Publications Abound for UC Romance Languages Faculty, Students and Alumni

The

Department of Romance Languages and Literatures

in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati continues to excel in creative publications.

In the past year alone, three graduate students in the department have published books and Professor Armando Romero has been awarded the “Concejo de Siero” Award in Spain for his unpublished novel “Cajambre. O las aventuras de mis tres tíos.”

The award includes a monetary prize and a contract to publish the novel, the latest in Romero’s publishing career that includes more than 20 books.

“The book deals with the black Colombian population in the country’s southern pacific coast,” Romero says. “Not many people have been there, and it’s almost unknown to many people in Colombia and in the rest of the Americas.”

Romero is a Colombian native and calls the region one of the most dangerous jungles in the world, an observation he gleaned while visiting with family. His novel discusses the reality of violence in the area between the Spanish Colombians and the African Colombians.

"This is a wonderful occasion for the department, for the university and for Armando Romero, who once again demonstrated his talent as a writer and his dedication and hard work,” says department head Nicasio Urbina. “We are very proud of him. He is a model of scholar, writer and professor that we all admire."

Romero is not the only one in Romance Languages getting published. Since the department created an MA in creative writing, students are getting in on the action as well.

“Our program is one of the first to offer creative writing for Spanish speakers in the U.S.,” Romero says. “So far we have many outstanding young poets and writers coming to UC.”

A few creative works published in the last year are:

• “Paraiso precario” by PhD student Clemencia Sánchez. It will be widely distributed in her native Colombia. The first edition has a print run of 8,000 copies.
• “Sic vos non vobis. Estudios de atribución y plagio” co-edited by PhD student Patricia Marín.
• "No cesará el desvelo" by MA student Milton Medellín. The volume features his poems that previously won the Dolores Castro poetry prize.

PhD student Manuel Iris is contributing essays and interviews to the journal “El Grito de las Ideas.” He is also on the editorial board of the journal Trasatlantic, published jointly by UC and University of Valladolid, Spain, and recently wrote an essay for "Una raya más: Ensayos sobre Eduardo Lizalde," a collection about the life and work of famous Mexican poet Eduardo Lizalde.

RLL alumni are being productive as well.

Arturo Gutiérrez

published "Lecturas desplazadas. Encuentros hispanoamericanos con Cervantes y Góngora" and Marcelo Rioseco wrote the poetry book "Espejo de enemigos." Both were written during their stays at UC.

Read more about the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures:

Tracking ‘Creative Charisma’ in the Romance Languages

Productive faculty and a new creative writing track in the Department of Romance Languages & Literatures put UC on the international map.