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2009-10 Events
Sunday, October 25, 2009, 2 p.m.
Kerr McGee Auditorium
Meinders School of Business
Free and Open to the Public
Mexican film legend Maria Rojo stars in this delicately crafted drama as Julia, a single mother employed as a telephone operator. The high point of her week is to relax at the danzon, a weekly dance where dancing partners needn’t be romantic. When Julia’s regular partner turns up missing, she travels to Veracruz to search for him. In the course of her quest, she ends up finding herself. Rojo offers a subtle portrait of an everyday woman who faces trouble in order to uncover her strengths; director Maria Novaro provides a richly feminine celebration of popular traditions from Mexico’s contagious past.
A discussion will follow the film for those who wish to stay.
Sociology of Culture: An In-depth Study of the Day of the Dead
Friday, October 30, through Sunday, November 1
Instructor: Teresa Rendon, adjunct professor of sociology and justice studies A one-credit course in sociology or Spanish for OCU undergraduate students. Learn about the traditions and the culture behind the traditions of Dia de los Muertos by seeing, reading, tasting, and creating. Professor Rendon lived and worked in Mexico City for three years where she specialized in Latin American culture and literature. The Day of the Dead has become part of her family traditions. Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead has roots in both the Christian tradition and the Aztec culture. Día de los Muertos occurs each year on November 1 and 2 in connection with the Catholic observance of All Saints' Day on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2, but also traces its origins to the centuries-old Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, "Lady of the Dead." To celebrate Día de los Muertos, many people build private altars to honor their deceased family members and friends. The altars may incorporate personal or sacred items that were important to the deceased and also may include decorated sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite food and drink of the deceased. Often families visit the cemetery where their loved ones are buried and clean the grave sites prior to constructing altars and laying out foods, beverages, flowers, and favorite possessions at the site. Of course, as with most sacred and secular festivals and holidays, the traditions surrounding Día de los Muertos vary by geographic region and by individual families.Illustration by Thaneeya McArdle (www.thaneeya.com)
Learn more about Día de los Muertos by celebrating this holiday at Oklahoma City University on Sunday, November 1, 2009. You will experience a few of the sounds, sights, and tastes of a traditional Mexican Día de los Muertos.
November 1
|  | | 4-5pm | Two short documentaries will be shown, Celebrating the Day of the Dead and The Day of the Dead in Janitzio.
| | 5-7pm | Enjoy traditional music and dance of Mexico while sampling some of the foods central to Dia de los Muertos. View Altars created by three local artists and OCU students from the "Sociology of Culture: Day of the Dead" class. |
OCU Days at the
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
November 14-22
OCU faculty, staff, and students will receive free admission to the museum with an OCU photo ID.
This event is co-sponsored by the Oklahoma City University Fine Arts Institute.
Don't Miss this exhibit at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
October 10, 2009 through January 3, 2010.
Coming in Spring 2010Visiting scholar Victoria Chenaut will offer two courses during the spring 2010 semester. Dr. Chenaut is a cultural anthropologist from Mexico City whose interests include the rights of indigenous peoples and the rights of women.
SPAN 3963: Spanish Studies: Indigenous Cultures in Contemporary Latin America
In this course we will examine some of the prominent indigenous cultures from across the Latin American region, with particular attention to how their cultural practices have survived and adapted to the present day. Examples of these cultures include the highland Maya of Mexico/Central America and the Quechua and Guarani cultures of South America.
INDP 3073: Indigenous Rights and Gender Issues in Latin America
Description: This course will examine the twin issues of gender and ethnicity across the Latin American region –from Mexico to Argentina. It will look at the multiple and dynamic ways in which indigenous identities and women’s identities are expressed, and feature the political activism of prominent indigenous women like Guatemala’s Rigoberta Menchú.
China for a Course? Of Course!
Spring 2010
Oklahoma City University is offering you the opportunity to complete courses while spending two weeks touring and learning about China and the interplay of economic development, education, and the environment. Non-students are welcome as well.
Course options for this adventure are:
It counts as your cross-cultural experience in the General Education program.
