Words Without Bars: Russian Prison Literature & the Encyclopedia of the Dog

The Slavic Connexion

On this episode, José Vergara (Bryn Mawr College) delves into the challenges and rewards of teaching literature in a carceral setting and his continued exploration of novels born behind bars. From the haunting prose of incarcerated writers to the innovative realms of digital humanities, Vergara shares his many projects such as the Encyclopedia of the Dog (https://encyclopediaofthedog.com/) based on the iconic novel "Between Dog and Wolf" by Sasha Sokolov, and the Reactor Room, an immersive Chernobyl Exhibition (https://digitalscholarship.brynmawr.edu/reactor-room/). Thanks for listening!

ABOUT THE GUEST

José Vergara is assistant professor of Russian at Bryn Mawr College. In addition to his work as a scholar and teacher, he enjoys collaborating with others to advance and support Slavic Studies and the Humanities. He has organized numerous guest lectures, a teach-in on the centennial of the October Revolution, and a symposium on the state of Russian Studies today. As advisor to the Swarthmore Project for East European Studies (SPEER), he has worked with students to develop conversations on campus about the region and its culture and politics. Visit his personal website for more on his teaching, research, events, and upcoming projects: https://josevergara.net/

PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 1, 2023 during the 2023 ASEEES Convention at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email [e-mail] and we will be in touch!

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Host/Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher

Host/Editorial Director: Sam Parrish

Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy)

Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana)

Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar

Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp

Assistant Producer/Videographer: Basil Fedun

Social Media Manager: Faith VanVleet

Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce

Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Crowander, Dlay)

Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@M_S_Daniel) www.msdaniel.com