Sonia Mereles Olivera, Ph.D.
Web Page: http://www.merelesolivera.com
EMPLOYMENT
2007- present Assistant Professor of Spanish & Latin American Studies. Sweet Briar College
2004- 2007 Assistant Professor of Romance Languages. Washington and Lee University
2003- 2004 Senior Lecturer of Spanish. Ohio State University
Fall 2002 Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish. Indiana Univ-Purdue Univ, Indianapolis
1994- 1997 Associate Instructor of Spanish. Indiana University, Bloomington
EDUCATION
2001 Ph.D. Indiana University, Bloomington. Hispanic Literature and Culture
Major: Spanish American Literature and Culture
Minor: Brazilian Literature & Portuguese. Doctoral Exams passed with distinction
1992 M.A. Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona-Spain. Master in Hispanic Literature & Culture
1989 Architect Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. Summa Cum Laude
BOOKS
2009 They Locked the Doors!: Narremas of the Ycuá Bolaños Tragedy / ¡Cerraron las Puertas! Narremas de la Tragedia de Ycuá Bolaños Asunción: Amambay. ISBN: 978-0-615-24168-5. Based on historical events of the national tragedy, the voice of the victims is strong in the Guaraní “Hymn of the Bones”. Presented at the “IV International Congress of Europe and the Americas” of the University of British Columbia. ~85 pages~
2008 Angel Skin / Piel de Ángel. Asunción: Amambay. ISBN: 978-0-615-22363-6. ~88 pages~
2007 Desolate World / En tu mundo deshabitado. Madrid: Torremozas. ISBN: 978- 84-7839-383-1. ~94 pages~
2005 Returning to Omega / Volviendo a Omega. Torremozas ISBN 84-7839-338-2 Awarded work that entails a vision of Spanish American ancient beliefs, while also devoting a contemporary look at the Southern Cone society. ~61 pages~
2004 Pure Stories / Puros cuentos. Madrid: Torremozas. ISBN: 84-7839-306-4. Paraguayan socio-historical contemporary background. Although based on traces of the spoken Spanish of the region, it was accepted with praise in Spain as being “a very engaging text, easy to follow by both Paraguayans and foreigners”. In 2005 it was part of a critical study published by Scott A. Schwenter; in addition to being reviewed in Europe by Professor Kurt Spang. ~87 pages~
2003 Spanish American Icons: Nicanor Parra and Ernesto Cardenal / Cumbres poéticas latinoamericanas: Nicanor Parra y Ernesto Cardenal. Currents in Comparative Romance Languages and Literatures. New York, Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels, Vienna, Oxford: Lang. ISBN: 08204-6323-X. In-depth study of the various Spanish-American icons from 1950 to the present days. The first chapter shows an emphasis on South American representatives such as Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, Vicente Huidobro, César Vallejo and Jorge Luis Borges, amongst others. The second chapter is a study of Chilean representatives such as Ariel Dorfman, Enrique Lihn, Juan Cameron, Raúl Zurita, and in particular, Nicanor Parra’s literary trajectory. The third chapter presents Central America through its Nicaraguan figures: Gioconda Belli, José Antonio Cuadra, Ernesto Mejía Sánchez, and more specifically, Ernesto Cardenal’s illustrious career. The analysis includes a vision of the contemporary literature in Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Puerto Rico, among others. It also provides a chapter devoted to Latino Studies in the U.S. with emphasis in Chicano and Nuyorican expressions, new age electronic literature with its poetry on-line, and literature written by women. ~284 pages~
Books as Solicited Reviewer
2010 That’s the Way We See It: Intermediate Spanish / Así lo veo: Gente, Perspectivas, Comunicación lo veo. McGraw-Hill by Michael Leeser, Bill VanPatten, and Gregory Keating. ISBN-10: 00-735-344-04. ~480 pages.
2010 Amerindian Elements in the Poetry of Ernesto Cardenal: Mythic Foundations of the Colloquial Narrative. Mellen Press by John Morrow. ISBN-10: 077-343-660-X. ~356 pages.
