Friday, October 31, 2008

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Junior Fellows Program

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Junior Fellows Program
Information Session
Please join us for an information session about the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Junior Fellows Program on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 4 p.m. in B4 Thaw Hall.

About the CEIP Junior Fellows Program
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States. As one of the world’s leading think tanks specializing in international affairs, the Endowment conducts programs of research, discussion, publication and education. The Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Approximately 8-10 students will be hired to work at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, DC on a full-time basis for a period of one year.

Junior Fellows provide research assistance to scholars working on Carnegie Endowment’s projects such as non-proliferation, democracy building, Middle East political reform, trade and environment, economics, international security, international economics, South Asian politics, China-related issues, and Russian and Eurasian affairs. Junior Fellows have the opportunity to conduct research for books, participate in meetings with high-level officials, contribute to congressional testimony and organize briefings attended by scholars, activists, journalists and government officials. One junior fellow is also assigned to work on communications/outreach initiatives.

Applications are accepted only from graduating college seniors or individuals who have graduated within the past academic year. No one will be considered who has started graduate studies. Applicants who have completed a significant amount of coursework in the following areas are encouraged to apply:

International Affairs
Political Science
Economics
History
Russian, Chinese or Middle East studies or communications
Language and other skills may be required for certain assignments.



2009-2010 Projects
Democracy/Rule of Law – Political Science background preferred.
Middle East Studies – Native or near-native Arabic language skills required.
Nonproliferation
South Asian Studies – Strong math skills required in addition to background in international affairs or political science.
Energy and Climate Change - Quantitative skills required.
Chinese Studies – Mandarin Chinese reading skills a huge plus.
Chinese Economics - Mandarin Chinese essential. Strong Excel computation skills required.
Trade, Equity, and Development – Economics and quantitative background needed.
Russian/Eurasian Studies – Excellent Russian language skills required.
Central Asian Studies – Ability to read and translate in Central Asian language. Uzbek language skills most desirable.
International Economics
U.S. Role in the World


Application Process
All of the following must be submitted to Margaret Heely, B-4 Thaw Hall, no later than Friday, December 12, 2008:

Completed application form
Essay (one page or less) on why the student would like to become a junior fellow
Students should indicate their name on each page
A one- to two-page résumé (including telephone number, address, extra-curricular activities, and work experience)
Two recommendations, at least one of which should be from a professor of the student's major department
Transcript of undergraduate records (transcript may be unofficial and unsealed)
An essay of no more than three typewritten, double-spaced pages on the topic you are interested in researching as a Junior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. The essay is intended to test skills in analysis, logic, and written expression. The essays are to be thought pieces, not research papers.
ESSAY TOPICS
Applicants must respond to the question pertaining to the program to which they are applying.

Democracy/Rule of Law Program. The U.S. administration should significantly downgrade the place of democracy promotion in the U.S. foreign policy relative to the last eight years. Do your agree of disagree and why?
Middle East Program. In the greater Middle East, the next U.S. administration will undoubtedly continue to face major challenges concerning the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, Iraq and Afghanistan, and Iran's nuclear ambitions. It will also face considerable additional challenges. Discuss some of these additional challenges and why you think they are important.
Nonproliferation Program. By the year 2015 do you think there will be more than the current nine countries with nuclear weapons? If so, which ones, and why? If not, why are people who fear this wrong?
Trade, Equity, and Development Program. The current round of globalization has been underway for about 25 years. Enough time has passes that the empirical evidence of its effects is beginning to accumulate. How do you assess the impact of globalization on developing countries? Is globalization good or bad for employment and for the poor? Why?
Russia/Eurasia Program. In the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian crisis of August 2008, the major U.S. Presidential candidates had differing proposals on how the U.S. should deal with the issue. What are the implications of these proposals for U.S.-Russian relations and for the broader international community?
Central Asia Program (see below for China Economics). Can China's authoritarian regime develop and project soft power than can compete against the Western liberal order? Please explain.
China Economics Program. China's success in economic development demonstrates that authoritarianism is probably necessary in promoting economic growth in poor countries. Do you agree? Why or why not?
South Asia Program. What is the best U.S. strategy for defeating terrorism emanating from Pakistan?
Energy & Climate Program. The U.S. government in 2009 will consider whether to impose a "cap and trade" policy to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Should the U.S. take this action unilaterally or concentrate instead on a global climate deal?
International Economics Program. The U.S. financial crisis will have international consequences. What will be the most important ones? Which countries will be most affected? Are there any countries that will benefit from the American Financial problems?
U.S. Role in the World Program. How do you define America's proper role in the world?
Communications Program. Applicants interested in the Communications program may write on one of the above topics.
All of the above materials will be forwarded by the designated university official, Margaret Heely, PhD, to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC.

For Further Information
For more information, contact:

Margaret Heely
Designated/Nominating Official
Office of Experiential Learning
B-4 Thaw Hall / 412-624-6828

Campus Superstar

Look for more on this in the coming weeks, from the Hillel-JUC (open to all students):

Campus Superstar is asking for your help in spreading the word about our scholarship opportunity! Campus Superstar is an American Idol like showcase displaying some of the best student talent in the Western Pennsylvania region. Our show has been a success for the past two years and in the third year we once again need help publicizing to the student community. This competition is open to all full time college students. First place in the competition is a $5,000 scholarship, and second and third place will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Study Abroad in an Ecovillage

Living Routes
Study Abroad in Ecovillages
UMass Amherst-accredited Semester, January, Summer, and Year Abroad programs in Sustainable Communities
http://www.livingroutes.org

Dear Adam,

We recently received an application from one of your students.....to study abroad with Living Routes on our India program.

My name is Gregg Orifici, Admissions Director at Living Routes. I would like to introduce myself and tell you about our unique interdisciplinary academic programs.

As you may know, Living Routes offers accredited study programs (January, Summer, Semester and Year Abroad) in Ecovillages in India, Australia, Peru, Scotland, Senegal, Brazil, Mexico, Israel and the U.S. (see program description and links below). All Living Routes programs contain an integrated Service Learning component. Students from over 200 colleges and universities throughout North America have studied abroad with LIving Routes and all receive academic credit from UMass Amherst, which is widely transferable. To read about what students learn and experience day-to-day on one of our programs, visit our student weblogs at http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblog.php

Ecovillages make ideal "campuses" for learning because they are unique communities where the theory and practical applications of ecological sustainability and social justice meet. In Ecovillages around the world, people are creating and modeling sustainable lifestyles in harmony with their local environments - restoring ecosystems and habitat, developing participatory models of governance, growing healthful organic food, building "green" homes, working for justice and social change, and utilizing renewable resources such as wind and solar energy.

I can put a packet of information in the mail to you, Adam, if you would find this helpful in your advising students. If you would like this, please let me know.

I look forward to talking with you and answering any questions you may have.

