In addition to the Royal D. Alworth, Jr. Memorial Lecture, forums and conferences, the Institute provides a series of international lectures by local, national and international authorities on subjects of timely interest. The Alworth Institute draws not only upon the rich store of local academics with expertise in a variety of areas, but also visiting international faculty.
The 2008-2009 Program is listed below. Check the Memorial Lecture and Brown Bag Lecture sections of this site for additional programming information.
Fall 2008 International Lecture Series:
All lectures are free and open to the public. A reception follows each lecture.
"Ruskin's Unto this Last: Elegant Nonsense or Rationale for Fair Trade?"
Presented by Dr. William Henderson, Director of the Alworth Institute
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. -
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
John Ruskin’s Unto this Last is a magnificent work of English prose, a reflection on the values and mores of Victorian society at its most exploitative. Ruskin's socio-economic criticism challenged laissez-faire and argued against the unregulated market in a way that is directly relevant to modern and international notions of welfare. Dr. Henderson, drawing from his book on Ruskin’s Political Economy, will argue that Ruskin’s criticism of rampant consumerism in a world defaced by poverty, where those who consumed did not work and those who worked did not consume, still has relevance in today’s globalized and unequal world. There is a direct line that goes from Ruskin’s Unto this Last through to the foundation of Oxfam and so on to Fair Trade. Ruskin, like Dickens, helped shape an agenda in which poverty was recognized as a political rather than simply as an economic challenge.
"Russia-Georgia Conflict: Putin's View"
Presented by Dr. Zefirov Nikolay, Professor of Chemistry, Moscow State University
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 12:00 Noon - Library Fourth Floor Rotunda
Dr. Nikolay will briefly examine Putin's perspective on the current conflict between Russia and Georgia. He will then answer questions about the situation from the audience.
"Georgia on My Mind"
Presented by Dr. Alexis Pogorelskin, Professor of History at UMD
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 12:00 Noon - UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Dr. Alexis Pogorelskin will analyze modern Georgia in the context of the Russian sphere of influence. She will discuss the recent crisis in Georgia and examine U.S. foreign policy concerning the conflict between Georgia and Russia. Dr. Pogorelskin is the Chair of the Department of History at UMD. She holds a PhD from Yale University and was a Rhodes Visiting Fellow at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford. She is an expert on Russian, Soviet, and post-Soviet history.
"Brazil: The Country of the Future has Arrived”
Presented by Robert H. Scarlett, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota International Center
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. - UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Robert H. Scarlett, has more than 40 years experience working in a wide range of international activities with both private companies and global non-governmental organizations. He is currently President of Medical Equipment Exporter's, Inc. and Senior Associate with Grupo Avance, LLC - both in Minneapolis. In addition to his work as chair of the Minnesota International Center, he serves on the President's Council of ACCION International, Boston, Massachusetts, a microlending pioneer. Mr. Scarlett is fluent in German, Spanish and Portuguese and has lived or worked throughout Europe, Latin America and parts of Africa. He is the author, with Dr. Lawrence Koslow, of Global Business: 308 Tips for Taking Your Company Worldwide (1999). Mr. Scarlett will speak about economic changes and growth in Brazil and the political consequences of those changes.
“Peace, Stability and Reform in the Middle East: How will the new U.S. Administration Balance Priorities”
Presented by Dr. Michele Dunne, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace & Editor, Arab Reform Bulletin
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. - UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
When a new U.S. administration takes office in January 2009, it will face a myriad of challenges in the Middle East. Peace between Israelis and Palestinians seems more elusive than ever, Iraqi stability is still a distant goal, an assertive Iran is challenging the regional security balance, and calls for domestic political and economic reform have met with mixed results. What can we learn from the successes and failures of the Bush and Clinton administrations to inform more effective U.S. diplomacy in the future? Michele Dunne, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and editor of the Arab Reform Bulletin, a monthly electronic journal published in English and Arabic, will examine these questions in this presentation. A former Middle East specialist at the Department of State and White House, she is also an adjunct professor of international affairs at Georgetown University. Dr. Dunne holds a PhD in Arabic language and linguistics from Georgetown University. Her recent publications include "Incumbent Regimes and the 'King's Dilemma' in the Arab World: Promise and Threat of Managed Reform" (with Marina Ottaway) and "The Ups and Downs of Political Reform in Egypt" (with Amr Hamzawy), which appear in Beyond the Facade: Political Reform in the Arab World (January 2008).
