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Dr. Carol Strong, professor of political science at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, recently presented her book, “The Dissident Politics in Václav Havel's Vanek Plays: Who Is Ferdinand Vanek Anyway,” at the Oxford Round Table Symposium, “Beyond the Pages: Exploration in Literature,” held at Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.

The international symposium brought together scholars from the United States, Canada and Europe for a week of panels, roundtable discussions and workshops exploring how literature, politics and storytelling contribute to meaningful dialogue. Participants shared research and examined the role of literature in society through topics such as opera, education and political expression.

Dr. Strong’s book examines the life and works of Václav Havel, the dissident playwright who became the first post-communist president of Czechoslovakia. Her presentation focused on how Havel’s plays encouraged political dialogue under the communist regime and demonstrated the power of storytelling to inspire democratic discourse and social change.

“The experience of being at Oxford, surrounded by its rich history, was a dream come true for me,” Dr. Strong said. “Even more meaningful were the discussions with scholars from around the world. We were quite different in many ways, yet we shared similar interests and ideas. Over the week, our conversations evolved and built on one another’s work, revealing the power of literature and dialogue to bring people together.”

Following her presentation at Oxford, Dr. Strong gave a book talk at the Vaclav Havel Center in New York City, where staged excerpts from Havel’s plays were performed alongside her remarks. She is also planning to give a presentation at the Václav Havel Library in Prague, Czech Republic, in 2026.

“The Dissident Politics in Václav Havel's Vanek Plays: Who Is Ferdinand Vanek Anyway” is available on the Perlego website.

For more information, contact Dr. Carol Strong at strong@uamont.edu or 870-460-1687.

Image: Dr. Carol Strong presents at the Oxford Round Table Symposium, “Beyond the Pages: Exploration in Literature,” held at Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. (Photo credit: Raj Shea)