Humanities News, Features, and Other Updates

11th Annual Feminists Reading Feminists

Published March 30, 2020

closeup of a young caucasian woman in pajamas reading a book in bed

Join us for the 11th annual Feminists Reading Feminists event hosted by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) and the Humanities Department. Help us pay homage to the contributions of diverse feminist scholars and activists who have inspired us and continue to shape our evolving world.

The event will be held at 4 p.m. tomorrow (March 31) via ZOOM. We encourage you to sign up through our Google form ahead of time (or submit a video/picture through the Google form if you cannot attend) and at our virtual event via ZOOM, be prepared to share a chosen passage from your favorite text, your favorite video/audio clip, or simply participate by listening and engaging with those sharing.

Your selection should take five minutes or less to read or view. Prose, poetry and media are welcome. There will be time at the end for those who did not sign up ahead of time to participate in an open reading, ALL are welcome. Please join us virtually to engage in meaningful dialogue and celebrating the women’s history month – near and far – as a community. If you’re part of the dialogue, you’re part of the solution.

Modern Languages Activities Suspended Until Further Notice

Published March 19, 2020

By Heather Powers

Due to the current situation, all activities organized by the Modern Languages program in the Humanities Department have been put on hold until further notice. This includes Café Francais as well as the Modern Languages Spring Film Series.

Modern Languages Spring Film Series Tonight

Published March 19, 2020

By Heather Powers

Modern Languages

The Modern Languages program in the Humanities Department has the honor to present this year’s Spring Film Series with the theme of “New Classics”. The first screening will be the French film La Vie en Rose (in French La Mome) at 7 p.m. tonight (Feb. 27) in Walker 134.

In this film, Marion Cotillard portrays Edith Piaf, the legendary French singer who was raised by her grandmother in a Normandy bordello and then discovered on a French street corner by cabaret proprietor Louis Leplée (Gérard Depardieu). Despite her success, Piaf’s life was filled with tragedy.

This event is free and open to the public.

Our next two films on March 19 (Spanish) and April 2 (German) are cancelled.

GSG Merit Awards – Winners Announced

Published March 4, 2020

By Heather Powers

This years awardees for the Graduate Student Government Merit Awards have been decided. A total of 88 nominations were received from departments all across campus. The decision process was not an easy one as there was a very strong pool of nominations this year. We are very grateful to all of our nominees for all of the work they put in to improve and enrich the life of our graduate students.

Without further ado, here are the award winners:

Exceptional Staff Member – Claire Wiitanen, Administrative Aide from the Physics Department
Exceptional Graduate Mentor – Victoria Bergvall, Associate Professor of Linguistics, Humanities
Exceptional Student Leader – Jacob Blazejewski, a PhD student from Mathematical Sciences
Exceptional Student Scholar – Nancy Henaku, a PhD student from Humanities

Congratulations to our winners and all you have done for our graduate students!

PhD Candidates Celebrated at Advancement to Candidacy Ceremony

Published February 28, 2020

By Heather Powers

RTC PhD candidates were celebrated at the first annual Advancement to Candidacy Ceremony conducted by the Graduate School for all ABD students. Attending the ceremony with their advisors were the following:

Gabriel Edzordzi Agbozo (advisor Dr. Vicky Bergvall)
Nada Mohammad A. Alfeir (advisor Dr. Patty Sotirin)
Joshua Chase (advisor Dr. Abraham Romney)
Marina Choy (advisor Dr. Patty Sotirin)
Geethu Madeckal Jose (advisor Dr. Patty Sotirin)
Sara T. Potter (advisor Dr. Patty Sotirin)
Hua Wang (advisor Dr. Marika Seigel)

La Peña — Spanish Conversation Hour

Published February 20, 2020

By Heather Powers

Modern Languages

Join us! Learn Spanish quicker through interaction with other Spanish speakers. Join us in a relaxed environment to practice and improve your conversation skills. Speak Spanish, play games, have a snack, and make new friends! Bring a friend!
To receive reminders, email Leyre Alegre at lalegref@mtu.edu

Tuesday, February 25 at 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 3 at 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Walker Arts and Humanities Center, 120A (HDMZ)
1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931

Café Française Resumes

Published January 28, 2020

By Heather Powers

It is with great pleasure that Café Français resumes its activities this at the usual time and place, 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 30) in Walker 120C.

Join us for an hour in a laid-back francophone setting. As usual, snacks and light refreshments will be served. Open to all. Any level of French is welcome. For more information, email danyj@mtu.edu

Hope to see you there.

Dr. Fonkoué Publishes New Book

Published January 17, 2020

By Erin Smith

Dr. Ramon A. Fonkoué has published a new book titled Nation Without Narration: History, Memory and Identity in Postcolonial Cameroon (Cambria Press, 2019). According to the publishers, “This book traces the roots of the current turmoil and sheds light on overlooked factors impacting nation building in post-colonial Cameroon. It demonstrates the urgency of cross-disciplinary work on African societies and the continued relevance of postcolonial criticism as a theoretical framework. It extends the postcolonial critique inaugurated by Homi Bhabha’s Nation and Narration into twenty-first-century sub-Saharan Africa. It also reframes the question of modernity and development in this context, suggesting an approach with a bearing on people’s lived experience.”

¡La Peña! Spanish Conversation Hour

Published January 14, 2020

By Heather Powers

Humanities

Join us for Spanish Conversation Hour in Walker! Learn Spanish quicker through interaction with other Spanish speakers. Join us in a relaxed environment to practice and improve your conversation skills. Speak Spanish, play games, have a snack, and make new friends! Bring a friend!
To receive reminders, email Leyre Alegre at lalegref@mtu.edu. Dates are listed in the events calendar.

In Print

Published January 13, 2020

By Heather Powers

Stephanie Carpenter (HU), published “Braving the Elements,” a one-month teaching guide for Ecotone literary magazine’s new “Teach Ecotone” initiative.

Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the initiative helps educators adopt the magazine as a classroom text. Ecotone is an internationally-distributed magazine focused on writing and art that reimagines place.