The upcoming third annual University of Iowa European Studies Conference will explore such diverse environmental topics as cinematic landscapes and green politics, modernization and ecological awareness in France, and how environmental concerns are portrayed in popular culture.
The multidisciplinary “Green Politics II” conference will be Dec. 2 and 3, 2011, in Room 315 Phillips Hall on the UI campus. All events are free and open to the public, and no registration is required.
As you travel far and wide (or not) for Thanksgiving, remember that there is an opportunity for you to travel farther and wider still: with a Stanley Grant, which offers UI grad students up to $2500 for international research.
On Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 9 p.m., come down to Sanctuary for a special Speakeasy for Stanley, where your colleagues and recent Stanley Grant recipients Kendra Greene, Lucas Mann, Inara Verzemnieks and Mieke Eerkens will offer us exciting tales of (research-based) adventure across the globe.
A weeklong Ida Beam residency by Latin percussionist Michael Spiro in the University of Iowa School of Music will include a free Afro-Cuban Jazz Summit Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, in the Englert Theater in downtown Iowa City, and a Latin Jazz Festival for high school jazz bands, including a free concert at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, in the Parish Hall of the Trinity Episcopal Church at 320 E. College St.
Turkish author and columnist Mustafa Akyol will present a lecture titled “Muslim Liberalism: Is It Ever Possible?” Monday, Dec. 5, 2011, at 5:15 p.m. in the Illinois Room of the Iowa Memorial Union. This event is free and open to the public.
On WorldCanvass: Iowa and Invisible Man, host Joan Kjaer and her guests will reflect on the life and work of Ralph Ellison and his place among other African-American writers of his era; the staging of Invisible Man, happening first at the UI; the benefits of integrating performance into the classroom as a teaching tool; and the history of African-Americans at the UI and in Iowa.
The University of Iowa Opera Studies Forum (OSF) will continue its 2011-12 lecture series coordinated with the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD theater screenings with a talk on Handel’s “Rodelinda” Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, presented by Michael Eckert. All lectures take place at 5:30 p.m. in the University Capitol Centre conference seminar room 2520D and are free and open to the public.
“‘Down and Out’ but in the ‘Works’: Homeless Soldiers and Homeless Youth in German Literature and Film” is the topic of a Dec. 9, 2011, lecture by Kirsten E. Kumpf of the UI Department of German.
As local communities such as Iowa City become more globally diverse, university officials say foreign-language education becomes critical.
“When you study a foreign language … you learn about yourself in the context of foreign cultures,” said Steve Ungar, a University of Iowa professor of cinema/comparative literature.
This year, the UI held its first Adopt-A-Language Fair on Nov. 11 to kick-off International Education Week by promoting foreign languages less commonly studied by university students.
The University of Iowa Opera Studies Forum (OSF) will continue its 2011-12 lecture series coordinated with the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD theater screenings with a talk on Glass’s “Satyagraha” Wednesday, Nov. 16, presented by Paul Greenough. All lectures take place at 5:30 p.m. in the University Capitol Centre conference seminar room 2520D and are free and open to the public.
Greenough, a professor in the UI History Department in CLAS will give a talk on Philip Glass’s opera “Satyagraha.”
International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, will be celebrated at the University of Iowa Friday, Nov. 11 through Thursday, Nov. 17, offering several opportunities for the public to engage in international activities around campus. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
The UI African Studies Program will welcome two social activists from Tanzania for a series of talks Nov. 15-16, all free and open to the public.
Annagrace Rwehumbiza will present “It’s the Context Stupid: HIV-AIDS and the Vulnerabilities of Adolescent Girls in Tanzania” Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 12:30-1:45 p.m. in 213 English Philosophy Building. Rwehumbiza is a lawyer and social worker who specializes in issues related to the health and rights of youth and women in Tanzania.
Margaret Crocco, dean of the UI College of Education, will discuss why disasters demonstrate the need for democratic dialogue and civic engagement Tuesday Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room A, Iowa City Public Library. This event is free and open to the public.
Crocco will share the process of developing a curriculum keyed to Spike Lee’s award-winning film about Hurricane Katrina, “When the Levees Broke.” She will speak about how a tragedy can often reshape consciousness around community and community involvement.
Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian author Wole Soyinka will present a lecture titled “Technology and the Writer: Open Book and Closed Text,” Sunday, Nov. 6, at 3:30 p.m. in Shambaugh Auditorium of the UI Main Library. He will also receive the Rex D. Honey African Studies Lectureship Award, presented by the African Studies Program. This event is free and open to the public.
The African Studies Program, a part of UI International Programs, will present the award in memory of UI faculty member Rex Honey to recognize Soyinka’s outstanding contribution to world literature and his continuing advocacy of human rights reforms in Nigeria and around the globe.
The “Young Starlets of Japanese Cinema” film series will hold its final screening this Friday, Nov. 4, featuring “Kamikaze Girls” at 7 p.m. at the Bijou Cinema in the Iowa Memorial Union. The event is free and open to the public.
This 7th Annual Japan Foundation Film Series is devoted to introducing young female actresses from films released in the 2000s. Previous screenings featured the films “One Million Yen Girl,” “Harmful Insect” and “Yunagi City Sakura Country.”
Cristina Rivera Garza, one of the most prominent Mexican narrators of the this generation, will present two upcoming events Friday, Nov. 4, on the UI campus.
She will read from her work in Spanish from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in Room 1117 of the University Capitol Centre, followed by an English conversation on her experiences as a writer from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in Room 315 of Phillips Hall. Both events are free and open to the public.
