Sonja S. Watson, Ph.D.

 

1. Globalization, Transnationalism, and Hybrid Identity in Panamanian reggae en español. (forthcoming University Press of Florida)
2. “Black Central American Literature and Quince Duncan.” Teaching Central American Literature in a Global Context. Edited by Mónica Albizúrez and Gloria Chacó Modern Language Association, 2022.
3. Co-edited volume with Lori Celaya, Transatlantic, Transnational, and Transcultural Dialogues on Identity, Culture, and Migration (Lexington Books 2021)
4. “‘Reading’ the Caribbean and U.S. in Panamanian reggae en español, a transcultural/transnational musical art form.” Race and Transnationalism in Latin America, edited by Benjamin Bryce and David Sheinin. (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2021)
5. The Politics of Race in Panama: Afro-Hispanic and West Indian Literary Discourses of Contention. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida. First edition, 2014. Second edition, 2017.
6. “Expanding Definitions of Caribbean Identity in Melanie Taylor Herrera’s Fiction.” Cincinnati Romance Review 40 (2016): 201-214.
7. “La identidad afropanameña en la literatura desde el siglo XX hasta el nuevo milenio.” [Trans. “Afro-Panamanian Identity in the Literature from the Twentieth Century to the New Millennium.”] : Estudios Sociales y Humanísticos 13.2 (2015): 27-37.
8. “‘Reading’ National Identity in Panama through Renato, a First Generation Panamanian reggae en español Artist.” Alter/natives: Latin American Cultural Studies Journal (spring 2014). http://alternativas.osu.edu/en/issues/spring-2014/essays1/watson.html
9. “Teaching Afro-Latin American Culture Through Film: Raíces de mi corazón and Cuba’s guerrita de los negros.” Hispania1 (2013): 70-79.
10. “Poetic Negrism and the National Sentiment of Anti-West Indianism and Anti-Imperialism in Panamanian Literature.” Callaloo 35(2012): 459-474.
11. “The Grandchildren of Felicidad Dolores and the Contemporary Afro-Hispanic Historical Novel: A New Reading.” Critical Perspectives on Afro-Latin American Literature. Ed. Antonio Tillis. New York: Routledge, 2012. 30-50.
12. “Liminalidad, identidad y ‘conciencia doble’ en Gamboa Road Gang, una novela del Canal.” PALARA 15 (2011): 95-107.
13. “‘Double Bind/Double Consciousness’ in the Poetry of Carmen Colón Pellot and Julia de Burgos.” Cincinnati Romance Review 30 (2011): 69-82.
14. “Nationalist Rhetoric and Suppression of Black Consciousness: Literary Whiteness in Poems by Federico Escobar and Gaspar Octavio Hernández.” Afro-Hispanic Review (2010): 169-186.
15. “‘Are Panamanians of Caribbean Ancestry an Endangered Species’? Critical Literary Debates on Panamanian Blackness in the Works of Carlos Wilson, Gerardo Maloney, and Carlos Russell.” Latin American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies (2009): 231-254.
16. “Changó, el gran putas: Contemporary Afro-Hispanic Historical Novel.” Afro-Hispanic Review (2006): 67-86.
17. “The Use of Language in Melva Lowe de Goodin’s De/From Barbados a/to Panamá: A Construction of Panamanian West Indian Identity.” College Language Association Journal (2005): 28-44.

Keynote. Hispanic Caribbean Intersections: Race, Sexuality, and Cultural Production. University of Houston, TX November 4, 2019 (Invited)

Forging Afro-Panamanian Identity: Past, Present and Future. Center for Latin American Studies: “Panama Considered: Remembering the Past, Embracing the Future.” University of Florida at Gainesville, March 21, 2014. (Invited)

Forging Afro-Panamanian Identity: Past, Present and Future. University of Texas at Panamerican, February 26, 2014. (Invited)

“Double Bind/Double Consciousness” in the Poetry of Carmen Colón Pellot and Julia de Burgos. The 14^th Annual Arturo A. Schomburg Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, February 28, 2011. (invited)

Panelist. “Developing Diverse Leadership.” Modern Language Association Conference, January 2021 and January 2022 (invited)

Chair and Presenter. Transatlantic, Transcultural, and Transnational Dialogues on Identity, Culture, and Migration in Latin American. Presented “Teaching (Afro-Latin) American Hip-Hop Across the Americas: A Transatlantic Approach” SAMLA November 2021 

“Expanding Narratives of Panamanian reggae en español: The Story of Rude Girl (La Atrevida)” College Language Association Conference. Raleigh, NC April 2019

“Globalización, transculturación, e identidad híbrida en música panameña: reggae en español.” Mountain Interstate Foreign Language Conference. Knoxville, TN October 2018

Chair and Presenter of Special Session: “21 Years of PALARA: The Past, Present, and Future.” Afro-Latin American Research Association. Houston, TX August 2018

Chair and Presenter of Special Session: “Homenaje/Homage a/to Carlos ‘Cubena’ Wilson.” College Language Association. Columbia, MO., April 2017.

The Urban Fiction of Panamanian Cuentista Melanie Taylor Herrera. Asociación Internacional de Literatura y Cultura Femenina Hispánica. Houston, TX, November 2016.

