Annual Twain Symposium Explores History of American Humor

Elmira, NY (10/14/2020) — The Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies recently presented the Seventh Quarry Farm Symposium, entitled "American Humor and Matters of Empire," organized by Judith Yaross Lee, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Communication Studies at Ohio University in Athens, OH.

The virtual event offered analyses of comic works and practices of film, literature, graphic art acoss the history of American humor with an eye to understanding the rhetorical and cultural significance of comic practices marked by colonial, postcolonial, and neo-colonial relations. A diverse group of scholars, both emerging and established, took up the transnational, historical, rhetorical, and ideological dimensions of American humor at the symposium.

"Every year, the Center for Mark Twain Studies holds an academic symposium at Quarry Farm," said Dr. Joe Lemak, CMTS director and assistant professor of history at Elmira College. "The purpose of the symposium is to create an intimate atmosphere in which participants can discuss and ask questions of each other's works, focused around a central theme. In the past, the picturesque and tranquil atmosphere has proven to be an ideal setting; however, due to the social and travel restrictions stemming from the COVI-19 pandemic, the event had to be moved to an online platform. Nevertheless, the event was a great success."

The Symposium program, along with recordings of the keynote address and session presentations, can be found on the CMTS website.

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The Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies recently presented the Seventh Quarry Farm Symposium, entitled "American Humor and Matters of Empire," organized by Judith Yaross Lee, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Communication Studies at Ohio University in Athens, OH.