“Iran: Political and Cultural Contexts”
Presented by Dr. Rosemary Stanfield Johnson, Associate Professor of History, University of Minnesota Duluth & Dr. Khalil (Haji) Dokhanchi, Professor of Political Science, University of Wisconsin Superior.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. -
UMD Library Fourth Floor Rotunda
This lecture, given by two local experts on Iran, provides a view and understanding of that country that is different from that most commonly held in the United Sates. Dr. Stanfield-Johnson earned a PhD in Middle Eastern History from New York University. She specializes in religious history, late medieval and early modern Iranian and Middle Eastern history, Safavid Iran, and Shi‘ite Political Culture. She will discuss the cultural and religious contexts of Iranian society and its orientation to the rest of the world. Dr. Dokhanchi manages the International Peace Studies major at the University of Wisconsin Superior. He is a native of Iran and holds a PhD from Binghamton University. He will examine the internal political structures and processes of Iran and its orientation to the Middle East.
Alexandra Fuller, Award-winning Author of Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood and Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier, will visit UMD on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. She will give a lecture on her native Zimbabwe and her writings on this country. The lecture will be held at 7:00 p.m. in Montague Hall 70. Books will be available for purchase at the lecture.
Fuller was born in England in 1969 and in 1972 moved to her parents’ farm in what was then Rhodesia. At that time, Africans were fighting for independence from British rule. Fuller’s parents fought to keep their farm – her father fought against the liberation army and her mother was a Police Reservist – but the family moved to farms in Malawi and Zambia when the war ended in 1980. Fuller’s experience in Zimbabwe has informed her works which are described as anti-war stories. While her books which serve as memoirs are not overtly political, she argues that everything we do is political, from the decision to wake up in the morning to the words we have the courage to speak. “Africa is a great teacher,” she has explained. “We’re not a good example of much, but we’re a terrible warning of power run amok and of the long, high price of oppression.” Fuller’s first book, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, tells of her African childhood played out against the backdrop of war and the African landscape. In Scribbling the Cat, she shares her experiences of traveling through Zimbabwe with a Rhodesian war veteran.
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight was a New York Times Notable Book in 2002, the 2002 Booksense Best Non-fiction, a finalist for the guardian’s First Book Award and winner of the 2002 Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize. Scribbling the Cat won the Ulysses Prize for Art of Reportage in 2004. Fuller has written extensively for magazines and newspapers including The New Yorker and National Geographic magazines. Her most recent book is The Legend of Colton H Bryant (Penguin Press, 2008). She lives in Wyoming with her husband and three children.
For more information on Alexandra Fuller and her work go to www.alexandrafuller.org
Spring 2009 International Lecture Series:
"Cuba: The Evolution of the Revolution and the U.S. Response"
Presented by Lissa Weinmann, Senior Fellow & Cuba Project Director at the World Policy Institute, New York
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - 7:00 p.m.-UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
The long-awaited moment arrived with less fanfare than expected –Fidel Castro was replaced as leader of Cuba, and a peaceful yet uncertain transition is taking place. This lecture will examine who the current leaders of Cuba are and how they are navigating this new political and economic terrain as well as international partnerships and issues. Lissa Weinmann will discuss how a half-century lack of relations between the U.S. and Cuba will influence possibilities for a new relationship between fresh administrations in both countries, including the role of Cuban Americans. Ms. Weinmann focuses her research, writing and policy work on providing a true picture of modern Cuba to U.S. audiences. She organized the vast National Summit on Cuba conferences in various U.S. cities, including in Miami with Mikhail Gorbachev. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Cuba Trade Association. A frequent traveler to the island, she recently worked on SALUD!, an award-winning documentary on Cuba’s healthcare system and its international reach.