It can count as an ECON4823 Topics In Economics, an upper-division economics for business majors, or a social sciences elective in General Education for non-business majors.
It can count as BIOL1314 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE for students who have little or no training in science. It does count as a course toward a biology major.
EDUC 4063: SEMINAR IN EDUCATION emphasizes the global connections that are possible in American schools, churches and civic settings. Students will experience Chinese history, culture and language, reflect on these experiences, and develop thoughtful presentations and activities appropriate for educational settings.
Itinerary and Cost
(October 2008)
From Mao to Market: Local Protectionism and the Development of Markets in China
Dr. Andrew Wedeman
Friday, October 10, 12 noon, Kerr McGee Auditorium, Meinders School of Business
Dr. Andrew Wedeman received his doctorate from U.C.L.A. and is an associate professor of political science at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. During 2006-08, he was a visiting associate professor at the Johns Hopkins-Nanjing University Center for Sino-American Studies in Nanjing, PRC. His research focuses on the political economy of reform in China and specifically on the impact of corruption on the Chinese economy. Professor Wedeman has lived in South Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, India, the Ivory Coast, China, and Taiwan. Free and open to the public.
Chinese Dance Workshop
Friday, October 3, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 4, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Community Dance Center, Edith Kinney Gaylord Center
Learn the fine art of traditional Chinese dance from Amy and Diana Chang, two accomplished dancers who have both earned the Miss Asia title for the State of Oklahoma.
(November 2008)
China’s Economic Reform: History and Reality
Oklahoma City University Visiting Scholar and Professor of Economics, Dr. Shen Zhou
Friday, November 7, 12 noon, Meinders School of Business, Gardner Center
Dr. Shen Zhou is deputy director of the Department of International Economics and Trade and a professor of economics at Nankai University. He received his M.B.A. from Oklahoma City University through its program at Tianjin University and his Ph.D. from Nankai University. He is the Oklahoma City University fall 2008 visiting scholar. He is teaching economics in the Meinders School of Business and participating in Intersections activities and events throughout the semester. This lecture is free and open to the public.
Dialogue Across Differences
Facilitated by Dr. Jody Horn, Chair of the Department of Justice Studies and Sociology
Wednesday, November 12, 12 noon, CETL Classroom, Dulaney-Browne Library, second floor
Explore the political, social, and cultural history and ongoing challenges facing mainland China and Taiwan. Discussion will begin with a panel of students from both mainland China and Taiwan and will end with a question and answer period. Open to students, faculty, and staff.Chinese Calligraphy and Watercolor Workshop
Saturday, November 15, 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Open to All Ages
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This workshop will focus on the Chinese art of calligraphy and watercolor, particularly a type of Chinese painting called Water and Mo. Mo is the black Chinese ink. Only water and ink are used to make these paintings. This kind of painting is also called literati painting. In ancient China, scholars used brush and black ink for their writings. Sometimes they used the same brush and ink to paint something for fun. Because they had very good training in calligraphy, their paintings were usually good too. The beauty of this style is the simplicity and abstraction. Artists focus the images captured in their minds, expressing their feeling with brush, ink, and water.
This workshop will be conducted by two Oklahoma City University students in the Master of Liberal Arts program, Chiachi Hsiung (from Taiwan) and Zhang Mingwei (from mainland China).
This workshop is free and open to the public. To register, contact the Fine Arts Institute; or 405-208-5583.Space is limited and preregistration is required. |
November 17-21, 2008
Watch for details about these and many other events during International Education Week 2008
Monday, November 17 Great Hall at McDaniel University Center
Tuesday, November 18, 11am - 1pm, McDaniel University Center
Wednesday, 4pm, Cafeteria
Thursday, November 20, 11am - 1pm, McDaniel University Center
Friday, November 21, 11am - 1pm, McDaniel University Center
(September 2008)
Managing Arts And Entertainment in China
John Bedford, Dean of Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m., Tucker Hall – Gaylord Center
China has set a goal of becoming the center of arts and culture in Asia. Dean Bedford will discuss the organizational structures, policies and processes China has put in place to achieve this goal. The discussion of China’s national arts policy will be placed in context with historical and political events in China during the Twentieth Century. This lecture is free and open to arts management majors and members of Students of Arts Management.
