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11 April 2008
English Dept. Professor Receives Honorable Mention in National Literary Award

Dr. Andrea Porter, Assistant Professor of English, Jacksonville State University recently received Honorable Mention for her paper presented to the College English Association (CEA) at their 39th Annual National CEA Conference. Her paper was submitted in competition for the James R. Bennett Award for Literature and Peace 2008.

This award is presented annually on behalf of the Peace Prize Committee for a paper or project that contributes significantly through action or understanding, to the prospect of living in harmony with the Earth and humankind. Papers are submitted to the CEA Peace Panel organizer. Dr. Porter's paper entitled "Jarhead and the Failure of the Vietnam Myth" was one of only three entries receiving Honorable Mention.

As a result of her recognition, Dr. Porter was invited to be part of the Peace Panels at CEA at their next annual national CEA Conference. Dr. Porter was also encouraged to submit her paper in consideration for publication in the CEA publication The Critic.

Dr. Porter's research interest is primarily 20th Century American literature, particularly literature of the Vietnam War, which served as her dissertation topic. She also works with Vietnamese texts about the war, and has studied the Vietnamese language for over three years. Last fall, she presented a paper on Vietnamese texts at the "Vietnam War in Film and Literature" Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is revising her dissertation for publication.

Dr. Porter has also delivered papers at SAMLA, the Sylvia Plath 70th Year Symposium, and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Conference in Nice, France. Her other teaching and research interests include Caribbean Literature, Southern Literature, and Popular Culture.

Dr. Porter serves as an Advisor to the Zeta Tau Alpha chapter at JSU, and she is also a National Officer for the sorority.

On Wednesday, April 16, 2008, the English Department Lecture Series of Jacksonville State University will be presenting a reading by Dr. Porter of this paper “Jarhead and the Failure of the Vietnam Myth.” See related article on this paper by clicking here: Eng. Dept. Lect. Series-Marine's Chronicles...Disillusionment w/Gulf War Apr. 19.

Dr. Porter will supplement her reading of Jarhead with clips from the film of the same name and from Vietnam War films.

This presentation will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Room 233 - Stone Center on the campus of Jacksonville State University and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Teresa Reed at (256)782-5456 or send e-mail to treed@jsu.edu.

 


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