The International Brown Bag Series
This series aims to raise awareness of international issues in a format that is easy for students and community members to access. The 2007-2008 Brown Bag Series is listed below these objectives. The objectives of the series are to:
- help fulfill the overall objectives of the Alworth Institute;
- introduce students, staff and the wider community to interesting aspects of foreign culture, society and history;
- raise awareness of political life and conditions in diverse parts of the world;
- create opportunities for sharing insights developed during professional and leisure interest travel and other programmes of study abroad;
- create opportunities for visiting faculty to share relevant topics with the wider University;
- involve students, staff and community members in exchanging ideas and reflecting on international and any related domestic policy issues.
“This series provides the audience the opportunity to share in the international travel experiences of numerous individuals from the University, local and international communities. Many presentations are travelogues; some are reflections of the current issues confronting a country’s people; others capture the cultural character of distant societies; but, each allows a unique insight into places many would never have the opportunity to visit.”
Dr. Cindy M. Christian
Alworth Institute Program Associate
International Brown Bag Series: Spring 2008
The series for 2007-2008 has come to an end. The new series is currently being planned. Check the site for new material around mid-August, 2008. Check below for examples of events from 2007-2008.
The Thursday, January 31, 2008 Brown Bag has been replaced by the Annual Memorial Lecture 2008: “Foreign Policy Development and Presidential Candidates”by Walter Mondale at 1:30 p.m. in the Weber Music Hall. Please refer to the Memorial Lecture page for further details.
“China and Global Trends”
Presented by Dr. Dennis Falk,
Thursday, February 14, 2008 -12 p.m.
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Dr. Falk, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Social Work, will examine how China is affecting and being affected by global trends associated with "Seven Revolutions." These revolutions, described by Erik Peterson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, relate to population, natural resources, technology, information, economic integration, conflict, and governance. The presentation will be based in part on Dr. Falk's visit to China in May and June of 2007.
“The Role of Cooperative Finance in Developing Countries”
Presented by Bill Raker
Thursday, February 21, 2008 - 12 p.m.
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Bill Raker, President and CEO of US Federal Credit Union (located in Burnsville, MN) recently traveled to Cambodia to assess prospective credit unions. He visited credit unions in two villages in a rural rice farming area 100 kilometers from the capital city of Phnom Penh.
Bill’s visit, which he calls an “eye-opening and life-changing experience,” illustrates how the power of the credit union ‘people helping people’ philosophy can take root in even the most remote corners of the world.
“South American Wind Instruments”
Presented by Dr. Mark Whitlock
Thursday, March 6, 2008 -12 p.m.
(Originally scheduled for February 7, 2008)
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
In the fall of 2006 Professor Mark Whitlock was granted a single semester leave to conduct a research project titled “An Annotated Study Guide of Selected South American Wind Band Literature.” His travels took him to Brazil and Argentina, where he gathered much of the information pertinent to his project. While in South America he guest conducted at the Third South American Conference of Composers, Arrangers and Conductors of Symphonic Bands. This conference was held in Cordoba, Argentina. Dr. Whitlock’s lecture will report on the status of his research project.
“China: Through the Eyes of UMD CSD and Social Work
Students and Faculty”
Presented by Jolene Hyppa Martin, Lynette Carlson, Mark Mizuko, Paul Deputy, Lynn Bye, Michelle Tessier,
Katie Guerttman
Thursday, March 13, 2008 - 12 p.m.
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
UMD Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) and Social Work faculty and students traveled to China, where UMD co-sponsored the
first China International Conference on Speech Therapy. China is a country undergoing rapid change. Its major role in the world economy was evident, as were preparations for the upcoming Olympics. The presenters will share China as they experienced it, including academic, professional, cultural notes and humor.
“Listen to Girls: The International Girls Summit”
Presented by Zora Radosevich
and Rachel Johnson
Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 12 p.m.
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Girls International Forum (GIF) is a Minnesota-based organization created to help girls shape international policies that affect their lives. GIF was awarded a $200,000 matching grant from the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to host an International Girls Summit, which tookplace in Minnesota on July 8-16, 2006. The primary aims of the Summit were to call attention to global issues facing girls and women, develop community-based action projects to addressing these issues, and create bonds among the attendees, who came from many nations.
Rachel Johnson, a Duluth Denfeld High School Senior, has been a Girl Summit Leader in GIF since she was 13. Zora Radosevich is the Executive Director of the Girls International Forum. Both will report on the outcomes of the International Girls Summit.
This Brown Bag Lecture is being held in reserve:
Thursday, April10, 2008
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
“Icelandic Landscapes, Living Legends”
Presented by Nichole Laine
Thursday, April 17, 2008 - 12 p.m.
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
In Iceland the past is very much a part of present identity. People trace genealogies to the medieval past and can recount tales of their ancestors’ famous deeds. Many of these tales are present in the sagas, a specific kind of medieval vernacular literary form. Famous elements of these stories are still attached to landscape features in contemporary Iceland. For an Icelander, a hill or a waterfall can evoke these stories of the past. The past forms a living part of everyday Icelandic life. Nichole is a UMD Department of Writing Studies instructor currently finishing a Ph.D. in Scandinavian and Medieval Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.