Best regards,

Gregg


Gregg Orifici
Director of Admissions
Living Routes - Study Abroad in Ecovillages Worldwide
79 S. Pleasant Street, #A5, Amherst, MA 01002
(888) 515-7333 or (413) 259-0025
http://www.LivingRoutes.org



Semester Programs


Scotland
Human Challenge of Sustainability at Findhorn
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_findhorn.htm


Examine the skills, creativity and understanding that are vital to community living at Findhorn -- a human-scale Ecovillage on the dramatic north coast of Scotland renowned for its environmental consciousness, personal and spiritual growth, artistry, education, and global responsibility. Learn about the integration of human ecology and natural systems as you gain valuable field experience in areas including sustainable food systems, creative expression and group facilitation.


Course Topics: Worldviews and Consciousness, Theory and Practice of Group Dynamics & Conflict Facilitation, Fine Art in Community, and Applied Sustainability: Ecovillage Living


Field Study: Explore Celtic culture, spend a week on extraordinary Erraid Island with a small farming community, and help regenerate the Caledonian forest or other meaningful service learning


Supervised Internship: Become a part of community life by working in organic gardens, preparing wholesome meals, or another area of interest


Credit: Earn 16 transferable credits through University of Massachusetts, Amherst




Senegal
Sustainable Community Development
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_ecotourism.htm


Study abroad in Senegal and engage with ecovillagers and indigenous peoples on topics of sustainable development and ecotourism. Partner with Senegalese university students and travel to West African villages to pursue service learning projects protecting natural resources, creating livelihoods, improving education and health, and celebrating cultural diversity. Live with welcoming Senegalese families as you practice your French or Wolof. Course are offered in French or English.


Course Topics: Community-Based Ecotourism; Sustainable Development in Senegal: Theory and Practice; Community Service Learning in Developing Countries; Conversational French and West African Literature or Introductory Wolof and Senegalese Culture


Field Study: Visit pre-industrial communities and participate in traditional agriculture and food preparation. Enjoy tropical beaches. Learn to play the diembe drums, or to dance the royal Diagalde, and the Ndawrabin, ocean dance of the Lebou fishing villages. Visit Goree Island, last stop for the slave trade on the voyage to the Americas and stand in the door of no return of the Slave House Museum


Supervised Internship: Design a practicum in environmental protection, organic agriculture, micro-credit, K-12 education, nutrition, reproductive health, or other topic of interest


Credit: Earn 16 transferable credits through University of Massachusetts, Amherst




India
Sustainability in Practice at Auroville
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_auroville.htm


Build ecological skills and learn about Indian and community culture at Auroville - "the city the earth needs" and one of the world's largest and most diverse Ecovillages. Study and build field experience in habitat protection, systems thinking, and ecological literacy as you design and complete an internship in sustainable development. Spend 3 weeks in Hampi, an Island ecologic preserve in the Tungabhadra River, site of 4 billion year-old exposed earth, caves and lakes. Discover the jungle ruins of Millennia-old Hindu empires and do a 40-hour sacred solo quest to reflect on learnings.


Course Topics: Applications and Practices of Sustainable Living, Global and Local Sustainability, Cooperative Processes and Learning Communities, Body, Mind, Spirit: Cultivating Personal Sustainability


Field Study: Visit cultural and ecological sites including Periyar Sanctuary and overnight at Sri Ramanamaharshi's Ashram and climb Arunchula Mountain, locally believed to be the body of Hindu God Shiva


Supervised Internship: Design a practicum in organic agriculture, renewable energy systems, reforestation, ecological literacy, women's empowerment or another topic of interest


Credit: Earn 16 transferable credits through University of Massachusetts, Amherst




Israel
Peace, Justice, and the Environment at Kibbutz Lotan (Fall only)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_lotan.htm


Explore the connections between new forms of ecological identity and stewardship, social justice and community in Israel. Work alongside Palestinian-Arab, Bedouin and Jewish Israelis who are striving for a just and lasting peace. Gain hands-on experience in ecological design, green building and sustainable agriculture and put permaculture into action in a Bedouin village.


Course Topics: Peacebuilding and Social Justice, Theory and Practice of Group Dynamics, Permaculture Design, Sustainable Technologies and Structures


Field Study: Live and work in Lotan, a green kibbutz, and Naveh Shalom Wahat al Salam, a bi-national Jewish and Palestinian Arab Israeli community. Visit Jewish, Arab and Bedouin towns, meet with government, industry and community leaders and gain a broad perspective of efforts to heal the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Float in the Dead Sea and experience Jerusalem.


Supervised Internship: Gain skills in organic farming, adobe and straw bale construction, participate in Peace Dialogues between the different populations of Israel and learn how to design sustainable human settlements.


Credit: Earn 16 transferable credits through University of Massachusetts - Amherst


January Programs


India
Low-Carbon Living at Sadhana Forest January Term (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_india_winter.htm


Learn what it is like to live well and more lightly on the earth at sustainable Sadhana Forest, India. Dedicated to veganism, appropriate technologies and simple living, the community's mission is to regenerate the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest near Auroville, India. Sadhana is an ideal environment to learn to measure and reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to indigenous seed and tree planting, contour bunding, organic gardening, and compost and soil management with Effective Microorganisms (EM). Put the theory of ecological living and habitat regeneration into practice as you experience community building, one-on-one mentoring and personal development.


Course Topics: Water Conservation, Soil Erosion Control, Sustainable Forestry, Humans in the landscape, Appropriate Technologies, Systems of Sustainable Living


Field Study: Experience an ancient, sacred grove with Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest species.


Community Project: Help regenerate the endangered Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts Amherst


Mexico
Leadership for Social Change January-term (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_huehuecoyotl.htm


Study abroad in Mexico and learn the skills needed to bring a group together around a common vision and effect positive change. Working with "usos y costumbres" (traditional ways of doing things), students design and complete a community service project that will benefit nearby communities. Located in the volcano belt of central Mexico, Huehuecoyotl was founded over 20 years ago by an international group of artists and musicians, activists and ecologists.


Course Topics: Introduction to Consensus, Basic Facilitation Skills, Participatory Democracy in the context of Mexico's Political and Social History, Spanish Language (optional)


Field Study: Visit sites dating from the Aztec empire, the Spanish conquest, the Mexican Revolution and the contemporary struggle against globalization


Community Project: Design and implement a project either in Huehuecoyotl, the adjacent national forest or neighboring village


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts, Amherst


Peru
Fair Trade & Bio-cultural Regeneration in the High Amazon January term (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_peru.htm


Journey to Peru's Andean-Amazon region to learn firsthand about empowerment efforts to restore the environment and create right livelihoods for indigenous and mestizo farmers that are also good for the earth while regenerating ancestral practices. Students contribute to local communities through service learning with Oro Verde, a successful organic fair traded coffee producing cooperative which promotes agricultural biodiversity, environmental responsibility, sustainability and cultural regeneration.


Course topics: Indigenous Culture and Agriculture, Shamanism, Community Building
and Cooperative Management, Fair Trade Organic Coffee Production and Distribution,
Biodiversity Regeneration and Reforestation Efforts, Spanish and Quechua (optional)


Service Learning: Help in Reforestation efforts and coffee production and return to the US with opportunities to further your internship with Dean's Beans Organic Coffee and other roasters


Field Study: Visit sites of cultural and ecological importance, such as the sacred Awashiyacu
Waterfalls and the Takiwasi center for the shamanistic treatment of addiction.


