May 16, 2012

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Hearts on Fire at the Heller School – Discussing Philanthropy

April 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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Jill Iscol and Jacob Lief

Andrew Hahn Ph.D.'78 (left), Jill Iscol (center) and Jacob Lief (right)

On the evening of Thursday, March 29th, the Heller School hosted a book discussion in collaboration with the Eli J. Segal Citizen Leadership Program and the Silberman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy on the newly released book “Hearts on Fire: Twelve Stories of Today’s Visionaries Igniting Idealism into Action” by Jill Iscol, author, philanthropist and longtime advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Iscol and Jacob Lief, one of the visionaries featured in Iscol’s work, spoke about their processes as philanthropists and activists both from behind the scenes and in the field.

Lief spoke about his project the Ubuntu Education Fund in South Africa, which he co-founded and acts as the organization’s current president. In his responses he made a clear statement that in his opinions the large aid-organizations mostly originating in the US have not been effective and do not have any long-term effect. He is both a supporter and successful example of very localized grassroots projects, which may appear small but have a lasting influence in their specific areas. His project clearly showcases just how effective a long-term commitment and investment can be. While his influence may seem insignificant, he has vastly changed a number of young people’s lives, ultimately enriching the entire local society’s well-being and socioeconomic status. For Lief, this was the true achievement to obtain and it appears to be of much more value than a brief limited impact on a larger area and number of people. Iscol herself also commented on the necessity of the smaller localized grassroots organizations. Her own organization, IF Hummingbird Foundation, has helped fund numerous smaller groups to help in exactly such a way.  She acts more from “behind the scenes” compared to the hands-on approach of Lief, as her focus lies on strategic philanthropy and the business aspects of successful projects. It was inspiring to hear the opinions and experiences of two people so heavily involved in social justice and activism and seeing the diverse approaches possible for philanthropy.

During the brief Q&A session open to the audience, the main focus remained on the experience of the two activists. Their message was engaging and elating as they kept pressing the issue of the general population’s involvement in social activism. In their opinion, anyone can become a philanthropist and activist and has the social responsibility to do so in some way or another. As Iscol ended her final answer with the uplifting and inspiring remark “You (the students in the room) are our future and are the future ‘changemakers’. Anyone can bring on social change, even if you are not an entrepreneur or leader. There are always ways to become active.”

While I personally am always interested in learning about more ways to become active in social justice, I am also critical and skeptical of the American upper-middle class often empowered to lead such projects (which I am a part of myself). Despite my critical eye, which I cast on Jill Iscol specifically and her seemingly somewhat sensationalized book and reports on the twelve ‘changemakers’ she describes, I left this particular presentation with a positive sense of Iscol and Lief’s work and do believe they made many valid points in their optimism towards the future of long-term grassroots activism. I felt these two speakers had a very clear grasp on what it takes to achieve positive change in the world. While Iscol’s audience is the upper-middle class American and she plays this field well, I felt reassured of her sincerity after hearing her very realistic yet committed recount of her experiences. Lief’s education project speaks for itself in terms of validity and efficacy and I commend his humble yet confident approach to philanthropy.

Further information see The Justice and BrandeisNow.

Filed Under: Africa, Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Regions, Students

International Advisory Board Discusses Brandeis University’s Role In Social Justice

March 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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Last week, the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life sponsored an event called “Social Justice And The University:

Courtesy of David Weinstein

Perspectives From The U.S. and Abroad.” The event focused on the role universities should play in the realm of social justice. Should universities propel their students to action? Or should universities stick to teaching facts and let the students decide? Which approach facilitates social justice better? Which will provide the safest and most unbiased environment? To determine the right answer for Brandeis, the event featured a diverse array of national and international figures. Among them: Diego Arria (Former Rep. of Venezuela to the UN, Former UN Security Council President), Hans Corell (Former Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel of the UN), Richard Goldstone (Former Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa), Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah (Special Rep. of the UN Secretary General for W. Africa), Shiranee Tilakwardane (Supreme Court Justice, Sri Lanka), and Norbert Weissberg (Philanthropist and Business Leader). The roundtable also featured Steve Goldstein (Brandeis Provost) and Michael Ratner (Brandeis Alum and President of Center for Constitutional Rights). The panel  was moderated by Daniel Terris (Director International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life, VP Office of Global Affairs).

Richard Goldstone took the position that the proper role for universities is to get directly involved in social justice. Yet he postulated two requirements: only when it concerns issues that really affect the student body and only on issues in which they have most expertise. In doing so, not only would the university be encouraging the students to take the initiative themselves, but also be able to provide accurate information to help the students.  To illustrate his point, Goldstone recalled his college years in South Africa during the 1960′s when he and fellow students protested against apartheid. His fellow students didn’t just protest apartheid in general–there were far too many facets. Instead, they targeted something specific, something they were passionate about and were knowledgeable of: universities’ discriminatory admission processes that were disadvantaging blacks. Therefore, universities should get involved as long as there is a specific issue that the students care about as well as one they have professional knowledge of.

Shiranee Tilakawardane strongly felt that as education increases, so does social justice. Therefore sheer knowledge gained from an university education is already a major stepping stone towards achieving greater social justice.  Shiranee also wished that students think globally: since we live in a globalized world, we ought to analyze the consequences of decisions in a global context.

On the other hand, Michael Ratner highlighted that the increasing cost of higher education disincentivizes social justice. According to Michael, exorbitant student debt inhibits social justice because graduates are more focused on earning money to help themselves rather than working pro bono to help others.  Michael also advised students that social justice starts with your first obligation: to your country. In other words, protest against domestic issues that directly affect you. That way, students are more likely to be knowledgeable about the issue and consequently have a greater impact.

Norbert Weissberg argued that universities should teach students to learn and think for themselves in order to create independent opinions. However, he stressed the importance of teaching not only empathy but also recognizing that there are two sides to every issue. He also pointed the need for “intellectual purity,” or the idea that students should get their facts from sources of truth and unbiased information. For example, students should scour the internet rather than get their facts from the corrupt media.