“Images of the Divine: The Armenian Church Collections of Istanbul”
Presented by Ron Marchese
Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 12 p.m.
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
The history of a people can be documented by the physical objects they produce and use. Physical objects, as important elements of human culture, help identify societal values and moral principles. They also illustrate artistic accomplishment since the role of the artisan in the manufacturing of things is crucial in understanding the material culture of a people. The collection of objects in the Armenian Orthodox churches of Istanbul confirms such views - the interconnection between material culture, artisanship, and communal belief.
Fall 2007 Brown Bag Series:
All Brown Bags are held on Thursdays at 12 p.m. in the Library Fourth Floor Rotunda unless otherwise noted.
September 20 - “ Argentina & Uruguay: Twenty-Some Years After a Return to Democracy”
Dr. Eileen Zeitz, UMD Spanish Professor, recently traveled to Argentina and Uruguay. She will present political history through pictures and stories about her trip. Zeitz lived in Argentina for two different periods in the 1970s, and has studied or traveled in all of South America, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain.
September 27 - “History and Significance of Sacred Sights in Ireland”
The Irish countryside is dotted with sites of sacred significance. From prehistoric burial sites dating back to 2500 B.C. through centuries of sacred and religious traditions, Ireland has much to offer the modern-day pilgrim. Pauline Nuhring, who has a Master’s of Liberal Studies with a concentration in Irish Culture, will share pictures and stories about her own pilgrimage to Ireland in March 2007. Some of her explorations included the Poulnabrone Dolmen, Kells Priory, Jerpoint Abbey, Clonmacnoise, the Dingle Peninsula, Croagh Patrick, and the Rock of Cashel.
October 4 - "Pedagogy and Research in Study in England - One Faculty Member’s Story”
Paula J. Pedersen, Assistant Professor of Psychology, will share her experiences of mid-career renewal through participating as faculty in the Study in England Program. Her lecture will reflect upon service learning, cultural immersion, teaching with technology, intercultural effectiveness and global citizenship.
October 11 - “ Impact of Water Diversion on Women & Men in Central Kenya: Stories and Pictures From the Field"
Dr. Njoki Kamau, Women Studies Department Head, traveled to Kenya in the summer of 2006 to interview men and women impacted by water diversion programs in Kenya. The presentation focuses on the impact of the development projects in the face of the globalization of cultures and economies. Ndaka-ini Dam in Central Kenya is used to illustrate how water diversion impacts the local people. This study was funded by Grants in Aid, CLA Deans Office, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Center for Fresh Water Resources at UMD, Commission on Women and the Alworth Institute for International Studies.
October 18 - “Eldur og Is – Fire and Ice : Geology and Culture of Iceland”
Howard Mooers, UMD Geological Sciences Professor, and geology students share their research experience in Iceland, which sits atop the Mid Atlantic Ridge near the Arctic Circle. It is one of the most geologically active places on Earth, where volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers are common features of this landscape. However, because of it northerly latitude glaciers Iceland is home to Europe’s largest ice cap and a host of smaller glaciers. Iceland is also often considered the oldest democracy, having established the “Althing” in 930 ce. The combination of an independent people, the physical landscape, and its isolation has given rise to a unique culture.
November 1 - “ Edinburgh in the Age of Enlightenment”
Dr. William Henderson, Alworth Institute Director, will present an amusing yet serious account of Edinburgh and the Enlightenment, taking in famous Edinburgh characters, events and locations. The illustrations will cover the Auld and New Town and will review the culture and legacy of the Enlightenment in Edinburgh. He will ask, in the process, questions concerning the visual representation of Scotland’s thinkers; of the identity of Scotland as a modern nation; and why Edinburgh has overlooked, for so long, Adam Smith.
November 8 - “Sewing Seeds of Resistance: Colombia Flower Unions, US Policy and the Struggle for Dignity”
Lydia Lopez has worked in the flower industry for 15 years and now is president of Untraflores, an independent flower workers union representing the areas surrounding Bogota, Columbia. This union primarily consists of women who have organized in order to improve the working conditions on the flower plantations. Lopez will speak about anti-union campaigns waged against flower workers in Columbia as well as specific attempts to bust Untraflores.
November 15 - " China Perspective: UMD’s Study Chinese Language in China Program”
The Chinese language is one of the oldest, continuously used written language systems. Dr. Zhuangyi Liu, faculty leader of UMD's first “Study Chinese in China” program, and students will share their experience and knowledge gained from his five-week program in China, which took place during Summer Session 2007. This Brown Bag is presented in conjunction with UMD’s International Education Office’s “International Education Week” programs.
December 6 - “More than a Famous Battle: Archaeological Investigations at the Ancient Town of Plataiai, Greece” - The Rafters, UMD
UMD and the wider community will be the first to hear about Dr. Ron Marchese’s latest archaeological findings at Plataiai, a region northwest of Athens that is widely known as the place where Greek city-states defeated the Persian army in 479 B.C. The ancient town is also the second largest archaeological site in central Greece, associated with major events of the Classical Age including the Persian War, the Peloponnesian War, the Corinthian War, and the wars waged by the Macedonian monarchs Philip II and Alexander the Great.