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts, Amherst


Senegal
Sustainable Development in Ecovillages January term (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_ecoyoff.htm


Explore the impact of global trends and micro-credit development policies on the grassroots level at EcoYoff, a 600-year old fishing village in Dakar and a leader in sustainable community development. Build basic skills in French and Wolof as you study the complex relationship between humans, development needs, and the environment. Partner with Senegalese university students and visit ancient and modern Ecovillages, from a seaside national preserve to the ancient capital of the Cayor Kingdom. You pursue research on a topic of interest as you enter into dialogue with villagers and participate in their daily activities.


Course topics: Microcredit Sustainable Development; Economy and Food Security; Populations, Health, and Nutrition; the Environment, Infrastructure and Habitat; French language (optional)


Community Project: Partner with a local Senegalese university student and make a lasting contribution to local education, infrastructure or the environment


Field Study: Visit species preservation programs for chimpanzees and migratory birds


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts, Amherst


Summer Programs




Australia
Permaculture at Crystal Waters Summer (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_crystal_waters.htm


Investigate new ways of creating sustainable human habitats at Crystal Waters - an award-winning grassroots ecological institute and wildlife refuge in sub-tropical Australia. Learn permaculture principles as you create an environmental design integrating food production, green housing, appropriate technologies and community empowerment.

Course Topics: Reading the Landscape, Sustainable Shelter, Acquaculture and appropriate architecture, Community Development and Support systems, Building healthy soil,


Field Study: Visit Fraser Island, a World Heritage site and largest sand island in the world, home to rare flora and fauna, and tropical rainforests growing on the shifting sands...


Community Project: Create your own unique ecological design and become a Certified Permaculture Apprentice


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts Amherst


Brazil
Permaculture at Ecoversidade Summer term (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_ecoversidade.htm


Investigate new ways of creating sustainable human habitats at Ecoversidade - a grassroots ecological institute in tropical central Brazil. Learn permaculture principles as you examine lifestyle choices and participate in community-based activities including Capoeira, a native mix of acrobatics, sacred dance, and self-defense.

Course Topics: Sustainable Shelter, Acquaculture and appropriate architecture, Community Development, Urban Renewal Strategies, and Portuguese language (optional)


Field Study: Visit the Cerrado Forest, a World Heritage Biosphere home to rare flora and fauna, enjoy local waterfalls, option to attend Bioconstruindo, a renowned natural building course


Community Project: Create your own unique ecological design and become a Certified Permaculture Apprentice


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts, Amherst


USA
Permaculture at Sirius Summer term (3 weeks)
http://www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_sirius.htm


Learn how to integrate plants, animals, buildings, people, and communities in a design for ecological living at Sirius - an educational and spiritual Ecovillage in scenic western Massachusetts. Study the inter-relationships between personal, social, and ecological sustainability as you immerse yourself in the richness of one of North America's most dynamic ecological communities.


Course Topics: Reading the Landscape, Water in the Landscape, Building a Healthy Soil, The Cultivated Ecosystem: Urban Renewal Strategies, Community Support Systems


Field Study: Visit old-growth forests, community-supported agricultural projects, eco-homesteads


Community Project: Create an ecological design and become a Certified Permaculture Apprentice


Credit: Earn 4 transferable credits through the University of Massachusetts, Amherst


--

Friday November 7: Medieval and Renaissance Studies Event

Please join the Pittsburgh Medieval & Renaissance Colloquium and the Silver Eye Gallery on Friday, November 7th for "Hearsay: On the Universal Languages of Nature" with Rosamond Purcell and Michael Witmore, 4:30 p.m. at Carnegie Mellon University’s Irwin Steinberg Auditorium, Baker Hall A53.


Photographer and essayist Rosamond Purcell has led a distinguished career photographing and writing about natural wonders, curiosities, and collections in museums of natural history. In this joint dialogue with Renaissance scholar Michael Witmore, Purcell will present a number of images from past and recent work that depict objects which seem to carry with them stories for which there is no origin: occasions for hearsay, one might say. A recurring theme in their discussion will be the ways in which objects taken from nature -- fossils, bones, figured stones -- possess morphological features that are strangely suggestive of language -- an idea that has since at least the Middle Ages led some commentators to seek a universal language in the "Book of Nature." The presentation will also include photographs of human-made objects that seem to participate in this larger world of signs.


Rosamond Purcell is a world-renowned artist who has photographed behind the scenes in the collections of major museums for more than twenty-five years. Michael Witmore is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison specializing in Renaissance studies. He was formerly a professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University and the director of the Pittsburgh Medieval and Renaissance Consortium. His book, Culture of Accidents: Unexpected Knowledges in Early Modern England (co-winner of Perkins Prize for Narrative, 2003), explored the ways in which narrative depictions of "accidental events" allowed them to serve as moments of discovery around the turn of the seventeenth century.


You can download a copy of the event poster at the Consortium's website:
http://www.medren.org/WitmorePurcellPoster.jpg.
For further information, please contact Allyson Creasman at acreasman@cmu.edu.

Eastern International Region of the American Academy of Religion

UNDERGRADUATES-- YOU CAN SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH AT THIS EVENT
--HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF YOU HAVE AN ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER AND ARE PLANNING TO APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL IN RELIGION OR OTHER HUMANITIES FIELDS


Eastern International Region
Call for Papers
Eastern International Regional Meeting
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, NY
May 1-2, 2009

The Regional Program Committee invites you to submit proposals for papers and panels to be presented at the 2009 Regional Meeting. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2009.

Proposals for the conference should consist of the following:

A one-page abstract (300 words max.) describing the nature of the paper or panel.
A current CV for the participant(s).
A cover letter that includes your full name, title, institution, phone number, fax number, email, and mailing address.
Please send this information as a single e-mail attachment in MS Word format to EIRinfo@lemoyne.edu with the subject line “EIR paper submission.”

The committee encourages panels that combine activism or a performative dimension with scholarly research. We are strongly interested in papers or panels that engage in interdisciplinary research while maintaining religion as a central theme.

Theme: Contemporary Textualities

Suggested Areas:

Religion and the Body
Religion and Popular Culture
Art/Literature/Architecture
Performance and Ritual
Religion, Science, and Technology
Pedagogical Issues in Religious Studies
Religion and the Environment
Presentations are limited to twenty minutes, with an additional ten minutes for questions.

If you require technological support for your presentation (such as Internet connection or audio and projection equipment), you must request it with your proposal.

All presenters at the Spring 2009 regional conference must have active membership in the AAR and preregister for the conference. Scholars from any region may participate.

Student Paper Competition

Graduate and undergraduate students residing in the Eastern International region are invited to enter the student paper competition. Please note that to be eligible for submission, the student must attend a university in the Eastern International Region. The committee will give preference to work that is new at this conference. Two $100 awards are reserved for winning papers (although in some cases the Committee can decide to award up to three).