Information on additional lectures will be updated as the events are confirmed. Look for a lecture by visiting International Law Fellows from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs in February 2008, and; in April of 2009, the Alworth Institute will be hosting its second International Visiting Fellow who will present several lectures.
International Visiting Scholar Fellowship at the Alworth Institute
Beginning April 2008, the Alworth Institute for International Studies established a one-month International Visiting Scholar Fellowship. The Fellowship aims to develop sustainable relationships with international studies, strategic studies, international relations or related institutes in universities that cooperate with UMD internationally.
Our first International Fellow was Dr. Elżbieta Stadtmüller, Professor of International Relations and Research Director of the Institute of International Studies at the University of Wroclaw, Poland. Dr. Stadtmülller was the first Alworth Institute Fellow, presenting lectures, visiting classes and writing three Alworth Institute Weblogs throughout the month of April 2008.
Fellowship Fund: A fund has been established to sustain the Fellowship. If you wish to contribute this fellowship, please contact Adam S. Meyer, UMD College of Liberal Arts Development Officer at 218-726-6708.
Special Events:
Alworth Institute Reception for UMD International Faculty
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 4:30- p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Griggs Center
The purpose of this reception is to give international faculty a chance to hear about the Alworth Institute, to meet other faculty and supporters of the Alworth Institute including community members. It will also give faculty a chance to meet one another and share experiences of living in Duluth. This reception is supported by the EPC Subcommittee on International Education.
Alworth Institute Film - The Singing Revolution
Monday, September 22, 2008 - 12:00 Noon, Kirby Rafters & Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 7:00 p.m., LSBE 118
In 1991, after nearly fifty years of Soviet occupation, the small Republic of Estonia confronted their occupiers by announcing their independence to the world. Their charge heralded the collapse of the Soviet Union and the freedom of now-suddenly-former Soviet republics. Music played a pivotal role in these historical events .The Singing Revolution, a 94-minute documentary film by James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty, tells the story of one country‘s undeniable thirst for self-determination and its unshakable belief in what it means to be free - to be Estonian. At first glance the story of an extraordinary set of circumstances, The Singing Revolution also stands as an intimate portrayal of people: ordinary, every-day people who refused to believe that freedom was out of their reach.
Alworth Institute Morning School - The Palace of Versailles and how French Style came to England
Saturday, October 4, 2008 - 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 Noon - Tweed Museum Lecture Gallery
With the creation of the palace and garden of Versailles in the late 17th century, Louis XIV made a magnificent setting for his court and government, whose influence reached throughout Europe and beyond. Dr. Dianne Barre, a British researcher of historical sites and gardens, will host this well-illustrated morning school to take a broad look at the magnificent palace and expansive gardens at Versailles, used together as a highly effective form of propaganda by Louis XIV. This is followed by a more detailed examination of the influence of Versailles upon English architecture and gardens. This influence can still be seen today at Hampton Court Palace, Chatsworth House (Derbyshire) and Boughton House (Northamptonshire). Louis XIV's persecution of French Protestants (Huguenots) meant that many fled from France to England. As refugees in England they had an enormous influence on English interior design and in silverware and wrought-iron features. Later in the 18th century, and even under Napoleon, French design continued to fascinate and influence the wealthy English aristocracy, who continued to visit Versailles on the Grand Tour whenever peace made such visits possible.
Free to the public, but reservations should be made by calling (218) 726-7493 or by e-mail to alworth@d.umn.edu.
Alworth Institute International Reading Group
First Selection: Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood (Random House 2001) and Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier (Penguin Books 2004), both by Alexandra Fuller.
First Book Discussion Meeting - Tuesday, November 18, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. -
Location to be announced.
This new book group will meet quarterly during the 2008-2009 academic year to discuss books relating to international studies. The purpose of the group is to promote a greater understanding of the world and to share opinions on the selected book and its analysis.
Alexandra Fuller's books about growing up in and traveling throughout Zimbabwe are the first chosen so that members of the group will benefit from Ms. Fuller's visit and lecture at UMD on November 19, 2008 (see above). Subsequent selections will be made by the group at the first meeting. Books purchased at UMD Stores will receive a 20% discount.
