Abstracts, Seminar 24 |
The abstracts are copied as received. |
Associate Professor Sachie Asaka , Japan
Lecturer Sara Reis da Silva, Portugal
(1)
Human Security and Stories in History: the Telling of Modern Folktales Human beings have been telling stories to young people in order to foster peace and development in their societies. Even if people had to leave this world, they left stories behind them, and such folktales were told by ordinary people. Through these folktales all over the world, we can understand the real thoughts and feelings of the common people. And sometimes the voices and wishes of dying people during wartime or depressions remain with us as modern folktales. In this presentation I would like to share the Japanese experience by analyzing the works of Miyoko MATSUTANI (1926- ) one of the most prestigious and popular writers of children's literature who has been enriching her stories in the "forest" of modern folktales. She has been nominated five times for the Hans Christian Anderson Awards from Japan, in 1978, '80, '82, '84 and '86.
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Atlantic vocation, myths and legends in Portuguese literature for children and young adults: the case of Manuel António Pina's Os Piratas Sara Reis da Silva University
of Minho
( Braga – Portugal ) sara_silva@iec.uminho.pt AbstractBearing in mind that the search for and the affirmation of a national identity entail the sharing of myths, legends and common memories, in which literature plays a seminal role, this paper will attempt a reading of Manuel António Pina's Os Piratas [ The Pirates ] (1986/2003) by means of the consideration of how these shared references function. This story, published for the first time in 1986 and later adapted for the theatre, has also been translated into Danish as Soroverne (Copenhagen: Skovlaenge Forlaget), and is one of the most representative works in Pina's oeuvre. In the novella Os Piratas , elements that are part of the Portuguese historical and literary memory are fictionalised, including topics such as the Atlantic vocation of the nation, maritime adventures, the dangers of piracy, shipwrecks, male heroism, female loneliness and male absence, and the narrativisation of the voyage. The text accordingly requires a range of intertextual readings in order to deal with this intersection of history and fantasy: there are frequent citations of legends and myths as well as subtle indications of Portuguese geography and history, and both aspects are integral to the construction of the narrative. Sara Reis da Silva is a lecturer at the University of Minho (Children's Studies Institute) ( Braga , Portugal ). Her teaching and investigation are in the area of literary studies, particularly children's literature. She is a member of the research projects “Children's Literature and Education for Literacy” under the aegis of LIBEC (Centre of Investigation on Children's Literacy and Well-Being – University of Minho , Portugal ) and “Children's literature in the iberic context” – LIJMI ( University of Santiago de Compostela , Spain ). She is also part of the project Gulbenkian/Casa da Leitura ( www.casadaleitura.org ). She is a member of APPLIJ, the Portuguese section of IBBY, and of ELOS, a Portuguese-Galaic research association of literature for children and young adults. She has participated in several national and international conferences in this area of study and she has published widely on literature of Portuguese authorship for children. In 2002, she published A Identidade Ibérica em Miguel Torga (Principia) and, in 2005, Dez Réis de Gente… e de Livros Notas sobre Literatura Infantil (Caminho). She is a regular contributor to the children's literature magazine Malasartes [Cadernos de Literatura para a Infância e Juventude] . At present, she is working on her PhD on Portuguese Literature for Children, mainly focusing on the work of Manuel António Pina.
Epics Created History Author, child psychologist, Dr. Ira Saxena, India
The two great epics – Ramayana, ‘The Story of Rama', written by Valmiki, and Mahabharat, ‘The Great War', written by the learned sage Vyaas - are the vestiges of a rich and antique Indian tradition. In their vast structure, the epics accumulate the essential pulse of life and relationships, even the activity of a philosophic mind. They are the voice of youth of a people that is not just fresh but greatly accomplished, wise and noble. It is an expression not of an individual mind but mind of a people. The renditions of the epics, again, are historical traditions evolving fresh approaches in art and aesthetic substance with every age. The publishing industry does not tire of producing fresh presentation of the stories. Each rewritten book on the epics or stories from epics presents an immaculate approach, stylistically and aesthetically appropriate for the tale.
About the Author Dr. Ira Saxena: A child psychologist, writer and critic of children's books she has been writing mostly realistic stories, novels and non-fiction on the non-violent struggle for India's Independence. Her short stories and novels on computer crime have been very popular among children. She writes both in Hindi and English for children of all ages. Many of her short stories and novels have won awards. She is the recipient of Shankar's Silver Medal for Writing in 1996 and White Raven's recognition in Germany in 2000. She is committed to the cause of Children's literature in India for which she has participated in conferences on children's literature in India and abroad and published many articles. A founding member and Secretary of the Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children she is involved in development of good literature for children. Her award winning books are, ‘The Virus Trap', ‘Gajmukta ki Talaash' and ‘Manmauji Mamaji'.
Some Recent Publications: 1. Papers and Articles in Literary Journals and Conference Proceedings. 2. Fiction and Non-Fiction: Island of Seagulls - Novel Children's Book Trust, New Delhi Caught by Computer - Novel, Children's Book Trust, New Delhi. The Virus Trap - Novel, Children's Book Trust, New Delhi. For the Green Planet – Novel Children's book Trust, New Delhi. Triumph of Non-Violence – Non-Fiction Frank Brothers, New Delhi. Together We Marched - Story Collection Publications Division, GOI. Manmauji Mamaji - Story Collection in Hindi, Children's Book Trust. Gajmukta Ki Talaash – Novel in Hindi Children's Book Trust. (Winner of Shankar's Award for Writing) Faces in my Cupboard - Collection of Stories, Arvind Prakashan. Panna – The Lonely Duckling – Picture Book, “ “ “ Gabbu and his Long Trunk – Picture Book, “ “ “ Tales of Vishnu, – Picture Books, Nita Mehta Publications Tales of Shiva - “ “ “ “
Address: Dr. Ira Saxena, B – 169, Sector 44, NOIDA. 201301. INDIA. Phone: +91.120.2433691, +91.1204331537 +91.9810989479 (mob.) Email: irasaxena@iname.com saxena.ira@gmail.com
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