To enter the competition, please attach a letter of intent along with your initial proposal by the January 31, 2009 deadline. Send this proposal to EIRinfo@lemoyne.edu. A final draft of the paper must be submitted by April 1, 2009. To be eligible for this award, the student must read the entire paper at the meeting, which means the paper and presentation must conform to the 20 minute time limit (roughly 2,500 words). We ask that all final drafts in this contest be submitted by e-mail to Scott Kline at skline@uwaterloo.ca.

Undergraduates

The AAR–EIR welcomes submissions from undergraduates in the field of religious studies. The Committee requests that, in addition to the abstract, CV, and cover letter, the undergraduate student also submit a letter from a faculty member who has supervised the student’s work.

Asian Arts-- Diwali Fundraiser

Silk Screen Asian Arts - Diwali Gala Fundraiser
In honor of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, a dinner and dance fundraiser at Navarra on Nov. 1, will benefit Silk Screen Asian Arts, Child Rights and You (CRY) and NetIP Pittsburgh. The Asian Studies Center is a proud sponsor of Silk Screen, the host of an annual Asian American Film Festival. Please see www.silkscreenfestival.org for more information on the gala.
(from Asian Studies Center)

Next Dept. Colloquium November 12

The Department of Religious Studies
Brown Bag Lunch Colloquium Series
University of Pittsburgh

presents

Peter deVries
Cooperative Doctoral Program in Religion, University of Pittsburgh

“The Apocalyptic Genre Considered in
Light of Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics”

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
12:00 noon
2628 Cathedral of Learning
Coffee and cookies provided

Summer Yiddish Study and PAID Internship in Western Massachusetts

YIDDISH AND JEWISH CULTURE: LEARN AND LIVE IT THIS SUMMER!

The Steiner Summer Program for College Students at the National Yiddish Book Center selects 18 students for seven weeks of immersion in Yiddish culture. Our interns study the Yiddish language, the Jewish culture and history of Central and Eastern Europe and America, pursue a research or translation project, and work with the Yiddish Book Center's comprehensive collection of Yiddish literature.
Each intern is awarded a stipend and provided with free housing; undergraduate college credit for two courses is available at no extra charge. The Steiner Internship program runs from June 7 to July 24, 2009, and is open to all full-time university students.
Please note: Students who are not enrolled in a degree-granting program as of January 1, 2009 are not eligible. http://www.yiddishsummer.org

THE STEINER SUMMER PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS:
The National Yiddish Book Center Steiner Internships offer 18 qualified full-time college students (undergraduate and graduate) an intensive educational experience in Yiddish language, literature, cultural and history. This unique program is made possible through the generosity of David and Sylvia Steiner and the support of a small group of benefactors.
The Steiner Summer Program awards a $2,000 stipend to each intern, which will be paid in two installments. The program also covers tuition, fees and the cost of books for students. Classes and other related activities are held at the National Yiddish Book Center headquarters in Amherst; undergraduate credits and transcripts are issued through the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The internship was launched 20 years ago to teach students about Yiddish language and culture while involving them in the daily work of the Book Center: collecting books, unloading trucks, and sorting and shelving hundreds of thousands of collected volumes. Since then, the program has expanded to become one of the leading Yiddish immersion and Jewish cultural education programs in the world, with hundreds of alumni. Few students know Yiddish before coming to the Center; many go on to further study and, in some cases, professional work in Yiddish-related fields.

THE NATIONAL YIDDISH BOOK CENTER:
The National Yiddish Book Center is a dynamic non-profit organization working to preserve the best of Yiddish culture and make it come alive for a new generation. Since 1980 we have rescued a million Yiddish books that had been abandoned or were in danger of being destroyed. For the past 25 years, we have been hard at work sorting, cataloging, and digitizing these rescued volumes and distributing them to Yiddish readers and to major university and research libraries around the world. We also have developed a wide range of innovative cultural and educational programs that bring Yiddish culture to a broad international audience. Interns will be involved in all Book Center activities, attending public programs, exhibits, and special events.
IN THE CLASSROOM:
Interns are enrolled in two mandatory courses through the University of Massachusetts at Amherst: Introduction to Yiddish Culture and History, and either Intensive Beginning Yiddish or Intensive Intermediate Yiddish, depending on the student's fluency level. Students who have taken more than four semesters of Yiddish language will be supervised in special translation projects in lieu of language classes. Classes are taught by some of the world's leading scholars of Yiddish (see faculty, for more information).

PROJECTS IN YIDDISH CULTURE:
Interns will be chosen partially on the basis of their interest in pursuing a scholarly or creative project related to an aspect of Eastern European or American Jewish culture. These projects might include collecting Jewish cultural materials or artifacts, researching neglected aspects of Jewish culture, using existing cultural materials as a point of departure for creative exploration, or translating significant Yiddish texts into English. We will give special consideration to projects that involve original fieldwork and incorporate ethnographic techniques. Interns will work closely with faculty and staff on their projects and will make oral presentations at the conclusion of the program, also submitting a written version of their findings that will become part of our curricular resources.

DOCENT TRAINING AND WORKING WITH OUR COLLECTION:
Under the supervision of our Collection Manager, interns will be trained to unpack, sort and shelve books and journals. In addition, they will receive training as National Yiddish Book Center tour guides in our Visitors Center.

HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION:
Apartment-style housing at Hampshire College, within walking distance to the National Yiddish Book Center, is offered to all interns. Interns may opt to find their own housing and live independently. Daily expenses, including food, are the responsibility of each intern, though meal plans at Hampshire College will be available for advance purchase. We recommend bringing a car or a bicycle if you have one. For those who don't have transportation, shuttle bus service is available to the other four college campuses in the area and to nearby towns and malls.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply, you need to submit an online application, found here at the YiddishSummer.org site. In addition, two academic letters of recommendation and transcript(s) of all undergraduate and graduate courses and grades must be sent by mail.

DEADLINE:
All online application forms must be received by February 2, 2009. All mailed-in supporting materials must be postmarked February 2, 2009 and be received by February 9, 2009 to be considered for this year's program. Finalists for the internship will be contacted for telephone interviews in early March and accepted interns will be contacted by April 1. The Center is an equal opportunity employer, and selections will be made without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or national origin. Feel free to E-MAIL us any questions you may have.

COWL JEWISH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM:
Thanks to the generosity of Ruthe B. Cowl of Laredo, TX, a long-time friend of the National Yiddish Book Center, two interns will be selected each summer to become Cowl Fellows. As Cowl Fellows they will help implement first-rate Yiddish programming on their own college and university campuses during the academic year.
The National Yiddish Book Center will provide financial support to each Cowl Fellow as well as mentorship in Yiddish programming, event planning, outreach, and publicity.
Full information about the Cowl Jewish Leadership Program, including application and selection guidelines, will be available during the summer internship program.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Undergraduate Research Opportunity

Greetings from the Office of Experiential Learning.

OEL is pleased to announce School of Arts &Science awards for
NCUR 23.

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will be held at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, April 16-18, 2009.


The Arts and Sciences Office of Experiential Learning will grant awards to
10 A&S undergraduates to pay for transportation, attendance, and lodging at the conference.

