S181. The Uncomfortable Whiteness of War Literature

A107-109, Oregon Convention Center, Level 1
Saturday, March 30, 2019
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm

 

In the midst of America’s longest conflict, white male perspectives still predominate in contemporary war literature. The canon fails to represent the diverse fabric of the military—people of color, migrants, and women—and the deep moral questions they negotiate through art. This inclusive panel discusses how marginalized writers might address structural bias in their writing careers, how they might be heard in the genre, and how amplifying their voices contributes to a more just society.


Participants

Moderator:

Drew Pham is a fiction editor at the Wrath Bearing Tree, and writes about conflict, race, and activism. Previously, Drew served in the US Army. He deployed to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division.

Matthew Komatsu is a writer and currently serving veteran. He holds a MFA from the University of Alaska, is a nonfiction editor of War, Literature & the Arts, and is Board Vice President of the Alaska literary nonprofit 49 Writers. He was a recipient of the 2017 Alaska Literary Award in Nonfiction.

Anthony Roy Williams is an Army veteran. He served two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning an honorable discharge at the end of his service. He is currently working in the nonprofit sector while attending Columbia University as a full-time, second-year MFA in Creative Writing student.

Stacey Bell is a writer, playwright, and US Army veteran currently living in New York City. She received her BA in English from Kent State University, and her MA in English with a special concentration in Medieval Literature from California State University, Long Beach.

Christopher Paul Wolfe graduated from West Point in 2000 and served in the US. Army for six years. He holds an MBA from Duke University and an MFA from Columbia University. His work has been featured in BOMB and two anthologies, including The Road Ahead: Fiction From The Forever War.

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Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Convention Center