Zhang Yimou’s To Live
Sunday, September 28, 2008, 2 p.m.
Petree Recital Hall
Oklahoma City University Film Institute teams up with Intersections for a cinematic look at China through the eyes of one of its most acclaimed directors, Zhang Yimou. To Live is an epic portrayal of one family’s trials, triumphs, and tragedies through the decades of Chairman Mao’s Great Leap Forward of the 1950s and the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s. To Live was the winner of the 1994 Grand Jury Prize. A discussion led by OCU visiting scholar, Dr. Shen Zhou of Nankai University will follow the film. Free and open to the public.
Concert by Li Fengyun and Wang Jianzin
September 18, 2008
8pm, Petree Auditorium
Li Fengyun and Wang Jianzin, both of the Tianjin (China) Conservatory of Music, will give a concert and hold master classes during the week of September 15. Watch for details. Free and open to the public.
(August 2008)
OCUReads
Thursday, August 21, 7 p.m.
Da Chen, Colors of the Mountain, Lecture and Book Signing
Petree Auditorium
Open to OCU students, faculty, and staff
OCUReads - Meet the Author
Friday, August 22, 9 a.m.
Shdeed Trustee Lounge
Enjoy an informal discussion with Colors of the Mountain author Da Chen. Open to Oklahoma City University students only.
Book Group - Da Chen Goes to College: Discussion of Da Chen’s Sounds of the River
Tuesdays, September 30, October 7 and 14, 12 noon – 1 p.m., Dulaney-Browne Library 2nd Floor
Follow Da Chen’s experiences as a student in China in his second memoir, which focuses on his experiences as a college student in China. Enjoy lunch and informal discussion about Da Chen’s college years. Dr. Scott Davidson, chair of philosophy, will facilitate discussion, and Dr. Shen Zhou, OCU’s visiting scholar from Nankai University, will share his experiences as a more recent Chinese student and as a current Chinese professor. Open to OCU students, faculty, and staff.
Introduction to Asian Philosophy (PHIL 2173) Mondays & Wednesdays, 4 - 5:15 p.m.
What is the good life? Do we have a duty to serve society? What is the relationship among desire, happiness, knowledge, and virtue? What is the relationship among the human, the divine, and the world? These questions are examined through a study of Asian philosophy. We will examine and discuss several texts in depth, representing philosophical traditions in Asia: Buddhism (Theravadan and Mahayana), Confucianism, and Daoism. This course satisfies the cross-cultural study requirement in the general education curriculum.
Survey of Asian Art (ART 2563-01) Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4 – 5:15 p.m.
This course is an introductory survey to the visual cultures and performing arts of Asia, focusing on three regional units: South and Southeast Asia; Inner Asia (Central Asia and Himalayas); and East Asia (China and Japan). This course satisfies the arts and the cross-cultural study requirements of the general education curriculum.
Seminar in Religion: Religion and Philosophy of China
(REL 3993-01, MREL 5873-01, PHIL 4163-01, MLAI 5263-01) Tuesdays, 2:30 – 5:15 p.m.
A survey of the major Chinese religions and philosophical schools including Confucianism, Daoism, Chinese Buddhism, Legalism, and Mohism.
(March 27, 2008) Intersections: West Africa Presents
“World on Fire? Or Not Quite Yet?:
Culture Clash and the Rule of Law in Global Trade”
Phyllis E. Bernard, M.A., J.D.
Professor of Law and Director
Center on Alternative Dispute Resolution
Oklahoma City University School of Law Thursday, March 27, 2008
7:00 PM, Watson Lounge
Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel
Once upon a time, global trade was considered an exotic sector of law and business affecting mostly the elite of society. Today’s savvy business executives and attorneys recognize global trade has worked its way to the mainstream of America’s economy. (A quick illustration: walk through Wal Mart and identify how many products are made – or even grown – in America.) Increasingly, the World Bank, World Trade Organization, the U.S. State Department and the American Bar Association support building legal infrastructures for reliable trade by dealing with cultural norms rooted in diverse tribal, ethnic, religious and class traditions. Prof. Bernard explains how tribal peacemaking methods developed at OCU School of Law have been adapted for use by the State Department and ABA in several African nations. Her talk previews the next generation of international business dispute prevention and resolution involving volatile populations. The challenge is to introduce standardized law and business ethics where clashes of culture can quickly ignite regional or international conflicts, disrupting supply chains vital to trade and peace.