NCUR 23 is open to all disciplines and we encourage everyone to apply. Students may pick one method of presentation for their abstracts. They may choose from oral or poster presentations; performing or visual arts: exhibit with gallery talk and slides, or a performing or visual arts presentation with slides. The research project must have been undertaken at the University of Pittsburgh with a University of Pittsburgh faculty member.


To apply for the A&S funding award, submit your abstract to oel@pitt.edu by noon on Wednesday, November 19, 2008.

Please contact me with any questions you may have.

Thank you,


Sarah Bingler


Information and Events Coordinator
Office of Experiential Learning
School of Arts and Sciences
412.624.5386
bingler@as.pitt.edu

PLEASE CONTACT THE OEL FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON SUBMITTING

Correction on RELGST classes

There are seats in the HIST and CLASS sections of the daytime Varieties of Early Christianity.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Update on RELGST classes

As of 3 pm Monday:

--Philosophy of Religion is closed.
--Mythology in the Ancient World is closed.
--Varieties of Early Christianity (day) is closed.
--Varieties of Early Christianity (evening) is closed to A&S students. Seats are being held for CGS students. If you are an A&S student look for these seats to be released at the end of this semester or the beginning of January.

--History of the Holocaust and Religions of Asia are close to full but still have some seats.

If you are a major and need one of these courses, e-mail me and I will advise you on the options.

Grad School Fair

Information Session--Graduate School Fair
5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
William Pitt Union

Sponsored by: The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs/University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public & International Affairs
Registration: Register at the door, or pre-register at
http://www.apsia.org/apsia/admissions/admissions.php . Registration is free.
Ideal for: Undergraduates, recent graduates, or young professionals seeking a master's degree or Ph.D. to prepare them for a career in the government, nonprofit, international business, or university sectors. All undergraduate majors are appropriate, but the event should be especially interesting for political science, economics, anthropology, foreign language, psychology, social science, international studies, and business majors.
At least 15 graduate schools will be represented from Harvard to U. Calif.
http://www.apsia.org/apsia/admissions/admissions.php
Cost: Free
For more information, contact GSPIA - (412) 648-7640 gspia@pitt.edu
Sponsored by: Ridgway Center for International Security Studies

Scholarships for Language Study

Gilman Awards
Over 1,200 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need with the average award being $4,000. Undergraduate students who are receiving federal Pell Grant funding at 2-year or 4-year colleges or universities are eligible to apply.
Students who apply for and receive the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad are now eligible to receive an additional $3,000 Critical Need Language Supplement from the Gilman Program for a total possible award of up to $8,000. 25 Critical Need Language Supplements were offered to Gilman Scholarship recipients during the 2007-2008 academic year. There will be an increased number of Supplements this academic year.
Critical Need Languages include:

Arabic (all dialects)
Chinese (all dialects)
Turkic (Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgz, Turkish, Turkmen, Uzbek)
Persian (Farsi, Dari, Kurdish, Pashto, Tajiki)
Indic (Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Sinhala, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi)
Korean
Russian
This congressionally funded program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education -- Southern Regional Center in Houston, Texas. http://www.iie.org/programs/gilman/index.html


Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA)
For more information visit http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/casa/.

SMART and Academic Competitiveness Grants
http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0606.html


Study Abroad Language Scholarships
National Security Education Program: Boren Scholarships
http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/default.htm
Austrian American Educational Commission Teaching Assistantship
http://www.fullbright.at
French Ministry of Education Teaching Assistantship
http://www.frenchculture.org/a_assistantship-program_195.cfm
Princeton in Asia Teaching Fellows
http://weblamp.princeton.edu/~pia/main/index.php?option=com_frontpage
Spanish Ministry of Education and Science North American Language and Culture Assistants
http://www.mec.es/exterior/usa/en/programs/us_assistants/default.shtml
Gilman International Scholarship Program
http://www.iie.org//programs/gilman/index.html
Freeman-Asia Program
http://www.iie.org/programs/Freeman-ASIA/
Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan
http://www.colorado.edu/ealld/atj/Bridging/scholarships.html
Morgan Stanley Scholarships for Study in Japan
http://www.colorado.edu/ealld/atj/Bridging/Morgan.html
German Academic Exchange Service
http://www.daad.org/
National Security Internship
www.nationalsecurityinternship.com.
Search by country or field of study
www.studyabroadfunding.org

An Opportunity to Teach English in China

China Teaching Opportunity
FOCUS/OBJECTIVES
If you would like to teach English in China with a team of proven professionals for five months (or longer), the Graduate School, USDA and F&S International may have an opportunity for you. We are looking for college students or already graduated students (those between one and five years post-graduation with a B.A. degree or above) with excellent English language skills to work at elementary/high schools and universities in Dalian, Hangzhou, Beijing and other cities in China. As part of the program, we will provide a basic salary, free housing in modern facilities with Western conveniences, free Chinese lessons and an international travel bonus.
PARTICIPANTS:
Thirty (30) college, recently graduated university-level students, or adults with TESOL or teaching-related experience and strong English skills
DATES:
Five (5) months minimum (renewable once for a total of 10 months) – March 1, 2009 through July 15, 2009 or September 1, 2009 through January 15, 2010
Ten (10) months from March 1, 2009 through December 30, 2009 or September 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.
BENEFITS:
Basic salary of RMB 4000 per month (equivalent to USD 570); round-trip international airfare bonus (USD 500 – paid at the completion of program period of 5 months, or USD 1000 for 10 months); airport pick-up and ground travel assistance if necessary; free accommodation on or off campus in the form of a furnished flat with one bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom (24 hour hot water shower, TV, telephone, internet, bed, etc. Occupant will have to pay utilities, which should be no more than RMB 500.) A program for 10 months includes 2-3 weeks free to travel around China and free Mandarin lessons by native speakers.
INSURANCE:
The interns will be covered by a basic accident and sickness insurance through the Graduate School, USDA during the duration of their stay. The intern will receive an insurance card and booklet detailing the coverage before departing from the United States.
LANGUAGE:
Applicants need not know Chinese or to have taken Chinese classes. EFL and English majors are encouraged to apply. Those with majors in other subjects, such as social sciences, are also welcome to submit an application.
DEADLINE:
November 30, 2008 for spring placement, and March 30, 2009 for fall placement for spring and fall placement, postmarked.
Rolling selection policy - Priority will be given to those who apply by the above deadline. Applications for the September start date only will be accepted after the deadline up until May 15, 2009. Please submit applications with all sections (main application, letters of reference, and official transcript) in one package. Letters of reference should be in a sealed envelope signed over the flap by the reference. References should comment on applicant’s teaching ability and international/cultural experiences, and suitability for the assignment. Teachers must apply 4-6 months in advance of their desired program. We will confirm the offers 3 months before the starting date. Teachers are required to arrive 1-2 weeks earlier for Orientation and training in China.
Interested applicants should e-mail Colin Fink at Colin_Fink@grad.usda.gov for a copy of the Chinese Internship Application and submit the entire application package (application, two references, copy of passport and transcripts) to: International Institute, Graduate School, USDA, Attn: China Internship Program, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20024-2520.

