Just a coupla wolves

Tonight, assistant editor at Gray Wolf Press, Steve Woodward, will speak in Bolton 280. In the words of the Skidmore Literary Society:

Graywolf Press is an independent, non-profit publisher based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. They publish Tracy K. Smith, the winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, as well as Skidmore’s own Steve Stern. This will be a great opportunity to hear and ask about editing, the publishing industry, and the literary world.

So, English majors, be sure to ask if he can get you a job/unpaid internship, and remember to refer to the recent Pulitzer hoopla.

Tuesday, April 24 @ 8pm in Bolton 280

(fbook)

Ominous

Tomorrow, Norman Finkelstein will give a lecture entitled “How to Solve the Israel/Palestine Conflict” in Gannett. Finkelstein is a noted author and activist highly critical of Israel. He has written on the Holocaust and Middle East politics for over twenty years, coming to national prominence with his 2000 book The Holocaust Industry, which examined the alleged “misuse” of the Holocaust for political purposes. 

I don’t like Finkelstein. Beyond the fact that he is a notorious publicity hound, he’s not a particularly good debater (see: Dershowitz/Finkelstein), and—whether he intends it or not—his accusations leveled against Zionists (a word easily replaced with “Jews”) are borderline conspiratorial and directly pander to the worst kinds of antisemitism.

Nevertheless, the lecture is sure to be lively, and if anything, it’ll get people talking on this campus that has so often been charged with political apathy.

If you can’t make the lecture tomorrow, here it is (I would assume) verbatim.

Tuesday, April 24 @ 7pm in Gannett Auditorium

Bill Baird

Tonight at 7pm, pioneering activist Bill Baird will address the campus, as presented by the Feminist Action Network. As the founder of the Pro Choice League and a prominent voice in the reproductive rights movement for almost half a century, Baird’s lecture—“Who Owns Your Body: Church? State? You! The Fight for Birth Control and Abortion”—is certainly of the utmost relevance, given the recently inflamed national tempest over subsidized contraception, religious rights, and proposed anti-abortion legislation.

Baird will discuss his landmark 1972 SCOTUS case, Eisenstadt v. Baird, which established that unmarried couples have a right to possess and use contraception. He will also discuss the current socio-political climate (with an emphasis on the 2012 presidential election) as it relates to the ongoing battle over reproductive rights.

I have a feeling this lecture is going to fill up extremely quickly, so get there as early as possible.

Tuesday, March 20 @ 7pm in Gannett Auditorium

Steve Negus, a reporter specializing on the Middle East, and Sumita Pahwa, a former adjunct professor, will be holding a discussion regarding the recent, historic changes in the Arab world.  The talk is being held from 2-4 on Tuesday in Davis. Unfortunately this is a fairly awkward time but this lecture sounds fantastic.

Negus will discuss “Rebels and Regime Change in Libya,” drawing on first-hand observations of events in Benghazi and Tripoli, from which he recently returned. He will share insight on Libya’s new rebel-led government and what a post-Qaddafi Libya may look like.
Pahwa’s piece of the program, titled “Islamists in Post-Revolution Egypt: Careful What You Wish For,” will focus on how the Muslim Brothers and Salafi movements have shifted gears after the revolution. She’ll discuss the role of religion in a democratic Egypt. <via Scope Online>

So if you got some time tomorrow, put down that Chaucer you’ve been slogging through and head on over to Davis.

Tuesday 2-4 @ Davis Auditorium
Free and open to the public

"We thought you should know"

So part of being in College (yes with a capital C) is that you get to attend mind-expanding lectures given by people who are very, very good at what they do or study, and the lectures don’t cost you a thing. Just look at all the old people and townies that come to these events – they love ‘em! So you can enjoy them now in your youth and have those experiences to help you shape your future, or you can wait until you’re older and care about these sorts of things and move to a college town and mooch off the next generation. Both are valid options, but I’m all for getting my money’s worth, so I’d say do both.

Which brings us to the lecture tomorrow night – Dr. Frances Kendall will be giving a talk entitled “What Will Move Us To Act? Understanding and Interrupting Bias in Our Community”, which will be (as promised) mind-expanding. Many thanks to the Bias Response Group for deviating from their M.O. of highly formatted emails and instead bringing in a nationally recognized speaker.

