2008 Newsletter
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUNY C llege at Br ckp rt FFF aaa lll lll 222 000 000 888 V lume 21, Issue 1 A Note rom the Chair: by Jenny Lloyd At the end of my first year as chair, I am happy to report that I have enjoyed myself so much that I have talked myself out of retiring this summer, as I had intended! Instead, I am retiring from teaching only, and will be on a bridge to retirement, working three— fourths time, with an option to continue my bridge for a second year. The department faculty support me in this, and I look forward to another great year. This past year we welcomed Dr. Jose Torre to the department, and Carl Almer joined us as our second two—year Presidential Fellow. We are also delighted that our first Presidential Fellow, Dr. Carl Davila, will return to us in the fall as an associate professor, after a national search. Dr. Davila and Dr. Nishiyama were responsible for organizing one of the department’s most significant events of the academic year, the highly successful international conference to mark the 30th anniversary of the publication of Edward Said’s Orientalism, an enormously influential book. Other history faculty in the news were Dr. Anne Macpherson and Dr. Paul Moyer, whose books were featured in the Democrat & Chronicle, and who also gave talks to local groups. I am very proud of all our professors, who are dedicated to teaching, but also find time for a multitude of other activities, both Dr. Lloyd with Amy Piccareto at the Historyscholarly, Honors Ceremony and in the College and community, and I wish I had the space to list them all. I am also very proud of our history majors. This year Michael Fickess won the President’s Citation, the College’s highest award, although I regret that bad weather prevented him from giving his commencement speech. History majors or graduate students won five out of six awards in the Scholarly Nonfiction category of the College’s Celebration of Writing, carrying on what is becoming an annual tradition. You will enjoy reading news of our alumni in this newsletter. Some of them now teach in the department. Recent graduates of our MA program who have come back to teach some of our introductory courses include Amber Humphrey and Tricia Peone, with Vassilios Pinopoulos and Debbie Wood joining them in the fall. I thank them and our other associate faculty for their expertise and dedication. Please keep in touch; we are just an e-mail away. My very best wishes for a happy and fulfilling year. Please Join Us or the ollowing Events This all Annual Maynooth Lecture Thursday, October 30 at 7:00 in the NY Cooper Room Dr. Thomas O’Connor of the National University of Ireland at Maynooth will speak on Irish-European religious connections in the early modern period. His publications include An Irish Theologian in Enlightenment France: Luke Joseph Hooke, 1714—1794 (Dublin, 1995). Annual Synnestvedt Lecture Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 in the NY Cooper Room Dr. John Kuo Wei Tchen of New York University will speak on the history of the racialization of Asians in the United States. His publications include New York Before China Town: Orientalism and the Shaping of American Culture, 1776—1882 (John Hopkins, 1999). PAGE 2 TIME LINES Marcus Memorial Lecture History orum Past and uture Activities by William Sturnick The History Forum, which will be advised by Dr. Carl Davila, looks forward to revitalizing student interest in the club during the 2008—2009 academic year. The Forum’s newly elected board together with our other valued members (former President Krysten Collier, Megan McDaniels, Karla Smith, and Caitlin Moore) is planning a series of events to spark new interest in the Forum. This past academic year was mostly a year of reorganizing and refocusing of energies. In spite of this, the Forum was still actively involved in a variety of events. In the fall, the Forum contributed funding to the Department of History’s annual Synnesvedt lecture, participated in the campus’ Dr. Joyce Antler and Jill Gussow, Robert Marcus’ widow College Bowl competition, hosted this year’s Maynooth lecturer Dr. Raymond Gillespie for coffee at the Aerie What’s so funny? The Jewish Mother: Café in the Drake Library, and organized a movie night screening of Evita with Dr. Anne Macpherson. In the Subjectively Comedic or Misogynistic spring, the Forum assisted Drs. Carl Davila and Takashi by Krysten Collier and Kenneth A. Lane Nishiyama during the Orientalism Conference (an event which hosted scholars, locally and from abroad, who On April, 2 the Department of History held the annual shared their various papers and presentations related to Robert Marcus Memorial Lecture. This year, the lecture various aspects of Orientalism). The Forum also hosted a was given by Dr. Joyce Antler, the Samuel Lane Professor Trivia Night for Brockport students. As much as the of American Jewish History and Culture of Brandeis Forum’s members have accomplished this year, they University. Her