biscuits, two postgraduates, Ellie Sutcliffe from Bangor University and Chloe Jeffries from Merton College, Oxford, gave two interesting and useful talks, the first on using the Bibliothèque nationale, and the second on using French archives. Archives and libraries are idiosyncratic and potentially baffling places, thus having some insider advice before visiting was reassuring.
Following an excellent and copious lunch, five postgraduates from the UK and Ireland gave research papers on their studies. For some it was the first time they had spoken outside of their home institutions; we hope we were a supporting audience! Michelle Harrison from the University of Liverpool gave an excellent paper on Alsatian, German and French language teaching at primary level in Alsace; the journey then continued with a paper from Sheila Walsh from NUI Galway looking at Saint-Simonian Thomas Ismayl Urbain's experiences in Egypt; encounters with the 'other' were equally prevalent in Victoria Harrison's (University of Birmingham) paper on girls' perceptions of German soldiers in Occupied France. Following questions and more chat over tea and coffee (and the return of the profiteroles), the final session consisted of two literary papers. Jonathan Lewis from the University of Exeter spoke about ideas of visibilisation and invisibiliation in contemporary Francophone literature by authors of Algerian origin, and Sara Leek (QMUL) turned our attention towards the use of language in the experimental forms of Linda Lê's texts, dealing with madness and exile.
The Study Day provided a wonderful opportunity for postgraduates at different stages of the PhD process to come together, listen, talk and participate, to share their experiences, make new friends or useful contacts. The atmosphere - as ever - was friendly and welcoming, and drinks and dinner at a local pizzeria topped off a super day.
I would like to thank everyone for coming, all the speakers for their hard work, my two marvellous helpers for setting up and clearing away the food with me, and the Graduate School of Arts and Humanities, Mrs Helen Apted in particular, for providing us with such a wonderful venue. Together with all the other postgraduates, I would also like to thank the ASMCF for continuing to support the activities of postgraduates in French studies, enabling those of us from smaller departments to meet and build networks of friends and colleagues across the country.
Lindsey Dodd
ASMCF Postgraduate Officer
l.a.dodd@reading.ac.uk