Alan Warren Friedman holds the Arthur J. Thaman and Wilhelmina Doré Thaman Professorship in English and Comparative literature. He specializes in modern British, Irish, and American literature, the novel and Shakespearean drama.
He has authored five books, including "Party Pieces: Oral Narrative and Social Performance in Joyce and Beckett;" and "Fictional Death and the Modernist Enterprise," which examines cultural and literary attitudes toward death. Edited books include "Samuel Beckett in Black and Red" and "Situating College English: Pedagogy and Politics at an American University," which examines cultural and higher educational issues. He has co-edited four special journal issues on Joyce and Beckett.
He coordinates the annual residency program, Actors from the London Stage, and advises the student organization, the Spirit of Shakespeare, which supports the residency and performs scenes from the annual AFTLS play. He has won several teaching awards, including Plan II's Chad Oliver Teaching Award (2003), and both the English Department's Faculty Service Award (2008) and UT's Civitatis Award conferred annually "upon a member of the faculty in recognition of dedicated and meritorious service to the University above and beyond the regular expectations of teaching, research, and writing (2009-10).
Ph.D.
in English, University of Rochester, 1966
M.A.
in English, New York University, 1962
B.A.
in English, Queens College, NY, 1961
British and American modernism; the novel; drama, especially Shakespeare; international programs, faculty governance and academic freedom; literature
Senior Specialist,
Advisory Panel, Fulbright (2001 - Present)
Advisory Committee,
Fulbright Awards, Britain and Ireland, Council for International Exchange of Scholars (1998 - 2001)
Chair,
Committee T, American Association of University Professors (1992 - 1995)
Executive Committee,
Division on Twentieth-Century English Literature, Modern Language Association (1992 - 1996)
Committee Chair,
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (1992 - 1995)
Executive Committee,
American Association of University Professors (1991 - 1992)
Chair,
University Group, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (1991 - 1992)
Faculty Advisory Committee,
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (1990 - 1995)
National Council,
American Association of University Professors (1989 - 1992)
Executive Committee and Program Chair,
Council of Texas Faculty Governance Organizations (1989 - 1993)
Coordinator and Moderator,
Conference on Texas Higher Education (1989)
Advisory Committee,
Symposium on world premiere of opera based on Henry James's The Aspern Papers, Dallas Opera Company and Southern Methodist University (1988)
American Literature Screening Committee,
Council for International Exchange of Scholars (1982 - 1984)
UT Chapter President,
American Association of University Professors (1979 - 1983)
Advisory Committee,
Fulbright Awards, Britain and Ireland, Council for International Exchange of Scholars (1978 - 1980)
Editorial Board,
Texas Studies in Literature and Language and Conradiana
Founder and first President,
Neighborhood Association
Chair,
Delegate to County and State Conventions, Democratic Precinct Convention
Board of Directors,
Peace Education Center
Board Member,
Hillel Foundation
Board Member,
Austin Hospice
Board Member,
Frontline Theatre Co.
Member,
American Conference for Irish Studies
Lifetime Member,
Fulbright Association
Lifetime Member,
Modern Language Association
Member,
Modernist Studies Association
Faculty Service Award
- Department of English, UT Austin (2008)
Best Essay of the Year for Becketts Musicals
- Department of English, UT Austin (2005 - 2006)
Thomas Mabry Cranfill Teaching Fellowship in support of Actors
- London Stage (2004)
Website, Center for Shakespeare Studies, Honorable Mention
- Digital Education Achievement Awards (2004)
Humanities Institute Faculty Fellow
- The University of Texas at Austin (2003)
Chad Oliver Teaching Award
- Plan II Honors Program, UT Austin (2003)
Outstanding UT Professor Award
- lpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma (2003)
Parlin Fellow
- Plan II Honors Program, UT Austin
