Work, Life & Fun in Modern China
November 17, 2011

Belk Library and Information Commons, room 421 2PM

The Doorways International Program Series presents “Work, Life & Fun in Modern China” a panel presentation with visiting Chinese Scholars. Come and hear about life, work and fun in modern China. This is an interactive panel so be curious and bring questions!

• Guo Peixiao: Insigma Hengtian Software: Global Infrastructure Service (GIS) Project Manager on IT Outsourcing in China and Life in Hangzhou (a “village” of 8.7 million people).
• Xu Xuan : Exchange Librarian from Fudan University on Librarianship and Campus Life at Fudan University in Shanghai, China
• Zhu Shenshen : Shanghai Daily Newspaper: Business Journalist on Trends in the Internet Landscape in China and life in Shanghai
• Lin Yang : China Internet Information Center : IT Infrastructure and security on information security and life in Beijing
• Tan Hong: Software Engineer with Insima Hengtian Software on a “Typical Day” of an IT Software engineer in Hangzhou and weekend entertainment
• Gu Jun works for Sinolingua Co. Ltd in Beijing, and will talk about publishing business in China.
• Li Lei: A graduate student at Shaanxi Normal University will share her experience as a graduate student in a Chinese university.

Jewel Castro was born in Chicago and grew up in San Diego. Her maternal grandparents established the First Samoan Congregational Christian Church of San Diego. Castro's early career in art was in graphic design and illustration and culminated in a position in television programming administration for public broadcasting. Castro received a B.A. in Art with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing from San Diego State University in 1995 and an M.F.A. in Visual Arts with a Studio emphasis in 1998. Since then, Castro has been adamantly working as a multimedia artist, curator, part-time teacher of studio art, writer, and public speaker. Castro is interested in bringing national attention to contemporary Oceanic art, having already curated two exhibitions that have received international exposure, including Island Affinities, Contemporary Art of Oceania at California State University Northridge (2007) with Dr. Peri Klemm and Turning Tides: Gender in Oceania Art at the University of California San Diego (2006) with Dr. Pamela Rosi. Her work is published in several journals, including Pacific Studies, The Contemporary Pacific, and Pacific Arts: The Journal of the Pacific Art Association, as well as a few books, including Samoan Art and Artists: O Measina a Samoa, edited by Sean Mallon, Moon Over the Pacific by Kay Flavell, and Pacific Island Artists Navigating the Global Art World, edited by Karen Stevenson.

Day of activities associated with Balé Folclórico da Bahia

The only professional folk dance company in Brazil, Balé Folclórico da Bahia was formed in 1988 and has achieved considerable success in its short history. Under the artistic direction of José Carlos Arandiba, the company’s many national and international tours have earned them a prestigious reputation that is reflected in the response of the public and critics alike.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

2-3:15 PM
ASU Dance Studio # 208, Varsity Gym
Ava Vinesett, Duke University Faculty "Dances of the Orixas" -- African dance workshop, Open to all members of the campus and local community as participants and/or observers -- no prior movement training required

4:30-5:45PM
Panel Discussion "Afro-Brazilian Culture: History, Religion, and the Arts"
Location: Rosen Concert Hall/
Hayes School of Music Dr. Laurie Semmes, Panelist and Program Moderator, Ethnomusicologist, ASUHayes School of Music Dr. Brent James, ASU Department of Foreign Languages and Literature Ms. Ava Vinesett, Department of Dance, Duke University Mr. Walson Botelho, General Director of Balé Folclórico da Bahia.

8:00 PM
Performance of Balé Folclórico da Bahia (Farthing Auditorium)
Reception immediately following performance (Farthing Auditorium Lobby)

Balé Folclórico da Bahia's performance on the Appalachian campus on February 15, 2011 provides an ideal opportunity to further explore the richly layered Afro-Brazilian Culture of Salvador da Bahia. The panelists will share their varied expertise on the historical roots and cultural traditions found in the spiritual practices, music, and movement arts representative of this unique region of northeastern Brazil . We invite educators and all (members of the campus and local community) who are interested in learning more about Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language to participate in the days’ activities.
Events are being co-sponsored by the Office of Arts and Cultural Programs,the Office of International Education and Development, and the Doorways Series

Voices of Experience: Personal Stories of Immigration to Western North Carolina
Wednesday, November 17, 2010. 5:00 PM
Room 421, Belk Library

Ninety-nine percent of Americans trace their ancestors back to immigrants from other countries. Come and hear how the long and proud tradition of immigration is alive in Western North Carolina. A panel of recent immigrants from a variety of geographical backgrounds including China and Latin America will share their personal stories of migration to the Boone-Watauga area. The panel members will talk about factors that led to their decision to migrate to the US, interactions with the US Immigration Services, and their lives in the mountains of North Carolina. 

