Getting Russia Right in the Era of Fake News
I attended this event while taking the class the Culture of the Cold War. In class we learned about the lives of the people who experienced the Cold War both in Russia and in the US as well as other effected countries. Hearing David Filipov speak about his experience in Russia and how it effects modern politics further enhanced the way I viewed the Cold War. Filipov spoke about how modern Russians view politics and our relationship with Russia. Obviously, the Russians have a different understanding of their legal system and what works for the US won't work for Russian citizens. For example, Filipov pointed out that the Russians expect their leaders to be corrupt and are therefore surprised that Americans are so outraged when they find corruption in their government. Filipov also discussed how much more laid back Russians are about following their own laws because they think that that is a more free way of living. In fact, they think that Americans are less free because we choose to follow all of our laws. From this lecture, I learned about how to view America through the lens of a Russian. I learned how to be critical of the way we treat Russia and other countries. It is very easy to think that the American system of democracy is the only one, but because culture differs so vastly from country to country, what works for America won't always work for every other country.
Global Art Museum Nights
There were several lectures about Ghana at this event as well as tables with information about Doctor's Without Borders, Peace Trips, and other international programs. However, I was most impressed and moved by the Pazeni Suati Africa Choir who performed that night. I brought a friend along to this event in order to share the experience with someone. It just so happened that he knew one of the girls in the choir so we decided to stay for their performance. However, as soon as they started singing, I was enraptured with the music. The music seemed to physically move around the room. It was colorful and vibrant and uplifting. Although I did not know the words, I found myself swaying to the rhythm wanting to sing along. Music is an important part of any culture. It can tell about what the culture considers valuable as well as the collective experiences of that culture. After the performance, we spoke to the girl my friend knew. She talked about how, while she was a member of many choirs, she appreciated the art and the culture surrounding this one. Music, like most art, is best experienced in person and I appreciate the opportunity to listen to something new.
Becoming a Woman in the Age of Enlightenment
I attended this event while I was taking a class called How does your garden grow. I took the class as credit for my Classics major, but we only talked about Classics half of the time. The other half of the time, we talked about gardens in the context of Victorian England. We learned about how botany was a way in which women were able to take part in scientific learning. The exhibit at the Harn was about how women were portrayed in the Age of Enlightenment. It showed how women dressed and worked and raised their children and what they did for pleasure. Women of this time period had a very narrow window of what was considered acceptable behavior and much of this was dictated by the men in their life. However, this was also a time when women began to envision a future where they would not be held captive in their homes and a world where their daughters could do more than raise a family of their own. Society and women have progressed so much from the 18th century, but themes of family and fertility and sexualization have followed women throughout history into the modern world.
At this event, Professor Mikael Wolfe spoke about the issues Mexico ran into with the reform of agriculture and how it can be an example for other countries. He researched this topic while writing his book Watering the Revolution. It was interesting to learn about how the Mexican people incorporated social and economic rights into their constitution. Because of Article 27 of their Constitution, every Mexican citizen has the right to land, but by equally distributing land, they threatened their environment. Prof. Wolfe made a compelling case for progress in balancing development and conservation. Because of America's tumultuous current relations with Mexico, I think it is very important to learn about the Mexican government to see what the US can learn from them.
