America and the World F e a t u r e s Rogue Nation 22 Has America turned its back on the world? A review and excerpts from a new book that questions U.S. foreign policy. Departments By James Kurth and Clyde Prestowitz ’63 L e t t e r s 3 Readers’ feedback Images From 28 S w a r t h m o r e Collection 4 S c i e n c e Current developments The teaching of science is enhanced by on campus modern visualization techniques— P r o f i l e s and beautiful images often result. Connections 46 By David Cohen, Peter Collings, Paul Alumni Weekend photos Makingthe 60 Rablen, Scott Gilbert, Carl Grossman, and upcoming events W o r l d T u r n Kathleen Howard, Kathleen Siwicki, Fred “Crash” Blechman ’46: Elizabeth Vallen, and Amy Cheng ClassNotes 50 Call him “The Flying Hobo.” Vollmer Friends catching up By Elizabeth Redden ’05 WhatShall 34 D e a t h s 5 7 An Emphasis 74 W e C a l l t h e Classmates fondly remembered o n D o i n g P r o f e s s o r ? Phyllis Hasbrouck ’78 works to solve Swarthmore students have close Books&Arts 76 problems and build community. relationships with their professors, but T. Kaori Kitao reviews Beacon By Kathryn Kingsbury not everyone is on a first-name basis. Hill by Moying Li-Marcus M’82 By Ben Yagoda and edited by Richard Harley ’72 A G l a m o u r L i f e 8 0 Editor Cynthia Leive ’88 publishes “The Toughest 36 I n M y L i f e 7 2 articles that impact readers’ lives. Job You’ll Ever Sysiphus and Me By Audree Penner L o v e ” By Larry Sobel ’77 Peace Corps volunteers from InHarmony 86 Swarthmore have served around A Day in the Life 88 W i t h N a t u r e the world. Professor of Music and Bach While re-creating a Tang-Chinese By Andrea Hammer expert Michael Marissen garden, Liam O’Neill ’00 has By Carol Brévart-Demm found his niche. C r e a t i v e 4 4 By Carol Brévart-Demm A p p r o a c h e s t o P e a c e Sally Chin ’95 and Shamil Idriss ’94 are committed to the Search for ON THE COVER: THE INTERNATIONAL THEME OF THIS ISSUE OF THE BULLETIN IS CAPTURED IN Common Ground. THIS ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE DININNO (CORBIS). By Elizabeth Redden ’05 CONTENTS: A SOARING COMMONS IS A CENTRAL FEATURE OF SWARTHMORE’S NEW SCIENCE CENTER, PART OF WHICH CAME INTO USE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FALL SEMESTER. PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM GRAHAM. PARLORTALK he wordless 30-second commercial opens with a view over the tiled roofs of Swarthmore an Asian village. At street level, traditionally dressed villagers bow as a cur- COLLEGEBULLETIN tained sedan chair passes in a procession. A religious figure, perhaps, is seat- T Editor: Jeffrey Lott ed behind its translucent white curtains. Then, a large SUV enters a crossroads ahead of the procession, and puzzled vil- Managing Editor: Andrea Hammer lagers turn to stare. Next, we see the religious figure parting the curtains for a bet- Class Notes Editor: Carol Brévart-Demm ter look at the gleaming white automobile. Staff Writer: Alisa Giardinelli A brocaded sleeve extends through the curtain, revealing a hand that gestures Desktop Publishing: Audree Penner quickly twice, signaling the unseen SUV driver to cross ahead. It’s a moment that Art Director: Suzanne DeMott Gaadt, any commuter can relate to—yielding to another vehicle out of courtesy. Gaadt Perspectives LLC The SUV crosses the unpaved street, raising a small cloud of dust. The sedan Administrative Assistant: Janice Merrill-Rossi chair—curtains closed, its occupant’s identity never revealed—starts to move. As Intern: Elizabeth Redden ’05 the screen fades to black, these words Editor Emerita: Can a small college appear in quick succession: Maralyn Orbison Gillespie ’49 “RESPECT”; “Range Rover”; and the that awards fewer than Land Rover slogan, “The most well- Contacting Swarthmore College traveled vehicles on Earth.” College Operator: (610) 328-8000 400 diplomas each year This commercial—brought to us www.swarthmore.edu by Ford, which purchased the Land Admissions: (610) 328-8300 Rover brand in 2000—is emblematic [email protected] change the world? Alumni Relations: (610) 328-8402 of the U.S. relationship with the [email protected] developing world, where respect is much desired by all but rarely earned or offered Publications: (610) 328-8568 by Americans. If we accept the premise of this TV ad—that societies across the [email protected] globe are eager to embrace America’s products and popular culture—we display Registrar: (610) 328-8297 both arrogance and blindness. [email protected] In fact, just the opposite seems to be true. In his new book (page 24), Clyde World Wide Web Prestowitz ’63 puts