ARTICLES IN PROGRESS
2011 “Ser-con-los-demás: Comunión cósmica en el Cántico de Ernesto Cardenal”. Revista de Estudios Hispánicos Vol. 2008.1. In press.
2011 “Cosmic Quilt: Religious Thread in the Poetic Science of Cardenal’s Music of the Spheres” presented in Oxford-England at Merton College.
PUBLISHED ARTICLES
2010 “Crossing Borders: Mario Benedetti and Ariel Dorfman” / “Cruzando las fronteras del género: Mario Benedetti y Ariel Dorman”. Cuadernos Americanos 131 Vol. 1: 24 (Enero-Marzo 2010): 47-70.
2007 “Victoria Ocampo: a Woman’s Testimony” / “Reflejo de circunstancias: Victoria Ocampo, mujer testimonio”. Cuadernos Americanos. 120 Vol. 2: 21 (Abril-Junio 2007): 173-186.
2003 “Communal Practices: Strategies for Coexistence in Cosmic Canticle by Ernesto Cardenal” / “Prácticas de descentramiento: Estrategias de coexistencia en el Cántico cósmico de Ernesto Cardenal”. Encuentros de viejos y nuevos mundos. Asociación Estudios Culturales Hispánicos (2003): 67-77.
2002 “Ernesto Cardenal: One Love in Every Way” / “Ernesto Cardenal: Un amor en todos los sentidos” Revista Brasileira do Caribe. Universidad Federal de Goiás. 4 (2002): 7-22.
2000 “Eco-Criticism of America in the Poetic Works of Pablo Neruda” / “América natural en la trayectoria poética de Pablo Neruda”. Selected Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Symposium on Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Literature, Language and Culture. (2000): 55-60.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2010 Fulbright Scholar Award Lecture and Research appointment to benefit the Center of Post-Graduate Studies and Professional Research of the Catholic University of Asuncion.
2010 Sigma Delta Pi Sociedad National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society / Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica Inducted Honorary Member on April 26th.
2009 Louise Garrard Davis Blanchard Memorial Fund Fellow for the Oxford/ Berkeley Program Scholarship to attend the course “Scientific Imagination: From Antiquity to Quantum Physics” July 6th – 25th at Merton College, in Oxford England.
2009 Sweet Briar College Faculty Grant to present at the VIII International Conference of Hispanic Literature from March 9th – 12th in Costa Rica.
2008 Sweet Briar College Faculty Grant to present at Congreso Internacional de Literatura in Perú.
2007 Keynote Speaker at Lafayette College. Second Latino Awareness Conference: Testimonial Literature and Social Movements in Latin America, March 22nd-25th to present “Ernesto Cardenal’s Denunciation, Ideology and History: Stylistic Devices of Testimonial Literature”.
2006 Washington and Lee Glenn Grant Research Award to complete article on Victoria Ocampo.
2006 Invited poet Virginia Poetry Center’s April Event to celebrate National Poetry Month.
My poem was presented both in poster format and sound recording format at the WLU exhibit.
2001 Indiana University - Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Grant to complete book and two articles on Ernesto Cardenal (Nicaragua), published in 2003.
•International Poetry Award 1992 “Concurso de Poesía de la Universidad de Navarra” (Spain)
•International Poetry Award 1988 “Concurso de Poesía del Instituto Cultural Amigos del Arte”
•International Poetry Award 1986 “Concurso de Poesía Interuniversitario”
•International Poetry Award 1983 “Concurso de Poesía del Colegio Internacional”
•International Travel Grant 1983 – Bienal Argentina at Universidad de la Plata, Buenos Aires.
•International Fellowship 1981 granted by Government of Argentina to attend Universidad de la Plata
Courses proposed and/or taught in the US at
SBC, WLU, OSU, IU-Bloomington and IUPUI-Indianapolis
US Hispanic Literature: A seminar course in translation offering a view of the rich and complex culture of Latinos, Chicanos, Nuyoricans, and US Hispanics through its 20th Century literature: short story, novel, poetry, autobiography. Hispanic identity studied as a concept via cultural, historical, and linguistic approaches.
