Lecture Notes
November 3-30, 2008
Captured by Evil: The Idea of Corruption in Law
Nov. 3, 12-1:30 p.m., Workshop Seminar Room, 513 N. Park Ave., Bloomington -- Corruption is one of the most powerful words in the English language. When it comes to the treatment of corruption by law, however, corruption is a troubled concept. With increasing recognition of the costs of corruption for economic development, democratic governance, international aid programs, and other world goals, attempts to articulate what this destructive force is have led to an avalanche of theoretical writing. Professor Laura Underkuffler, School of Law, Duke University, Durham, NC, will argue that corruption is a far more powerful idea than existing legal understandings have articulated: it is the idea of capture by evil, the possession of the individual by evil, in law. It is this idea of corruption that -- although unarticulated -- drives our understanding of corruption in law. For more information and to download colloquia papers, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~workshop/colloquia_lectures.html.
Cry of Jazz: An African American experimental essay documentary, 50 years later
Nov. 3, 5-7 p.m., Morrison Hall 007, Bloomington -- Professor Chuck Kleinhans, Northwestern University, will look at Ed Bland's experimental essay, "Cry of Jazz," and reflect on the last 50 years. A determined meditation on the nature of jazz and its relation to and expression of Black American experience, Bland's 40-minute film opened in New York City to controversy for openly discussing American racism. With a soundtrack and performances by Sun Ra, the film is a document from the early years of Sun Ra's visionary art, a fierce argument for recognizing not only the importance of jazz but also its limits. For more information, contact cstudies@indiana.edu.
A Middle East Agenda for the New American President
Nov. 3, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Woodburn Hall 120, Bloomington -- On the eve of Election Day, IU visiting professor Dr. Saad Ibrahim will discuss the condition of relations between the United States and various countries in the Middle East. To combat the current conditions, Ibrahim will suggest multiple strategies for increasing diplomacy and trade with the Middle East for rebuilding critical relationships. For more information, http://www.indiana.edu/~nelc/.
Friendship, Transcendence and the Good
Nov. 4, 10 a.m., IU East Whitewater 132, Richmond -- As part of the Sabbatical and Summer Faculty Fellowships, Dr. Catherine Ludlum Foos, associate professor of philosophy, will present "Friendship, Transcendence and the Good," discussing Plato on the topic of friendship. For more information, contact jeharper@indiane.edu.
The Existence of Singularities and the Origin of Space-Time
Nov. 5, 4 p.m., Swain West 119, Bloomington -- After briefly reviewing standard methods of studying singularities in general relativity, Michael Heller, Vatican Observatory, V-00120 Vatican City State and Copernicus Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Cracow, Poland, will discuss methods of noncommutative geometry applied to deal with them. In this approach relativistic space-times are modeled by noncommutative von Neumann algebras of random operators. Even the strongest singularities turn out to be probabilistically irrelevant. Only when one goes to the usual (commutative) regime, via a suitable transition process, the usual space-time emerges and singularities become significant. For more information, contact wsnow@indiana.edu.
"Solitude" Lecture: U.S. Poet Laureates Billy Collins and Kay Ryan
Nov. 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Rawles Hall 100, Bloomington -- The College Arts and Humanities Institute (CAHI) is delighted to announce U.S. Poet Laureates Billy Collins and Kay Ryan, who will present a dual reading of their works as part of CAHI's lecture series on "Solitude." Billy Collins is an American phenomenon. No poet since Robert Frost has managed to combine high critical acclaim with such broad popular appeal. Kay Ryan's poems and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Poetry, The Yale Review, Paris Review, The American Scholar, The Threepenny Review, Parnassus, among other journals and anthologies. Entertainment Weekly named Ryan to the "It List" and one of her poems has been permanently installed at New York's Central Park Zoo. For more information, visit http://www.iub.edu/~cahi/lectures.shtml.
