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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 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 programs 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 Director
Fall 2012 International Brown Bag Series
Journey with Levine to China 2012: Photos and Comments from On and Off the Beaten Track
Presented by Dr. Gordon Levine, Retired UMD Geography Professor
Thursday - September 27, 2012 - 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Kirby Rafters, UMD
Based on his third trip to China in the last nine years, Levine focuses on the lives and travels of the Chinese, while not ignoring the grand tourist sites. His main focus is on agriculture, transportation, Buddhism and historic places on the Yangtze (Changjiang) River basin from Shanghai west to Sichuan Province with side trips to other places. This is his photo story of planning and executing 31 days of solo travel this past March and April.
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The Consequences of the Arab Spring on the Sahel Region of sub-Saharan Africa
Presented by Lorraine Green, Missionary in Chad
Thursday, October 4, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
A missionary in Chad for over 30 years, Lorraine Green reports on the consequences of the Arab Spring on the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa. Although Islam dominates the region, tribal dynamics and historical factors are also influential. Will those dynamics hold firm with the next generation?
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An Unescorted Tour Through Cuba
Presented by Koresh Lakhan, retired elementary school teacher, and Mike Jaros, former MN State Representative
Thursday, October 11, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
Lakhan and Jaros, both world travelers, share their two week adventure in Cuba as they traveled through towns, cities and tiny villages, using a local guide. Cuba is on the threshold for major reforms in politics - both domestic and international - commerce, agriculture, and tourism.
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United States Intervention in Honduras and the Effects on Indigenous Peoples
Presented by Tomas Gómez Membreño, Civic Council of Popular Indigenous Organizations
Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
Since the military coup in 2009, Honduras has been in a human rights crisis. Gómez Membreño is visiting from Honduras, where he works for the non-profit Indigenous rights organization COPINH (Civic Council of Popular Indigenous Organizations). COPINH has been working to expose the role of the United States in the coup and its aftermath. The Honduran military and police, responsible for egregious human rights violations, have received millions from the United States in arms and training. Indigenous communities are among the most affected by these policies. Gomez has been part of a vibrant nation-wide network of organizations representing small farmers, women, afro-descendants and members of the LGBTQ community.
This presentation is co-sponsored by UMD’s Latino/Chicano Student Programs.
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Polar Bears in Svalbard
Presented by Deb Shubat, Senior Research Plot Technician, UMD Biology Department
Thursday, November 1, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
Shubat discusses her experiences observing polar bears aboard a reappointed ice breaker with a National Geographic tour. Svalbard is a set of islands north of Norway that has the largest concentration of polar bears in the arctic. The islands are managed by Norway but not owned by any one nation. The main industry now is coal mining. July 2012 had the smallest area of sea ice recorded for Svalbard, which concentrated the bears and seals in a relatively small area and made them easy to find and observe.
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Antarctica in Black and White: Snow, Ice and Penguins
Presented by Jill Lakhan, local Duluthian
Thursday, November 8, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
World traveler Lakhan shares photographs and experiences about her 2011 trip to Antarctica, which is the home to 90% of the world’s ice, 70% of the world’s fresh water, and is the highest, driest, windiest and coldest place on earth.
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Scottish Identity and Scottish Nationalism
Presented by Dr. William Henderson, Alworth Institute International Associate
Thursday, November 15, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
With the May 2011 elections, Scotland now has its first majority government since the opening of Holyrood. The success of the Scottish National Party means that there is now sufficient support in the Parliament to hold a referendum on independence. In this illustrated talk, Henderson examines the history and meaning of Scottish identity and nationalism in light of the election and recent events.
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Microlending: It’s not just about the Money
Presented by Betsy Johnson, UMD Senior studying Economics & Political Science
Thursday, November 29, 2012 - 12:00 p.m.(noon)
Library 4th Floor Rotunda, UMD
Johnson discusses her experiences working with a microfinancing organization in the southern state of Oaxaca, Mexico. She spent two months observing and interviewing women whose lives were impacted by Fuentes Libres, a nonprofit microcredit organization. Microlending is not only an economic tool for the poor, but can also be utilized to educate the poor on a variety of subjects and improve the status of their entire community and their relationships.
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International Brown Bag Archives