When? Sunday, February 6th, 2011 from 3pm to 6pm
Where? Dana Commons!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Asian New Year
When? Sunday, February 6th, 2011 from 3pm to 6pm
Where? Dana Commons!
Monday, December 6, 2010
On "Small America"
Hearing shocking stories causes one to reflect upon a variety of issues, but seeing the same problems in an uncensored documentary gives such debates a whole new dimension. I did some research on the issue of Liberia prior to coming to the event, so I thought I was well prepared for whatever I might see; yet I found myself horrified by the end of the screening. The only thing I could think of afterward was how, despite being fluent in two languages, I still couldn’t describe what I had seen.
The screening was followed by a discussion; surprisingly, the most pending questions were not “what are the causes of the situation?” or “how to end the violence”, but – who should help Liberia. Should aid come from the outside resources, such as more developed countries or organizations like the UN? They have the necessary resources, but at the same time they lack the insight into the local culture that is crucial to understanding the underlying causes. Such insight is available only to the insiders, but they on the other hand have to face the difficulty of not having the material or educational assets. So how about the insiders who do possess the resources – the immigrants to wealthier countries who received thorough education? Should they be the ones responsible for making change in their homeland as they are not only privileged, but connected to the culture and people? This seemed like the best solution to the problem, as the immigrants can bring back the knowledge from abroad and share it with less lucky co-citizens. But then another perspective was brought in: what if the Western education and lifestyle made them detached from their motherland, and what if acculturation into their other countries of residence has influenced their ability to regain the insight into Liberia? What if the immigrants do not want to go back, because the impoverished homeland does not provide them with perspectives available abroad and thusthey won’t be able to make the best out of their education? Is giving back to your nation your responsibility or is it a personal choice?
The discussion was heated and every point was important. There are nosimple solutions to situations like the one in Liberia, and the question of responsibility for making it a better place is up to every individual to answer for themselves.
The documentaries presented at the event can be found at following addresses:
Liberia: Murder of a Country: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjSNzNOK4qU&feature=related The Vice Guide to Travel, Liberia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQSjyYRTDVM&feature=fvw Liberia, America’s Stepchild: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3alUrAYNyQ
Please keep in mind that the content is extremely graphic and shocking.
The screening was followed by a discussion; surprisingly, the most pending questions were not “what are the causes of the situation?” or “how to end the violence”, but – who should help Liberia. Should aid come from the outside resources, such as more developed countries or organizations like the UN? They have the necessary resources, but at the same time they lack the insight into the local culture that is crucial to understanding the underlying causes. Such insight is available only to the insiders, but they on the other hand have to face the difficulty of not having the material or educational assets. So how about the insiders who do possess the resources – the immigrants to wealthier countries who received thorough education? Should they be the ones responsible for making change in their homeland as they are not only privileged, but connected to the culture and people? This seemed like the best solution to the problem, as the immigrants can bring back the knowledge from abroad and share it with less lucky co-citizens. But then another perspective was brought in: what if the Western education and lifestyle made them detached from their motherland, and what if acculturation into their other countries of residence has influenced their ability to regain the insight into Liberia? What if the immigrants do not want to go back, because the impoverished homeland does not provide them with perspectives available abroad and thusthey won’t be able to make the best out of their education? Is giving back to your nation your responsibility or is it a personal choice?
The discussion was heated and every point was important. There are nosimple solutions to situations like the one in Liberia, and the question of responsibility for making it a better place is up to every individual to answer for themselves.
The documentaries presented at the event can be found at following addresses:
Liberia: Murder of a Country: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjSNzNOK4qU&feature=related The Vice Guide to Travel, Liberia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQSjyYRTDVM&feature=fvw Liberia, America’s Stepchild: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3alUrAYNyQ
Please keep in mind that the content is extremely graphic and shocking.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Small America: The Vice Guide to Liberia
Come learn more about the current situation in this West African nation and its unique relationship with the United States with video clips and discussion. "America's one and only foray into African colonialism is keeping a very uneasy peace indeed."
-Shane Smith, the Vice Guide to Liberia
Friday, December 3 3:30pm - 5:00pm Jonas Clark 001 | |
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
A Taste of Cambodia!
Friday, November 19th, 3:00pm-5:00pm in Dana Commons
Asian Cultural Society invites all Clarkies to experience rich Cambodian culture through participating in their event "Inside the Hot Pot: a Taste of Cambodia"! Experience unique Cambodian culture and celebrations, learn about its rich history, indulge in music, dance and fashion, and get a taste of authentic Cambodian cuisine!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Glimpses of Verbal Pollution
For the past couple of weeks the OIA has been working on an event called “Verbal Pollution”. We hear about pollution all the time, pollution in the air, pollution in water, rivers, but we rarely ever think of pollution as a factor that is even present in our relationships and communication with others. Pollution is defined as a “contaminant that causes instability, discomfort to our ecosystem and to living things” and even though we might be unaware of it, there are many factors such as the words we use that pollute our interactions with others. Verbal Pollution is an event that seeks to explore the true meaning and history behind many unacceptable, yet commonly used words. While working on the event, many interesting conversations came up in the office. I realized that there are many misused words in Spanish that I had been unaware of, and until this moment, I had overlooked the implications of using the word. We are hoping to create a sense of attention to the participants in the event. Hopefully we will be more aware and careful not to pollute every aspect of our lives, including our interactions with others.
Monday, November 1, 2010
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