Fall Semester Classes Begin

Classes for the fall semester begin Wednesday, Aug. 27.

Gone to Texas: A Texas-Sized Welcome to All Students, Staff and Faculty

Each August on the evening before fall classes begin, new students are invited to celebrate their fresh start with live music and a broad spectrum of presentations from across the campus. Join us for this Texas-size welcome! And, as you head out the door, let 'em know you've gone to Texas!

Gone to Liberal Arts: Welcome Barbecue for New Students

The College of Liberal Arts welcomes new students with a barbecue dinner prior to Gone to Texas. The event will include barbecue from Poke-e-Jo's, live music, free t-shirts and door prizes from local businesses. Students will have the chance to mingle with Liberal Arts faculty and staff, including advisers, representatives from career services and UTeach, and Liberal Arts Council members.

MooovIn Hospitality Welcomes New Students

Warm welcomes from volunteers offering assistance will greet new and returning students moving in to residence for the fall semester.

William Powers Jr., president of the university, will be among the volunteers who will work in shifts helping the new arrivals carry suitcases, boxes and other belongings from vehicles and move them into residence halls during MooovIn 2008.

Shakespeare at Winedale Goes on Tour

The 38th summer season of Shakespeare at Winedale goes on tour to three U.S. cities this August. For reservations, call 512-471-4726 or email smbayne@mail.utexas.edu.

Explore the Blanton Museum Through Poetry

Explore the Blanton Museum of Art's collection through poetry in the exhibition "If These Walls Could Speak: The Blanton Poetry Project," which opened April 6. The exhibition showcases more than 40 poems written in response to art featured in the museum's permanent collection. The poems appear on wall labels in the galleries and will remain on view throughout 2008.

College Hosts 13th Annual Colloquium Hippocraticum

The Departments of Classics and Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts will host the 13th Annual "Colloquium Hippocraticum" August 11-13 at The University of Texas at Austin. The conference will bring together scholars and students of ancient medicine, science, philosophy, history and literature with the aim of advancing understanding and usage of the term "Hippocratic."

Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies Hosts Summer Film Series

The Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies presents the summer film series "Power, Conflict and the Smoking Gun." Screenings are Tuesdays or Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., June 11 to July 30. All films are free and open to the public.

Michener Fellow Reads Work at Summer Poetry Event

The Undergraduate English Association co-hosts a summer poetry event with writing group RIOT Ink featuring Joe Ahearn, a Michener Center for Writers fellow. The reading will be followed by a spoken word performance by the writers of RIOT Ink and a moderated open mic.

Blanton Museum Features Japanese Art

Join the Blanton Museum for the second class in a four-week series held in conjunction with "Exquisite Visions of Japan" and take a tour of this radiant country from the comfort of a classroom. Explore myriad topics on Japanese art, architecture, history and culture. Includes a themed tour at 1 p.m. each week before the class. This week's session is "Reinventing the Past in Modern Japanese Literature and Film" with Kirsten Cather, assistant professor in the Department of Asian studies. Admission is $75 for members, $100 for non-members.

Reading Showcases Work by Texas Poets

The Undergraduate Writing Center will host a reading by poets featured in the new issue of "Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review." The event will showcase new poems by Laureate Larry D. Thomas and other local and regional poets. Free refreshments will be served.

Shakespeare at Winedale Summer Season 2008

The 38th summer season of Shakespeare at Winedale begins July 16 and features three of the bard's beloved plays: "Romeo and Juliet," "The Merchant of Venice" and "Antony and Cleopatra." Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Call the Shakespeare at Winedale box office at 512-471-4726 to make reservations.

Michener Fellow Reads Work at Summer Poetry Event

The Undergraduate English Association co-hosts a summer poetry event with writing group RIOT Ink featuring Sarah Smith, a Michener Center for Writers fellow. The reading will be followed by a spoken word performance by the writers of RIOT Ink and a moderated open mic.

University Closed for 4th of July

The university will be closed Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. This holiday commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Cross-Border Educators Meet for ANUIES Conference

The university and ANUIES, a Mexican higher education organization, will host a binational conference featuring the Mexican Secretary of Education Josefina Vázquez Mota and David Dunn, chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Education. This is the first time ANUIES has held the conference, the largest gathering of Mexican university presidents outside of the country, in the United States.

LAITS Workshop: Neogeography: Mapping Tools for the Masses

Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services (LAITS) will host the faculty workshop "Neogeography: Mapping Tools for the Masses" Friday, June 20. The workshop will focus on the features of Google Maps, Google Earth and geotagging content, including an overview of the technology, how to use it a basic and intermediate level, and an exploration of more advanced topics.