lecture, entitled “You Never Call, You intend to continue planning and supporting a variety of Never Write: A Historical Perspective on ‘Mother Blame’” academic and non-academic events. was based on her most recent book entitled You Never Call! You Never Write! A History of the Jewish Mother. In addition to their usual funding of the Synnesvedt Lecture in the fall, some other events the Forum plans to Following a heartfelt “Welcome and Remembrance of host in the coming school year include more movie nights, Robert Marcus” by Dr. Steve Ireland and an introduction an International cuisine night, a campus-wide scavenger by Dr. Jenny Lloyd, Dr. Antler delivered a provocative hunt in addition to another trivia night. Unfortunately, their lecture on the stereotype of the Jewish Mother. She argued allocated budget for the 2008—2009 academic year is half that the continuing conceptualization of a stereotypical of its normal amount. To compensate for this loss in Jewish Mother, one who is possessive and overbearing, funding, the Forum will be looking to fund raise and to found expression in many forms of comedy. Though seek funding from grants for student organizations. In spite originally humorous and harmless in nature, Dr. Antler of this decrease in funding, the Forum is optimistic about argued that over time the concept transcended its benign the coming academic year and hopes that this increased character and developed a more misogynistic connotation. mix of varied events will generate greater student interest Still apparent in contemporary comedies, the concept of in the Forum for semesters to come. Furthermore, the Jewish Mother has become a prevalent figure to be members are looking forward to continued interaction with marginalized and ridiculed. Though initially not intended Brockport faculty and students. for malicious purposes, the comedic value of the joke has faded and the characterization of the loving but President: William Sturnick overbearing Jewish Mother has been replaced with a Vice President: Fil Belousov racially and ethnically charged caricature. Treasurer: Ken Lane Secretary: Jim Eick To conclude, Dr. Antler acknowledged that many Jewish women, including her own daughters, find the caricature of Please contact Will Sturnick for information about joining the Jewish Mother to be humorous and culturally relevant. the History Forum and for the club’s meeting time and However, the distinction between the malicious and the location during the fall semester at [email protected]. comedic is not self evident nor easily determined, but instead is arbitrary and subjective in nature. VOLUME 21, ISSUE 1 PAGE 3 Student Success History Department Awards Celebration of Writing Awards Queen Essay — Christopher Pearl & David Latella History majors won first, second, and third place in the undergraduate division, and first and third place in the Melinda Kleehammer Award graduate division of The College at Brockport’s Sixth Annual Celebration of Writing Awards competition. The st 1 place — Kenneth Lane faculty members who nominated these students’ papers, nd 2 place — Krysten Collier had the honor of presenting the winners with their cash rd 3 place — Scott Harrison awards of up to $250 during a ceremony held on Monday, April 21 in the New York Room of Cooper Hall. Crandall Award (sophomore) — Jacqueline Scala Michael Fickess took first in the undergraduate division Griswold Award (junior or senior) — Lauren DeJoy (Scholarly and Analytical Writing category) for his paper on “Politics of Devotion: The Faith, Culture, and Politics Schnell Award (soph - senior) — Christine Ditzel of Modern Iran and Iraq as Revealed through Shi’i Iconographic Posters.” (Carl Davila) Lee Award (senior) — Danielle Leone James F. Taylor III’s second place essay in the Department Scholar — Krysten Collier undergraduate division was entitled “Rational Liberty And the Just Government: Lockean Political Philosophy, Graduate Award — Paul Brew the Declaration of Independence, and the Founding of the American Republic.” (Steve Ireland) Flieger Fellowship (graduate) — A. Jonathan Chalmers Jacob Piorkowski Peter Manktelow won third place in the undergraduate division for his paper on “Rapprochement Between the Phi Alpha Theta United States and Vietnam: Vietnamese Strategies and the Use of Amerasians.” (Steve Neese) Lori B. Bartkovich Lauren DeJoy Molly Brownson Christine Ditzel Christopher Pearl’s first place essay in the graduate Maggie Dianetti Broker Jennifer Geraci division (Scholarly and Analytical Writing category) was Krysten S. Collier Kenneth Lane entitled “Reluctant Revolutionaries: Benjamin Franklin’s Daniel C. Coughlin Ryan Maier Last Years in England.” (Steve Ireland) Devon Davidson Matthew J. McGee David Latella received third place in the graduate division Ashley H. Decker Jacob Piorkowski for his paper on “Floating Iron: Ironclads in the American Civil War.” (John Daly) Dr. John Daly congratulating David Latella during the Celebration of Writing awards ceremony Dr.