In case of conflict, Peoplesoft

If there is a conflict in information between Peoplesoft and the A&S Course Descriptions page, you should assume that Peoplesoft has the correct information.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Senior Presentations in Religious Studies 1903

Dear majors, especially juniors:

You are cordially invited to attend one or more of the upcoming Religious Studies 1903 classes (on November 5, 12, 19 or December 3, 3-5:25 pm) to hear presentations by your fellow majors on their research projects for Religious Studies 1903. This is a nice way to support your colleagues, find out what lies in store for you next year or the year after, and learn something interesting.

The theme of this semester's 1903 seminar is Religious Authority. (We will announce the theme for next fall once we have worked out the fall schedule.) Each senior has chosen a research project based on his or her interests that in some way addresses questions of religious authority.

Here is the schedule of presentations:

University of Pittsburgh, Department of Religious Studies
RELGST 1903, Directed Research Capstone Seminar, Fall 2008
presents a

Research Colloquium on

RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY

Wednesdays, November 5, 12, 19, and December 5, 3-5 pm
2628 Cathedral of Learning

November 5, 2008
Authority and the Church: The Formations of Orthodoxies and Heterodoxies
Joshua T. Bryant, "The Tertullian Method: Heresy vs. Orthodoxy"
Adam J. Kear, "Fidelities Divided: Tradition and Magisterium in the Society of St. Pius"
Laura A. McGee, "Papal Primacy vs. Papal Jurisdiction: Contemporary Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Perspectives on a Historically Schismatic Issue"
John M. Schmidt, "Sex and the Second Century Christian"

November 12, 2008
The Dynamics of Individuals as Authorities
Luke S. Coryea, "Komensky and Zinzendorf: The Life and Rebirth of the Moravian Brethren"
Justin H. Jacobs, "Changing Minds in Changing Times: Herman Hailperin as the Modern Rabbi"
Lindsey R. Myers, "From Aristotle to Thecla: The Effect of Physiology on Female Authority"
Carrie E. Wilson, "Greek Gentile Turned Religious Authority: The Image of Aristotle to Jewish Philosophers"

November 19, 2008
Religion, Ideology, and the State
Lauren Alexander, "Priestly Control and the Attainability of the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt"
Sarah A. Murison, "Catholic Authority in China: The Vatican and the Chinese Communist Party"
Jason A. Saltzman, "The Ideological Authority of National Socialism and its Primary Role in the Attempted Eradication of European Jewry"
Kyle M. Yeversky, "Church and Empire: The Impact of the Religion and Politics of Constantine I"

December 5, 2008
Dynamics of Tradition and Change
Kaan Buyuksarac, "Caring for the Dead: The Buddhist Death Rituals of China"
Joseph R. Clark, "Gnostic Concepts of Secrecy and Authority through a Japanese Esoteric Buddhist Framework"
Erin L. Dragan, "Becoming Part of It: Navajo and Iroquois Religious Authority in Changing Times"
Clarisse R. Wells, "How Do We Move Forward? Sexuality and Ethics in the Black Church"

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Monitored Withdrawal Deadline

The deadline to withdraw from a class--with permission of the Dean's office--resulting in a grade of "W" on the transcript and no credit is this Friday October 24.

Department Colloquium next week

Department of Religious Studies
Colloquium

Professor Mohammed Bamyeh,
Department of Sociology, University of Pittsburgh

"The Hermeneutic Revolution in Contemporary Islam"

Wednesday,
October 29, 2008
Noon, 2628 Cathedral of Learning



Dr. Bamyeh's most recent books include Of Death and Dominion: The Existential Foundations of Governance (Northwestern University Press, 2007) and The Ends of Globalization (University of Minnesota Press, 2000). His The Social Origins of Islam: Mind, Economy, Discourse (University of Minnesota Press, 1999) won a 1999 Middle East Studies Association’s Albert Hourani Book Award, Honorable Mention. He is currently working on a manuscript entitled "Anarchy and Civil Society." Prior to coming to Pitt, Dr. Bamyeh was the Hubert H. Humphrey Distinguished Visiting Professor of International Studies at Macalaster College (2003-2007).

Bring a bag lunch; the department will provide coffee and cookies.

Interested in a Media or Communications Internship?

Go here for information on a panel discussion October 27 that might interest you.

Monday, October 20, 2008

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES FOR SPRING 2009 TIMETABLE FORMAT

Oct 20: Lecture on Muslim Youth in America

Lecture by Imam Zaid Shakir on Monday, Oct 20th ******************************************************************************************



Islamic Center of North Pittsburgh in association with Muslim Students Association of University Of Pittsburgh cordially invites you to a lecture by Imam Zaid Shakir on Monday, October 20th. It is a great opportunity for everyone as he is one of the most respected and influential Islamic scholars in America.



Topic: Role Of Muslim Youth and Mosque in Building a Better America

Date / Time: Monday, October 20th at 7:00 pm

Location: 120 David Lawrence Hall, Univ. Of Pittsburgh, 3942 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA - 15213

Entrance Fee: Admission IS FREE



For more details, about this event, please visit ICNP's website www.icnpgh.org.
Also here is the link to the facebook event page posted by PittMSA: http://www.facebook .com/home. php#/event. php?eid=30930511 234.

Please spread the word about this event.


Thank You,
ICNP Communication
www.icnpgh.org

Nov 3: Reading by Sabiha Al Khemir

November 3, 2008
Reading by Sabiha Al Khemir

Carnegie Library Presents: Sabiha Al Khemir, PhD, author of The Blue Manuscript. November 3 2008. 7 PM. Free and open to the public. Dr. Al Khemir will read from her book and use her personal experiences and academic expertise to discuss the timely topic of cultural bridging between the East and the West. Copies of Dr. Al Khemir's newest book, The Blue Manuscript (Verso 2008) will be available for sale after the lecture.


Sabiha Al Khemir was born in Tunisia and received her M.A. (with distinction) and Ph.D in Islamic Art history and Archaeology from London University. She was a post Doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and has lectured world-wide on Islamic art and culture. She has taught Islamic art at the British Museum, London and has worked as a consultant. She was the founding director of The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar.


She is a writer and artist and her published work includes fiction: 'Waiting in the Future for the Past to Come'(1993), 'The Absent Mirror'(2005) and 'The Blue Manuscript' (2008); cultural essays: 'Mobile Identity and the Focal Distance of Memory' (2004); several publications on Islamic Art, including an essay in "Al Andalus - Islamic Arts of Spain' to accompany the exhibition at the Alhambra and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1992), 'Figures and Figurines from the 7th to the 19th Centuries'; and a catalogue to accompany an Islamic Art exhibition at the Louvre,'From Cordoba to Samarqand'(2006).

Her own art work has appeared in several publications; she fully illustrated 'The Island of Animals' (Quartet Books, London 1994) and several book covers, including Naguib Nahfouz's novel 'Respected Sir'. Her drawings have toured in several exhibitions including, 'Forces of Change' (U.S.A. 1994-95) and 'Dialogue of the Present' (U.K 1999-2000).

She has also written and presented television documentaries.

