School of Graduate Studies
Queen's UniversityEntre Memoire et Histoire
On October 18-19, our French Studies graduate students held their first conference to examine the relationship between memory and history from an interdisciplinary perspective. Conference presenters came from across Canada and abroad, and explored various ways in which history is incorporated and transformed into text and cinema, in addition to how it is inextricably linked to memory, on both the level of form and content. Keynote speaker Dr Alexie Tcheuyap, a PhD graduate of Queen's and current Professor at the University of Toronto, discussed the relationship between literature and cinema.
Fatima Zohra HABCHI, who came all the way from Algeria to present
Current Queen's grads also got the opportunity to present. Second-year French Master's student, Rachael Neill was one and found the conference "truly a memorable experience and a great success." Neill spoke on the topic « Le mode opératoire des catégories de la mémoire et l'histoire dans Mobie-Diq de Marie Redonnet ». The presentation examined the ways in which, through narration and intertextuality, memory and history work to develop the work's characters into literary cyphers by generating spectator-directed representations. Her talk will soon be a published paper through Queen's.
Comments from participants were very complimentary on both the content of the conference, the organisation and the opportunity to meet with fellow academics from throughout the world. Some of those comments are below:
Myriam Bacon, (University of Quebec in Trois-Rivieres): Cette fin de semaine fut pour moi l'occasion de découvrir de jeunes chercheurs passionnés et de nouveaux angles de vue. Je voudrais, par cette occasion, remercier les organisateurs du colloque pour les efforts investis dans la bonne marche de l'événement.
Translation : This weekend was for me a great chance to discover new approaches and other young researchers enthusiastic about their studies. I would also like to thank the organizers of the conference for the effort they put into the smooth functioning of the event.
Rachid MENDJELI (Ecole des Hautes Etudes des Sciences sociales, Paris) : merci pour l'organisation de ce colloque qui fut enrichissant
Translation : Thank you for organizing such an enriching conference.
"Rachid Mendjeli, a graduate student at the Ecole des hautes etudes des sciences sociales in Paris - a very prestigious school - who is also, we learned, a professional storyteller. So we had him tell us a story at the end of the first day. A marvelous experience and just what we needed!" said Dr Annette Hayward of the French Studies department.
Some of the participants listening to Rachid's story
Cyril Piroux (Ph.D. co-tutelle between the l'Université de Franche-Comté and the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi) : Un colloque d'une grande diversité qui nous a transporté en deux jours et par le seul pouvoir des mots et des images, d'un continent à l'autre, à travers des cultures, des mémoires, des voix et des histoires différentes. Une fois encore, une très belle idée du partage, de la puissance de la littérature et de l'importance de ce genre d'événement, pour l'avenir tout simplement.
Translation : A conference of great diversity that transported us, in two days, and by the sole power of words and images, from one continent to another, across many different cultures, memoirs, voices and stories. Once again, a great idea to thus encourage the sharing of the power of literature, since this type of event is important, quite simply, for the future.
Eugénia Neves dos Santos (Université de Montréal): This past weekend, I had the privilege of being one of the participants at the conference "Entre mémoire et histoire" organized by Guy Tegomo and Azouz Ali-Ahmed, students in the Department of French Studies at Queen's. Of all the conferences I have been to, I have never been to one as welcoming and intellectually stimulating as this one. This conference has allowed me not only to share my research with other colleagues but also, to learn a great deal about other Francophone literatures. Thank you for providing me with this enriching experience.
Alexie Tcheuyap, University of Toronto (Keynote Speaker):It was for me not only a wonderful "homecoming" (I am a Queen's graduate), but also an opportunity to meet and exchange with young and enthusiastic scholars. The conference was well organized and well planned, and many of the papers were exceptionally good.
Rachel VAN DEVENTER (U. d'Ottawa) :J'aimerais vous remercier d'avoir organisé un colloque d'une telle ampleur et d'une telle qualité. Je trouve que la diversité des sujets de communications ainsi que la participation active de nos collègues ont réussi à créer une expérience professionnelle académique dont nous avons tous et toutes besoin.
Translation : I would like to thank you for organizing a conference of such breadth and quality. I found that the diversity of the papers as well as the active participation of our colleagues succeeded in creating a professional academic experience such as all of us need.
Ramona MIELUSEL (U. of Toronto) : Je voulais vous dire que ça a été un très grand plaisir pour moi de participer à la conférence à Queen's University ce week-end, de vous rencontrer et d'écouter vos présentations intéressantes! Je veux aussi remercier le Département d'Etudes françaises de l'Université Queens et les organisateurs de la conférence. Un grand merci à Usha et à Audace (est-ce que vous pourriez suivre ce message à eux aussi?), encore une fois, pour leur hospitalité.
Translation : I just want to say that it was a great pleasure for me to participate in the conference at Queen's University this weekend, to make you acquaintance and to listen to your interesting presentations.I would also like to thank to Department of French Studies at Queen's University and the organizers of the conference. A big thank-you to Usha and Audace [Queen's graduate students who billeted participants at the conference], once again, for their hospitality.
Sébastien Côté (Carleton University, Second Keynote Speaker): Un colloque bien organisé, belle salle, accueil admirable, même du beau temps. Que demander de plus? Bien entendu, des communications fouillées, qui me rappellent tout ce que je n'ai pas encore lu!
