*American Literary History presents a Special Issue: Writing the Presidency *

Editors: Stephanie Li and Gordon Hutner

 

*About this issue*

 

The essays contained in this ALH forum on “Writing the Presidency” detail a long tradition of writings by and about US presidents, analyzing how the rhetoric surrounding presidential writing signifies in its immediate political moment, and subsequently how such texts seek to define American patriotism and leadership. Taking up multiple and diverse methodologies, questions, and subjects, the authors gathered here demonstrate how presidents and presidential candidates help construct our national ideals.

 

Three of the articles from this Special Issue have been made FREE until the end of November.

 

There Were Two Gerald Fords: John Hersey and Richard Reeves Profile a President James L. Baughman

 

Reagan and the Rise of the Blockbuster Political Memoir Craig Fehrman

 

The Parallel Lives of Bill Clinton

Stephanie Li

 

 

*Additional articles in this Special Issue include:*

 

Introduction: Writing the Presidency

Stephanie Li and Gordon Hutner

 

Profiles in Courage, JFK’s Book for Boys John Michael

 

The Primary Colors of American Politics

John M. Murphy

 

“America’s Exhibit A”: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Living History and the Genres of Authenticity Sidonie Smith

 

Commentary: Do the Write Thing: Politics, Prose, and the Presidency Glenn C. Altschuler

 

Commentary

Dana D. Nelson

 

The Rise of the Academic Novel

Jeffrey J. Williams

 

The Humanities and the National Interest Eric J. Sundquist

 

What Can American Studies and Comparative Literature Learn from Each Other Ali Behdad

 

Alienation Revisited

Johannes Voelz

 

To browse the full Special Issue online visit:

 

If your institution subscribes, you will be able to access the full text articles.

To recommend this journal to your librarian view the form here:

 

October 2012

Dear MA student

Welcome to the Irish Association for American Studies, an all-island forum for the discussion, dissemination and promotion of American Studies. Founded in the 1970s, we are a constituent member of the EAAS (European Association for American Studies (www.eaas.eu). We hold an annual conference each April (in 2013, the University of Limerick is the venue) as well as a postgraduate and early career symposium each January in Dublin.

 As a student enrolled either on a dedicated American Studies or literature MA programme or who will be studying American subjects this year, you automatically qualify for a year’s free membership of the Association. After that time, we would very much hope that our activities and events will encourage you to continue your membership: the annual student fee is currently €10/£8.

 Your membership of the IAAS includes:

 *Automatic membership of the EAAS (European Association for American Studies)

*Free access to JSTOR’s Ireland Collection

*Invitations to upcoming IAAS conferences and symposiums

* A special subscription rate for the Journal of American Studies:

EITHER an individual print+online subscription from 2012 for €40,

OR IAAS members can take an individual online-only subscription for a rate of €30.

To avail of this offer, please contact Cambridge journals directly, noting your IAAS membership: journals@cambridge.org

 The history of the IAAS is marked by the influence of history and literature departments. While maintaining this core element in our membership, the Association is eager to broaden its base, and to promote the interdisciplinary and integrated study of American cultures.

 The IAAS is entering a new stage of development: our updated website has just come online and a revamp of our online journal (www.ijasonline.com) is home to the most up-to-date American Studies scholarship in Ireland.

 We aim to develop our interest for the benefit of students, researchers, teachers and the general public, and to create the resources to achieve the fullest sense of community for those interested in American Studies. By broadening the appeal of American subjects beyond a solely academic constituency we can demonstrate the impact that academics have on wider society.

 We are supporting the work of our postgraduate and early career members through three new initiatives:

 i) IAAS Postgraduate Research & Travel Bursary

This scheme is open to postgraduate members of the IAAS to assist with research and/or travel requirements (e.g. visits to archives, travel to conferences). The resources are aimed at making the difference between a successful applicant being able to travel to an archive or attend a conference, and not.  It is envisaged that grants will be made available where other funding options do not exist. The maximum monies available under this scheme each year will be €500.

 ii) IAAS Postgraduate BAAS Conference Bursary

As part of a reciprocal arrangement with the British Association for American Studies (BAAS), the IAAS is offering two awards to be made annually to two postgraduate members of the IAAS to travel to BAAS events: one award to attend and present at the BAAS postgraduate symposium (November), and the second to attend and present at the BAAS conference (April).

Each bursary will be to the value of £250 (stg).

 iii) IAAS Postdoctoral/Early Career Research & Travel Bursary

A bursary available to postdoctoral and early career members of the IAAS to assist with research and/or travel requirements (e.g. visits to archives, travel to conferences). The resources are aimed at making the difference between a successful applicant being able to travel to an archive or attend a conference, and not.  It is envisaged that grants will be supplemented by funds from other sources. The maximum monies available under this scheme each year will be €500. (Unclaimed monies in any year will be added to the available funds for the following calendar year.) Applications for this bursary are received on a rolling basis.

 Furthermore, every two years a joint IAAS/BAAS Postgraduate and Early Career Conference is held. The first was hosted at Trinity College Dublin in January 2012; the next will take place in Britain in the Autumn of 2014.

Regular updates of the Association’s activities can be found at www.iaas.ie where information on applying for the above bursaries and about forthcoming conferences, symposia and other events can be found.

I look forward to meeting you at at least one of our events this year and wish you well with your MA studies.

 

Philip McGowan, Chair IAAS,

Queen’s University Belfast

philip.mcgowan@qub.ac.uk