In contrast, Hans Corell felt that universities should actively engage students on social justice issues since its not about just teaching facts. While teaching the facts is common in the math and sciences, in the humanities, one must look at the social side and analyze it.

Diego Arria emphasized the important impact youth have on social justice: they are the most powerful force- energetic, fearless, and know how to use the internet and social media to get out their message across. Just look abroad at the Arab Spring or domestically at Ron Paul supporters, and one recognizes that it is with youth that change can happen.

In response to the arguments and advice advanced by the international panel, Brandeis provost Steve Goldstein said that from a curriculum standpoint, Brandeis is a liberal arts school that teaches empathy and creates an open environment. Thus, Brandeis succeeds in producing students who can deal with world changes by teaching not just the facts, but how to adapt. From an institutional standpoint, Goldstein felt that it is the university’s job to help students pursue their own dreams, not tell them which ones to pursue. To do so, a university must provide skills and a safe environment with an open forum. Goldstein objected to the idea that a university should advocate a certain position in the hopes that all opinions expressed will be treated equally. Goldstein also addressed Michael Ratner’s concern about high student debt and its negative effect on social justice: Goldstein proudly highlighted the fact that Brandeis is committed to helping students in need and excels at giving financial aid. Therefore, Brandeis students accrue less debt. Goldstein also boasted about Brandeis’ Transitional Year Program (TYP) that helps financially disadvantaged students.

Interestingly, during the Q & A session, a student in the audience criticized the panel because not a single student was represented. I personally agree and would have liked to seen some representatives of the student body, perhaps from social justice organizations on campus like Waltham Group. Another student correctly mentioned how there seems to be two extremes of the social justice spectrum: those who love it and those who hate it. The student pointed out that Brandeis’ biggest academic institutions are IBS (those who wish to make money) and Heller (those who wish to save the world). This observation, while much exaggerated and over-simplified, simply  illustrates that social justice is just not on everyone’s mind and when it is, it tends to be all or nothing. Perhaps this means that social justice implies zealous advocacy. Yet I do not think that students need to be zealous advocates to partake in social justice. Setting such a high threshold only serves to discourage would be social justice activists. I would have like to seen this issue explored further in the panel, namely, how to increase the appeal of social justice on campus towards those who hold moderate views on social justice.

Filed Under: Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Issues, Nahum Gilliat, Students

‘Tasty’ encounters in Buenos Aires – A Reflection by Alana Pellerito’13

March 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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There are two things that are bound to happen at every meal abroad. First, my friends and I will inevitably joke about how beautiful everyone is in Buenos Aires. Second, we have to gush over how incredible our meal is. These are unavoidable pieces of living in a gorgeous, bustling city where dulce de leche is a staple in half of your meals and its inhabitants are forever tanned.

Torta

One of the most delicious “tortas” I have ever tasted. It was served cold; one layer of chocolate cake, one layer of dulce de leche, one layer of chocolate cake, one layer of chocolate mousse topped with chocolate shavings

Although I have only been in Buenos Aires for five weeks, it feels like I have been here forever (except for when I get off at the wrong colectivo [bus] stop or when I ask someone a question in Spanish and their response is, “Oh, I speak English” or “where are you from”).

I had such mixed feelings only a few weeks ago before arriving in Buenos Aires. I was nervous and excited, mostly ready to start my adventure that didn’t begin until February 20th. Because I am taking classes as an integrated student at the Universities in the city, and because Argentina is in South America (meaning their seasons are the opposite of ours) my semester of classes didn’t actually begin until this past week! I gather that most college students would be thrilled at the thought of not having classes for over 3 months, but since I am the “typical” Brandeisian, I have been itching to be busy again.

My first weekend in Buenos Aires could not have been more perfect. One of the reasons I chose to come to this humongous, magnificent city was its sizeable, well-known Jewish population. Coming from such a large, inviting Jewish population at Brandeis and being an avid Jewish sleep-away camp goer, I knew that I needed that religious and culture experience to be a part of my time abroad. I spent my first Friday night and my first Shabbat abroad at the Moishe House. From what I understand, the Moishe House is a Jewish house where three Jews in their twenties live (there are Moishe House’s all over the U.S. and all over the world). They host a Shabbat dinner once a month as well as other parties and get togethers for Jews from all over the world in Buenos Aires. This Shabbat was filled with prayers, brisket, Israeli dancing, Shira, and guitar playing, a given when any group of Jews congregate together. (Another source of comfort was walking into the Moishe House only to hear this series of bands playing in their CD player-Guster, Mumford and Sons, Dispatch…)

Friends

Some friends and me at the Moishe House-from top left to bottom right: Natí, Mauro, Me, and Nomi.

I couldn’t be more grateful to have made a connection to Moishe House so early in my time abroad. Purim was a few weeks ago, and between connections to Moishe House, Hillel and other Jewish friends in Buenos Aires, I was almost over prepared for the chag. This past Shabbat, I discovered a wonderful temple called Amichai with my friend Emma. Not only is Amichai exactly the kind of instrument-filled, enthusiastic service I was looking for here, but it is in “el barrio chino” which means that my post-Shabbat service meals will generally be Chinese food. Nothing could be more satisfying. I will also be interning with AMIA (Associación Mutual Israelita Argentina), the most well known Jewish Organization in Buenos Aires. They aim to promote and maintain the Jewish community in Argentina. Although most of my job will involve archiving, I cannot wait to begin my time there and meet more local, Jewish Argentines.

For my second weekend in Argentina, all of the IFSA-Butler Argentine Universities Program traveled to Colonia, Uruguay. Colonia is not only one of the most quaint towns I have ever visited but it was recently designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It reminded me very much of a small town in the Berkshires. This was a wonderful weekend getaway from the bustling city. Since that trip, I have made a getaway to El Tigre, a town an hour train ride outside of Buenos Aires with relaxing activities to partake in such as laying in the grass, eating postres, or canoeing (one of the more strenuous). Though I love the city and all of its excitement, it is nice to have a break from subways and buses (that I often get lost on). I have already planned my Patagonia trip for the last weekend in March and cannot wait to plan a Mendoza winery trip for the end of April!