Spanish American Women Writers: From America into the Twenty-First Century. A study of the most notable contemporary Spanish American women writers including U.S. Hispanic writers like Sandra Cisneros. Contains representative works by Elena Poniatowska, Ángeles Mastretta, Rosario Ferré, Laura Esquivel, Ana Lydia Vega, Griselda Gambaro, Claribel Alegría, Isabel Allende and the testimonial literature of Rigoberta Menchú and Domitila Barrios.
Spanish American Poetry Icons. The seminar provides advanced analysis of the most relevant poets in the Hispanic speaking world including U.S. Hispanic poetry. Includes representative works by Octavio Paz, Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda, Vicente Huidobro, Luis Palés Matos, Nicolás Guillén, Nicanor Parra, Ernesto Cardenal, Raúl Zurita, amongst others. Interactive analysis approach with daily paper assignments: critical analysis of the texts, and peer reviews.
Spanish American Essay. The seminar course encompasses readings in Spanish-American Essay with emphasis in the development of thought in literature and culture throughout its history. Special emphasis on prominent writers such as José Carlos Mariátegui, Octavio Paz, José Martí, José Vasconcelos, Victoria Ocampo, amongst others.
Spanish American Civilization and Culture. The course explores culture in its various manifestations. It includes a new component that placed each student in charge of preparing and broadcasting a Spanish Radio program presenting literature in conjunction with culture of different Spanish American countries. Extensive writing and in-depth oral analysis of texts in Spanish are requisites. A Journal with a total of 22 entries was required as well as oral presentations and exams.
Latin American Culture I: México, Central America and the Caribbean Region. The course explores some of the major cultural developments, and its expressions through visual aids and literary texts, as well as films. The study presents the past of the Spanish American civilizations through the art, religion and culture of their most prominent indigenous groups such as the Aztecs, and Mayas. It includes the post-conquest and post-revolutionary periods through some of its major historical events.
Latin American Culture II: South America. Interdisciplinary approach to some of the major cultural developments, and its expressions through visual aids and literary texts, as well as films. The study presents the past of Spanish American civilizations through the art, religion and culture of their most prominent indigenous groups such as the Incas, and Guaraní. It includes the post-conquest and post-independence periods through some of its major historical events and dictatorships.
Latin American Short Story and Essay. A panoramic view with emphasis on the twentieth-century. It focuses on discussion of literary texts, and it is reading and writing intensive. Includes representative works by Quiroga, Benedetti, Rulfo, Cortázar, Paz, Victoria Ocampo, Poniatowska, Ana Lydia Vega, Rosario Ferré, Martí, José Enrique Rodó, José Vasconcelos, García Márquez, Allende and Borges.
Reinventing America: The Hispanic Identity. A Seminar course in translation that includes a variety of genres, literature, essay, film, drama/performance, poetry, dance, music, and visual arts. The topic of this course is Spanish American Cultures in its re-invention of identities first in situ, and then in the United States. First, we study the past of the Spanish American identity through the art, religion, and culture of their most prominent indigenous groups: Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas. Second, we analyze the present situation of the individual Spanish American countries and their national identities, as re-inventions that accompanied the post-conquest and post-revolutionary periods. Third, we explore the U.S. Latino identity, the way it is perceived in the United States today.
Spanish American Poetry throughout History. A course that provides an introduction to Spanish American Poetry and orients participants to an understanding of the development of the poetry in Latin America from early to present times. It includes a comprehensive study of the texts and works of the most relevant poets in the Hispanic speaking world today including U.S. Hispanic poetry.
