Wednesday 15 February 2012

Mercè Saumell

We are delighted that Mercè Saumell will be another participant in our Performing Monstrosity symposium; Mercè is the Head of Cultural Services at the Institut de Teatre in Barcelona. Originally starting as a practitioner, Mercè is an internationally-respected theatre critic and academic, and has made significant contributions to monographs of various Catalan performance groups such as Els Joglars, La Cubana and La Fura dels Baus, in addition to giving papers all over Spain and abroad on the theme of contemporary theatre. Her familiarity with Barcelona performance practices and interest in sociological phenomena make Mercè an undoubtedly fascinating addition to our symposium.

Josep-Anton Fernàndez

We are very pleased to announce the participation of Josep-Anton Fernàndez, professor at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia) and formerly of Queen Mary, University of London, at our conference. Josep-Anton is an esteemed addition to our keynote speakers, and his research focusses on questions of identity and representation through cultural studies and language and literature, as well as the role of cultural policy on the creation of normalised Catalan identities. Amongst his recent publications is El malestar en la cultura catalana: La cultura de la normalització 1976-1999 (Barcelona: Empúries, 2008), concentrating on issues of identity and legitimation in a post-modern, post-Franco Catalonia. You can find more information on Josep-Anton's research and publications at http://www.xn--fernndez-2ya.cat/en/index.html, and we are very pleased to have him participate in our Monstrous conference.