Boat Port

Me by a boat port on the coast of Colonia.

Being in Buenos Aires is certainly a roller coaster. One day, I am happily walking down the sunny street, alfajor in hand taking in the scenery. A couple of hours later, I could find myself getting off of a colectivo at 10pm at night in a new neighborhood completely lost. Luckily, I have had great experiences with porteños when lost. Last week, a sweet, older couple helped me find my way to a bus stop and just a couple of a days ago a newspaper salesman helped me find my way to a photocopy store. Every day is a new experience, and every encounter with a Spanish menu is challengingly exciting (who knew that there were SO MANY names for food in Argentina). There are those undeniable comforts of hearing American music on the bus (and all around the city) and hearing other English speakers around you. There is also a surprising level of excitement when trying something new with Spanish speaking porteños.

I cannot wait to see what the next 3 or so months bring! Since I have hardly started having a normal schedule yet (I have been living abroad as a vacationer), I think that I will slowly start to feel like I live in Buenos Aires as my classes become more regular and my internship starts. Though, I have to admit, I will miss the relaxing life (that I have now enjoyed for 3.5 months) of eating alfajores, exploring the city without looming homework, and almost never having a set schedule!

Alana

Alana Pellerito enjoying a meal.

Friends, El caminito

My friends Chloe, Nomi and I enjoying a day at El Caminito in La Boca.

Filed Under: Abroad, Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Latin America & the Caribbean, Regions, Students

Raga Across Cultures and Generations – MusicUnitesUs Displays Yet Another Successful Collaboration

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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Sakhi, Nader, Zuckerman

Homayun Sakhi (rubab), Salar Nader (tabla), Ken Zuckerman (sarod)

On Friday, March 9th, three distinguished artists came to perform at the Slosberg Music Center. MusicUnitesUs invited the celebrated Afghan rubab player Homayun Sakhi, the internationally acclaimed sarod artist Ken Zuckerman and the highly popular tabla player Salar Nader in an effort to bring together Afghan and North Indian raga. The concert was an experiment to see how two solo instruments ( the rubab and the sarod) could collaborate as a duo and successfully cross cultural and generational boundaries. Usually, only one melodic solo instrument is featured in traditional classical ragas, however in this concert the audience had the unusual and exquisite treat to hear the play between two masterfully played leading instruments. It was a new experience for lay listeners and scholars of the field alike.

I grew up with Ken Zuckerman’s CDs on repeat, playing and going to school with his children and spending many Sundays at their home to attend his house concerts. While I am by no means an expert of classical Indian music, I have been exposed to Zuckerman’s playing for over twenty years. In these years I have never heard him play in this way – I witnessed true musical genius by all three artists. As I am a trained professional musician myself, I am generally rather sensitive to musical detail. This allowed me to take note of  a number of intricacies during this concert: Not only was Zuckerman’s style changed by the musical encounter with the fellow master musicians, but culturally influenced stylistic differences, rhythmic play, unusual melodic details and perhaps generational style differences came to light. At times, these differences posed challenges for the players, nonetheless they eventually did settle into their improvisation and found a way to have their instruments communicate beautifully and seemingly effortlessly. The music I got to enjoy was unbelievably dynamic, driven by the young, fast-paced tabla player (Nader) and the contemporary and highly stylized playing of Sakhi. As Zuckerman put it over coffee the day before, his more “romantic and melodic” style provided a strong line to help fuse the various styles. I felt, he provided a much needed and breath-taking simplicity to the improvisations. In my opinion, he also helped to keep the younger musicians from over-playing and the over usage of musical tricks, which is common in contemporary music around the globe. At the same time, he never appear overly simplistic himself and remained true to his own style. The three men found a way to strike a balance between simplicity and elaborate technique and musical trickery. By the end of the night, the three musicians achieved to blend styles in an incredibly fun and uplifting way, leaving the audience invigorated and on their feet for two standing ovations.

Filed Under: Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, India, Regions, South Asia, Students

Nimbaya! Women Performing Powerful Blend of Song, Percussion and Dance

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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Nimbaya!

Nimbaya!

At 4pm on Monday, February 13th, the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium erupted with the sounds of traditional Guinean percussion and song. Eight women  took the stage drumming, singing and dancing. Nimbaya! came to the university to teach, perform and create a path for peace through their music. Under the umbrella of ‘Deis Impact! hosted by the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life at Brandeis and sponsored by Music Unites Us and the Brandeis Music Department, the group shared a full day of workshops, performances and the screening of the film Wardance with the campus community.

 At first, the Guinean women had some difficulty getting the politely silent western audience to engage actively with the performance, however after several attempts the crowd finally let the pulse of the music reverberate through them until nearly everyone was dancing alongside the performers for their final piece. These eight women transformed the sterile setting of the cold concrete SCC building as their compelling rhythms and energetic dances began to ripple through the audience. Despite the simplicity of their set and costumes, which consisting of a number of instruments and simple western dress sporting the Guinean national colors, their riveting rhythms and mesmerizing footwork took the audience on a journey through dust and sand, bringing us to West Africa. TIn other words, they brought a piece of their homeland to our community. These women tell their stories through their powerful music and dance, captivating their audience to the very last beat of a drum.

To find out more about Nimbaya! visit their website.

Photo Credit: David Weinstein

Filed Under: Africa, Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Regions, Students

Sex Segregation in Israel

January 27, 2012 By 1 Comment
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Professor Pnina Lahav, BU School of Law

While Israel is focused mainly on dealing with security threats at home and abroad, it might be better off diverting some of its energies to tackling an increasingly problematic domestic issue: rampant gender inequality. Without separation of church and state, Israel is continually plagued by tensions between its religious and secular citizens. The divisions are particularly acute because of Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox population known as “Haredim,” an extremist religious sect whose traditional and strict lifestyle has clashed with modernity. The Haredim, whose population has boomed over the past decades, compose a significant percentage of the population. As a result, their representation in the electorate has increased and with it their political power. In return for Haredi votes, the ruling coalition exchanges welfare payments to Haredim, exempts them from mandatory military service, and now, tolerates their discriminatory practices towards women. If that doesn’t raise an eyebrow, what does?