it this way: “Much as it may like and admire Americans … the www.swarthmore.edu rest of the world has its own traditions, ways, and values for which it wants Changes of Address respect. Globalization does not change this fact.” In his charge to the Class of Send address label along 2003 (page 14), President Alfred H. Bloom said, “If you see America becoming so with new address to: certain of itself that it begins to believe itself better than the other nations and Alumni Records Office peoples with whom it shares this globe, I ask you to help America to apply its own Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue democratic ideals to the world stage—to see the world as a community of peoples Swarthmore PA 19081-1390 of equal worth and potential, each of whom demands our full respect.” Phone: (610) 328-8435. Or e-mail: Can a small college that awards fewer than 400 diplomas each year change the [email protected]. world? The evidence in this issue of the Bulletin suggests that it can. Swarthmore The Swarthmore College Bulletin (ISSN not only provides intellectual leadership such as that shown by Prestowitz, its 0888-2126), of which this is volume CI, graduates are using their minds—and hands—to achieve peace across the globe. number 2, is published in August, Sep- From the hundreds of Swarthmoreans who have joined the Peace Corps (page 36) tember, December, March, and June by Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, to the young activists at Search for Common Ground (page 44), to the DOERS of Swarthmore PA 19081-1390. Periodicals Madison, Wis. (page 74), the intelligence, energy, and commitment of Swarthmore postage paid at Swarthmore PA and additional mailing offices. Permit No. alumni have mitigated evil, alleviated suffering, promoted justice, and advanced 0530-620. Postmaster: Send address the cause of peace. The education here combines the highest intellectual standards changes to Swarthmore College Bulletin, with a commitment to serve humankind—and it cannot help but make a differ- 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore PA 19081-1390. ence. SWARTHMORECOLLEGEBULLETIN —Jeffrey Lott © 2003 Swarthmore College 2 Printed in U.S.A. LE TT ER S FRAT DEFEAT REPEAT? stereotypes seeks out racial diversity As a former member of Swarthmore’s because of its singular ability to catalyze Kappa Sigma chapter member, I was discussions of the differences in our expe- pleased to read the article on the new role riences and, ultimately, to highlight the of fraternities (“Brothers” June Bulletin) underlying aspects of our shared human and would like to add an interesting his- condition. A wealthy African American torical footnote. As president of the Inter- woman who walks onto a campus will fraternity Council during fall 1951, it was spark more dialogue than a white student my responsibility to lead the fight to retain whose invisible personal history can be the fraternities in a campuswide referen- revealed at his choosing. dum held by the Student Council. For these reasons, I am unmoved by As the article implied, the issue generat- Dolan’s arguments for affirmative action Thinking Big ed heated debate at several public meet- for conservatives. My sense is that his with astronomer Sandra Moore Faber ’66 ings. The most articulate advocate for abol- analysis has yet to distinguish the differ- ishing the fraternities was an extremely ence between being a member of a minori- bright, determined young freshman who ty group and being in the minority—espe- and its alleged ties to Al Qaeda and other vehemently expounded on the evils of fra- cially if his “hardship” at Swarthmore con- terrorist groups posed an imminent threat. ternities. In the end, the student body sisted solely of the horror of being forced Here, Wieseltier was quite right. As many voted two to one against his petition to to defend positions based on assertions of us said at the time—and others are now abolish them. The freshman’s name was like those in his letter. learning after the fact—this claim was Michael Dukakis ’55—who thus received a JOHN DOLAN ’01 bogus all along but was used to deceive resounding political defeat thirty-seven Hanover, N.H. and manipulate the public into supporting years before the 1988 presidential election. our leaders’ predetermined course. I would not venture to speculate on any THE BIG LIE In short, this Big Lie technique was a connection between these two events, The College is to be commended for hold- supremely effective application in the serv- especially because I served as his campaign ing a prewar forum (“Writers Debate Iraq ice of naked imperialism.