A free spirit honoured by his colleagues

David Staines (left), Dean of the   Faculty of Arts, celebrating   Patrick Imbert's (right)   contributions to the Faculty of Arts.

Patrick Imbert, professor of lettres françaises, proudly honoured by his colleagues, is a co-recipient of the Faculty of Arts' Researcher of the Year Award for 1998. Marc Brosseau, professor of geography, who shared the award will be featured in our next issue. Imbert, professor, critic, and writer specializes in the analysis of discourse, Canadian studies, postmodernism, as well as, French and Québécois literature. Themes of exclusion, discrimination, genocide, and value laden systems represent a source of inspiration in his reflective and creative work.

Amongst his vast array of interests, Imbert is particularly fond of Québécois literature. He enjoys its playfulness. Imbert explains that the ability of Québécois writers to manipulate sentences and to create fantastic and ludicrous situations are of great contrast to the majority of French writers who tend to create pieces that conform to the established discursive norms. When asked what type of writer he is, he hesitates, and responds that he is a bit of both; a style that is reflected in his latest book, "Le réel à la porte", a collection of short stories. "The trigger that pushes me to write is sensuality, such as found in a landscape. Let's take the Arizona desert, for example, where the contrast in colours are particularly strong, the ochre ground, the blue sky, and a sparkling green cactus; these sensual impressions urge me to write, it is irrepressible." expresses Imbert. Critiques say that his short stories are very well written, but opinions on its content vary. Imbert admits that his texts are not for the faint hearted; for his stories have political, sinister, humorous, and at times erotic tendencies.

Imbert teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in lettres françaises. His approach to teaching combines theoretical reflections and practical writing: "As a professor of literature, you are first a critic, but one must know what writing is; your perspective changes when you are also a practitioner." Imbert encourages his students to write freely, he explains: "As long as they are able to discuss, justify, and critique what they have written, then there is no room for censorship."