As you may know, these orthodox discriminatory practices include gender separate sidewalks, banning women from singing in public, forbidding women to read the Torah at the Western Wall, removing billboards that have women’s images, enforcing neighborhood dress codes designed to force women to dress “modestly” and reminiscent of black segregation in America, forcing women to sit in the back half of the buses. Although Israeli law prohibits gender discrimination and specifically outlaws discrimination on public buses, they do not consider it illegal if it is “voluntary.” In other words, it is not a crime if women consent to being segregated and discriminated against by Haredi men. But secular Israeli women and even women from the Haredi community have protested in the streets in response to these unfair and backward practices. These protests have been fueled by recent events: a young schoolgirl “immodestly dressed” was insulted by Haredi men and even spit on. In another instance, a Jewish woman boarded a bus in the city of Ashdod only to be forced by a Haredi male passenger to sit in the back. When she refused, the male passenger prevented the driver from closing the door and from moving the bus. Eventually, the police had to be called and when they arrived they told the women to acquiesce (The Jewish Rosa Parks?). In turn, the Haredi have also protested: donning Holocaust garb and calling the police Nazi’s for threatening their way of life. This terrible offense to the memories of the Holocaust elicited outrage and a condemnation by Yad Vashem. Such tragic and memories should be left out of politics, doing otherwise is just insensitive and callous.

To address these issues, the Brandeis Hadassah Institute held the 4th annual Diane Markowicz memorial lecture on gender and human rights. The lecture featured an Israeli film titled “Black Bus,” a film by Anat Zuria describing sex segregation on buses in Orthodox neighborhoods as well as tracking the lives of two young women who left the Haredi community because they were fed up with being marginalized and repressed. The event was widely attended: in fact, myself along with many others who could not find seating, stood the entire time. But it was well worth it; The movie is not only well made but it is an excellent account of the nature and outrage over the current sex discrimination in Israel.

The struggle between religious and secular factions and the unfair oppressive practices against women is common in third world countries and in religious Arab countries. That a developed, democratic country founded as a safe haven from the crimes committed by the Nazis should tolerate or ignore these conditions is absurd. The lessons of black segregation in America proved the importance of equality for all and the importance of separation of church and state. The ever growing rise of modernity and globalization poses a constant threat to walled off religious communities around the world. As political scientist Samuel Huntington predicted, the biggest source of conflict after the Cold War would not be war, but a “Clash of Civilizations” between religious and secular identities. While his prediction is extreme, his general point is clear: we need to address globalization’s effect on religion and remedy the two. If Israel wants to succeed as a modern country, it must reconcile the two and address these unfair discriminatory practices against women. While, on the one hand religious views should be respected, such public discriminatory practices as separate sidewalks and segregated buses (which are publicly funded) should not be tolerated.

Filed Under: Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Israel, Issues, Middle East, Nahum Gilliat, Regions, Students

Just Performance: Inspiring Peace and Reconciliation

December 19, 2011 By 1 Comment
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Keynote by Dr. Salomón Lerner Febres

Keynote Dr. Salomón Lerner Febres and MA candidate Maribel Sánchez.

“Just Performance,” a two day symposium hosted by the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life held on campus in December, discussed the use of the performing arts in the aftermath of violence. Thursday offered a series of events, marked by the evening speech given by  Dr. Salomón Lerner Febres, President of Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2001-2003). Friday consisted of various panels, group discussions and a theatrical performance of Biro written by Ntare Mwine and performed by Ugandan actor and playwright Charles Mulekwa.

The morning panel on Friday featured four women practicing peace building through artistic means working around the globe reaching from Boston over Northern Ireland to Australia. Following the panel, the participants and a number of keynote speakers broke up into smaller groups separated by continent and area of interest. The goal was to find three strong examples for performing arts as a tool for justice and discuss their effectiveness. By sharing all of our stories, most of us being active peace builders using the arts in particular, we came up with many successful project ideas and examples. From theatre by the incarcerated to trauma rehabilitation on stage, we had numerous powerful examples.

Having to cut the discussion short, many ideas were left unspoken while everyone moved on to see the performance of Biro. The compelling one man show captivated the audience for 90 minutes, leaving many in awe of the dynamic performance and striking images created in the play. The day ended with final discussion groups and a panel concerning Biro and its creation.

I experienced the most intellectual and creative stimulation I could ever imagine receiving during a symposium. I collected countless impressions and ideas to work with. I did not realize how many people successfully work in this field, which I hope to call my own profession post graduation. The symposium fed me not only new input, but also provided me with a sense of proof of the efficacy of the performing arts used as a peace building method. I left the event with a new and very powerful spark for my work and was overcome with inspiration and an urge for action.

For more articles on this event, please visit BrandeisNow and Acting Together.
Photo credit: David J. Weinstein

 

Filed Under: Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Staff, Students

Returning to the Old New World or the New Old World? Ludmila Shtern Discusses her New Book.

December 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Ludmila Shtern

Ludmila Shtern

Ludmila Shtern, scholar at the Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis University and published author, presented her new book Return to the Old New World at the WSRC early in November. The book is currently in manuscript in Russian and is sitting on the desk of a Russian publisher in Moscow. The volume summarizes Shtern’s observations of the changes that have taken place in Russia since the demise of the Soviet Union. She has collected a number of stories and experiences spanning from 1990-2010, during which period she has been to Russia twelve times.

Shtern was born in Leningrad in the Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg in Russia). She emigrated to the US in 1976 with her family and has lived in the US since then. She did not return to Russia until 1990. Given these circumstances her views on Russia have changed somewhat as she has gained a new lens to observe her home country. Her recollections have been shaped by her Russian heritage as well as by her American perspective; this combination brings highly interesting and complex contrasts to her writing.