Spanish Composition. Advanced course with a Service-Learning Component that place each student in a 2 hour/week service context in which to use Spanish. The course examines the writing processes to develop and increase students’ proficiency in written expression in Spanish models of a variety of genres presented to pattern compositions after them. Major projects include: drama, poetry, advertisements, biographical portraits, short stories, interviews, and a literary essay.
Spanish Conversation. A course designed to improve the student's conversational ability through the reading and discussion of literary and cultural texts. I implemented a strong emphasis in weekly Spanish Table, group/pair talk, video, and inter-active multimedia. Listening, reading and writing language skills are used as a base for further development of the speaking and conversational skills while providing opportunities to learn more about Hispanic Cultures.
Fact and Fiction: A Reading Course in Spanish. A developmental reading class designed to teach students appropriate strategies for reading Spanish as a second language and provide them with intensive reading practice on a variety of authentic texts, ranging from short journalistic texts (newspaper and magazine articles) to a longer literary text (short novel: Aura by Carlos Fuentes)
Introduction to Spanish American Literature. Includes extensive writing and in-depth oral analysis of texts with new components such as a required Journal with a total of 25 entries (around 80 pages in Spanish) as well as a required Graphic timeline. It analyzes Spanish-American literary masterpieces from colonial times through the present.
Paraguayan Literature: Augusto Roa Bastos, Supremo Hijo de hombre. Through the prose and poetry of its Paraguayan icon, we explore Paraguayan literature in history. The course focuses on Augusto Roa Bastos’ Works Hijo de Hombre and Yo, el Supremo as ways of presenting and discussing the culture of Paraguay reflected in these novels.
Hispanic Themes: Latin America. Developmental reading class designed to teach appropriate strategies for reading Spanish as a second language and provide them with intensive reading practice on a variety of texts that offer intrinsic culture of a wide spectrum of Latin American countries.
Honors Variant of Latin American Hispanic Themes. Presents advanced reading analysis of a variety of texts that offer intrinsic culture of a wide spectrum of Latin American countries. Extensive writing and in-depth oral analysis of texts in Spanish are requisites, as well as oral presentations and exams.
In addition to the following courses:
The Hydroptics of Love: Building Bridges to Soul Learning
Don Quijote
Elementary Spanish I-II
Intermediate Spanish I-II
First Year Spanish I-II
Second Year Spanish I-II
CONFERENCES
2009 “Cosmic Quilt: Religious Thread in the Poetic Science of Cardenal’s Music of the Spheres” presented in Oxford-England at Merton College on July 23rd
2009 “The Matrix of the Cosmic Canticle, a Philosophical Anthropology of Ernesto Cardenal” / “La matriz del Cántico Cósmico: una Antropología Filosófica de Ernesto Cardenal”. VIII International Conference of Hispanic Literature. Puntarenas, Costa Rica. March 9-12th.
2008 “All about the Heart: The Cultural Body and Mind of Paraguay”. Honors Colloquium. Sweet Briar College Honors Program Colloquia. April 16th.
2008 “Almost a Poem: Stereotypes in Woman Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros” / “Casi un poema: Estereotipos en Woman Hollering Creek de Sandra Cisneros”. VII International Conference for Hispanic Literature. Cuzco, Perú. March 3-6.
2007 “Ernesto Cardenal’s Denunciation, Ideology and History: Stylistic Devices of Testimonial Literature”. Keynote Speaker at Lafayette College for the Second Annual Latino Awareness Conference: Testimonial Literature and Social Movements in Latin America. March 22-25.
2007 “Voz destemplada: Concretando el derecho femenino en los ensayos de Victoria Ocampo”. VI Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica. Riviera Maya, México. March 7-9.
2006 “Cruzando las fronteras del género: Mario Benedetti y Ariel Dorfman”. IV International Congress of Europe & the Americas. The University of British Columbia, Canada. May 22-25
2006 “Narremas of The Tragedy of Ycuá Bolaños” / “Una lectura del concepto de Narremas: La tragedia de Ycuá Bolaños”. IV International Congress of the Hispanic Poetry of Europe and the Americas”. The University of British Columbia, Canada. May 22-25.