“Reading” the Caribbean in Panamanian reggae en español, a Transcultural/ Transnational Musical Art Form.” Afro-Latin American Research Association. Curação, August 2016.

Chair and Presenter: “Transracial Identity and Hip Hop Culture: from Rachel Dolezal to Iggy Azalea.” College Language Association. Houston, TX, April 6-9, 2016.

“Short Stories by Melanie Taylor Herrera: Expanding Definitions of Black Female Panamanian Identity.” Chair and presenter of the panel, “Expanding Frontiers through Postcolonial Readings of Francophone and Hispanophone Texts and Music from the 18th Century to the Present.” College Language Association. Dallas, TX, April 8-11, 2015.

“Reading” National Identity in Panama through Renato, a First-Generation Panamanian reggae en español Artist. College Language Association. March 26-29, 2014.

Chair and Presenter: “Teaching Afro-Latin American Culture through Film: Raíces de mi corazón and Cuba’s guerrita de los negros.” UTA MODL Cultural Constructions Symposium: 21^st Century Pedagogies. March 1, 2013.

Chaired Special Panel: “Transformations and Adaptations. Expanding Approaches to the Critical Analysis of Afro-Latin American Literature through Film.” Presented, Teaching Afro-Latin American Culture through Film: Raíces de mi corazón and Cuba’s guerrita de los negros. Modern Language Association Convention: “Avenues of Access.” Boston, MA. December 2013.

Forging Afro-Panamanian Identity through reggae en español. Afro-Latin American Research Association. Costa Rica, 2012.

Revising the Canon: Historical Revisionism in Cubena’s Trilogy. Latin American Studies Association Conference. San Francisco, CA, 2012.

Chaired Panel: “New Narratives in Panamanian West Indian Discourse: Reading Panama from both Sides of the Atlantic.” Presented, “Are Panamanians of Caribbean Ancestry an Endangered Species?”: Critical Literary Debates on Panamanian Blackness in the Works of Carlos Wilson, Gerardo Maloney, and Carlos Russell. College Language Association. 2010.

Poetic Negrism and the National Sentiment of Anti-West Indianism and Anti-imperialism. Negritud Conference. Dominican Republic, March 2010.

Anti-West Indianism and Anti-imperialism in the Canal Zone. Midwestern Association of Latin American Studies (MALAS). November 2009.

Mulatez and the Creation of a Feminine Poetic Space in the Works of Carmen Colón Pellot and Julia de Burgos. College Language Association Conference. University of Maryland Eastern Shore, March 2009.

Carlos E. Russell and the Discourse of Post-Nationalism in Twentieth -Century Panama. 24^th Annual Symposium on African-American Culture and Philosophy: “Revisioning the Black Caribbean: Spaces, Places, and Voices.”  Purdue University, November 2008.

Liminalidad, identidad y “conciencia doble” en Gamboa Road Gang, una novela del Canal. Center for Mexican American Studies Faculty Symposium. University of Texas at Arlington, March 13, 2007.

Changó, el gran putas: Contemporary Afro-Hispanic Historical Novel. Modern Language Association Convention. Philadelphia, PA., December 2006.

Beyond the Nation-State: Carlos E. Russell and the Discourse of Post-Nationalism in Panama. Mid-America Conference on Hispanic Literatures. University of Missouri-Columbia, fall 2006.

The Social Protest Novels of Joaquín Beleño C.: A Study of the Inherent Conflicts and Contradictions of Anti-imperialism and Negritude in the Canal Zone. Mountain Interstate Foreign Language Conference. University of Tennessee-Knoxville, fall 2004.

The Use of Language in Melva Lowe de Goodin’s De/From Barbados a/to Panamá: A Construction of Panamanian West Indian Identity. College Language Association Convention. Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, spring 2004.

National Rhetoric and Negritude: The Invisibility of Blackness in the New Republic of Panama. Student Faculty Colloquy, Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures & African American Studies. University of Tennessee-Knoxville, spring 2004.

Race, Class, and Gender in the Works of Carolina María de Jesus and María de los Reyes Castillo Bueno (Reyita). Cultures in Motion: The Africa Connection. University of Tennessee-Knoxville, spring 2003.

La evolución de la figura del negro en la literatura medieval al Siglo de Oro. Mountain Interstate Foreign Language Conference. Furman University. Greenville, SC, fall 2002.

Gamboa Road Gang and the Spanish-American Postboom: A Novel of Transition. Global Diasporas and the United States: Exile, Migration, Race, and Ethnicity Conference. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, fall 2002.

La identidad múltiple en los ensayos de Nicolás Guillén. Afro-Latinamerican Review Association Conference. Panamá City, Panamá, summer 2002.

Los desafíos de Susana San Juan. Southeastern Council on Latin American Studies Conference. Veracruz, México, spring 2000.

Co-editor of the Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association.

National Endowment for the Humanities Faculty Award-HSI Institutions.  Globalization, Transculturation, and Hybrid Identity in Panamanian Music: Reggae en Español. 2019

Panamanian Council of New York Award. Brooklyn, NY, April 7, 2010

Modern Language Association

College Language Association

Afro/Latin American Research Association

Society of Friends of the West Indian Museum (Panama)