To register for the group or for more information, call (218) 726-7493 or send an e-mail to alworth@d.umn.edu. A calendar of registration and meeting dates follows:
First Quarter (September – November 2008)
October 10, 2008 - Registration closed.
October 13, 2008 – Discussion Questions distributed and posted on line.
November 18, 2008 – Book discussion meeting.
December 1, 2008 – Summary of discussion distributed and posted on line.
Second Quarter (December 2008 – February 2009)
October 30, 2008 – Registration for second reading group begins.
November 24, 2008 - Registration closed.
December 2, 2008 – Discussion Questions distributed and posted on line.
February 17, 2009 – Book discussion meeting.
March 2, 2009 – Summary of discussion distributed and posted on line.
Third Quarter (March-May 2009)
January 30, 2009 – Registration for third reading group begins.
February 27, 2009 - Registration closed.
March 2, 2009 – Discussion Questions distributed and posted on line.
May 5, 2009 – Book discussion meeting.
May 18, 2009 – Summary of discussion distributed and posted on line.
St. Andrew’s Night, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 - 6:00 p.m. ($40 per person, Friend Raising Event)
Scottish Dinner & Lecture - "Scotland's Parliaments", Presented by Dr. William Henderson, Director of the Alworth Institute
The veteran Scottish Nationalist, Winnie Ewing, declared at the opening of the first session of the new Scottish Parliament in May 1999 that “The Scottish Parliament, which adjourned on the 25 March in the year 1707 is hereby reconvened”. This statement is both right and wrong. Right because the Scottish Parliament adjourned sine die. Wrong, because the Parliament of 1707 was the Parliament of a sovereign nation. There are now three buildings in Edinburgh with the word “Parliament” as part of their title, and there is the kirk’s General Assembly. What’s more, there is the nationally-sovereign Parliament at Westminster. This illustrated talk will look at Edinburgh’s Parliament buildings, focusing on the new Parliament and will reflect on the political significance of it all.
Reservations for this event can be made by calling 218-726-7493 or by e-mailing alworth@d.umn.edu.
Get ready for the first WorldQuest Competition!
Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 6:30 p.m. - UMD Ballroom
This is a team competition similar to a College Bowl. Teams compete against one another on subjects with an international flavor: flags and capitals; geographical features and international borders; people and events in the international news. Teams can be formed by students, faculty, staff, community groups, business firms, family and friends or any combination of all of these. Br prepared for a fun even with a competitive edge, by planning ahead!
Register a team and team name and get thinking! Contact the Alworth Institute at (218) 726-7493 or at alworth.d.umn.edu to get more information or to register a team.
Past International Lectures : 2007-2008
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 – 7 p.m. - Chemistry 200, UMD
“The Changing Balance of Power in the Middle East: The Impact of the War in Iraq”
Presented by Dr. Marina S. Ottaway, Middle East Program Director,
Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Ottaway specializes in democracy and post-conflict reconstruction issues, with special focus on problems of political transformation in the Middle East and reconstruction in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, and African countries. Her lecture will focus on the Middle-East and regional consequences stemming from the war in Iraq, particularly with respect to the impact on democratization in the Arab World .
Ottaway’s most recent book, Uncharted Journey: Democracy Promotion in the Middle East (co-edited with Thomas Carothers), was published in January 2005. Her extensive research experience is reflected in her publications, which include nine authored books and four edited ones. Learn more about the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Middle East Program.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 -7 p.m. -UMD Library Rotunda
“The Horn of Africa” presented by Leenco Lata
Leenco Lata is a writer and analyst on political and security developments in the Horn of Africa. His book on this subject, The Horn of Africa as Common Homeland: The State and Self-Determination in the Era of Heightened Globalization, was published in October 2004. Lata’s talk examines the conflicts in the Horn region of Africa where four out of a total of eight peacekeeping operations in Africa are underway. He is a former member of the leadership of the Oromo Liberation Front and presently lives in Norway.
