New History Course this Fall: “Issues in African History”

IU South Bend students have some fantastic international themed courses to choose from this fall. A new African History course is being offered this fall by Dr. Monica Tetzlaff, Associate Professor of History. Dr. Tetzlaff has just returned from a ten-month Fulbright Fellowship in West Africa, where her studies at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana provided substantial material and experience for this course.

Dr. Tetzlaff’s Issues in African History course will cover events from approximately the 1880s, during the rise of colonialism, to the present day. This includes topics as diverse as the end of the slave trade, colonialism, independence movements, and independent Africa in the 20th and 21st century. Africa’s political history will be covered, especially Pan-Africanism and ties with the Diaspora in the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America. Gender, religion, music, art, and the environment will also be discussed.

                

Africa is a diverse and dynamic continent with a rich and fascinating history. This can be clearly seen in in the blog posts of International Programs intern Ali Mahamet, and it will be demonstrated in this course. Do not let this excellent opportunity to learn about Africa from someone that has fresh passion about the subject and still on the “travel high.” 

HIST E-300 (15142) Issues in African History

Fall (33071) MW 1-2:15

Brazilian Cinema at IU South Bend

This coming fall, IU South Bend students have a chance to learn about Brazilian Cinema. Gaining in international recognition and stature, Brazilian films like Central do Brasil and Elite Squad have been winning numerous awards. In a course taught by the highly esteemed Dr. Samantha Nogueira Joyce, students will not only engage in Brazilian Cinema, but they will also learn about pan-American interactions and Brazil’s birth as a power in the global market.

According to Dr. Joyce, “The goal of the course is to examine these movies as relevant films that stand on their own in history and contemporary cinema – and to discuss them as cultural, historical, political, and economic products that characterize and reveal aspects, sensibilities and points of view from the represented nation.”

Brazil is a unique and diverse nation, being the largest country in South America and the largest Portuguese speaking nation in the world. As in most interdisciplinary courses, students will gain insights into the political and socio-economic issues that formed modern Brazil. Consequently, cultural, political, and social history will be explored in order to fully comprehend and contextualize the films studied. While the course focuses on Brazilian Cinema, it will be valuable to anyone who cares about the intricacies of a growing global power.

MASS COMMUNICATION: TEL-R 404 – Topical Seminar in Telecommunications

5666                          11:30A-12:45P TR            NS013                        Joyce S

Asian American and Pacific Islander Month Part 4: The Pacific Islands

For the last blog in my series, I will discuss the Pacific Islands.

Melanesians are the ethnic groups that inhabitant the Pacific Islands around Papua-New Guinea. This would include the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. Headhunting was practiced in Melanesia into the early twentieth century (as well as most other parts of the world from time to time), but it is no longer practiced today. Contrary to popular belief, headhunting was ritualistic and rarely an act of war, serving as a way to collectively mourn for the community’s dead.

                    

Melanesia is one of the few areas outside Europe that has blonde hair among “dark-skinned” indigenous groups without a European genetic influence.

The current inhabitants of the Micronesia area have a syncretic culture that developed from the absorption of Filipino, Melanesian, and Polynesians cultures. For much of its existence, Micronesia has been controlled by outside forces, but at one time one of the larger Micronesian islands maintained a small empire with the island of Yap being the chief island. Spain conquered the area in the early 17th century and European powers controlled the island groups until the Japanese conquered them during WWII. After Japan’s defeat, the United States controlled most of the area until the 1980’s when the U.S. granted independence to most of the region while Guam remained a U.S. territory. 

Polynesia is the largest of the Pacific Islanders groups and consists of a triangle that extends from New Zealand to Easter Island in the west and to Hawaii in the north. There are two distinctive cultures in Polynesia, the western culture which is adapted to travel between small islands, and the eastern groups that live on the larger islands with higher populations such as Tonga, New Zealand, Niue, and Samoa.

Modern tattooing can be traced to Polynesia especially among the Maori tribes of New Zealand and has its etymological origin from the Samoan word “tatau.” As sailors came into contact with the islanders, many returned home with tattoos. The tribal band may be the most common tattoo influence.

When people in the United States think of the south Pacific, however, they normally think about Hawaii and its culture. Although Hawaii is part of Polynesia, it has more influences from outside cultures than most of Polynesia, with immigrants from China, Japan, and the United States pouring into the islands since they were “discovered” in 1778. The Hawaiian Islands were originally called the “Sandwich Islands” by Westerners in honor of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.

