'Religions, Ethnicities, Identities' Series to Start

The College will begin a yearlong lecture and discussion series, "Religions, Ethnicities, Identities," on Thursday, September 26, with a presentation by Jane Marie Law, associate professor of Japanese religions and ritual studies and the H. Stanley Krusen Professor of World Religions at Cornell University. Law's talk, "The Cost of National Unity: Lessons for Now from Japanese History," will begin at 7:00 pm in the Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall. Law is also the Unity Day speaker for the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Ali Mirsepassi

Henry Munson Jr.

Jane Marie Law

Two additional lectures and a series of film screenings and discussions will also take place throughout the fall. All events are free and open to the public. The series is sponsored by the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity, and the Offices of Multicultural Affairs and the Provost, in collaboration with the Cinema on the Edge film series.

"Since at least the 16th century, the forces of modernity have worked to create a new human identity based on a seemingly universal conception of logic, rationality, secularism, and science," says Naeem Inayatullah, assistant professor of politics and a series organizer. "This endeavor sought not merely to juxtapose its new vision with older identities based on religion, ethnicity, and local cultures but to require humans to sever themselves completely from their traditional connections."

While there has been resistance to such a universalizing modernity in every phase of history and in every corner of the globe, it is perhaps only recently that this opposition has turned into self-conscious struggle, confrontation, and often open battle, Inayatullah says.

"As we prepare for the challenges posed by nationalism and globalization, secularization and religious revival, the religious basis of ethnic identity warrants greater consideration," adds assistant provost Tanya Saunders.

Jane Marie Law, who will deliver the introductory lecture, is the author of Puppets of Nostalgia: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of the Japanese Awaji ningyo Tradition and the editor of Religious Reflection on the Human Body and Waiting for the Dawn. She also serves as the director of the religious studies program at Cornell. Her talk will be part of the College's three-day Unity Festival, a series of presentations and events celebrating cultural awareness and diversity. (See Office of Multicultural Affairs to Host Unity Festival.)

Further presentations for the fall semester will be offered on these dates:

Wednesday, October 9 --- Henry Munson Jr., chair and professor of anthropology at the University of Maine, will speak on "Religion and Nationalism" at 7:00 pm in Klingenstein Lounge, Egbert Hall. Munson has written Islam and Revolution in the Middle East, Religion and Power in Morocco, and House of Si Abd Allah: The Oral History of a Moroccan Family.

Thursday, November 7 --- Ali Mirsepassi, professor and associate dean of the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University, will present "Civilizational Thinking and Modernity: Crisis of Cultural Narratives in Islamic Societies" at 7:00 pm in Klingenstein Lounge, Egbert Hall. Author of Intellectual Discourse and the Politics of Modernization: Negotiating Modernity in Iran, Mirsepassi is currently coediting Localizing Knowledge in a Globalizing World, which will be published by Syracuse University Press.

The screenings and discussions will be presented in collaboration with the Cinema on the Edge film series, which is cosponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The events will be in Park Hall Auditorium and will be followed by panel discussions moderated by Gina Marchetti, associate professor of cinema and photography.

Tuesday, September 24, 5:30 pm

Sansho Dayu
This exquisitely crafted masterwork set in feudal Japan explores the qualities of mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and fortitude from a Buddhist perspective.

Monday, September 30, 7:00 pm

Mah-Jongg: The Tiles That Bind
This documentary explores how the centuries-old Chinese tile game connects seemingly unlike individuals, generations, and cultures.

The Jew in the Lotus
A group of Jews meet the exiled Dalai Lama and share the secret of spiritual survival in exile.

The two showings are sponsored by Hillel and the Jewish studies program.

Tuesday, November 5, 5:30 pm

Landscape in the Mist
This Greek film, filled with symbolism and mystery, explores the meaning of faith, hope, and redemption in the modern age. The showing is cosponsored by the Office of International Programs, the International Club, and Phi Beta Delta, the honor society for international scholars.

More events are being scheduled for the spring semester. For more information call 274-1692 or 274-1053.