The Autumn Criticism School will take place
From 23 to 27 October 2023, the Autumn Criticism School will be organized at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia within the framework of the project “Narrative, Form, and Voice: The Embeddedness of Literature in Culture and Society.” The Criticism School is held in cooperation with the journal Domuzīme. Masterclasses will be led by literary critic Anda Baklāne, LU LFMI researcher and poet Ivars Šteinbergs, as well as the editorial team of Domuzīme. Sessions will also be led by Janīna Kursīte, Professor at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Latvia, and Sandra Meškova, Associate Professor at Daugavpils University.
The Autumn Criticism School particularly invites master’s students of the University of Latvia, master’s students of Liepāja University, as well as master’s students in the humanities from other Latvian higher education institutions. During the course, students will also engage in practical work, some of which requires advance preparation. All sessions will take place online via Zoom.
To receive the Zoom link, please send your application to Ingus Barovskis at ingus.barovskis@lu.lv.
Programme
Assignment for the final seminar on 27 October:
Write a review of a short story or a selection of poems published in cultural periodicals (free choice).
23 October
18:00 – Criticism Masterclass
Led by Anda Baklāne (literary critic, recipient of the Normunds Naumanis Award, Head of Digital Research Services at the National Library of Latvia).
Student task: Reflect on the question: Is there a critic whose work you have liked, found useful, or found inspiring? If so, what exactly resonated with you? You may read a few quotations. Any critic—Latvian or international, from any period or art field—is suitable.
24 October
18:15 – “Gynocriticism: The Question of Feminine Writing”
Led by Sandra Meškova (Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Daugavpils University).
Student task: Choose a “woman’s awakening story” in Latvian literature (or another national literature) and formulate how the author presents, addresses, problematizes, resolves, or leaves unresolved this theme.
25 October
18:00 – “Poetry Criticism: Aspects of Form and Poetics”
Led by Janīna Kursīte (Professor, Faculty of Humanities, University of Latvia).
19:30 – Poetry and Criticism Masterclass
Led by Ivars Šteinbergs (researcher at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia; poet; translator).
Student task: Choose one contemporary Latvian poem and write one paragraph about it. Main requirement: quote a fragment of the poem in the paragraph. It is also recommended (but not mandatory) to address the question of how this text relates to other texts and to the critic writing the paragraph.
26 October
18:00 – Domuzīme Magazine Masterclass
Led by Rudīte Kalpiņa, Jānis Vādons, Mārtiņš Mintaurs, Arnis Koroševskis.
Tasks:
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Prepare (as specific as possible) questions for discussion.
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Reflect on the characteristics and criteria of high-quality criticism.
27 October
Final seminar and discussion.
The Autumn Criticism School is organized within the project “Narrative, Form, and Voice: The Embeddedness of Literature in Culture and Society,” implemented under the State Research Programme “Letonica for the Development of a Latvian and European Society.”
Project No.: VPP-LETONIKA-2022/3-0003-0