Phyllis E. Bernard, M.A., J.D. is a Professor of Law at Oklahoma City University School of Law, where she is the founding Director of the Center on Alternative Dispute Resolution. From 2004-2006 she was the Robert S. Kerr, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law. For 2006-2009 she serves as the Senior Fellow for Peace and Non-violence for the Oikos Institute at OCU. For a decade, on behalf of the Law School’s ADR program, Prof. Bernard directed the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s Early Settlement Central Mediation Program. She is a former Chair of the ADR Section of the Association of American Law Schools, and Member of the Governing Councils for the American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution, Section on Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice, and ABA Africa Law Initiative. The ABA has recognized Prof. Bernard for her contributions as a pro bono consultant to ABA Rule of Law projects in Africa, developing culturally sensitive models for court-annexed mediation and arbitration. She is a Fellow of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges and is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Prof. Bernard received her A.B. cum laude from Bryn Mawr College, M.A. in American History from Columbia University and J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
(October 2007)
 Dr. Melanie E. Bratcher is teaching this workshop which includes basic lessons in African aesthetics, including, principles for living from Ancient Egyptian philosophy, video footage of Afro-Haitian and West African ritual dances and ceremonies, and interactive lectures about scholarly theories on African Dance. The Dance component includes warm-ups, meditation, various movements from the Umfundalai--a contemporary African dance technique--and Dunham techniques as well as traditional African dances from West, East, and South Africa, Jamaica and Brazil, and rhythm and song exercises. Additionally, footage of dances and dance choreographies are shown to further elucidate the concept of African dance culture and its evolution in the New World. Discussions about human meanings and African philosophy/values are woven throughout all components of the workshop.
Dr. Melanie E. Bratcher received her doctorate from Temple University is African and African American Studies. She is a professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma and teaches African dance and performance arts to Oklahoma elementary school children. She is the author of Words and Songs of Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone: Sound Motion, Blues Spirit, and African Memory.
(April 3, 2007) Coming April 3
"American by Choice: Paths to Citizenship and What it Means to be an American."
By Dr. Olufunke Fortenot
Using personal and historical narratives, Dr. Fontenot will discuss the socio-political dimensions of US citizenship laws and policies. Her lecture will also address aspects of the current immigration debate.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
7:30 p.m.
Watson Lounge, Bishop Angie Smith Chapel
(November 11, 2007) Oklahoma City University Film Series in its 26th Year
 Myth and Imagination: Shaping Meaning
The Film Series teams up with
INTERSECTIONS to offer
Masai, The Rain Warriors
on Sunday, November 11, 2007, at 2pm.
Kerr McGee Auditorium
Meinders School of Business
NW 26th Street and McKinley Avenue
Oklahoma City University campus
This and all films shown through the Film Series are free and open to the public.
Masai, The Rain Warriors
Pascal Plisson, Kenya/France (2005)
In this first film to be solely populated by real-life Masai and spoken entirely in their native tongue, the tribe finds itself faced with a drought that endangers the continuity of their people. Masai elders are convinced that they have been cursed by the Red God—the God of Vengeance. A group of adolescents must now cross over to adulthood and form a new generation of inexperienced but brave warriors. The adolescents must bring back the mane of a legendary lion, which appears at every critical period of the Masai history to appease the wrath of the God and bring back the rains. The survival of their culture depends on this quest. Olivier Dazat, screenwriter for the Nepalese movie Himalaya, scripted the film.