Briefing: Recent Political and Economic Developments in Mongolia, including its relations with Neighboring Countries
Nov. 5, 7 p.m., Bridgwaters Lounge, Neal Marshall Black Culture Center, Bloomington -- U. S. Ambassador to Mongolia Mark Minton will give an update on recent developments in Mongolia, including the unrest following the June parliamentary elections and resolution of that political crisis. He will assess the likelihood of beginning large-scale mining in Mongolia. Minton will also review Mongolia's relations with Russia and China as well as "third neighbors" such as the United States, Japan, Korea, Canada, Australia and Europe. For more information, contact monsoc@indiana.edu.
The Sociolinguistics of Indigenous Languages in South America in Contemporary Times
Nov. 6, 12-1 p.m., La Casa, 715 E. Seventh St., Bloomington -- Serafin M. Coronel-Molina, IU assistant professor of language education, will explore the sociolinguistic landscape of indigenous languages in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Coronel-Molina will delve into some issues related to micro-sociolinguistics and offer a panoramic view of macro-sociolinguistic research such as language maintenance, shift and revitalization, language policy and planning and intercultural bilingual education in the region. For more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~lacasa/.
Sustaining Social-Ecological Systems
Nov. 6, 4-6 p.m., the IMU University Club President's Room, Bloomington -- Noted IU political scientist Elinor Ostrom will deliver the inaugural Karl F. Schuessler Lecture in Social Science Research where she will discuss "Sustaining Social-Ecological Systems." Ostrom will discuss the challenges faced by scholars who are interested in sustaining ecological systems with research that takes both the complexity of ecological systems and the complexity of social systems into account. Ostrom, who has been inducted into both the National Academy of Sciences and American Academy of Political and Social Science, will report on some of the research conducted by scholars at IU in collaboration with a network of scholars worldwide. She also will examine a framework proposed to help integrate future work that involves ecology and social sciences. For more information, visit http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/9102.html.
The Art of Living a Long, Healthy and Full Life
Nov. 6, 7 p.m., Monroe County Public Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington -- Dr. Richard Gunderman, professor, IU School of Medicine and Liberal Arts and Philanthropy at IUPUI, and the Art of Aging present "The Art of Living a Long, Healthy and Full Life." Gunderman is known at the IU School of Medicine for his innovative and engaging teaching style and his willingness to go beyond the confines of medicine to seek answers to health. For more information, call 812-855-3037.
How the Mongols Got a Word for 'Tribe' -- and What it Means
Nov. 7, 12-1:30 p.m., Ballantine 004, Bloomington -- Christopher Atwood, chair of the IU Bloomington Department of Central Eurasian Studies, will discuss the on-going debate in Inner Asian studies that has pitted the proponents of the "tribal" model of nomadic society against those arguing for "aristocratic houses." The history of the Mongolian terminology of social structure, especially words commonly translated as "tribe," shows how the terminology of tribalism is in fact quite recent in Mongolia. Formed out of the interface between the Qing dynasty's conservative and imperial multiculturalism and evolutionary social science, the "tribes" of Mongolia turn out to be units of imperial administration. For more information, contact kvenit@indiana.edu.
The Art, Science, and Technology of Life-like Robotics
Nov. 7, 3-4 p.m., Lindley Hall 102, Bloomington -- Gene Poor & G. Michael Poor, both of Bowling Green State University, will give an overview of the current state of life-like robotics (animatronics) and their applications. Life-like animatronics has had a long, successful history of being used as an entertainment medium in theme parks, restaurant, and retail establishments. Additionally, life-like animatronics have also been found to be useful as storytellers in museums, visitor and science centers. These two researchers now believe that life-like animatronics will make excellent teacher/educators and are preparing to test the concept in both university classrooms and corporate training settings. For more information, visit http://www.informatics.indiana.edu/.