Shtern’s very well received previous book about the Nobel Prize-winning Russian poet Joseph Brodsky has made her a recognizable figure in Russian literature, which has led to invitations to many well-known events and locations. Her last trip to Russia was filled with such important literary events. These stories of spectacular events and meetings with celebrated figures in Russian literature were the focus of her presentation.  In her speech, Shtern spoke about one experience in particular, which she added to her book as the final chapter, giving the meaning of the title of the book a slight twist. In this chapter, she discusses the tumultuous week she spent in St. Petersburg on her last visit to Russia. She had been invited to an international gathering commemorating Brodsky in St. Petersburg. Highly suspicious events took place at this event and for the rest of her stay in St. Petersburg, which Shtern summarized in an intriguing fashion. Her encounters and experiences of this week left her shaken up and uncertain of her opinion on modern Russia.

In Shtern’s story, told with great wit and suspense, she discusses her personal changes in attitude coming from America. She ended her presentation by acknowledging that in her eyes, Russia has not changed much even after all that has happened since 1990. Even though her book is entitled Return to the Old New World, her final chapter states that it really is a “Return to the New Old World.” In her writing, Shtern has captured her experiences confronting questionable behavior and a sense of distrust still remaining in Russian culture, hidden beneath the well advertised new face of Russia. Her captivating words and richly detailed account, engaged her audience fully, leaving nearly everyone personally invested in the story, which led to an enthusiastic discussion trying to solve the mystery of Shtern’s story. The group was forced to end it without finding a solution. The audience left  the presentation with puzzling questions still lingering in the room.

Filed Under: Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Europe, Global Campus, Regions, Students

Tsafrir Goldberg Lectures on Jewish and Israeli-Arab Adolescents’ Competing Narratives of the Palestinian Refugee Problem

November 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Tsafrir Goldberg Feat

Tsafrir Goldberg

Tsafrir Goldberg, a post-doctoral fellow at the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education, conducted an experiment in which he tested how different teaching techniques can influence students to think differently about the Palestinian refugee problem. His study, titled “Can’t Hold the Past From Both Ends: Jewish and Arab-Israeli Students Learning a Controversial Inter-Group Historical Issue,” documents how alternative and conventional teaching techniques can influence students with competing historical narratives on a very sensitive issue. The experiment is significant in that it shows just how critical a role national identity plays in affecting students’ learning and framing their perspectives.

Prior to the experiment, Tsafrir interviewed and administered a written test to the two adolescent groups. He asked the group three questions: (1) What were the causes of the 1948 war? (2) What caused hundreds of Palestinians to leave the area which became Israel? (3) Who is responsible to the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem in 1948? The results of the test were not surprising: both sides exhibited two competing narratives that were fueled in part by bias and in part by ignorance. While Jews  have celebrated the historical event as Yom Hatzma’ut, or “Independence Day,” Palestinians mournfully call it “Naqba,” or destruction. Yet the experiment showed that Arab students were more glorified by their national identity and overwhelmingly blame Israel. On the other hand, Israeli students seemed more open to complex narratives and did not completely reject responsibility. In fact, more than half, about 55%, accepted responsibility for the Palestinian refugee problem.

Tsafrir believes these biases are reinforced by one-sided narratives during their formal education. He finds that Israeli textbooks do not incorporate the “other side,” the Palestinian perspective, nor the Palestinian textbooks the Israeli perspective. Besides ignoring Palestinian scholars and sources on the Palestinian refugee problem, a more subtle tactic utilized by the Israeli ministry of education is to prohibit the use of the word “narrative” in regard to the Israeli perspective. This is because “narrative” implies subjectivity. However, it does not prohibit the word from being used in regards to the Palestinian perspective. Therefore, the Israeli perspective is cloaked in certainty while the Palestinian perspective is subjected to scrutiny and critique.

The heart of Tsafrir’s experiment was employing three different teaching techniques and then recording their effect on the student’s perspective of the Palestinian refugee problem, specifically, the change in attribution of responsibility to Jews.  The first method of teaching is the conventional “authoritative” approach, which is reading comprehension based and exam-oriented. This approach is the common method applied in Israel schools and promulgated by the Israeli ministry of education. In the experiment, this approach caused Jews to reduce their responsibility and Palestinian students to attribute more responsibility on the Jews. Tsarfrir explains that each group was responding to threatening information in the way that would best protect their national identity.

The second approach is the “empathetic” approach which is dual-narrative based and reconciliation-oriented. The approach is concerned more with feelings and values such as empathy, and is not so much truth-oriented. In the experiment, this approach caused both Jews and Arabs to reduce their responsibility on the Jews. In fact, Tsafrir observed that both sides referred less to responsibility in general than showing greater sensitivity to the other sides’ perspective.

The third approach is the “critical” approach which is practice-oriented, critical inquiry based, and incorporates multiple identified sources subject to evaluation. In the experiment, Arabs maintained their original high attribution of responsibility on Jews but surprisingly, Jews greatly increased responsibility. Tsafrir believes this method is significant in that it helped Jews overcome expected identity bias.

Tsafrir is highly opposed to the first approach, the “conventional” approach espoused by the Israeli Ministry of Education.  Instead, Tsafrir advocates for a mix between the second and third approach in which a dual narrative is present and emphasis is placed on being sensitive to the other side. Tsafrir’s goal is to for students to be able to embrace and appreciate the “other side” on a charged historical issue. Also, students should be able to encounter unflattering historical evidence that portrays their nation in a negative light but still maintain a positive national identity. Not to mention that studying both sides is beneficial in that it allows students to become critical learners adept at conflict resolution: it encourages understanding and prevents ignorance.

Tsafrir is both a textbook author and editor and has been involved in Israeli education reform since 2009. One of his textbooks, which incorporated a dual narrative, has been censored by the Israeli Ministry of Education. He hopes that the result of his experiment, which showed that a teaching method based on dual narrative helps students overcome their identity biases, will influence policy makers to embrace the dual narrative method.