2006 “Re-Conceptualization of Mythological Images of the Mbyá-Guaraní and Ayvu Rapyta: Augusto Roa Bastos’ Son of man” / “Reconceptualizando imágenes mitológicas de los Mbyá-Guaraní y Ayvu Rapyta: Augusto Roa Bastos, Hijo de hombre”. XVII International Symposium of Latin American Indigenous Literatures. The Ohio State University. May 10-13.
2005 “The Suffering Women of Paraguay: Liberation or Subversive Polot?” / “La sufrida mujer paraguaya: ¿liberación o complot subversivo?” Women’s Studies Symposium. Washington and Lee University, November 10.
2005 “Ser-con-los demás: Homilía cósmica de Ernesto Cardenal”. Simposio Internacional del Comité Pro-Celebración de Ernesto Cardenal – Granada, Nicaragua. May 19-22.
2005 “La lucha por ser el conocimiento encarnado: Aspectos de la finitud de la vida en el Cántico cósmico de Ernesto Cardenal”. Congreso Literatura Hispánica.Dominican Republic. March 2-4
2004 “America: Discovery or Re-Invention?” / “América: ¿Descubrimiento o reinvención?”. Columbus Day Commemoration. Washington and Lee University – October 12, 2004.
2002 “Nicanor Parra: De la poesía kamikaze, el suicidio de la poesía: De la desintegración a la pulverización, a la plástica del ave fénix”. Twenty-second Annual Cincinnati Conference on Romance Languages and Literatures - University of Cincinnati, May 2002.
2002 “La revolución digital y el texto virtual en la era electrónica: la poesía online”. Tenth International Conference on Romance Studies. Boston College, April 2002.
2002 “Visiones periféricas en la poesía: La experiencia latinoamericana en los Estados Unidos”. Hispanic Conference. Brown University, March 2002.
2002 “Prácticas de descentramiento: Estrategias de coexistencia en el Cántico cósmico de Ernesto Cardenal”. Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica en Lima, Perú - Instituto de Estudios Internacionales. Lock Haven University, February 2002.
2002 “Antiguas crónicas, nueva didáctica: La síntesis informativa de El estrecho dudoso de Ernesto Cardenal”. Graduate Conference. Miami University, Oxford, January 2002.
2000 “América natural en la trayectoria poética de Pablo Neruda”. Tenth Annual Symposium on Hispanic & Luso-Brazilian Literature, Language & Culture. University of Arizona, 2000.
1996 “Las Odas elementales de Neruda”. 49th Annual Kentucky Foreign Language Conference. University of Kentucky, 1996.
CHAIRED CONFERENCE PANELS
2009 “Women’s Maternal Role, Masculinity and the Fight for the Rights”. VIII Conferencia Internacional de Literatura en Puntarenas, Costa Rica. March 10th.
2008 “Explorando el Teatro de Lorca”. VII Conference for Hispanic Literature. Cuzco, Perú March 4
2007 “La diáspora árabe y el desborde de fronteras culturales”. Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica. Universidad de Pennsylvania, LH. Riviera Maya, March 9.
2006 “Ars Poética: Neruda, Aleixandre, Valente y Pizarnik”. Fourth Internacional Congreso of the Hispanic Poetry of Europe and the Ameritas. University of British Columbia, Canada. May.
2005 “Hispanic Studies”. Nineteenth National Conference for Undergraduate Research. Washington and Lee University. April.
2005 “Hispanics in the United States” / “Los hispanos en los Estados Unidos”. IV Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica. Dominican Republic. March 2.
2005 “De Borges y Octavio Paz”. IV Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica. Dominican Republic. March 3.
2005 “Estudios en torno a la poesía hispánica”. IV Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica. Dominican Republic. March 4.
ABBREVIATED ACADEMIC SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
2010-2011 Fulbright Scholar Award
2010 Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, Inducted Member April 26.