Monday, October 22, 2007 -7 p.m. -UMD Library Rotunda
“Governments and Poverty” Presented by Dr. Adrian Leftwich
Dr. Leftwich is Co-Director of the Department for International Development’s research consortium on Institutions and Pro-Poor Growth(IPPG), as well as a professor in the University of York (UK) Politics Department. His research is currently focused on state-business relations and the politics of economic policy-making in developing countries.
Wednesday November 14, 2007 -7 p.m. -UMD Library Rotunda
“Tourism and Memory in Vietnam” Presented by Dr. Scott Laderman
Scott Laderman is an assistant professor in the History department at UMD. Based upon his award-winning dissertation, Laderman will explore the history of the United States and Vietnam through the scope of tourism. Dr. Laderman received his PhD. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus in 2005, where he also won one of four University Graduate School’s Best Dissertation award for 2007.
New America Foundation Speakers
Presented by Sherle Schwenninger and William Hartung
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12 p.m. -
UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Sherle Schwenninger, Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, will talk about local reaction to American Foreign Policy and the impact of China and India on the world economy. William Hartung, Director of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation, will be focusing on Alternative Defense Policy, China and current proliferation and military budgets.
"What Can We Expect Next of Britain’s Gordon Brown?”
Presented by Gerard Baker, Washington-based United States Editor/ Assistant Editor at The Times (London)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 7 p.m.-UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Gerard Baker has worked for the Financial Times ( Tokyo correspondent and then Washington Bureau Chief) before joining The Times. He has written several very telling pieces on Gordon Brown and Brown’s policy changes since he took over from Tony Blair.What is Brown's attitude to Us-UK cooperation in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere?
“ China: Problems and Prospects”
Presented by Gordon S. Chang
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 - 7 p.m. - UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Gordon G. Chang, frequent visitor to China, takes a critical stand on the Chinese Communist Party suggesting that the behavior of the Party and its officials is capable of upsetting Chinese stability. China has been identified as a theme in the international Brown Bag Series and Chang’s lecture will raise further issues about China in a lively, and even controversial, manner.
“Exchanging Spears for Books: The Maasai School Project”
Presented by Hans Johnson, Founder of the Maasai Cultural Foundation
Wednesday, March 12 - 7 p.m. - UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
Hans Johnson went to Kenya when he was 21 with some recording equipment and a desire to document the music and culture of the Maasai people. He will talk about his experiences living and working with the Maasai, focusing on his recent work helping to build a school where over one hundred adults are learning to read and write. Click here to learn More about Han's work with the Maasai.
“A Four-Star Africa Command: Why now, what for and at what risk?”
Presented by Peter Strozok
Wednesday, March 26 - 7 p.m. - UMD Library Fourth Floor Rotunda
Peter Strozok has worked in different parts of West Africa and is particularly interested in the Sahel region, which he sees as having huge agricultural potential. His talk will focus on the Government of the United State's decision to start-up a Four- Star Combat Command in Africa in late summer, 2008.
“What About Food Security?”
Presented by Dr. Doug West, Associate Professor of Political Science, Lakehead University
Wednesday, April 9 - 7 p.m. -
UMD Library Fourth Floor Rotunda
Doug West is a political philosopher who cooperates with the Alworth Institute in supporting the North Shore Public Discussion Opportunities, which focus on issues of international interest and are held in Grand Marais, Minn. Doug is researching the social, philosophical and political issues surrounding food and food security.
2007-2008 Special Events:
Fall 2007 Bob Hattery International Roundtable
Saturday, October 13, 2007 -9:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais, Minnesota
"What Are the BIG International Issues Today? What kind of leadership qualities
do we need in our Canadian and United States leaders to address these international issues?”
Please join us on Saturday, October 13, 2007 from 9:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais, Minn. for a discussion on the above listed topic. Guest speakers will include Khalil Dokhanchi, Professor of Political Science, UWS; William Henderson, Alworth Institute Director from UMD; and Thomas Hanson, retired Foreign Service Officer from the U.S. State Department.
A soup and sandwich buffet lunch will be provided, donation requested. Anyone and everyone encouraged and welcome to attend this event. For questions, please contact the Cook County Community Center / Extension office at 218-387-3015.