 

Filed Under: Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Israel, Middle East, Nahum Gilliat, Regions, Students

Award Winning German Author Martin Walzer Addresses Brandeis Students on the Complexities of Public Speaking

November 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Martin Walzer Feat

Martin Walzer

Last week at the Faculty Club, critically acclaimed German author Martin Walzer addressed students and faculty on the art of public speaking. Walzer, Born in 1927 and raised in Nazi Germany under the shadow of World War II, quickly became one of the most important authors of contemporary German literature. In fact, in 1955, “Group 47”, an influential German literary association seen as Germany’s moral compass, awarded Walser a prestigious prize for one of his stories. In 1998,  Walser was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 1998. During Walser’s acceptance speech, however,  he triggered a heated  debate on what to do with the German past, namely, Holocaust remembrance. His trip to the United States is part of the “do Deutsch” event series on German culture and language. The do Deutsch campaign aims to raise awareness among students and their parents, teachers of German and political decision makers as well as the media of the value of language learning.

After receiving flak for his 1998 acceptance speech, Walzer defended himself in his work “On Talking to Yourself: A Flagrant Attempt.” To explain his reasoning behind his speech, specifically, why he was so dissatisfied with German Holocaust remembrance, Walzer first defines two forms of public speaking: prepared addresses and spontaneous internal conversation. While the former is utilized to prove a point, the latter occurs when the speaker essentially “talks from the heart.” According to Walzer, it is the latter form of speech that is desirable and the former that is despicable. Conceptually, it seems a bit tacky to prepare a speech in advance to an unprepared audience.  Rather, the ideal form of public speaking is an unprepared and spontaneous speech. The speaker should talk as if having a dialogue with his or herself.  In other words, a “soliloquy” in which the audience is privy. In doing so, Walzer believes that the speaker is better able to communicate a message since spontaneity will flush out what the author truly thinks. On the other hand, rehearsed rhetoric often uses formalized phrases and fails to grasp the audience’s attention nearly as well as unprepared speech.

Thus, Walzer’s acceptance speech expressed frustration with the way Germans were reconciling with the past; primarily with leaders and politicians who employed ritualized Holocaust commemoration speeches. In doing so, Walzer felt that they were detracting from the German individual’s ability to reflect and come to terms with their own conscious. Walzer lashed out against those German public speakers, asserting, “There’s no chance of making yourself into a better person through righteous sentences, to serve the victims linguistically by casting convenient aspersions at the Germans, who either because of guilt or shame or even moral exhaustion can’t do it themselves any more” (Walzer, 114).

Therefore, Walzer felt that Holocaust remembrance speakers must refrain from using the often repeated language that is employed whenever Holocaust remembrance comes up and instead use “an unauthorized…unbaptized usage of language” (Walzer 116). By utilizing such “involuntary language,” the speaker is better equipped to remind the audience of their own experiences rather than make them feel as if they are the target of a rehearsed address.

Walzer meant to reform the way Holocaust commemoration was undertaken, not to do without it. It was this misinterpretation that prompted a national dialogue and compelled Walzer to defend himself publicly. And I think Walzer was just in bringing attention to the unfortunate way Holocaust remembrance speeches were taking the place of individual reflection. And I am convinced on his views of public speaking: I think he’s right in that an audience would rather prefer to hear a speaker talk from the heart than use formalized speech to prove a point. Whenever  a speaker or a lecturer rambles on from a prepared speech that was memorized, I always find myself dozing off or find myself hearing but not listening. On the other hand, when a speaker is unprepared I feel engaged and actually actively listen as opposed to passively hearing. I just wish Herr Walzer’s view on public speaking would reach the ears of some of the professors here at Brandeis. If your a professor and half of the class is falling asleep and the other half giving you blank stares, its probably because your rambling a rehashed speech you gave last semester. Instead, why not try to mix it up so it doesn’t become routine and boring?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Authors, Blogs, Europe, Global Campus, Nahum Gilliat, Regions, Students

Heller School “Tuesday Talks” Lecture Series Presents: Global Health Spending: Learning to Do More With Less

November 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Global Health Feat

Professor Allyala Krishna Nandakumar

Last week, Professor Allyala Krishna Nandakumar presented a lecture titled, “Global Health Spending: Learning to Do More with Less. ” The lecture was one of a series known as “Tuesday Talks,” a lecture series held by the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. The lecture room was fully attended by faculty, staff,  students, and alumni who came to hear Nandakumar explain the problems with our global health spending, namely, that we need to spend the funds we have more efficiently.

The world spends about 5 trillion on health a year. While this enormous amount has only increased over the past decade, the rate of morbidity and mortality has not decreased at the rate one would expect if such funds and technology are available. For instance, since 1990, annual child mortality decreased by 30%. Yet still, 8.8 million children died in 2008. This unfortunate disparity, according to a World Bank  assessment, is the result of poorly managed projects and an inefficient allocation of funds. Moreover, many of these projects share similar characteristics: negligible monitoring and evaluation, inadequate supervision, lack of baseline data for which to set realistic targets, and insufficient political or institutional analysis to name a few.

To complicate matters, the majority of donor funds go to Third World countries where corrupt governments misuse them.  Since 2008, however, the majority of donations have been channeled through NGO’s or non-governmental organizations in order to offset the rampant corruption.

Another complication is that low-come countries are often dependent on donor funds from high-income countries. This dependency is very dangerous for a state since donor funds are volatile and therefore unsustainable. This is especially disconcerting because many low-income states substitute donor funding as the sole means for government health spending.  This dependency is also harmful because states receiving funds are not allowed to decide how to allocate funds: much of global health spending is “disease specific” in that donors typically donate for a specific cause such as HIV AIDS or malaria, and thus states who receive funds may not even be able to use them.

Another issue with global health spending is the unequal distribution of donors. Low-income countries, which compose 85% of the world’s population, only contribute 14.3% share of global health funds. Meanwhile, high-income countries, which compose 15% of the world’s population, contribute 82% of the global health spending. For instance, Ethiopia spends less than $10 per person on health; the US, nearly $7,300.  This places a burden on high-income countries such as the United States, to sustain the health programs of other countries. Surprisingly, while the United States is the leader in global health funding, the second largest source of funding comes not from a country but from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Where are countries like Britain, France, and Germany? This interesting fact shows that other high-income states aren’t pulling enough weight.

