TROUBLE: A SYMPOSIUM - November 6-8, 2019

Trouble, in the context of English literature, is a wide-open concept. Trouble is also the theme and title of the 2019 Vanier College English Department’s annual symposium, which will involve speakers, performers, activists, poets, and writers who identify, challenge or even cause a little trouble through their work. The symposium will run November 6-8, 2019.

“In literature, texts can challenge our own comfort. Ultimately, we need a little trouble in our lives – to break the monotony of our own lives, sure, but also to recognize the issues we face, to encourage us to seek new ways of being, and to force us to confront the things we take for granted,” said Matt Goldberg principal organizer of the Vanier English Symposium.

Symposium highlights include the following:

A live CBC Radio taping of THE BRIDGE, which offers weekly in-depth conversations about culture with creators, will feature host Nantali Indongo in conversation with rapper Nate Husser, on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 12 pm.

ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO FAKE a panel discussion with CBC video journalist, Sarah Leavitt, McGill University librarian Emily Kingsland who has been studying the phenomenon of fake news, and Anders Yates, a Toronto-based satirist, whose work regularly appears in “The Beaverton”. Friday, Nov. 8, at 12 pm.

TRUE STORIES, TOLD LIVE, hosted by Francesca Esguerra, a producer for Confabulation – Montreal’s premier all-true storytelling series, will feature five stories that blur the line between fiction and memory, exploring the purpose and function of memory and memorial storytelling. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 8:30 am.

STORYTELLING THROUGH THE AGES, Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) dance artist, Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo, will demonstrate and speak about her relationship with telling stories inspired by her culture. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10:30 am.

REFUGEE BOULEVARD Tommy Strasser, Stacey Zembrzycki, Nancy Rebelo, Eszter Andorwill speak about bringing Holocaust survivors’ stories to life in a new interactive audio tour, refugeeboulevard.ca, that allows participants to walk in their footsteps. Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 12:30 pm.

FEAR OF MISSING OUT – GEORDIE THEATRE PERFORMANCE. Montreal’s Geordi Theatre will present a new work by local playwright, Michaela Di Cesare. Thursday, Nov. 7 at 8:10 am.

SEAN MICHAELS – A CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHOR. One of Montreal's most acclaimed writers, Sean Michaels will be discussing his work as a music critic and author of two novels, the Giller Prize-winning Us Conductors and 2019's The Wagers. Friday, Nov. 8 at 8:15 am.

 BE A GOOD GIRL: a one woman show created and performed by Adina Katz who combines drama, dark comedy, film sequences, and original songs to tell true stories of sexual assault and its repercussions. Friday, Nov. 8 at 10 am.

Events take place in the Vanier Auditorium (A-103). Open to the public.