2008 Event Archives

Talk looks at civil war and trauma in El Salvador

Ricardo Ainslie, professor of educational psychology and an affiliate faculty member of the Center for Mexican American Studies, presents "Memory and Reconciliation: Civil War and Trauma in El Salvador." Ainslie explores how societies attempt to recover from such catastrophic and traumatizing experiences. Focusing on the impact of the civil war, this talk looks at the problem of memory in a society's efforts to find reconciliation.

Moonlight Prowl Campus Tour

The Moonlight Prowl is a nighttime campus tour featuring anecdotes of student life, history and lore. Gathered from newspaper accounts, professors' memoirs and the countless boxes in the university archives, the tour is intended to help personalize the university, explore a little of its history and have some fun.

Summer 2008 Classes Begin

Classes begin for the first summer term June 5. The last class day for first-term classes is July 10. The second summer term begins July 14. The last class day for second-term and whole-session courses is August 15.

Last Day to See Jack Kerouac Scroll

The last day to view the scroll manuscript of Jack Kerouac's novel "On the Road" is June 1. The first 48 feet of this 120 foot "page" will be visible in the Harry Ransom Center gallery. This visually stunning first draft has no paragraph or chapter breaks, and the characters are all referred to by their real names. The scroll manuscript is on loan from the collection of Jim Irsay.

Humanities Institute Offers Sabbaticals for Non-Profit Professionals

The Humanities Institute at The University of Texas at Austin has announced that applications are available for the 2008 Community Sabbatical Program, which provides paid flexible leave time for staff members of central Texas (501) (c)(3) non-profit organizations. The deadline to apply is May 30.

International Writing Across the Curriculum Conference

The University of Texas at Austin and Department of Rhetoric and Writing will host the 2008 International Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Conference. The event will feature pre-conference workshops, speakers from around the world, presentations by colleagues across the disciplines, and a special Friday night performance by the Austin Lounge Lizards made possible through the support of Longman Publishers.

University Closed for Memorial Day

The university will be closed Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country.

Humanities Institute "Free Minds" Graduation

The second class of the Humanities Institute's Free Minds Project will graduate this May. The only program of its kind in the state of Texas, the Free Minds Project offers a college-level course in the humanities to adults living on low to moderate incomes.

Commencement 2008

The University of Texas at Austin celebrates the academic attainment of our graduates with a wide spectrum of commencement activities in a fun-filled and memorable weekend. Degree candidates, their families and friends are invited to the university-wide commencement, the most important event of the academic year. The College of Liberal Arts also hosts additional convocation ceremonies for its various departments.

Trash to Treasure Donation Drive

The Student Government Campus Environmental Center is collecting unwanted belongings for a giant garage sale during a two-week donation drive. From May 7-19 students can donate items at a drop-off location at Red River and Manor Road, and at donation boxes in area dorms and Greek houses. Student volunteers are available to pick up large items , furniture and boxes. The garage sale will take place 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. August 24 in the RecSports Center.

Final Exams Schedule

The last class day for the spring semester is Friday, May 2 and final exams are May 7-13. Check the Office of the Registrar's Web site for your final exam schedule.

Poetry on the Plaza: Lost and Found

The Harry Ransom Center presents "Poetry on the Plaza: Lost and Found" Wednesday, May 7 at 12 p.m. Graduate students from "Nineteenth-Century American Poetry and the Poetics of the Page" class, taught by Coleman Hutchison, assistant professor of English, will present a selection of American poems that they have rediscovered during their coursework with the Ransom Center's collections. Their selections will include works by poets who have been consistently excluded from the canon and those who have fallen out of favor over time. Refreshments will be served at this free event.

Third Annual Children's Shakespeare Festival

Elementary students from across Texas perform selections from Shakespeare's plays in original Elizabethan verse. Admission is free and open to the public.

University Extension Courses Open for Summer, Fall Registration

Extension courses offer a wide range of classroom and online classes from the university's course inventory. These courses count for college credit and are included in the students' cumulative UT GPA. Classroom courses meet evenings on the University of Texas Austin campus. Online courses can be taken any time, any place. Students have up to nine months to complete an online course and earn university credit. Register now to meet fall 2008 graduation requirements.

UT Remembers Memorial Service

UT Remembers will host an annual day of remembrance to honor more than 160 members of the university family May 2 at the Tower Garden. On the last day of the spring semester, families, friends, colleagues and co-workers gather to remember those who died, to reflect upon who they were, what they gave to the institution and what they meant to the people whose lives they touched. Each person's name will be read, and the tower bell will toll in tribute.