“The film features playful humor and steady promises of hope. And the boys, like the film, come off as very human: flawed, frequently awkward, but full of goodness at the core.” New York Times
“The Masai actors ground the story in everyday realism and humanity. A lush blend of the exotic and the deeply human; a film and a legend to remember.” Chicago Tribune
“A story of initiation, friendship, teamwork and sacrifice set on the vast ochre savannah of Kenya, Masai: The Rain Warriors builds slowly to a powerful and touching finale." Variety
“Stunning! While this story is fictional, the film is of tremendous documentary value given its rich display of Masai life.” BBC
(March 26, 2007) Oklahoma City University Presents “Modern Masters: Turkish Ceramics” Exhibit, Events
The works of Turkish ceramicists Ibrahim Erdeyer and Mehmet Gürsoy will be on exhibit from March 26-April 29 in the Atrium of the Wanda L. Bass Music Center. The exhibit is free to the public.
Special events during the exhibit include an opening reception from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 31 featuring Turkish foods (noon to 2 p.m.) and painting demonstrations by the artists. Works will also be available for purchase.
At 2 p.m. a public lecture entitled “Mastery and Meaning in Turkish Ceramic Art” will be given by guest lecturer Henry Glassie, professor of folklore and co-director of Turkish studies, Indiana University, and author of “Turkish Traditional Art Today” and “The Potter’s Art.” Gürsoy and Erdeyer, who are both featured in Henry Glassie’s books, “Turkish Traditional Art Today” (1993) and “The Potter’s Art” (1998), will travel from Kütahya, Turkey, to show samples and demonstrate the creation of their work as part of the opening celebration for the exhibit, Modern Masters: Turkish Ceramics.
Both artists are acknowledged masters of the Turkish çini tradition that dates back to 16th century Iznik and moved primarily to Kütahya in the 18th and 19th centuries. They belong to the third generation of a revival of this tradition that has seen work meeting or exceeding the standards of the greatest masters of the early Ottoman period. Combining tradition and innovation, Gürsoy and Erdeyer have created bodies of work that are stunning in their aesthetic and technical quality. Examples of their work and selected pieces by other artists will be on display.
The lecture, demonstration, and exhibition are sponsored by the Intersections Program at Oklahoma City University, The Institute of Interfaith Dialog, The Indiana Levant Co., and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Special thanks go to Professor Henry Glassie, Mike Thomas of The Indiana Levant Co., and Orhan Kuçukosman of the Institute of Interfaith Dialog for their generous assistance and support.
(January 28, 2007) Oklahoma City University Hosts Turkish Fulbright Specialist
Oklahoma City University was one of fifty-seven U.S. colleges and universities selected to host a Fulbright Visiting Scholar through the Direct Access to the Muslim World program. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ilhan Uzgel from Ankara University in Turkey. While at OCU, Dr. Uzgel will lecture in courses across campus, offer lectures for the high school students at Classen School for Advanced Studies, and interact with the university members and the
community in several ways. We hope you will take advantage of the opportunities Dr. Uzgel will offer for cross-cultural dialogue and greater understanding between nations and religious traditions.
PUBLIC EVENTS
Journey to the Sun
Sunday, January 28, 2007, 2 p.m.
Meinders School of Business, Kerr McGee Auditorium
Film and Discussion
Journey to the Sun, a 1999 film from Turkey directed by Yesim Ustaoglu, takes place in the streets of Istanbul where a Kurd and a Turk strike up an unlikely friendship, one that takes the young Turk on a journey into the unknown of military roadblocks and small Kurdish villages. In spite of its international acclaim, the film was shunned by Turkish film distributors because few subjects are more sensitive than the hardships suffered by theKurds at the hands of Turkish troops. Showing the courage to depict the realities of her society,
Ustaoglu renders a powerful story with non-professional actors.
The Clash between the Sacred and the Secular
Thursday, February 1, 2007, 7 p.m.
Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel, Watson Lounge
Public Lecture and Discussion
Dr. Uzgel will discuss Turkish political, cultural, and religious history and its past and present position as the gateway between Europe and the Middle East.
Turkish Sweets 101
Thursday, February 8, 2007, 3 p.m.
Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center Cafeteria
Join us for an informal mid-afternoon break with Turkish coffee, tea, and traditional Turkish sweets
prepared by OCU’s chef. $3.50 per person. Free to OCU students with valid ID.
For more information about these events, contact Mary Benner, Director of Academic Services, at 405-208-5450.
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