Evidently, there are many problems with our global health spending. It goes without saying that millions of people shouldn’t have to die every year from diseases that could have been cured or treated but weren’t due to rampant corruption and a host of problems in our global health spending. We have the funds, we just need to allocate them more efficiently. To remedy these problems, we can employ numerous measures: increase accountability and transparency of governments to combat corruption, ensure that funds reach beneficiaries directly to avoid waste, empower individuals with health vouchers, and reform the health care system. Only then can we prevent needless death and disease. For more information on global health spending, visit the World Health Organization online.

 

Filed Under: Africa, Authors, Blogs, Central Asia, East Asia, Europe, Global Campus, Latin America & the Caribbean, Middle East, Nahum Gilliat, Regions, South Asia, Students

Israeli Author Michal Govrin Shares her Story as the Daughter of a Holocaust Survivor

November 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Michal Govrin

Michal Govrin

Wednesday, October 26, Michal Govrin, an acclaimed Israeli Author, held a speech on her newest book “Hold on to the Sun.” The book is a collection of short stories and essays exploring her own wandering through life, finding her place and her relationship to her identity as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

Govrin’s beautiful words guided the audience through stories of her life and snippets of her newly translated book. She spoke of her mother, who had survived the Holocaust and how this influenced her youth in Israel. Govrin’s mother rarely spoke of her past in Europe and her life before the Holocaust. Yet, Govrin did learn of the most important events of her mother’s past and of her older half-brother, who had been murdered as a young boy during the Holocaust. It was only when Govrin lived in Paris studying at the University of Paris working towards her PhD that she realized there were “cracks in her existence,” which she felt the need to discover further. Being in Europe, so close to where her brother had died and so much of her mother’s past had occurred, she felt a deep connection to this specific part of her identity for the first time. Govrin revealed some of her innermost thoughts and feelings during this process of discovery and facing this sad chapter of her family’s history to the audience present at her presentation.

The stories and essays shed a new light on the Holocaust and its aftermath for individuals around the globe. Govrin’s captivating writing and powerful yet sensitive words describe a very unique experience of one Israeli woman and her path to discovering all the layers of persona, even the ones shaded by the darkest of past experiences. Govrin’s artistic approach aims to leave the reader moved and inspired to go out and find their own path and explore their own cracks in their own existence. Her open and honest presentation certainly left many in the audience with a sense of fascination and opened doors to one’s own path of self-discovery.

To read more about Michal Govrin and her presentation on her book “Hold on to the Sun”, visit The Hoot and The Justice.

Filed Under: Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Europe, Global Campus, Israel, Middle East, Regions, Students

A Global Affairs Lunch Table Discussion On The Palestinian Bid To The UN

November 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
UN BID FEAT

The Panelists. From the left: Ashraf Hussein, Chen Arad, and Guive Mirfenderski

Last Monday, inquisitive Brandeis students attended an informal discussion panel on the Palestinian bid to the UN for membership status. The discussion featured Guive Mirfenderski, an international law expert and a lecturer in the Legal Studies program here in Brandeis University as well as two student panelists: Ashraf Hussein, a senior and a recipient of the Slifka scholarship for peace and coexistence, and Chen Arad, a freshman and a recipient of the Malkin scholarship.

The discussion kicked off with a brief explanation of the UN membership application process: a state submits an application to the Secretary General who then appoints a membership committee. The committee then has a timetable of 35 days to report back to the counsel for discussion and then  a vote by the Security Council and the General Assembly. In the Palestinian (PA) case, the anticipated vote is expected for the third week in November. The panelists agreed that it is likely the PA has enough support to achieve the necessary super-majority, or two-thirds of the General Assembly. The Security Council, on the other hand, is expected to veto the PA bid, undoubtedly because the US opposes the bid and has been engaged in much political wrangling with the other SC members. Guive pointed out, however, that the GA can disregard the SC veto and admit the PA.  If that happens, Guive believes a “power play” will occur in which power will shift from the SC to the GA and could result in a change of structure in the UN.

The discussion then turned the possible implications of Palestinian statehood; for Israel, US, and the PA itself. Guive first clarified that the PA’s application for membership status is but a mere first step in a long term process. He expects that despite the outcome, there won’t be any violence or another intifada.  He explained that the PA has transitioned away from violence to diplomacy ever since Arafat’s death and the incumbent Mahmoud Abbas took over. Chen Arad, an Israeli, has concluded from his contacts in Israel that Israelis are indifferent to the decision and are not concerned about violence. However,  Arad, who served in the Israeli Army, has sensed from his comrades and recent military reports that the reserves may be called up just in case. Israel is also worried that of the PA gets membership status, the PA will be able to bring charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court on  Ashraf Hussein pointed out that the PA’s bid “de-Americanized” the peace process and is unique in that the US has normally played the 3rd party mediator between the PA and Israel.

One student asked if the democratic uprisings in the Arab states across the Middle East, known as the “Arab Spring,” has influenced the PA’s bid. Guive believes it has.  The Arab Spring,  has encouraged  has incentivized Israel to make peace with the PA so the PA won’t be influenced or befriended by hostile and dictatorial regimes such as Syria or Iran. The Arab Spring has also influenced the PA in that peaceful protests can be more effective than violence. This could be seen last May when 1,000 Palestinian protesters converged on Israel from Jordan and Syria. The protest caught Israel completely off guard and baffled the IDF which was unaccustomed to handling peaceful protests.