Spend an Evening with Tibetan Buddhist Monks

The Department of Religious Studies will host a special meeting with Tibetan Buddhist Monks from the Gaden Shartse Monastery May 2 in the Meyerson conference room. The Buddhist monks will discuss the continuation of Tibetan Buddhist traditions in exile, personal experiences of leaving the Tibetan homeland, as well as the current political situation. The event is sponsored by the Department of Asian Studies and the South Asia Institute. Light refreshments will be provided.

Class of 1958 Reunion

Calling all members of The University of Texas at Austin Class of 1958! After 50 years, it's time for a class reunion. Join your fellow Liberal Arts graduates for a reception at 2 p.m. on May 1. You'll have the opportunity to chat with fellow members of the Class of '58 and hear insightful speakers.

Conference Commemorates 40 Years of the Latin American Left

The Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies will host the conference "What's Left of the Latin American Left?" April 28-29. This scholarly meeting will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the events that triggered a new era of revolutionary violence in Latin American countries in 1968. This conference will include specialists in music, history, literary criticism and art history, who will explore what remains of those movements, how they evolved, disappeared, or became neutralized, and what legacy, if any, remains of them in Latin America today.

Museum Exhibit Spotlights Vietnamese American Culture

Students from the Center for Asian American Studies will produce a one-day exhibit and reception April 27 at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. The exhibit "Telling Our Stories: Vietnamese Americans in Texas" will feature a culmination of the course "Vietnamese American Culture and History," taught by instructor Linda Ho.

Shakespeare at Winedale Spring Festival of Play

The Shakespeare at Winedale spring 2008 class presents "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at 7 p.m., April 25 and 26 at the Winedale Theatre Barn in Round Top. Regular admission is $10; student tickets are $5.

Elementary students in the Winedale Educational Outreach Program will also perform scenes from Shakespeare's plays at the spring "Festival of Play" from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. The performances will be followed by Eeyore's Birthday Party from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Conference: Brazil: Gender, Sexuality, Violence and the Racial State

The Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) will host the conference "Brazil: Gender, Sexuality, Violence and the Racial State" April 24-25. The symposium will bring together key Afro-Brazilian and U.S. intellectuals, activists, and artists to discuss the political challenges facing and possibilities for Black communities in Brazil.

Film Screening: Never Perfect

The Center for Asian American Studies presents the film "Never Perfect," followed by a question-and-answer session with the director, Regina Park. "Never Perfect" explores the complex journey of a young Vietnamese-American woman and her struggle with popular perceptions of beauty and body image.

Lecture: After Leonardo: The Artist as Scientist in 17th-Century Italy

The Humanities Institute will host the lecture "After Leonardo: The Artist as Scientist in 17th-Century Italy" by Paula Findlen, professor of history at Stanford University. Findlen specializes in the rise of modern science, medicine and technology during the Renaissance and is the author of "Possessing Nature: Museums, Collecting, and Scientific Culture in Early Modern Italy."

Film Screening: "Nanking," with co-director Dan Sturman

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law will host a screening of the award-winning documentary film "Nanking" (2007), with co-director Dan Sturman. The film documents the 1937 Nanking Massacre committed by the Japanese army in China's capital city.

Lecture: Learning Conjunto Ensemble Music

The Center for Mexican American Studies and the School of Music will present "Learning Conjunto PlaticArte" featuring a lecture and demonstrations by the university's new conjunto ensemble instructors Joel Guzman (accordion) and J.J. Barrera (Bajo Sexto).

Liberal Arts ITS Third Friday

The LAITS student technology assistants will present works-in-progress for various IT grant projects funded this year. Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services "Third Friday" presentations are a conglomerate of technology projects developed by staff and faculty members from Liberal Arts ITS in the College of Liberal Arts.

Symposium Celebrates Américo Paredes

The Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) presents the symposium, "Pistols, Pens and Guitars: Celebrating 50 Years of Américo Paredes' 'With His Pistol in His Hand'." Participants include: Richard Flores, senior associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts; José Limón, director of CMAS; and Ramón Saldivár, professor of English, Stanford University. Music provided by Conjunto Aztlan.

Lecture: The West, East Asia and the Tropics in Global Economic Development

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law hosts the lecture "The West, East Asia and the Tropics in Global Economic Development" by Kaoru Sugihara, professor of economic history at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University. Sugihara will present three paths of economic development that have been pursued in the West, East Asia and the tropics and discuss their roles in global economic development.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The College of Liberal Arts will host the Undergraduate Research Oral Presentation Symposium in partnership with Undergraduate Research Week. Liberal Arts students will give 10-minute presentations of their research, followed by five minute question-and-answer sessions. A special panel discussion by three history seniors will take place from noon to 1 p.m.

