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October 10, 2011

As I write this column, the final details are falling into place for our upcoming Atkins Goethe Conference in Chicago. In looking over the program, it is very clear how alive and well Goethe studies are.  Nearly one hundred participants have registered (and you can still register in Chicago should you wish to attend), and the speakers from our twenty-two panels hail from seven different countries. Topics are wide-ranging: we will be learning and debating about Goethe and sustainability, Muslim thought, aesthetics, Romanticism, the philosophy of sex, family configurations, and many other topics. I am particularly excited by our line-up of keynote speakers: our conference participants will have the opportunity to hear from Dieter Borchmeyer, Martin Walser, and David Wellbery. In reviewing the names of the conference participants, I am very pleased to see both how many familiar names are among the speakers as well as how many new names appear. Even if you are able to attend the conference this year, I invite you to review the program to see the breadth of current Goethe scholarship.

Our conference will begin on Thursday 3 November at 6:15 with our annual business meeting where the Society officers will report on all aspects of the GSNA—from the state of our finances to details of upcoming publications. As many of you know, these meetings generally have taken place at the MLA. By holding this year’s meeting in Chicago, we are freeing up our time at the MLA to focus entirely upon our two panels: “Goethe and Islam” (5 January 2012 at 5:15 p.m.) and “Money, Money, Money” (7 January 2012 at 10:15 a.m.). The rewards for attending this year’s business meeting will be immediate: the conference reception begins at 7pm where we will be able to toast “Goethe and Change” against the backdrop of a stunning view of the city of Chicago!

Although most of the conference program speaks for itself, I would like to remind our members that Jane Brown (editor of the Society’s book series) and Daniel Purdy (editor of the Goethe Yearbook) will be on hand on Saturday during the lunch hour to hold “office hours” to meet with prospective authors about potential projects and to answer any questions authors may have about the Society’s publications.

The Society is extremely grateful to our conference sponsors. Our profound thanks go to Mr. Stuart Atkins for his commitment to endow the conference in honor of his parents, Lillian and Stuart P. Atkins.  We are also grateful to the Max Kade Foundation, the DAAD, the German Consulate General of Chicago, the Goethe Institut of Chicago, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago for their support of the conference.

I look forward to seeing many of you soon in Chicago!

Astrida Tantillo
University of Illinois, Chicago
    

October 10, 2011

In an ongoing effort to increase the strength of the society, the GSNA is always looking for new members. We ask for your assistance in this endeavor. If you know of any scholars or other interested parties who are interested in the Age of Goethe, but are not yet members, would you please encourage them to join the society? We are particularly interested in recruiting younger scholars—current and recent graduate students—to ensure the society's future for decades to come. Joining is simple. Thanks for your support in this endeavor.

Claire Baldwin
Colgate University
  

October 10, 2011

The GSNA maintains a listserv, goethe-l@davidson.edu, to help facilitate the exchange of ideas among its members. To subscribe, or unsubscribe, members should send an email message to webmaster@goethesociety.org.