                                

Hawaii is one of four states that was an independent nation prior to joining the United States, along with the Vermont Republic (1791), the Republic of Texas (1845), and the California Republic (1846). The Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown by resident American and European businessmen in 1893. The businesses then established a republic that lasted from 1894 until 1898, when it was annexed by the United States as a territory. Hawaii became the fiftieth state in 1959.

     

So as I wrap up this series, what is the larger take away? It is that in a world that is consistently transient, whether we are talking about the movement of people or goods, understanding the larger world around us, how it’s inhabitants think, and how it has influenced us, will only make the world a better place. Understanding and appreciating global diversity allows us to make more informed choices and serves as the cornerstone of creating a better society.

Getting the Full Experience: Learning about photography, art history, and Italian history in Florence

One of the most valuable experiences during the Street Photography Trip in Florence with IU South Bend is the truly all-inclusive nature of the trip. This study abroad experience does not cater to the intellectual or artistic exclusively, but to the part inside of you that identifies with both at any time. Professor Susan Moore, a photography professor at IUSB, has lectured students on street and night photography as well as photo basics like exposure, color, and composition. Dr. Jeff Wright, a professor of Music History, accompanied us on this trip and taught us about the composers that were buried in the Santa Croce, a church that houses the bodies of Michelangelo, Galileo as well as others.

In addition to Professor Moore and Dr. Wright, IU South Bend students enjoyed lectures from professors at Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA), IU South Bend’s Italian sister school. Andrew Smaldone, who teaches painting at SRISA, guided us to a fresco that resides in a former convent just down the street from the school (pictured). Professor Smaldone lectured on the Last Super of Sant’ Apollonia by Andrea del Castagno as we stood only inches away from the fresco. It was a unique and incredible experience to learn about a fresco that was painted in 1444 in such an intimate setting. When learning about the various frescos in Italy, you truly learn more about Italian history in general. The frescos of Italy were much more than just art; they reflect the developing skills and beliefs of the artists, the Roman Catholic Church’s control and influence over their work, and the overall mood of locals at the time. This collaborative style of teaching, while experiencing the subject matter, demonstrates to me that this is what studying abroad is all about.

Blog post by International Programs intern Jackie Thornton

Duisburg – a city in transformation by Lisa Zwicker

Here in Duisburg Germany to do research at the Gidal images archive in the Ludwig Salomon Steinheim Institute, I am met at every turn with the message that Duisburg is in transformation.

Even hair salons have gotten on the bandwagon.

“Structural Change: Your Hairdresser in Duisburg”

Trash cans spread the message:

“Duisburg, we await your contribution.”

Like the upper-midwest, Duisburg faces the challenges of moving beyond the production of industrial materials. Situated near the Rhein and Ruhr rivers, Duisburg grew in the nineteenth century to become one of the largest steel and coal producers in Europe. Because of its connections to waterways, Duisburg also became important for milling and processing grain. As the “Second Industrial Revolution” of chemicals and electricity gained momentum, Duisburg had a leading role. The importance of Duisburg as an industrial center (see left for the chemical factory Matthes and Weber) meant that during World War II the Allies rained more bombs down on Duisburg than any other city in Germany. Duisburg revived in the 1950s and 1960s and returned to its global role of steel, iron, and coal production. At that time, Germany dearly needed those goods to rebuild. In the 21^st century, as in the US, the growing parts of the German economy focus on high tech and services as opposed to creating or exporting raw materials. Now, Duisburg, like the US upper mid-west rust belt, faces the challenges that come with the loss of industry and loss of jobs. In Germany traditions of reform from above and solidarity have lead to large building projects. The inner harbor, subject of the photo above, has now become a cultural center with a walking path that meanders by a children’s museum, a Duisburg history museum, the city archive, parks, and new apartment buildings. In the image above, the waves in the red city archives echo the water of the inner harbor, and the cranes out front recall Duisburg’s industrial past. The beautiful Duisburg Landscape Park represents the largest of these projects. Built by architect Peter Latz, the park reuses what had been a polluted industrial wasteland. It incorporates elements from the previous chemical and coal production facilities, but has made this area into a park now safe for recreation for all. A set of interlocking climbing walls with different levels of difficulty replaced stone storage structures for coal. Here lavender grows in orderly rows and its scent wafts up to the walking path above This park attracts tourists from across Europe. The other efforts — the museums, restaurants, and new developments — seem to have had less success so far, at least as far as the foot traffic on this albeit rainy and cold early summer week would suggest. Duisburger leaders and boosters argue that Duisburg has already lived through a number of transitions in the past:
* from a thriving medieval city until the path of the Rhine river was shifted, a change which led to a concentration on handicrafts
* a rapid transition to an industrial economy in the nineteenth century, which destroyed the livelihoods of many small artisans Will the immense investments in new cultural institutions and transforming city spaces pay off in economic development?

