Newsletter : Winter 2008 OregonOregon HumanitiesHumanities CenterCenter
154 PLC | 541-346-3934 | www.uoregon.edu/~humanctr Steven Shankman Director Distinguished Professor, CAS 2007-08 O’Fallon Lecture English; Classics
Julia J. Heydon MIT’s Henry Jenkins Talks About How Digital Associate Director Technologies Are Reshaping Popular Culture Melissa Gustafson Program Coordinator Welcome to convergence culture, where old and new
Rebecca Force media collide, where audiences participate in the pro- TV Producer duction and circulation of media content, where social networks shape the fl ow of music, where stories extend Peg Gearhart Offi ce Specialist across multiple media platforms, where teens become media producers by sampling and remixing their favorite 2007–2008 Advisory Board bands, and where YouTube and Second Life become the
James Crosswhite meeting grounds for diverse creative communities. English On Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in
Amalia Gladhart 182 Lillis Hall, MIT Media Professor Henry Jenkins will Romance Languages speak on “Art and Storytelling in the Age of Media Con-
Michael Hames-Garcia vergence.” He will explore how growing trends towards Ethnic Studies media convergence, collective intelligence, transmedia
Lori Kruckenberg entertainment, pop cosmopolitanism, and participatory Music culture are reshaping the ways media gets produced, cir-
C. Anne Laskaya culated, and consumed. Jenkins maintains that this isn’t English just fun and games—these shifts in our relations to popu-
Jeffrey Librett lar culture are starting to impact politics, education, and German and Scandinavian continued on page 2
Deb Morrison Journalism and Communication 2007-08 Clark Lecture Craig Parsons Political Science Stephen Schneider to Jenifer Presto Speak on Global Warming Comparative Literature
Ellen Rees In partnership with the Environmental Studies Pro- German and Scandinavian gram, the OHC is pleased to host Stanford biology and Elizabeth Reis environmental studies professor Stephen Schneider in the Women’s and Gender Studies 2007-08 Clark Lecture entitled “Global Warming: How John Schmor Do We Manage the Risks?” The lecture will take place on Theater Arts Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in 182 Lillis Hall. Andrew Schulz There is a strong and growing consensus that due to Art History an increasing number of people in the world demanding Ying Tan a higher standard of living using cheap, available tech- Art nologies based on the burning of fossil fuels, the carbon Anita Weiss dioxide content in the atmosphere will double or even International Studies triple by 2100. This increase in CO2 in the atmosphere implies many serious consequences, though as Stephen Schneider points out, not all of them are negative. How- continued on page 2 2 Oregon Humanities Center | winter 2008 Renowned Calligrapher and Buddhist TELLING: Veterans’ Voices Scholar to Visit Eugene Feb. 12-14, 2008 Theatre Arts and the Veterans and Family Student Association Japanese calligrapher and Buddhist (VFSA) present TELLING, a “wit- scholar Kazuaki Tanahashi will be visit- ness theater” production chronicling ing Eugene and presenting three events the experiences of veterans of the in mid-February. On Tuesday, February U.S. military as they return from 12, at 7 p.m. he will give a talk at the Eu- service and try to reintegrate them- gene Zendo (2190 Garfi eld St.) on Dogen selves into society as students, fam- Zenji, the founder of the Soto School of ily members, friends, and citizens. Buddhism in Japan. Then, in conjunc- Directed by professor John Schmor, tion with the Jordan Schnitzer Museum the student-veteran actors will pres- of Art’s exhibit, “Buddhist Visions,” Ta- ent scenes and monologues based nahashi will be giving a talk and callig- upon their own experiences and raphy demonstration in the Papé Room words. Performances are February 8 at the Museum on Wednesday, Febru- and 9 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Febru- ary 13, at 6 p.m. entitled “In Search of ary 10 at 2 p.m. at the Veteran’s the Meaning of Circles: Calligraphy in Memorial Hall, 1626 Willamette St., Zen Buddhism.” Finally, on Thursday, Eugene. Admission is free. Dona- February 14, from 5-7:30 p.m. there will tions welcomed. For information, be a gallery talk and reception at White contact
OHC Director’s Report by Steven Shankman
In my Director’s Report of a year ago, I talked about unpredictable directions. It gives faculty the UNESCO Chair in Transcultural Studies, Interreligious the opportunity to offer a new course one Dialogue, and Peace that was about to be established quarter followed by a term in which they at the University of Oregon. President Frohnmayer coun- are asked to research—with the help of ter-signed the agreement—which had been signed by their undergraduate students from the previous quarter— the Secretary General of UNESCO—on June 1, 2007. some of the promising topics and questions that emerged The Chair is now in place, the fi rst in the United States in from their teaching of the course. UNESCO’s Intercultural Dialogue Program. The plan was In our efforts to increase the Center’s—and the to house the Chair at fi rst in the Humanities Center, and University’s—engagement with the community, we have then to found a new Center around the Chair. I am very pledged to support one faculty member per year to be grateful for the support of the central administration, which trained to teach humanities courses as part of the Inside- has moved very quickly and enthusiastically with the plan Out Prison Exchange Program. So far we have trained two to establish a new UNESCO center for intercultural dia- faculty members. The fi rst UO Inside-Out course—consist- logue and peace. It will be up and running by September ing of fi fteen UO students and fi fteen inmates—was taught 1, 2008, and I will be directing it. during spring term 2007 at the Oregon State Penitentiary, This means that as of September 1 of the coming year the state’s maximum-security facility. Another course will there will be new leadership at the Oregon Humanities be taught this coming spring. Center. An internal search for a new Director will begin this The Center has tried to respond to international crises quarter. I