Another student inquired, “what effect did the prisoner swap have on the bid?”.  According to the panelists, Israel’s prisoner swap was negotiated with Hamas not Fatah. This is significant because Israel has buoyed Hamas at the expense of Fatah. This move was a  retaliation against Fatah because it was Mahmoud Abbas (head of the PA on the Fatah ticket) that submitted the PA’s bid to the UN. Moreover, the fact that Israel was able to conduct successful negotiations with the Hamas wing of the PA rather than with Fatah enabled Israel to show Fatah as an ineffective government and Abbas as an ineffective leader. By portraying Fatah as weak, Israel was able to show that the PA is ineligible for statehood.

With the decision coming up in the next few weeks, it is imperative that we understand the course of events and reasons behind the PA bid to the UN in order to understand its ramifications. Discussions like these are essential in comprehending this monumental moment in history which can very well reshape the international relations in the Middle East and quite possibly the structure of the UN. But if you can’t attend the lectures, I highly recommend the daily news update by the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace which has the latest news reports from the Middle East. Or to learn more, watch Shai Feldman, a Brandeis professor and director of the Crown Center for the Middle Eat Studies here at Brandeis, discuss the Palestinian Bid at Shai Feldman On the Palestinian UN Vote

Filed Under: Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Middle East, Nahum Gilliat, Regions, Students

Engagement and Ambition at the eXperiential eXpo

November 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
featured el exp

On October 25th, 104 poster presenters, 52 group presenters and five faculty presenters shared their experiential learning knowledge with the rest of the Brandeis community at the eXperiential eXpo. As a whole, the eXpo reinforced the notion of Brandeis as an incredibly diverse and motivated campus, with students’ presentations impressive in topic choice as well as ambition. With projects ranging from promoting community health in Waltham to examining the role of human rights in China, the posters represented a truly global focus.

Mangaliso Mohammed '12

One such global project was embarked upon by Mangaliso Mohammed ‘12, an environmental studies major and WOW recipient, who worked with the city council in Mbabane, Swaziland on environmental sanitation in the city. Collaborating with city council members to set up programs in waste management and general litter control, environmental sanitation and health, and urban environment management, Mangaliso truly embodied the experiential learning spirit. He spoke extremely highly of his site coordinator, and despite the challenges he described – such as underdeveloped litter and waste management infrastructure – he seemed humbly pleased at the positive impact he made over the summer in terms of environmental health management in the city of Mbabane.

Alexander S. Hulse '12

Similarly globally focused but vastly different in topic, Alexander Hulse ‘12 – majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Economics – presented on his internship with the University of Texas San Antonio Mopan Valley Archaeological Project in Cayo, Belize. Focusing on power transitions of Ancient Maya through archaeological excavation, Alexander had the opportunity to not only take part in the project but also supervise the excavations at a site in Belize. His goals of understanding the site’s location in the political structure of the valley were ambitious, but the findings he described – analysis and synthesis of a particular structure and cultural context to determine its likely role as an ancestor shrine and association with a political actor of some power, for example – seem to indicate his successful achievement of that goal.

The experiences of both Mangaliso and Alexander seem to encapsulate the purpose of the experiential expo, as well as the motivation behind the experiential learning emphasis at Brandeis. The drive and ambition of both projects – changing and introducing ideas of sustainable development in the urban waste management system of an entire city and directing the excavation of a site as part of a larger archaeological effort in understanding the political dynamics of an entire valley – are two of many equally ambitious and laudable projects. The most incredible part of the eXpo was the fact that without this sort of forum to present their experiences, the stories and incredible insights many of those presenting would not be heard by the larger community. 156 total students participated, and because of how humble all the participants were there would be no way of finding out their amazing stories without this kind of event. The effort, care, and professionalism seen at the eXperiential eXpo was a credit to all in the community who make such opportunities possible, and bring a whole new realm of possibility to the question, “what did you do last summer?”
Filed Under: Africa, Ariana Hajmiragha, Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Latin America & the Caribbean, Regions, Students

Musical Presentation by Jane Sapp Opens the Peacebuilding and the Arts Weekend Intensive

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Jane Sapp

Jane Sapp

Friday, October 21, Jane Sapp, singer-songwriter, storyteller and educator, began her presentation by sitting at the piano and playing a few simple blues chords before letting the music capture everyone in the audience. Soon, her soulful rendition of This Little Light of Mine filled Slosberg Music Hall, leaving many participants with goosebumps and a sense of community one would not expect to feel in a concert setting. Sapp’s ability to entrance her audience and encourage participation during her performance was an amazing experience for those who attended the second-annual Peacebuilding and the Arts Weekend Intensive.

Sapp presented her expertise as a cultural worker and community builder, engaging her audience to experience her passion first hand. She recounted moving stories of her life and youth, growing up as an African-American woman in the American South. Her depiction of her path to becoming an educator and community worker, while remaining an active musician, took the audience through a number of Sapp’s struggles and highlights in her career.  Sapp explained that she always felt her work as a musician was not enough and found her calling after graduating college with a degree in music. She realized,  giving back to communities by teaching peace and coexistence through her art and music, which she had learned in her youth growing up in a loving and caring community, filled with gospel and soul, was her place and work in the world.

Throughout the presentation, Sapp performed a few more songs and played recordings she created during her work with communities. One song recorded with a 5th-grade class, which she created in collaboration with those students, deeply touched many in the audience. The children’s own words describing their idea of freedom were used as the lyrics, which rang true and gained in depth and importance as the children sung their short solos telling about their own ideas. Her beautiful work and deep passion for cultural and community building vibrated through the audience and lingered past the brief break held after her presentation.

A brief discussion, which featured Jane Sapp’s husband Hubert Sapp (former director of Oxfam America’s America Program) and Kelley Ready (faculty member of the Heller School), concluded the evening. The discussion focused on the link between development, social justice and cultural work. Dr. Cynthia Cohen, director of the Peacebuilding and the Arts initiative at Brandeis, acted as facilitator throughout the event and the weekend. She had given a warm introductory speech for Jane Sapp and the participants at the beginning of the event and she ended the evening with few, moving words, welcoming everyone to the long and intense weekend ahead.

To read more on the events of the weekend, please visit The Justice.

Filed Under: Alia Goldfarb, Authors, Blogs, Global Campus, Students
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