Lecture: Instructional Technologies to Facilitate Language Learning

The Texas Language Technology Center presents the lecture "Instructional Technologies to Facilitate Literacy and Language Learning," by Page Ware, assistant professor in the School of Education at Southern Methodist University. Ware will discuss the integration of technology into second language teaching and learning.

Writing Under Putin: Russian Literature Today

The Center for East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) presents the lecture "Writing Under Putin: Russian Literature Today" by Russian author Mikhail Shishkin. The event is free and open to the public.

Sneak Preview of "Shadows," a film by Milcho Manchevski

The Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) and the Austin Film Society present a special evening with Macedonian filmmaker Milcho Manchevski. The event includes a sneak preview of Manchevski's new film, "Shadows," followed by a question-and-answer session with the writer-director. The event is free and open to the public.

Honors Day Celebrates Liberal Arts Students' Academic Achievement

The 60th Annual Honors Day celebration recognizes and salutes 6,410 students during two ceremonies who have distinguished themselves through outstanding academic achievement. Their success comes from a combination of intellectual ability, hard work and serious purpose. Roderick Hart, dean of the College of Communication, will deliver the 2008 Honors Day Convocation address at the ceremonies.

Historian George Chauncey to Speak at Gender Symposium

The Gender Symposium presents the lecture "The Strange Career of the Closet: The Culture and Politics of Homosexuality from the Second World War to the Gay Liberation Era" by George Chauncey, professor of history at Yale University. Chauncey is best known for his award-winning book, "Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940." The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Conference: Making Europe/Making Europeans

The Center for European Studies will host the conference "Making Europe/Making Europeans: The Ethnographic and the Everyday," which will focus on Europe and European citizenship as a performance and as a process in the making. Question to be explored include: How does a Europe of citizens actually come into being? What does it mean to be European? What are the different ways in which Europe is both imagined and lived? And, who is included in and who excluded from these imaginaries?

Conference: Perspectives on Gender and Technology

The Center for Women's and Gender Studies (CWGS) will host the interdisciplinary conference, "Perspectives on Gender and Technology," April 10-11. Participants will examine the interaction of gender and technology in the contemporary world from three perspectives: ways of knowing, ways of doing and ways of changing.

Lecture: Policy and Strategy in an Era of Globalization

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law will host the lecture "Policy and Strategy in an Era of Globalization" by Patrick Gorman, assistant deputy director of national intelligence, strategy, plans and policy, for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Gorman will discuss the changing strategic landscape and the need for agility in national security institutions. Lunch will be provided.

Lecture: Justice is a Constant Struggle

The Center for Mexican American Studies will host the lecture, "Justice is a Constant Struggle," by Larry Daves, labor and civil rights activist and lawyer. Daves will discuss the legal fronts of two epic struggles for social justice: Plyler v. Doe and the fight for education for undocumented immigrant children, and Fuerza Unida's response to the flight of Levi Strauss to Costa Rica.

Lecture: Justice for Darfur?

The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies presents the lecture, "Justice for Darfur? Accountability, Amnesty and the Search for a Sustainable Peace" by Sara Darehshori, senior counsel with Human Rights Watch. Darehshori will discuss efforts to bring perpetrators of genocide to justice.

Annual Américo Paredes Lecture: Racial Memory and the Ghost of Modernity

The Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) will host the 22nd Annual Américo Paredes Distinguished Lecture, "Racial Memory and the Ghost of Modernity" by Rafael Perez-Torres, professor and chair of the Department of English at the University of California, Los Angeles. Perez-Torres is the author of "Mestizaje: Critical Uses of Race in Chicano Culture."

Panel: Asian Americans in Texas

How is the presence of Asian Americans in Texas measured? The Center for Asian American Studies invites students and faculty to hear viewpoints of those who are a part of the state's Asian American community. Julia Lee, assistant professor of English will moderate the discussion. Panelists will include Art Sakamoto, Esther Chung, Irwin Tang, Mamta Accapadi and Nancy Bui.

Lecture: The Reluctant Realism of George H. W. Bush

The Robert Strauss Center for International Security will host the lecture, "The Reluctant Realism of George H. W. Bush" by Tim Naftali, director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Naftali will discuss the foreign policy and security issues of George H. W. Bush's presidency.