Monday @ Gannett 7:00pm

Interested in finding out how a culture of greed among rich, white baby boomers has essentially guaranteed that many of you will never achieve the level of financial success made available to your parents? Then you should come see  Associate Professor of Economics Professor Jorg Bibow give the annual William E. Weiss Lecture in Economics on the “The Global Crisis And Its Aftermath” this Tuesday at 5:30pm in Davis.

Bibow’s lecture is built on a Keynesian foundation and feature his own research on the role of central banking and financial systems and the effects of monetary policy on economic performance.

The William E. Weiss Lecture in Economics is made possible with the assistance  of former trustee Arturo Peralto-Ramos III, a member of Skidmore’s Class of 1974. Named in honor of Peralta-Ramos’ stepfather, William E. Weis, the lecture series fosters discussion of contemporary economic issues.

The English Dept.’s  Siri Hustvedt lecture and panel discussion that was canceled at the end of last month because New York was buried under a mountain of snow has been rescheduled for this Tuesday (2/22) at 8pm in Emerson.

Siri Hustvedt, who has written several novels, memoirs, books of essays and short stories, will be on campus for a lecture and panel this Thursday Jan. 27th TUESDAY FEB. 22nd thanks to Salmagundi Magazine and the English Dept..

The evening will begin with a lecture by Hustvedt ‘exploring the relationship between fiction and memoir’ followed by a panel discussion featuring English Dept. fixtures Robert Boyers, Melora Wolff and Greg Hrbek.

Hustvedt has written three novels: The Blindfold, The Enchantment of Lily Dahl, and What I Loved. The New York Times Book Review called the international best seller What I Loved “superb,” and continued, “What I Loved is a rare thing, a page-turner written at full intellectual stretch, serious but witty, large-minded and morally engaged.” Publisher’s Weekly called it “a gripping, seductive, break-out novel.” Hustvedt is also the author of several memoirs, including last year’s The Shaking Woman: A History of My Nerves, a neurological memoir about Hustvedt own recently developed seizure disorder. Hustvedt will deliver the 2011 Sigmund Freud Lecture in Vienna in May of this year.

Siri Hustvedt’s books are available online here.

Siri Hustvedt, who has written several novels, memoirs, books of essays and short stories, will be on campus for a lecture and panel this Thursday Jan. 27th thanks to Salmagundi Magazine and the English Dept..

The evening will begin with a lecture by Hustvedt ‘exploring the relationship between fiction and memoir’ followed by a panel discussion featuring English Dept. fixtures Robert Boyers, Melora Wolff and Greg Hrbek.

Hustvedt has written three novels: The Blindfold, The Enchantment of Lily Dahl, and What I Loved. The New York Times Book Review called the international best seller What I Loved “superb,” and continued, “What I Loved is a rare thing, a page-turner written at full intellectual stretch, serious but witty, large-minded and morally engaged.” Publisher’s Weekly called it “a gripping, seductive, break-out novel.” Hustvedt is also the author of several memoirs, including last year’s The Shaking Woman: A History of My Nerves, a neurological memoir about Hustvedt own recently developed seizure disorder. Hustvedt will deliver the 2011 Sigmund Freud Lecture in Vienna in May of this year.

Siri Hustvedt’s books are available online here.

That lovely picture of Hustvedt’s work space via this feature from TheGuardian.co.uk

Hjerm’s talk will focus on the effect of territorial and national difference on our prejudices and address the “empty spots on our knowledge map”. A few minutes on the Umeå University website and a quick run through Google Translator clues us in to the fact that:

“Michael Hjerm studies of nationalism and xenophobia in a comparative perspective, Focusing on how institutionalists Differences Can explain peoples’ perception of Themselves and Others. He also works with questions of integration and multiculturalism. He also “works with questions of integration and Multiculturalism. He is the National Coordinator for the European Social Survey”<soc.umu.se>

Monday, 5:30pm in Davis Aud.

During the golden age of postcard production, c. 1898 to c. 1920, it is estimated that 200 to 300 billion postcards were being printed for circulation worldwide. In Africa, their production during this period paralleled the consolidation of colonies and implementation of administrative structures by European powers. African photographers soon engaged in this lucrative endeavor. This lecture examines the life histories of several important image makers/postcard producers, aspects of their business, and their ability to cater to foreign clienteles through the appropriation of photographic conventions current among their European peers. <skidmore.edu>

The lecture is sponsored by the Art History Dept. (fbook)