For more information about this event or the events on October 22 or October 29 listed below, contact:
Elaine E. Linn
Assistant Director, Global Studies Program
University Center for International Studies
4102 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
Tel: 412 648-2113
Fax: 412 624-4672

October 29: Lecture: Are Americans Obsessed with Islam

October 29, 2008
Are Americans Obsessed with Islam? A public talk on October 29, 2008 7:00 PM, Soldiers and Sailors Hall, 4141 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh. Free and open to the public. Raeek Tayeh is author of “A Muslim’s Guide to American Politics and Government” and the host of talk show “Extremism: A discussion Long Overdue”. He is an independent political and media consultant and has been on the O’Reilly Factor, Hardball with Chris Mathews, CNN’s Diplomatic License, and Al Jazeera’s From Washington. Sponsored by the Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh, Thomas Merton Center, MSAs at Pitt and CMU.

Oct 22: Film Screening "City of Lights"

October 22, 2008
Film Screening: City of Lights and interfaith panel. 1500 Posvar Hall, University of Pittsburgh at 7:00 on Wednesday, October 22nd. Refreshments served

The organizers of YMCA's Moderate Voices for Progress Program (a delegation of young Jewish, Muslim, Christian professionals from Israel/Palestine currently in Pittsburgh) invite you to attend a screening of the documentary "City of Lights", which has a focus on the co-existence of the three Abrahamic faiths in Spain for over 800 years.

After the film there will be a interfaith panel with local clergy and members of the three Abrahamic traditions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam discussing how their respective religious doctrines view the “other” within a historical context and in today’s world. After the panel there will be time for Q & As.

Oct 27: Lecture on the "European Genizah"

Monday, OCTOBER 27th at 4:00
Cathedral of Learning Room 501

MAURO PERANI (University of Bologna)

“What is the ‘European Genizah’? A Survey of Hebrew Manuscript Discoveries in Italy and Spain and their Importance for Jewish Studies”

In the last twenty-five years a growing interest has been aroused in the academic and scientific world by the discovery of thousands of medieval Hebrew manuscript fragments re-used to bind books and registers in European archives and libraries, particularly in Italy and Spain. A true Genizah preserves sacred texts from profanation, while this “European Genizah”
emerges from the destruction of books without regard for their content, yet both practices return old Hebrew manuscripts or printed books to our hands.
This lecture offers an updated survey of the quantity, content and quality of these materials, and describes the most important discoveries among these fragments, including important texts by Joseph ben Shimon Kara, a contemporary of Rashi, and fragments testifying to 160 manuscripts of the Talmud bavli and Yerushalmi otherwise lost.

Professor Perani is currently a Padnos Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Frankel Institute for Judaic Studies (University of Michigan). He has been Director of The Italian Genizah Project since 1992, and his recent publications include Talmudic and Midrashic Fragments from the ‘Italian
Genizah’: Reunification of Manuscripts and Catalogue (Giuntina, 2004).

Co-Sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program, the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program, and the Departments of Religious Studies and French and Italian.

October 23: Information Session on Study in Japan

10/23 Information Session--JET: Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Information Session

4:30 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.
4130 Wesley W. Posvar Hall

Meet four former JET participants and learn more about teaching English in Japan. This is a general information session for anyone interested in participating in the program after graduation - applicants up to age 40 are allowed! Applications for 2009 are due November 25, 2008 - please visit www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JETProgram/application.html.
Audience: Open to all interested students
Sponsored by: Asian Studies Center
For more information, contact Jennifer Murawski - jennm@pitt.edu

Lecture Oct 21: The Muslim Community and the European State

Lecture--Creating a Bridge Between the Muslim Community and the European State: The Importance of Muslim Interest Groups
8:00 p.m., Tuesday Oct 21.
Sutherland Hall

Melissa Parker, PhD Candidate in Political Science.
Since the terror incidents in the United States (2001), Spain (2004) and Britain (2007), the Muslim community living in Europe has come under extreme scrutiny by their governments. In addition, increased Islamophobia in Europe, manifesting itself as blatant discrimination in employment and housing, and even the burning of mosques and Islamic centers, has both the Muslim community and the state wondering what to do. Increasingly, Muslim interest groups have stepped in to mediate the conflict between the state and the Muslim community that they represent. This talk will focus on how Muslim interest groups are working with the European state to find solutions to the current crisis in relations between their constituents and the government and whether they have been successful or not.
Audience: Pitt Students
Cost: Free
For more information, contact Veronica Dristas - 412-624-2918 dristas@pitt.edu
Sponsored by: European Studies Center, Global Studies Program, International Studies Living Learning Community

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Summer Program in the Galilee

GALILLEE COLLEGE, MAR ELIAS COLLEGE


Joint Jewish-Christian-Muslim Programme:
A Religious Mosaic in the Holy Land



Students and faculty from all parts of the world are invited to a unique interfaith seminar that will utilise the Galillee in the north of Israel - the origin of religious traditions and the living place of Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze (and other religious groups) - as a living example of interfaith dialogue and co-existence.

The participants will spend five weeks in the Holy Land studying the three great monotheistic traditions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam (as well as the other traditions/different sects which are present in Israel), the history of these, their connections to the Land of Israel / Palestine and its relevance to Modern Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Special attention will be given to the challenge of religious leaders and educators in our days to develop interfaith dialogues, both in Israel and in other parts of the world, in order to foster mutual understanding, tolerance and pluralism instead of hatred and violence.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The programme is comprised of 150 academic hours, divided into four mini-seminars: the first three are devoted to the three Monotheistic traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The fourth deals with Jerusalem, its religious and national meaning to all monotheistic traditions and its challenge to all who try to develop interfaith understanding and cooperation.

The emphasis of the programme is placed firmly on activities and studies outside the lecture halls. Therefore, the programme includes study tours to major points of interest in the Galillee, which are relevant to our multicultural study. Participants will be able to meet people of the Galillee directly together with various representatives of the pertinent religions. In addition the programme includes panel discussions and workshops where the students explore past and present differences and points of dispute between these beliefs and discuss possible ways to overcome current interfaith conflicts.

More information: http://www.galilcol.ac.il/page.asp?id=235

Friday, October 10, 2008

Tickets for Walter Mosley reading Oct. 16

FREE STUDENT TICKETS to Walter Mosley's reading on Thursday, Oct. 16th at 7:30 p.m. at the Byham Theater






PLEASE ANNOUNCE: The Cave Canem Foundation has generously offered up to 50 free student tickets to Walter Mosley’s reading on Thursday, October 16th at 7:30 p.m. at the Byham Theater. Requests may be placed by individual students or by instructors for groups of students. Please direct all inquiries to Alison Meyers, Executive Director of the Cave Canem Foundation. She can be reached at AlisonMeyers@ccpoets.org. A flier announcing the event is attached.


Thank you!

