Our Institute works closely with American Corner Debrecen. In the framework of our IEAS goes to AC series, our colleagues visit AC to hold workshops or take part in panels related to American culture.
To learn more about AC, click here:
Dungeons and Dragons: The First Roleplaying Game
Balogh Máté Gergely
8 Nov, 2024
Join this presentation by Máté Gergely Balogh, junior lecturer at the Institute of English and American Studies (U of Debrecen) to learn more about the fascinating game Dungeons and Dragons, and explore its history from the humble beginnings through the Satanic panic of the 1980s and the game’s original publisher going bankrupt in the 1990s, its resurgence during the 2000s and the COVID pandemic, to our present day.
Background info:
Fifty years ago, in the basement of a family house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a cobbler named Gary Gygax and a history student/part-time security guard named David Arneson invented something that would go on to become a multi-billion dollar industry and a global cultural force. Building on the American values of individualism, creativity, and storytelling, Dungeons and Dragons (or D&D) is a fantasy tabletop game that introduced to the public the whole notion of roleplaying games, and popularized a variety of concepts ranging from hit points, experience points and armor class to the idea of a fantasy dungeon. Outside of the tabletop gaming industry, D&D has also influenced video games (basically every RPG), writers like George R.R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss, and pop culture as a whole (Stranger Things and The Big Bang Theory being two notable examples).
Kidlit: Approaches to American Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Kiss György
May 30, 2024
Facebook event
"I don't write for children. I write. And somebody says, that's for children." (Maurice Sendak)
What is “kidlit”? What are the borders of children’s literature and who is the target audience? What is the difference between young adult and child? How are such literary works approached in academia? To learn the answers to these questions (and perhaps give your own take on them), join us for this month’s interactive presentation at American Corner Debrecen.
We will look at past and current trends and genres in American children’s and young adult fiction, explore how popular books for adults influence works for a younger audience, and embrace our inner children as we discuss the novels that played a crucial part in our childhood.
The event will be led by György Kiss, a PhD candidate at the Institute of English and American Studies, UD, who is an avid reader and researcher of children’s and young adult literature.
Short Story Day at the American Corner
Dr. Lénárt-Muszka Zsuzsanna
March 28, 2024
Come and celebrate the short story with us at the American Corner!
During this workshop, we will delve into the world of short stories and think about what makes them so captivating and enduringly popular.
We will take a look at a few examples of stories that are so short they belong to the category called flash, micro, or sudden fiction – or you can just call them “short shorts.”
You will also receive plenty of suggestions of American short story writers that you can add to your reading list.
The workshop will be led by literary historian Dr. Zsuzsanna Lénárt-Muszka (Institute of English and American Studies, UD).
The “Pronoun Wars” from a Linguistic Perspective
Dr. Szűcs Péter
February 22, 2024
The term "Pronoun Wars" refers to debates and conflicts surrounding the use of gender pronouns, especially in the English-speaking world (he/she/they/etc.). The terms and concepts “gender-neutral language” and “linguistic inclusivity,” “misgendering,” “preferred pronouns,” etc. have become a common theme in public discourse, and especially on campuses, in the United States.
But what can linguistics say about this topic, which is a linguistic category after all? Linguists from various subfields have contributed vastly to our understanding of the morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, psycho- and sociolinguistics of pronouns.
Pronouns are also one of the research fields of Dr. Péter Szűcs, member of the Department of English Linguistics, UD, who will give an engaging overview of these issues and will also invite the audience to create an informed opinion about the topic.
This Barbie was Directed by a Woman: Female Characters, Narratives, Filmmakers
Papp Fruzsina
October 14, 2023
Did you see the Barbie movie? Did you grow up watching the Barbie-verse? Do you like watching films primarily focusing on women, or films that were directed by women? If you are interested in these topics, if you did put on your pinkest pink T-Shirt to go and watch Barbie this summer, or if you would like to engage in a good conversation or debate even about these topics in general or the first billion-dollar movie directed by a woman in particular, then join in for this special Barbie edition of ACD's English Conversation Club on October 17, from 5 pm.