Animal Behavior Colloquium
Nov. 7, 4 p.m., Myers Hall 130, Bloomington -- Cedric Feschotte of the University of Texas, Arlington, will present "Mammalian DNA transposons: Evolutionary dynamics and contributions to genetic innovation." For more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/.
Let Nothing Keep You Down
Nov. 7, 5 p.m., School of Law--Indianapolis Wynne Courtroom, Indianapolis -- Author Kerry Max Cook will give a lecture regarding his book, Let Nothing Keep You Down. Cook, author of Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself after Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit, was born in Stuttgart, Germany, into an Army family, and spent much of his youth on Army bases. He returned to the United States with his family in 1972 to live in Texas. In 1977, at age 20, he was arrested and wrongly convicted of capital murder, a crime for which he would spend the next two decades on death row. Since gaining his freedom, Cook has been an advocate for legal reform, lecturing at Princeton, Yale and the University of Chicago, as well as internationally. A reception and book signing will follow the lecture. For more information, visit http://indylaw.indiana.edu/.
The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Library celebrates Native American Heritage
Nov. 10, 6-7:30 p.m., Bridgwaters Lounge, Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, Bloomington -- Marilyn Vann, president of the Descendants of Freedmen Association, Oklahoma City, will lead a discussion about the Black freedmen of the Cherokee nation, the tribal expulsion and the current situation. For more information, visit http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=2340.
The Valuation of Art
Nov. 11, 5:30 p.m., Herron School of Art and Design Basile Auditorium, Indianapolis -- The theme of the Jordan H. and Joan R. Leibman Annual Forum for 2008 is The Valuation of Art. Debra Force, president and founder, Debra Force Fine Art Inc., New York, and John Vanausdall, president/CEO, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, will speak. Debra J. Force is a specialist in American paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture of the 18th through 20th centuries. Debra Force Fine Art Inc. offers American art and provides appraisal and consulting services related to areas of American art. John Vanausdall will offer a local perspective on the topic of valuation. For more information, contact slingram@iupui.edu.
John Edwards
Nov. 11, 7 p.m., IU Auditorium, Bloomington -- Former U.S. senator and presidential candidate John Edwards will speak about the Nov. 4 presidential election, focusing on what the results mean for America's political and economic future. Sen. Edwards will dissect the general election results and forecast how they will affect the state of political discourse, the American economy and the plight of working families. He will also weave stories from his experience running for president into his analysis, describing what it's like to be a major presidential candidate in today's accelerated political and media environment. A question-and-answer session will follow the lecture. For more information, contact ubpr@indiana.edu.
Documentation vs. Artistic Invention: Archaeological Drawings from the Eighteenth Century to Today
Nov. 12, 12:15-1 p.m., Special Exhibitions Gallery, IU Art Museum, Bloomington -- Julie Van Voorhis, associate professor of Ancient Art in the Department of the History of Art, will present "Documentation vs. Artistic Invention: Archeological Drawings from the Eighteenth Century to Today." Eighteenth- and 19th-century archaeological exploration in Italy, Greece and Egypt fired the imaginations of generations of travelers. Drawings made by tourists at -- or inspired by -- the ancient sites they visited ranged from the highly imaginative to the soberly factual. For more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~iuam/.
Endocannabinoid signaling during brain development
Nov. 12, 4 p.m., Psychological and Brain Sciences Building, PY101, Bloomington -- Tibor Harkany, Ph.D., University of Aberdeen School of Medical Sciences and the Karolinska Institutet, will present on endocannabinoids. In this talk, Harkany will summarize contemporary discoveries establishing eCB-driven cellular identification events in the developing cerebrum, and define a unifying concept of how eCB signaling provides positional signals for excitatory and inhibitory afferents along the dendritic tree of cortical neurons, thus shaping the complexity of cortical connectivity. For more information, contact kmackie@indiana.edu.