The city leaders’ campaign “Duisburg in transformation” does not suggest an endpoint, perhaps, a smart move considering how quickly economies move and change. In the meantime, we can all enjoy the fruits of these efforts, the beautiful museums, the new developments, and most of all the gorgeous parks.

Lisa Fetheringill Zwicker is Associate Professor of History and Director of International Programs at Indiana University, South Bend. She specializes in German history and spent time in Duisburg in 2015 as part of a research trip that focuses on turn-of-the-century Jewish women in German speaking Central Europe. In Duisburg she worked at the Gidal images archive at the Salomon Ludwig Steinheim institute.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Month Part 3: Southern Asia

Southern Asia contains two separate, but linked regions: Southeast Asia and South Asia. Southeast Asia includes the nations of Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor. Considered the crossroads of Asia, the Southeast has been influenced by the cultures and religions of India and China as well as the religions Islam and Christianity from Southwest Asia.

The culture and history of Southeast Asia is very diverse and has included numerous kingdoms and empires. Buddhist and Hindu culture has had significant influence in Southeast Asia. Hinduism was the dominant historical religion in the maritime nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Indonesia today, however, is the largest populated Muslim nation in the world. Furthermore, Southeast Asian arts and literature is very distinctive, but has been influenced by Indian, Hindu, Chinese, Buddhist and Islamic literature.

                    

The lasting effects of colonialism in this area has influence numerous problems. The Vietnam War was largely a result of colonial problems as well as the ongoing conflicts in the Philippines and East Timor. The Southeast Asian country of Laos also contains the Plain of Jars, an archeological and historical treasure that archeologists are just starting to explore (check out fellow IU South Bend student Cyndal Mateja’s paper in the IU South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal vol. 15 on the subject).

South Asia makes up the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. It also includes, according to some experts, Afghanistan and Burma. India is one of the oldest nations in the world and has been around in some manner since at least 2,500 BCE in Pakistan and western India. People have been living in the area since 30,000 BCE. India is also one of the most beautiful places in the world and contains numerous landmarks, such as the Taj Mahal, but suffers from extreme poverty.

South Asia has been the birth place of four of the world’s largest and most influential religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Colonialism has also had a detriment effect in South Asia and it has never been addressed fully, leading to tensions between India and Pakistan as well as other issues including Afghanistan and Burma.

Next in our series, the South Pacific…

IU South Bend Students Visit the Santa Maria del Fiore

While beginning the climb of the 463 stairs up the cupola of the most famous church in Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore, I could not help but reflect on every single history class I have attended at IUSB.

The climb was long and arduous, but completely worth it. As I huffed and puffed my way up the stairs I tried to remind myself what it would be like to be in the stairwells between 1296 and 1436 when the church was being constructed. What stories the ancient walls surrounding me must have. The small and rare windows gave brief glimpses of Florence that showed you how far you were going up and a little breeze that surely was not enough for the people working away on the dome. After about ¾ of your journey, you walk through a door way and you are suddenly underneath the dome, surrounded by an amazing fresco painted by Giorgi Vasari and Federico Zuccari. The detail (shown in the photo above) is amazing and humbling to think about the time, work, and number of years it took to complete.

After a large handful more of very steep stairs, some which act like ladders, you arrive outside. It takes you a minute to realize that you are standing on top of the doom of the church as you stand at the railing, but the view is amazing. Other spots in Florence offer tourists grand views of the city, but nothing quite like being on top of the Duomo (Italian for church). Being on top of the Duomo is like standing of top of the ancient history of Florence because the climb to the top makes you feel like you conquered a great obstacle, just as the Florentine’s debated and struggled to figure out how to finish the dome.

Blog post by International Programs intern Jackie Thornton and originally published in our newsletter.