2009-2011 Faculty Grants Committee Sweet Briar College
2009-2010 First-Year Advisor Sweet Briar College
2008-2011 Gender Studies Committee Sweet Briar College Shapes Gender Studies Minor
2005-2010 Chair of Conference Panels Organized and chaired national and international panels
2007-2010 Spanish Club Advisor Sweet Briar College Cultural events relating to Hispanic culture
2007-2010 Spanish Table Sweet Briar College Weekly gathering, open to all students interested in Hispanic Language and Culture.
2010 Solicited Reviewer for Edwin Mellen Press. Amerindian Elements in the Poetry of Ernesto Cardenal: Mythic Foundations of the Colloquial Narrative by John Andrew Morrow. ISBN-10: 077343660X. ~356 pages.
2009 Solicited Reviewer for McGraw-Hill. That’s the Way We See It: Intermediate Spanish / Así lo veo: Gente, Perspectivas, Comunicación lo veo by Michael Leeser, Bill VanPatten, and Gregory Keating. ISBN-10: 0073534404. ~480 pages.
2009 National French Honor Society Initiation for members of Pi Delta Phi, April 13th.
2009 National Spanish Honor Society Initiation of Rho Omegas of Sigma Delta Pi, April 6th
2009 Invited Guest Speaker at Monteverde Friends School, Costa Rica Rainforest.
2009 Interviewed Costa Rican National Prize Poet Mayra Jiménez in San Juan Heredia. March 7-8
2006 Associated Colleges of the South, ACS Teacher’s Workshop at Rollins College. Intensive training at the Teacher’s Workshop organized by the Association of the Colleges of the South in Rollins unique gathering of professors who effect in an intensive week training with 12 hour day work via workshop, micro-teaching, peer review format, sample lecture presentations & group work.
2006 Coordinator Poetry Night Winter Single-handedly organized WLU event in which 67 students volunteered to read poems in Chinese, Romanian, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Latin
2006-2007 International Education Committee Coordinating academic matters pertaining to study abroad, new program initiatives and development, curricular and extra-curricular issues intrinsic to international education; and Student Association for International Learning (SAIL).
2005-2006 Latin American and Caribbean Proponent Committee for Interdisciplinary Studies. Proposed new Interdisciplinary Studies program at Washington and Lee University.
2005-2006 Science, Society and the Arts Committee Multi-disciplinary conference for undergraduates and law students presenting their academic achievements with oral presentations of research papers on style panels, poster sessions or creative work. Students participate in colloquia organized around common readings.
2005 Women’s Writer’s Harvest Committee to benefit Rockbridge Food Pantry, and others.
2005 Individual Tutoring of Portuguese for Senior Students.
2004-2005 Theater sessions Active component of S207-Introduction to Spanish American Literature
2004-2007 First Washington and Lee Spanish Radio Program “Conexión Latina” WLUR 91.5 FM Radio Program. I created and conducted the first W&L Spanish Radio Program. A requirement for students of S 212 Introduction to Spanish American Culture class was to present a complete radio program based on art, culture, literature and music of the different Spanish American countries including Brazil.
Experience abroad
2009 Costa Rica. Interview with National Prize Poet Mayra Jiménez in San Juan de Heredia.
England & France. Summer Seminar, Merton College - University of Oxford
2008 Cuzco & Machu Picchu
2007 Riviera Maya, México
2006 Vancouver, Canada
2005 Bayahibe, Dominican Republic and Granada, Nicaragua
2000 & 2005 Nicaragua. Interviews with Nobel Prize Nominee Ernesto Cardenal in Managua.
1997-2000 Peru. Canada, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina
1990-1992 Spain. Universidad de Navarra
1991 Spain. Summer Seminar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, at El Escorial
1964-1990 Paraguay and Peru. Also Cruz del Eje, Argentina
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Modern Languages Association
Asociación Internacional de Hispanistas
Asociación Hispánica de Humanistas
Feministas Unidas
Instituto Internacional de Literatura Iberoamericana