Press Room
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Press Room
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kyle Siebrecht, Associate Director Thursday February 5, 2009 The University of Miami and Florida International University present “Milton Alive at 400: Samson Agonistes and Religious Violence” celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of poet John Milton
On Thursday, February 26, 2009 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm an outstanding panel of Milton specialists from around the country will discuss “Samson Agonistes and Religious Violence” at Wesley House on the University of Miami campus. On Friday, February 27, 2009 from 9:30am to noon an interdisciplinary panel composed of faculty members from the University of Miami and Florida International University will discuss “Religion and Violence”. Panelists will include professors from the Religious Studies and Political Science Departments of both universities as well as from the University of Miami School of Law. This panel discussion will be held at the University Park Campus of Florida International University in CBC 254. Also on Friday, February 27, 2009 from 3:00pm – 5:00 pm a staged reading of Milton’s dramatic poem, Samson Agonistes, will be presented in the Studio Theatre, DM 150, on the University Park Campus of Florida International University. The reading will be directed by Associate Professor and Head of Performance Studies at Florida International University, Phillip Church, and performed by students in the Theatre Department at Florida International University. The Thursday February 26th panel, “Samson Agonistes and Religious Violence,” at the University of Miami, features eminent panelists such as: Stanley Fish, Davidson-Kahn Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Law at Florida International University in Miami, and online columnist for the New York Times. He is the author of ten books including some of the most influential work on Milton in the last fifty years. Other acclaimed panel members include: Feisal Mohamed, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, author of a recently published book-length study of Milton and an award-winning article on Samson and religious violence; and John Rumrich, Professor of English at the University of Texas, Austin, author of numerous books and articles on Milton, and co-editor of the very important new Modern Library edition of Milton's poetry and prose. Also on this panel are: Regina Schwartz, Professor of English at Northwestern University, author of Remembering and Repeating: Biblical Creation in Paradise Lost, which won the James Holly Hanford prize for the best book on Milton, and The Curse of Cain: The Violent Legacy of Monotheism, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize; and Susanne Woods, who has taught at Brown University, Franklin and Marshall College, and most recently at Wheaton College, where she was Provost from 1999 to 2006. She is the author of numerous scholarly studies and her current project is Freedom and Tyranny in Spenser and Milton. She is currently Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the UM English Department. The Friday interdisciplinary panel will feature distinguished faculty members from UM and FIU including Fred Frohock (UM Political Science), Erik Larson (FIU Religious Studies), Irene Oh (UM Religious Studies), Richard S. Olson (FIU Political Science), and Rob Rosen (UM School of Law). This important and thought-provoking panel discussion will focus on significant contemporary questions of religion and violence from the diverse viewpoints of a range of disciplines. This unique collaboration of two major regional universities, Florida International University and University of Miami, brings these distinguished authors and researchers to discuss such vital issues with our community. Free of charge to the public, it is an opportunity not to be missed. Thursday, February 26th at University of Miami and Friday, February 27th at Florida International University, commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Milton’s birth at “Milton Alive at 400: Samson Agonistes and Religious Violence”. For information: www.milton400.fiu.edu. All panels and performances are free and open to the public. For parking information, see the maps page. SponsorsWe wish gratefully to acknowledge the following for their generous support of this important conference Florida International University College of Arts and Sciences Florida International University English Department University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences University of Miami English Department University of Miami Humanities Center University of Miami Interdisciplinary Studies Programs The Florida International University Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta The Graduate English Association of Florida International University
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MIAMI, FL - “Milton Alive at 400: Samson Agonistes and Religious Violence”, a two day symposium,
will be presented by Florida International University and the University of Miami on
Thursday, February 26 and Friday, February 27, 2009.
Renowned scholars from around the country will join noted faculty
members from the two regional universities to hold panel discussions
on the fascinating and complex subject of religion, politics and violence.
Joining in the worldwide quadricentennary celebration of Milton’s birth,
they will use his closet drama, Samson Agonistes, as a springboard for these
discussions. The symposium will also offer the rare opportunity to see a
staged reading of Samson Agonistes. All events are free to the public.