Can Games Make Us Do Anything?
Dr. Orosz-Réti Zsófia
May 3, 2023
Throughout a 90-minute long workshop, the audience will have a chance to explore how games – video and otherwise – can shape the way we see the world and how they can encourage players to take action. After an interactive analysis of a set of small examples with various themes – including healthy eating or fighting climate change – the participants will have the chance to work together in small groups to develop unique game concepts for various meaningful causes such as taking action in North American and worldwide economic or social challenges.
Facilitator by Dr. Zsófia Orosz-Réti, senior lecturer at the Institute of English and American Studies, UD. The workshop is intended for everyone from 12 to 102. The workshop is organized in the framework of our IEAS goes to AC series.
Panel discussion on NATO and the Transatlantic Alliance in the 21st Century
Dr. Glant Tibor, Dr. Balogh Máté Gergely, and Zsolt Kerékgyártó
December 5, 2022
Facebook event
American Corner Debrecen is organizing an event to discuss and familiarize especially young people with the idea of the transatlantic alliance and the evolution of NATO from its inception during the Cold War into the 21st century. The panelists are Dr. Máté Gergely BALOGH, instructor at the North American Department, UD, and Zsolt KERÉKGYÁRTÓ, officer in the Hungarian Defence Forces. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Tibor GLANT, associate professor at the North American Department, UD.
English Conversation Club on Midterm Election Results
Dr. Mathey Éva
November 29, 2022
Facebook event
If you are looking for a place where you can practice English without a "classroom" atmosphere, this club is for you!
No pressure to solve tasks, no textbooks, no homework, just chatting with a small group of people, including both Hungarians and international folks in Debrecen.
Each week we will have a different kick-off topic that we start with, but then the conversations can go in any direction.
As our kick-off topic this week, we will revisit the results of the recent midterm elections in the US, with the expert moderation of Dr. Éva Mathey from the University of Debrecen.
The Big US Jeopardy
Dr. Pataki Éva
November 11, 2022
Facebook event
Who was Billy the Kid? What is a PBJ? Where can you find the Enchanted Highway? What does "winningest" mean?
If you know the answers (or want to find out), visit the American Corner and play The Big US Jeopardy with us. Great prizes for the winners!
Compete in teams of three and learn about American culture -- from language to literature, history to hip hop, sports to snacks, and a lot more!
Our game show host will be Dr. Éva Pataki, assistant professor, North American Department, Institute of English and American Studies.
(Not really) Columbus Day
Dr. Szathmári Judit
October 10, 2022
Facebook event
If you ever wondered what Christopher Columbus's first words were upon arrival in the New World, if he was ever bothered by the lack of elephants, or how the Indigenous population reacted when they encountered him, come and "DISCOVER" the answers through an interactive presentation at the American Corner on October 10, at 5 pm.
In the framework of our "NAD goes to AC" series, our speaker this month is Dr. Judit Szathmári.
Ready Player One - What does the future hold?
Dr. Bülgözdi Imola
September 20, 2022
"Before long, billions of people around the world were working and playing in the OASIS every day. Some of them met, fell in love, and got married without ever setting foot on the same continent. The lines of distinction between a person’s real identity and that of their avatar began to blur." -- Ernest Cline, Ready Player One
Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One serves as a starting point to discuss the role of science fiction in shaping our expectations about the future and to reflect on the fast-changing human-tech relations we also experienced first-hand due to the pandemic. Based on Ernest Cline's young adult novel, the film raises crucial issues that need to be addressed in the very near future by a generation of digital natives: besides obvious privacy and security issues, how does constant connectivity affect our lives? Is the world depicted in Ready Player One an idealized utopia or a dystopic warning? Are we personally responsible for how the Internet will shape our future?
Held in the framework of our English Conversation Club and our newly launched "NAD goes to AC" series, we invite you to a fascinating interactive presentation on and discussion of these topics, facilitated by Dr. Imola Bülgözdi, assistant professor at the North American Department, Institute of English and American Studies, UD.