Veronica Austen

Associate Dean, Associate Professor
Veronica Austen profile photo

Department of English

PhD, University of 蓝莓视频

MA, University of 蓝莓视频

BA Honours, University of Guelph

P: 519-884-8111 x28300

E: vjausten@uwaterloo.ca

Office:聽SH 1204; SH 2202

Biography

Coming to St. Jerome's University as a specialist in Postcolonial and Canadian Literature represents a bit of a homecoming for me. Not only did I take ENGL聽316: Canadian Drama at St. Jerome's University from Dr. Ted McGee as I was deciding if I'd pursue graduate work, but also my first term as a graduate student brought me to St. Jerome's University聽for a course in Canadian Poetry. Much of my current work both as a researcher and a teacher has been inspired by those early experiences.聽

If I had to pick, I鈥檇 say poetry is my favourite genre to study (and to write), but my interests tend to be rather broad. My MA thesis dealt with representations of the supernatural in Canadian Children鈥檚 Literature (likely a bit inspired by the popularity of聽The X-Files at the time, I鈥檓 afraid) and my PhD dissertation focused on the use of visual experimentation by poets of the Caribbean diaspora (e.g., Claire Harris and M. NourbeSe Philip). I鈥檓 a bit artistic, with an undergraduate minor in Fine Arts, so my work in literary studies often deals with intersections between the visual arts and literature. My current project examines how the visual arts are used in contemporary Canadian literature to explore experiences of (un)belonging. I also very much value Canadian literature as something we live in the midst of; it surrounds us if we let it. As co-organizer of St. Jerome鈥檚 University's Reading Series, which brings Canadian writers to campus for readings, I hope to play a part in letting Canadian literature have a recognized and appreciated place among us.

Publications

The content that follows may only represent a portion of the Faculty member鈥檚 work.聽

Chapters

鈥溾業f I can make it there . . .鈥: Jann Arden鈥檚 American Dream.鈥澛Get Away From Me: Canadian Pop Music and American Culture. Ed. Tristanne Connolly and Tomoyuki Iino. Palgrave, 2017. 217-239.聽

Articles

Austen, Veronica J. "A Poetics of Elsewhere." Canadian Literature, no. 247 (2022): 176-83.

Austen, Veronica & Sylvia Terzian. 鈥淟ocating the Traveller: Genni Gunn and Nostalgia on the Move.鈥 Patterns of Nostos in Italian Canadian Narratives.聽Ed. 聽Gabriel Niccoli. Spec. issue of聽Italian Canadiana, Volume 35 (2021): 223-238. [Forthcoming]

鈥淪elf-consumption and Compromised Re-birth in Dabydeen鈥檚 鈥楾urner.鈥欌澛Cambridge Journal of Postcolonial Literary Inquiry聽3.2 (2016): 1-13.

鈥淪paces of Agency: Installation Art in Dionne Brand鈥檚聽What We All Long For.鈥澛Canadian Literature聽223 (2014): 67-83.

鈥淓mpathetic Engagement in Danticat鈥檚 Brother, I鈥檓 Dying.鈥 Ariel: A Review of International English Literature 44.2-3 (2013): 29-57.

鈥淧hotography as Failed Prosthetic Self-Creation in the Writing of Dionne Brand.鈥澛惭补颁辞尘猫谤别聽14.1-2 (2013-14): 43-61.

窜辞苍驳!鈥檚 鈥楽hould We?鈥: Questioning the Ethical Representation of Trauma.鈥 English Studies in Canada 37.3-4 (2011): 61-81. 聽聽聽

Others

鈥淎usterity and the Alt-Ac.鈥 Introduction. Co-authored with Clint Burnham. English Studies in Canada 39.4 (2013): 1-3.聽

鈥.鈥 Interview of M. NoubeSe Philipco-authored with Phanuel Antwi. Jacket2 17 September 2013. Web.聽 聽聽

鈥溾楬aven鈥檛 We Heard this all Before?鈥: Contingent Faculty and the Unchanging Times.鈥 English Studies in Canada 聽37.1 (2011): 13-16.

Courses taught

ENGL 101A: Introduction to Literary Studies

ENGL 208M: Travel Literature

ENGL 213/LS 292: Literature and the Law

ENGL 318: Contemporary Canadian Literature

ENGL 322: Postcolonial Literature of the Americas

ENGL 486: Topics in Literatures Modern to Contemporary

ENGL 795: Studies in Selected Topics [Topic: Monstrous Hunger/Hungry Monsters]

ARTS 130: Inquiry and Communication [Topic: Hungry I's]

Areas of graduate supervision

Canadian literature

Caribbean literature

Diaspora studies

Contemporary poetry and poetics

Visual arts in literature

Grants, fellowships and awards

Grants

UW/SSHRC Research聽Incentive聽Fund Award-Insight Development Grant: 鈥淎rtful (Un) Belonging: Expressing Racialization through the Visual Arts in Contemporary Canadian Literature鈥 (2017-2018)

UW/SSHRC Seed Grant: "The Visual Arts and Racial/Cultural Otherness in Contemporary Canadian Literature" (2016-2018)

Faculty Research Grant 鈥 St. Jerome鈥檚 University (2013-2014)聽

Fellowships

SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship (2002-2005)

Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2002-2003)

Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2001-2002)

Professional, administrative and community service

The content that follows may only represent a portion of the Faculty member鈥檚 work.

Administrative

St. Jerome's University

President 鈥 Academic Staff Association (2017-2019)

Co-Organizer of Reading Series with Tristanne Connolly (2010-present)聽

University of 蓝莓视频

Appointed Member 鈥 Senate Undergraduate Council (2016-2018)