have been privileged to serve as Director since with appropriate programming. In the wake of the (in part) 1994. With your help, with the support of the extraordi- religiously inspired terrorist attacks of September 11, nary OHC staff, with the central administration’s support, 2001, the Center initiated a series of symposia on religion and with the help of our two boards—the faculty Advisory and violence. We are planning a symposium on climate Board and our Board of Visitors—we have accomplished a change for spring of 2009 entitled “Ethics, Religion, and great deal. the Environment.” We have more than doubled the size of the Center’s It is my belief that a vigorous Humanities Center endowment, rendering us much less dependent on the should not only support scholars of the humanities, but vagaries of state support for our research and teaching it should also stimulate the production of new works of fellowships, our lectures and events, and our day-to-day art. To this end, through the generosity of the Bowerman operating expenses. We are especially grateful for the family, the Humanities Center has commissioned a musi- newly endowed Ernest G. Moll Faculty Research Fellow- cal composition about the life of legendary track coach Bill ship in Literary Studies; the Directorship Endowment; and Bowerman that will debut this summer during the Olympic our steadily-growing Endowment for Public Outreach in trials as part of the Oregon Bach Festival. “Man of Or- the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities. egon,” a symphonic biography composed by UO music We are seen as a real resource for the community graduate Rebecca Oswald, will premier as part of a gala and the state, beyond the groves of academe. Our public event honoring Bill Bowerman on July 1 in the Silva Con- lectures attract large audiences. We have established cert Hall at the Hult Center. I hope to see you there! a presence in the wider community through our weekly Let me conclude by thanking the extraordinary staff of television show “UO Today,” which—along with many of the Oregon Humanities Center, and particularly Associ- our lectures—is now available in digital form anywhere in ate Director Julia Heydon. As Director, I have continued to the world via the web. We have just completed a video teach and to fulfi ll my obligations as a faculty member of documentary history of the University of Oregon, which will both the English and Classics Departments. The Associ- be available on three DVDs, and which is required viewing ate Director serves the Center full time, and Julia has done for those leading tours of our campus. so with truly exceptional dedication and with great effec- We established the Coleman-Guitteau Teaching- tiveness. I have complete confi dence in Julia’s ability to and-Research Fellowship. This innovative fellowship assist—with your help—in crucial ways during this period encourages faculty to take their scholarship in exciting, of transition in the leadership of the Center. First-Class Mail U.S. Postage PAID OREGON HUMANITIES CENTER Eugene OR 5211 University of Oregon Permit No. 63 Eugene OR 97403-5211 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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Upcoming W.I.P.s Inside-Out Teacher Training Opportunity We continue our series of work-in-prog- ress talks by University of Oregon faculty The Inside-Out Prison Exchange UO sociology professor Ellen Scott and graduate students on their current or Program, an innovative pedagogical and received the fi rst OHC scholarship, and recent research on Fridays at noon in the community-based service program be- during spring 2007 took the Inside-Out Humanities Center Conference Room, 159 gun at Temple University in 1997, was training, which she later described as PLC. Brown-bag lunches are welcome! established to create a dynamic partner- “an amazing, life-changing experience.” January 25 ship between institutions Besides adding signifi - of higher learning and cantly to her knowledge Mark Johnson, philosophy, speaking on “The images still make me correctional systems. about the criminal justice “The Natural Sources of Morality.” weep, but the hope generat- The program is now ed, and humanity revealed, system, Scott says the February 15 being used throughout under the most impossible training allowed her to Robin Zebrowski, graduate fellow, philoso- the country. On Friday, of conditions, helped to cre- refl ect intensively upon phy, speaking on “We Are Plastic: Human February 1 at noon in the ate the desire in me to be a her assumptions about Variability and the Myth of the Standard Body.” Knight Library Browsing part of this program. Thank pedagogy, knowledge, Room, Melissa Crabbe, March 7 you for this opportunity. I am theory, group dynamics, Assistant National Direc- truly humbled.” and student-teacher in- Kelly Sultzbach, graduate fellow, English, tor of Inside-Out, will teractions in completely speaking on “Nature Replies in a Modern —Ellen Scott, speak with UO faculty new and astonishing Voice: The Relationship between Humans Sociology and upper-division Hon- ways. and the Environment in the Work of E.M. ors College students who are interested Forster, Virginia Woolf, & W.H. Auden.” Two Instructor Training Institutes in learning more about the program. will be offered this summer in the All faculty and graduate students are encour- During 2006-07, to encourage hu- Philadelphia area: July 7-13 and August aged to attend. The conference room seats manities faculty to consider teaching in 4-10. Anyone who is interested in learn- eighteen; early arrival is recommended. the Inside-Out Program, the OHC began ing more about the Inside-Out Program offering a $2,000 scholarship each year, is encouraged to attend the February The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affi rmative action institution committed to cultural providing airfare and registration for 1st informational session. This event is diversity and compliance with the Americans with one faculty participant to take the week- open to the public. Disabilities Act. To arrange disability accommoda- tions for Humanities Center events or to obtain this long training in Philadelphia. newsletter in an alternative format, call 541-346-3934.