Anna Bendrat: In her 2020 NAWA experience, Anna Bendrat was eager to explore theatrical responses to human crises as a source of progress and change, seeking to interrogate the manifold intersections between theatre and the contemporary, while making a case for the urgency and topicality of theatre in the current moment. The reason for choosing the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, as the research location was the desire to expand the research scope to American drama and performative arts to gather source materials for the study of the metaphor of the "performative body." The body in drama or on stage is metonymic, partially losing its own existence. Sajewska and Sosnowska (2018) note that the proposition that "the body is always a medium, that it never establishes itself on the stage as present here and now, brings unexpected potential." A query at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts allowed Anna Bendrat to collect unique source materials related to theatrical works associated with the semiotics of the body (Tony Kushner, Jordan Harrison, Martyna Majok, Stephen Karam, Quiara Alegría Hudes), applying the affective and cognitive perspective to the study of drama and performance.
Izabella Kimak: As part of the NAWA Prom program, Dr. Izabella Kimak held a two-week research query at the Bliblioteca Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal in 2021. During her stay, the researcher studied the trajectories of migration from Portugal to the United States and their literary representations. The aim of the research was to compare the immigrant narratives of authors of Portuguese and Polish descent, given that these two groups of migrants faced similar exclusionary rhetoric in the United States related to their origin in less privileged parts of Europe and to their Roman Catholic religion. Unlike people of Polish descent, migrants from Portugal have additionally been victims of racism, often being portrayed in the dominant discourse as having dark skin color. This research forms an important part of Dr. Kimak's forthcoming monograph on place-making in literature, in which the author focuses on ethnic enclaves in American metropolises and their literary representations. In addition, the research stay enabled Dr. Kimak to enrich her teaching courses with comparative elements.
Lidia Kniaź-Hunek: Participation in the mobility program greatly facilitated Dr. Kniaź-Hunek's completion of essential research for the analytical chapters of her doctoral dissertation. Her work involved delving into unique manuscripts, artworks, and graphic novels through archival research at the esteemed Biblioteca da Faculdade de Letras in Lisbon. This institution houses unparalleled special collections in the humanities, particularly in literary studies, philosophy, and religious studies, which are often inaccessible elsewhere globally.
Moreover, it's crucial to highlight the profound value derived from this project: the internationalization of research. Engaging in a comprehensive library search within one of Portugal's most esteemed universities provided an exceptional opportunity for the researcher to expand her expertise alongside specialists from various international centers. Collaborating and connecting with experts from diverse locations undeniably bolstered the international recognition of the MSCU and laid the groundwork for potential bilateral cooperation in the future.
