English department lands $182,000 Fulbright studies grant

Northern Illinois University has received a Federal Assistance Award in the amount of $182,000 from the U.S. Department of State to conduct a Fulbright American Studies Institute on Contemporary American Literature this summer.

The American Studies Institute, designed by NIU's Department of English, is called "Redefining American Spaces: The City, the Land, and the Body." 

The Department of English, in collaboration with NIU's International Training Office, will host 18 educators from all over the world in order to enhance their understanding of U.S. society and culture through the study of contemporary American literature. Studied works will include "The Monkey Wrench Gang" by Edward Abbey, "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros, "Dispatches" by Michael Herr, "Power" by Linda Hogan, "Outer Dark" by Cormac McCarthy and "A Thousand Acres" by Jane Smiley.

The institute will feature a travel-study component to the Tarryall Valley of central Colorado, also the location of the Outpost NIU summer program (formerly known as Xtreme Lit.).  Professors from the NIU Department of English and numerous invited scholars and writers from the Chicago area and around the nation will teach institute sessions, which will run from July 1 to August 12.

Heather Hardy, English department chair, coordinated the proposal. English Professor Keith Gandal will serve as academic director of the Institute, while NIU International Training Office Director Lina Ong will serve as administrative director. English Professors James Giles (special advisor), David Barrow, Ibis Gomez-Vega, Amy Newman and other members of the International Training Office will comprise the Institute staff.