ASAIL

Halito chin chukma, greetings,

Welcome to the website for the Association for the Study of American Indian Literatures (ASAIL). ASAIL is a professional academic organization created to promote the study, criticism, and research of American Indian written and oral literary traditions. An affiliate with the Modern Language Association (MLA), ASAIL sponsors a number of panels

ASAIL President - Jodi Byrd

at the MLA's annual meeting and at the Native American Literature Symposium and also sponsors panels at the American Literature Association (ALA) and the Society for the Study of American Women Writers (SSAWW) conferences. Our conference participation, along with our journal, Studies in American Indian Literatures, ensures that members have forums to present, publish, and debate innovative research on American Indian literary traditions. I can say with pride that ASAIL's current membership includes leading scholars, writers, and activists committed to the interdisciplinary study and continuance of American Indian and indigenous languages, cultures, and aesthetic traditions.  

Whether you are a first-time visitor to our site or a long-term member of ASAIL, you will find resources here on teaching, researching and writing about American Indian and indigenous literatures. In addition, you will find information about upcoming conferences as well as Calls for Papers and current job offerings around the country. Our Association takes mentorship seriously, and to help graduate students begin their academic careers, we offer conference travel fellowships to offset expenses for students to present their research. Colleagues will find syllabi, language resources, and a community of faculty to aid their own research and teaching expertise. If you aren't already a member, I welcome you to our website and encourage you to join ASAIL!

Jodi Byrd
ASAIL President

Emerging Scholars Professional Development Fellowship

ASAIL announces the ASAIL Emerging Scholars Professional Development Fellowship, which provides travel assistance honoraria $300 (US) for graduate students and advanced undergraduates to attend and present at professional conferences. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Applicants must provide the following information: a cover letter, cv, and acceptance letter confirming acceptance to present at a professional conference on a topic relating to the study of Indigenous literatures and/or languages. Awards will be distributed at the discretion of the ASAIL President and Treasurer based on funding availability. Send applications and queries to the current ASAIL President, Jodi Byrd, at jabyrd@illinois.edu.

Summer 2011 - SAIL now available

Volume 23, Number 2, Summer 2011 edited by Daniel Heath Justice and James Cox The Summer 2011 volume of Studies in American Indian Literatures features articles, poetry, book reviews, and more. Articles "Waasechibiiwaabikoonsing Nd'anami'aami, 'Praying through a Wired Window': Using Technology to Teach Anishinaabemowin" - Margaret Noori "Ceremony Earth: Digitizing Silko's Novel for Students of the Twenty-first Century" - Rick Mott "Native Avatars, Online Hubs, and Urban Indian Literature" - Gabriel S. Estrada "Expand and Contract: E-Learning Shapes the World in Cyprus and in California" - Nancy Strow Sheley and Carol Zitzer-Comfort Visit the SAIL page for more information about Volume 23.

Membership

Thank you for your interest in supporting ASAIL. A membership includes participation in ASAIL's electronic discussion groups, voting privileges at the annual business meeting, and a subscription to SAIL: Studies in American Indian Literatures.

Membership rates for calendar year 2011 including subscription to volume 23 (2011) of SAIL:

    * Regular Individual - $50
    * Limited Income - $35
    * Sponsor - $100+
    * Patron - $250+

Please visit the Membership page for additional information.