Looser for president

English professor at the helm of Midwest Modern Language Association

Devoney LooserDevoney Looser is one busy woman these days. Fresh off a visit to Baltimore's Goucher College as a faculty scholar-in residence, soon she'll pack up again to present at the Brilliant Women conference at London's National Portrait Gallery. Add in her work as associate professor and literature coordinator in the English department, and one might wonder when she'll find time for her presidential duties.

Elected president of the Midwest Modern Language Association (M/MLA) last fall, Looser has been charged with all the expected responsibilities of such a position. She has program oversight, and she selected the theme for the coming November conference in Minneapolis: Fame/infamy. With 18 concurrent sessions, she needed a theme that could have broad application — something with meaning to all of the organization's 1000 members which includes disciplines as varied as comparative literature, English, the Romance languages, German, film and linguistics.

The perhaps cyclical buzz on Jane Austen is one of the things that led her to choose this year's theme. The waxing and waning of interest in Austen sometimes makes people wonder, "Why Austen, why now?" Looser says. Perhaps it's linked to pop culture to some extent: titles are revived and new movies are released that pique people's curiosity. "There's been a recent outpouring, as there was 10 to 12 years ago, and it's interesting to have lived through that moment as a scholar," she says. "Now I'm watching the same questions coming from the mass media and people who don't study Austen trying to figure out why now?" That special something (her fame, perhaps?) still speaks to us culturally.

What’s in a Name?

It's De-vuh-nee. Put a bit of emphasis on
the first syllable, and you've got it. Devoney.
When asked where her name came from,
she responded that her mother read it in
a book and was never able to locate it
again. "And I do believe her," Looser says
with a laugh. "I used to think that when I
turned 18 that she would say, 'Oh, here it
is. Adult content. I just couldn't admit it to
you growing up.' But she really read a
popular novel at some point and
remembered the name but forgot the book."

Looser thinks a good bit of Austen's perennial appeal is as simple as strong heroines and happy endings. To see that women can be strong and independent and still end up in a good situation is enticing. "It's been amusing to have been able to track her for such a long time. To know that in the 19th century she wasn't thought of as the great genius that we now see her as," Looser says.

She thinks it's compelling to watch the ins and outs of fame for many literary figures, and infamy has so many possibilities for a scholar — it seemed like a perfect theme for a conference. In addition to presiding over the conference as president of MMLA, she was involved in trying to find a new institutional sponsor for the group. After being housed at University of Iowa for more than 40 years, the group will call Loyola University–Chicago home beginning in January 2009.

Looser's term as MMLA president will wrap up in November 2008 after she presides over the convention.

Links:

Devoney Looser
Department of English

Midwest Modern Language Association

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