St. Andrew’s Night, Friday, November 30, 2007 -5:30 p.m.
“ Glasgow: From Medieval to Post-Modern City”
Scottish Dinner & Lecture Presented by Dr. William Henderson, Director of the Alworth Institute
Last year the focus was on Edinburgh as a City of the Enlightenment. Glasgow too was a center for the Enlightenment and very much more besides! Glasgow is a city that has long-term connections with North America, a proud industrial past, the finest Victorian and Edwardian City Center in Europe and which is home to the biggest visited tourist attraction in the whole of Scotland. This is a city that has re-invented itself through the arts, culture and tourism. It’s bigger than Duluth and older but the re-invention has strong similarities. $40 per person – Friend Raising Event
“Politics and Law in Divided Societies”
Presented by Ziad Kays, Alem Yirga, and Wasantha Navaratne Bandara
Wednesday, February 6, 2008 - 7 p.m. - UMD Fourth Floor Library Rotunda
These experienced lawyers come from Lebanon, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. They each live in societies divided by history and contemporary politics. What is the justice system like in each of these countries? How does the system cope with the stresses and strains of political life and constitutional and extra-constitutional action?
Past Alworth International Lectures: Fall 2006
Alexander McCall Smith, best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series visits UMD!
Alexander McCall Smith spoke at an Alworth Institute event held in the Ballroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth at 7.30 PM on Monday 25th September 2006. His talk was entitled: The Small Things in Life. There were four hundred and eighty people in the audience.
The talk examined Botswana as a source for the very popular ‘No.1 Ladies Detective Agency’ Novels. McCall Smith, in a humorous presentation, described himself as a ‘Serial Writer’ (a condition constructed as a kind of illness, the only way out of which is ‘death’). In planning all of his many literary works, he closely observes ‘the small things in life’. During an early visit to Botswana he watched a cheerful lady, in a red dress, and of traditional build, efficiently wring the neck of a chicken and thought ‘One day I will write about someone like you’. Eventually he did and the final result was The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Mma Ramotswe, a woman of ‘traditional build’, and the detective in charge of the agency in question, is located in Botswana, a country in Southern Africa that is roughly the size of Texas. McCall Smith outlined his delight in the culture of southern Botswana. He also pointed out that Botswana is celebrating at the end of September the 40th Anniversary of Independence. Click here to see the Alworth Institute blog on Botswana.
Through references to Mma Ramotswe, and her coterie of friends, Mc Call Smith talked of the pace and sociability of an African culture as it undergoes change. He saw the detective agency as a device for bringing all sorts of social and economic problems and situations into his novels. Precious Ramotswe is a force for good and she and her network of friends embody in the details of their lives a sense of cultural continuity. Believing in the ‘great possibilities of the small events of everyday life’, McCall Smith constructed during the lecture, as in his works, a positive image of life in Botswana, whilst not ducking the issues of inter-personal conflict, adultery, murder, AIDS and social change.
In a change of mood, he talked about the current AIDS crisis in Botswana and pointed out the actions taken for the better by American financed and staffed development projects. He claimed that some criticized his works as ‘utopian’ and accepted that nothing much happens in his Botswana novels. He was able to point out, textually, where difficult issues are raised discretely in conformity to principles at work in Botswana’s culture.
Through his main characters he illustrated, albeit in a simple way, details of aspirations, of social niceties, of the confusion that change brings and of the capacity to draw upon proverbial wisdom to cope with perplexities and confrontations. In short McCall Smith created for his listeners, a sensitive view of a culture that challenges the negative images that many hold about African life and African society. He also let it be known that whilst readers in Botswana were surprised at first by his expropriation of their culture, they and the Government of Botswana are delighted with the economic impact of his stories. Tourism to Botswana has doubled as a result of his writing and sales of bush tea leapt by nearly 70%.
Dr. William Henderson will follow up McCall Smith’s introduction to Botswana by exploring forty years of Botswana’s Independence in an illustrated talk ‘Constitution Making and Constitution Keeping in Botswana’ on Tuesday, October 24, 2006, at 7:00 PM in the Library Fourth Floor Rotunda at UMD.