Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi has won the Commonwealth short story prize for a piece praised by judges for its “risk-taking, grace and breadth”. Jennifer is a Ugandan who recently completed her PhD in Creative Writing at Lancaster University. She beat contenders from around the world to win the £5,000 award for ‘Let’s Tell This Story Properly’. Read the Guardian article on Jennifer’s… Continue reading Jennifer Makumbi wins Commonwealth Prize
Author: CTWR
Writing for Liberty Conference
‘Writing for Liberty’ will be a two-day conference held 17-18 April 2015, hosted by the Centre for Transcultural Writing and Research at Lancaster University. The Keynote speaker will be Véronique Tadjo, University of the Witwatersrand. Our Call for Papers is now available in the Writing for Liberty Journal.
Islamism and Arab Cultural Expression
A major project on Islamism is now archived on the Centre’s website. Visit our new page on the Islamism project to find an overview of ‘Islamism and Arab Cultural Expression’ and links to the Lancaster University website presenting the initial archiving and preliminary analysis project, entitled Islamism in Arab Fiction and Film, 1947 to the Present,… Continue reading Islamism and Arab Cultural Expression
BN Poetry Award 2014
Competition for the BN Poetry Award 2014 is now open. Fifteen Ugandan poets including BN Poetry Award first place winners will participate in the Prairie Schooner FUSION project for 2015 in collaboration with Ugandan photographer, Edward Echwalu. For Guidelines for Submissions and information on judges, please see the Flyer on this page and the attached Call… Continue reading BN Poetry Award 2014
Soran, 15 November 2013
This morning I wake to check the BBC regional news and read that 41 Shia Muslims have been killed in Iraq during Ashura, targeted by Sunni militants who have bombed religious processions. The festival marks the death of Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and is observed very strictly by Shias. It’s grim to think that… Continue reading Soran, 15 November 2013
Soran, 14 November 2013
Another beautiful day. I breakfast alone, then walk through the bazaar to take some photographs. When I get back to the hotel Muli tells me that out interview has been cancelled because today is Ashura, a religious festival and fasting day. Hopefully we’ll connect tomorrow. We make arrangements to join a picnic party instead. Just… Continue reading Soran, 14 November 2013
Soran, 13 November 2013
The call to prayer wakes me at 5.00am, so I catch up with a few emails before trying to sleep again since the traffic hasn’t yet started to move. When the day comes it’s a brilliant one, lit by mild autumn sun. I watch a group of children play outside as I wait for breakfast,… Continue reading Soran, 13 November 2013
Soran, 12 November 2013
I’m woken by cockerels calling across the city at five am, then the call to prayer, then the steady surge of traffic and voices in the street below. The two Yazidi boys who provide the catering have been given a wake-up call, so we breakfast on fried eggs, then yoghurt, instead of naan and jam.… Continue reading Soran, 12 November 2013
Soran, 11 November 2013
I’m woken by bright sunshine as well as the sound of traffic. The skies have cleared and the temperature has begun to rise after three overcast days. Today is my presentation to the English department at Soran about Lancaster, the Centre for Transcultural Writing, and what we hope to achieve through the new project here.… Continue reading Soran, 11 November 2013
Soran, 10 November 2013
Sunday morning and a working day at the University. I must have slept for at least ten hours and wake feeling much more prepared for things. No rain and light cloud is lit, pale saffron, above the circle of hills. After breakfast, we walk past shops, vegetable stalls and bakeries to Soran University where I… Continue reading Soran, 10 November 2013