My Vietnam Your Iraq
Nov. 14, 3-4:30 p.m., Poynter Center, 618 E. 3rd St., Bloomington -- Department of Telecommunications Professor Ron Osgood will screen segments from his recently completed documentary "My Vietnam Your Iraq." The documentary features nine families that have a parent who served in Vietnam and a child in Iraq. Osgood's presentation is third in the Poynter Center Roundtable series this fall, sponsored by the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions. For more information, visit http://poynter.indiana.edu.
Animal Behavior Colloquium
Nov. 14, 4 p.m., Myers Hall 130, Bloomington -- Molly Cummings, University of Texas, Austin, will present "Sensory ecology of poison frogs and kelp forest fishes." For more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/.
IU School of Education's 100th Anniversary
Nov. 16-17, Bloomington -- This fall marks 100 years since the first semester of the IU School of Education in 1908. The celebration includes panel discussions, guest speakers and a formal commemorative ceremony. For a complete schedule of events, visit http://education.indiana.edu/Events_Detail/tabid/10783/Default.aspx?xmid=342.
Dinner with Deborah Meier
Nov. 16, 6 p.m., Wright Education Building atrium, Bloomington -- Deborah Meier is recognized as the founder of the small schools movement and a leading voice in education reform. Her ideas have heavily influenced schools across the country, including Bloomington's Harmony School. Meier will speak during dinner as part of the IU School of Education's 100th anniversary. For more information and to RSVP, contact ccarney@indiana.edu.
From Cynips to the Cerebral Cortex: An Intellectual History of Alfred Kinsey
Nov. 17, 12-1 p.m., Kinsey Institute, Morrison Hall, Second Floor, Bloomington -- Donna Drucker, Ph.D., independent scholar, will present her dissertation thesis, which addresses Kinsey's methods and influences, from his gall wasp work through both Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953). For more information, contact kinsey@indiana.edu.
Life, Liberty, Race and Poverty
Nov. 18, 5 p.m., School of Law--Indianapolis Wynne Courtroom, Indianapolis -- Stephen Bright, president and senior counsel of the Southern Center for Human Rights, will present "Liberty, Race and Poverty: The continuing influence of race and poverty in the criminal justice," as part of the IU School of Law--Indianapolis' Distinguished Visitor Series. Bright teaches at Yale and Georgetown Law Schools. Subjects of his litigation, teaching and writing include capital punishment, conditions and practices in prisons and jails, legal representation for poor people accused of crimes, and judicial independence. For more information, visit http://indylaw.indiana.edu/.
Education writer and activist Jonathan Kozol
Nov. 20, 4 p.m., the IMU Frangiapani Room, Bloomington -- As part of the IU School of Education's 100th anniversary, education writer and activist Jonathan Kozol will speak. Kozol is known for many provocative books on education, including Savage Inequalities, Death at an Early Age and The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America. His most recent book, released last year, is Letters to a Young Teacher. For more information, visit http://education.indiana.edu/.
Animal Behavior Colloquium
Nov. 21, 12:15 p.m., Glenn Black Lab 101, Bloomington -- Ayako Yamaguchi of Boston University will present "Sexually distinct vocal pattern generation in African clawed frog." For more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~animal/.
Evolution of Signaling Systems with Multiple Senders and Receivers
Nov. 21, 4-6 p.m., Woodburn Hall 003, Bloomington -- Brian Skyrms, department of philosophy, University of California Irvine, will present the COFFA Lecture, "Evolution of Signaling Systems with Multiple Senders and Receivers." Sender-receiver games are simple, tractable models of information transmission. They provide a basic setting for the study the evolution of meaning. It is possible to investigate not only the equilibrium structure of these games, but also the dynamics of evolution and learning -- with sometimes surprising results. Generalizations of the usual binary game to interactions with multiple senders, multiple receivers, or both, provide the elements of signaling networks. These can be seen as the loci of information processing, of group decisions, and of teamwork. For more information, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~hpscdept/.
For more lectures and events around the state, visit http://events.iu.edu.