Dr. S. Sumathi -“Caste and Social Justice: Positive Discrimination Policy in India”
Monday November 15, 2010 at 2 pm
Room 421, Belk Library
Indian Food will be served!

India has adopted a policy of “Positive Discrimination” in order to correct past social, economic, and political injustices. This policy favors those communities which were discriminated against historically, including the “Dalit,” also referred to as “untouchables.” Members of the Dali caste that have converted to Christianity are being denied the opportunities available through “Positive Discrimination” in secular India. Dr. Sumathi asks the question: Has their conversion to Christianity really changed the social position of the Dalit and given them any upward mobility in the caste hierarchy?

Dr. S. Sumathi is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Madras, Chennai, India. She has been awarded a Fulbright- Nehru Visiting Lecturer Fellowship for the period of 2010-2011. Dr. Sumathi is currently a Visiting Scholar at Appalachian State University.

Chuanhui Gu - “Environmental Issues in China: Local Research with Global Relevance” Thursday, Earth Day, April 22, 2010 at 2 pm
Room 421, Belk Library

Dr Gu is a member of the Geology Faculty. He is originally from China and earned his doctorate at University of Virginia. In 2009 China became the world’s greenhouse gases emissions leader, surpassing the Unite States. The US and China are the top two consumers of energy resources in the world and together both nations produce 40% of global greenhouse gases. Thus the US and China are bound to cooperate in global environmental problems. Such cooperation includes mutual study and absorption of environmental protection strategy, technology, and policies. This cooperation is the crucial step toward raising global confidence to tackle the global energy and environmental crisis.

Dr. Stanislaw (Stan) Dylak, on the topic of
“Internet – Brain – Learning: Implications for Teaching and Learning
Thursday February 25, 2010 2-3 pm in the Belk Library and Information Commons, Room 421

Dr. Stanislaw (Stan) Dylak, is a visiting professor this semester at the Reich College of Education from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland.  Dr. Dylak will discuss recent findings he and others in Educational Studies are researching that explore the educational consequences of students’ engagement  in reading in as it is impacted by  the  Internet and other  digital technologies. 

Dr. Dylak will also touch on some of the political and social changes in Poland over the last 20 years and how this has affected the Polish system of education.

2009

Lori Mason, James Wilkes, Melanie Green, and Sara Zimmerman - "Curriculum Development Project between Appalachian State University and the Kurdistan Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research"
Monday, December 7 at 2:00 pm
Room 421, Belk Library
Lori Mason, Doctoral Candidate in the ASU Educational Leadership Program, will speak about her experience living and working in Kurdistan as well as her involvement with the Curriculum Development Project. Also speaking will be ASU faculty members who recently served as advisers in Kurdistan; James Wilkes (Computer Science), Melanie Greene (Curriculum & Instruction) and Sara Zimmerman (Curriculum & Instruction).

Antoinette Sithole
Thursday, November 12 at 2:00 pm
Room 421, Belk Library
Ms. Antoinette Sithole serves as an educational speaker and curator of the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, South Africa. She is the sister of the late Hector Pieterson, who died on the 16 June 1976, in the Soweto uprisings in South Africa. At age 12, her brother was the first and youngest child to be killed by the Apartheid regime. Antoinette witnessed the incident.

The Hector Pieterson Museum was established in 2002 to commemorate and preserve the history of all young people who were killed under Apartheid protesting the injustices of that system, especially the inferior education provided for black students. Ms. Sithole has been the museum curator from its inception.

Craig Fischer - "Yellow is the Color of My True Love's Fear: An Introduction to the Italian Giallo Film"
Wednesday, October 28 at 1:00 pm
Room 421, Belk Library
Just in time for Halloween, Craig Fischer will introduce the Italian giallo film and discuss its characteristics and perennial popularity.

Giallo films are hyper-stylish, hyper-violent suspense movies that were extremely popular in Italy and beyond in the early 1970s. The directors most associated with the giallo genre are Mario Bava and Dario Argento who just directed a new film called Giallo, with Adrien Brody.  The genre includes crime stories and mysteries, characterized by extended murder sequences.