Translation : A well-organized conference, a beautiful room, great hospitality, even good weather. What more could one ask for? And of course, well researched papers, that reminded me of all the books I still have to read!
Alexandre Trudel, (Université de Montréal): J'ai été fort bien accueilli lors de ce colloque, qui a permis des échanges intellectuels fertiles. Le professionnalisme et la générosité des organisateurs et de tous ceux qui ont contribué à l'événement furent exemplaires.
Translation : I felt very welcome at this conference, which made possible some very fertile intellectual exchanges. The professionalism and the generosity of the organizers and all those who made the event possible were exemplary.
Catherine Lord (M.A., Queen's): The graduate student conference was a great success because it allowed M.A. and Ph.D. students to present the results of their research to other students who don't have as much knowledge in those areas. Thus, the conference not only allowed for a dialogue between young researchers, but the comments given and the questions brought up at the end of their papers will help them pursue their research and their reflections even further. On a more personal level, it allowed me a chance to see some of the difficulties inherent in giving learned papers and to have a better idea of an exercise that I will soon be expected to participate in.
Audace Manirakiza (Ph.D. student, Queen's) : First of all, I would say that there was a very good participation at the conference. Researchers came from France, Algeria, Toronto, Québec... Many interesting papers were presented. During two days, in a relaxed atmosphere, researchers exchanged ideas related to the theme of "Between memory and history". A lively debate often followed the papers, and it was enriching for all. Of course, the storytelling by Rachid was a great way to end off the first day of the conference. I also noticed that there was a good participation by the professors of the Department of French Studies, both in attending the conference and helping behind the scenes. The organization was great, both from a logistical and technical point of view.
French version:
D'abord, je dirais qu'il y a eu une très bonne participation. Des chercheurs venus de France, d'Algérie, de Toronto, de Québec, ... ont répondu à ce rendez-vous. Des exposés intéressants ont été présentés. Pendant deux jours et dans une ambiance agréable et détendue, ces chercheurs ont échangé autour du thème «Entre mémoire et histoire ». Un débat très animé suivait chaque présentation et c'était enrichissant pour tous. Évidemment, le conte de Rashid est venu clore en beauté la première journée du colloque. J'ai aussi remarqué une forte participation des professeurs du Département d'études françaises que ce soit dans la conduite des débats ou dans l'organisation en général. L'organisation qui, disons-le, était impeccable tant au niveau logistique que technique.
Antoine Marie Zacharie Habumukiza (M.A., Queen's) : Since I just arrived at Queen's to begin my studies at the M.A. level, this Conference was be an unforgettable event because it gave me my first chance to become familiar with the type of subjects that interest university researchers, both professors and students, especially in the field of literature. It was a great beginning for me.
Pour moi qui venais tout juste d'arriver à l'Université Queen's pour commencer mes études de 2e cycle, ce Colloque restera inoubliable du fait qu'il m'a donné une toute première occasion de découvrir les préoccupations des "chercheurs", professeurs et étudiants, des milieux universitaires, surtout dans le domaine littéraire. Ce fut pour moi un beau début.
Azouz Ali Ahmed (Ph.D., Queen's and co-organizer of the Conference): The international graduate students' conference organized at Queen's was a great success. The quality of the papers, many of which will be submitted for publication in one or two special issues of the Revue Frontenac (the learned journal published by the graduate students in the Department of French Studies), was very impressive. The conference, thanks to efforts by one and all, took place in a very convivial atmosphere that was much appreciated by the participants, who came from Europe and Africa as well as from many parts of Canada. A special word of appreciation should be offered for the help given by the host university, which responded with great speed to all requests made by the organizing committee. The many words of thanks that have been received from the external participants, most of whom were billeted by students from Queen's, made us proud to belong to Queen's University.
Le colloque international étudiants de deuxième et troisième cycles organisé à Queen's University fut un franc succès à tous les niveaux. La qualité des communications, qui feront l'objet d'une publication sous forme d'actes ou de numéros spéciaux de la revue Frontenac, a surpris par le niveau scientifique élevé. Le colloque s'est, également, déroulé, grâce à la mobilisation de tous, dans une atmosphère conviviale vivement appréciée par les participants venus d'Europe, D'Afrique et du Canada. Un hommage particulier doit être rendu à l'institution universitaire qui, avec une dynamique extraordinaire, a répondu à toutes les demandes formulées par le comité d'organisation. Les remerciements des participants, dont la plupart ont été logés et accueillis par les étudiants(es), suscitent en nous un sentiment de fierté ineffable d'appartenance à Queen's University.
Azouz Ali Ahmed, membre organisateur du colloque.
Annette Hayward (former Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Department of French Studies): I would like to congratulate Guy Tegomo and Azouz Ali Ahmed for their organization of a very successful international graduate students' conference. I am very proud of the professionalism that they demonstrated during the entire process. Since I was the Graduate Coordinator who suggested the idea, I did my best to be there to help when necessary, and I am sure I speak for them as well when I say that it was an exhausting but exhilarating experience. I would like to especially thank Colette Steer, from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, who was always there to help, and whose encouragement was vital to the success of the Conference.