Cole Wolinsky
Writing Program Secretary
University of Pittsburgh Department of English

Lecture at Carnegie Mellon October 30: Mary Catherine Bateson

The University Lecture Series is a partnership between the Office of the Vice Provost for Education and the Division of Student Affairs. All lectures are free and open to the public. For additional information, please call 412-268-8677 or send email inquiries to cr2@andrew.cmu.edu. All lectures are on Carnegie Mellon’s Oakland campus.
Carnegie Mellon
Thursday, October 30, 2008
4:30pm – McConomy Auditorium, University Center
Journeys:
composing a life
“Journeys” are special University Lectures in which Carnegie Mellon faculty members share their reflections on their journeys – the everyday actions, decisions, challenges and joys that make a life.
Mary Catherine Bateson
Writer and cultural anthropologist
Robinson Professor Emerita, George Mason University
President, Institute for Intercultural Studies
“The Changing
Shapes of Lives”
Just as an extended childhood made possible the human pattern of learning and transmitted knowledge and tradition, extended longevity suggests profound changes for our species.
Some of these changes can be recognized in the study of individual
lives that are often longer and more diverse than in the past and that depend on continuing learning.
We will need to rethink education from the earliest years and to restructure the relations between generations. At the same time, we need to think differently about time, to prepare for surprises, and to fashion a new rhetoric of hope and responsability.

Fall break reminder

REMEMBER:

Monday classes will meet on Tuesday October 14th, not on Monday October 13th.
Tuesday classes will not meet the week of October 13th.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Registration and Advising for Spring 2094

Sign-up sheets for advising and registration appointments are now posted outside of 2603 CL. Please read the information there on procedures for advising and registration and sign-up for an appointment accordingly.

DUS Office Hours

No office hours this Wednesday October 8.

Lecture October 9: Colum Hourihane

Quid is Veritas? Trying to Disentangle the Real from the Mythical Pilate

Colum Hourihane, Director, Index of Christian Art, Art and Archaeology, Princeton University

3:30 p.m., 203 Frick Fine Arts
Cosponsored with the Program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies and Department of History of Art and Architecture

Dr. Hourihane is the author of two recent studies of medieval art, The Processional Cross in Late Medieval England (2005) and Gothic Art in Ireland,1169-1550 (Yale, 2003). He has also edited diverse essay collections, including Spanish Medieval Art (Arizona, 2007) and Objects, Images, and the Word (Princeton, 2003).

Friday, October 03, 2008

Peer Advising Internship

From the Advising Center:

• Have you discovered what it takes to succeed in college?
• Do you find yourself helping other students select classes, choose a major or utilize campus resources?
• Do you want to learn more about the resources and opportunities at the University of Pittsburgh so that you can make the most of your time here?
• Would you like to work next summer as a peer advisor to incoming freshmen?

If you answered yes to the above questions, consider applying for the Arts and Sciences Advising Center peer advisor internship for the spring term (2094). You will gain a broad range of knowledge about University programs and resources, learn more about the advising process, and develop leadership and communication skills. This is a two-credit internship which can lead to summer employment as a peer advisor in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Time Commitment: Formal training is every Wednesday (during spring term) from 3 – 5 p.m. In addition, five flexible hrs/week will be spent visiting campus resources, working on specific projects and performing various tasks related to the Advising Center’s functions.

Academic Component: Interns will read articles, write journal essays and complete an approved final project, paper, or portfolio.

Summer Employment: Students who successfully complete the internship will be eligible to apply for employment as peer advisors. Peer advisors work with incoming freshmen and their families during the summer PittStart sessions. The peer advisor position includes approximately 23 PittStarts (eight- hour workdays) from May through August. Also, there is a mandatory two-day intensive training in May.

Requirements: Applicants must have a minimum 2.75 GPA, and be available to work during the summer PittStart sessions.

Application Process: Applications are available at the A&S Advising Center (201 Thackeray Hall) or on line at www.as.pitt.edu/undergraduate/experience/peer-advising.html . Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, so we urge you to apply as soon as possible.

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS NOVEMBER 5, 2008.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

October 12: Conference on Islam and Popular Culture in Indonesia and Malaysia

Conference--Islam and Popular Culture in Indonesia and Malaysia
TBA- Sunday, October 12
Audience: TBA
Cost: TBA
For more information, contact Andrew Weintraub - anwein@pitt.edu
Sponsored by: Global Studies Program, Asian Studies Center, Department of Music, Office of the Provost

Want to represent the department at this event?

I am looking for a junior or senior major who would like to attend the event discussed in the below e-mail. Unfortunately, I can't attend because of a prior engagement that evening, but if one of you would like to attend I can provide you with information about the department. It would be great to have the Religious Studies major represented.

Please let me know before October 8 if you would like to attend this event. Thanks.
------------------------

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Tobi Adeboyejo and I am the Academic Affairs Committee
Chairperson for the Black Action Society (BAS). This year, we are
planning to have a Major Mixer on October 15th at 7:30pm in the WPU
Ballroom. The purpose of the Major Mixer is to create a network between
students within the same major and provide information on various majors
to both decided and undecided students.

This e-mail is to request your participation in the Major Mixer. As a
participant, we ask for you to attend the event and bring information that
students may consider important... Additionally, we would like for you to bring at
least one upperclassman to the event. The presence of upperclassmen and
advisors at this event is important because students will be able to
receive information from two very important points of view.

...

Sincerely,

Tobi Adeboyejo
Academic Affairs Committee Chair
Arielle Spivey
Academic Affairs Committee Vice-Chair

October 3: Tony Novosel Lecture on Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland: 10 Years On, Problems and Progress

Tony Novosel, Ph.D.
Department of History

Friday, October 3, 2008
3500 Cathedral of Learning
2:15 P.M.

Professor Tony Novosel is an historian with specialties ranging among the
history of Russia and the Soviet Union, modern European history, the
origins of mass violence in the 20th century, and the conflicts in Northern
Ireland. He is a former steelworker who came to the University of
Pittsburgh as a freshman at the age of 32 and in 2005 earned his Ph.D. in
Soviet History focusing on the Bolshevik Theory of the State. Novosel first
went to Northern Ireland in 1974 and has traveled there regularly since
then. For the past eleven years he has worked with the Business Education
Initiative, a "Peace and Reconciliation" program, in Northern Ireland.
Among many other activities, Novosel recently created a link with Intercomm
Belfast, to provide internship opportunities for students to go to Belfast
for a month to do "peace and reconciliation" work. Do not miss his account
of Irish history on the move.

---------------------------------------------------
Edward L. McCord, Ph.D., J.D.
Director of Programming and Special Projects
University Honors College
3600 Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

School of Education Open Houses

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND OUR FALL OPEN HOUSE:

ALL SCHOOL OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS WILL BE REPRESENTED:

Administrative & Policy Studies
Health & Physical Activity
Instruction & Learning
Learning Sciences & Policy
Psychology in Education


Please join us on
Tuesday, October 14th or
Wednesday, November 5th
the William Pitt Union, Kurtzman Room
5:30 – 7:30 pm
light refreshments will be served


• Stop by to discuss opportunities within the School of Education
• Talk one on one with faculty, staff and students
• Find out what degree will help you reach your career goals

Please RSVP to http://www.education.pitt.edu/respond/index.aspx?id=37 for Tuesday, October 14th
Please RSVP to http://www.education.pitt.edu/respond/index.aspx?id=38 for Wednesday, November 5th
by October 3, 2008
 

Enter your email address:

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