Film Screening: "Der Golem," 1920 horror classic

The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies and the Austin Jewish Film Festival will host a screening of the 1920 German horror film, "Der Golem" ("The Golem: How He Came Into the World"). The screening will include live musical accompaniment by Rubinchik's Yiddische Ensemble.

Lecture: Argentine Jewish Women and Sexuality

The Department of History and the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies present the lecture "'A Bad Reputation': Argentine Jewish Women and Sexuality, 1900-1940" by Sandra McGee Deutsch, professor of history at The University of Texas, El Paso.

Lecture: Holocaust and Revival, A new approach to Holocaust education

The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies and the Jewish Community Association of Austin will host the lecture "Holocaust and Revival: From Death to Life, A New Approach to Holocaust Education" by Simcha Stein, general director of the Ghetto Fighters' House Museum (Beit Lohamei Hagetaot) in Western Galilee, Israel.

Liberal Arts ITS 3rd Friday

Mahmoud Al-Batal, associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies, will introduce "Aswaat Arabiyya," a Web site which provides listening materials for teachers and learners of Arabic. Al-Batal will discuss the site's design, demonstrate listening samples and show how the site may be used inside and outside the classroom.

Conference: Water in the 21st Century

The three-day conference, "The Cultural and Political Economies of Water in the 21st Century," will feature presentations from 20 international speakers, focusing on diverse aspects of the conference theme. Topics to be discussed are: the cultures of water; water in literature, film, and aesthetic production; the religious significance of water; water as a national cultural resource; conflicts over water: national and international; efforts by communities, NGOs and states to deal with water conflict and the conservation and renewal of water as a national resource; and water as a human right.

Lecture: Female Stigmatics in Renaissance Italy

The Department of Religious Studies presents the lecture "Performing Stigmata: Women Stigmatics in Italy, 1300-1600," by art historian Cordelia Warr from the University of Manchester, England. Warr will discuss women in late medieval and Renaissance Italy who "acted out" their stigmatic experiences and why this phenomenon is confined to female stigmatics.

Reading Texas Tea Leaves: Implications of the 2008 Election

The Texas Politics Speakers Series presents "Reading Texas Tea Leaves: Implications of the 2008 Election" with Harvey Kronberg, editor of The Quorum Report, and Ross Ramsey, editor of Texas Weekly. Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project, will moderate the discussion.

Presentation: New Findings on the Romani (Gypsy) Language

Ian Hancock, professor of linguistics and director of the Romani Archives and Documentation Center, will discuss new research findings on the origins of the Romani (gypsy) language. Commonly but inaccurately called "gypsies," the Roma were first identified in the late 18th century as having come from India, but the circumstances of that exodus have not been fully understood. Romani is the language of over three quarters of the world's 12 million Roma.

Army Chaplain Discusses His Experiences at Guantanamo Bay

James Yee will discuss his observations and experiences as an U.S. Army officer and chaplain at Guantanamo Bay. Although recognized twice for outstanding performance as a minister to detainees, in 2003 Yee was accused of spying, espionage and aiding prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He was subsequently exonerated of all charges, given an honorable discharge and commended for his service.

Power Ladder Politics: Negotiating the Obstacles to Women's Leadership

The Center for Women's and Gender Studies and the School of Law present the panel discussion, "Power Ladder Politics: Negotiating the Evolving Obstacles to Women's Leadership Potential." Leaders in higher education, business and law will discuss the talent pipeline and what's working (and what's not) with women's leadership programs. A reception in Jamail Pavilion will follow the discussion.

Romani (Gypsy) Film Series

The Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES), the Romani Archives and Documentation Center and the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies will screen four movies in its spring 2008 Romani (Gypsy) Film Series. All films include English-language subtitles.

Lecture: The Danger of Weaponizing Outer Space

The Strauss Center for International Security hosts the lecture, "The Danger of Weaponizing Outer Space" by Mike Moore, a research fellow with the Independent Institute. Moore will discuss the technological opportunities and operational realities tempting the U.S. military to "weaponize" outer space.

Lecture: Animal Passions and Beastly Virtues

The Humanities Institute presents the lecture "Animal Passions and Beastly Virtues: Animal Emotions and Why They Matter," by Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Colorado. Bekoff co-founded Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (EETA) with Jane Goodall. His publications include "The Emotional Lives of Animals" and "How Animals Talk."

Lecture: Shakespeare in Our Time

The Department of English, the Harry Ransom Center and Shakespeare at Winedale present the lecture "Shakespeare in Our Time," by British scholar and director John Russell Brown. The discussion will examine contemporary staging and performance of Shakespeare. James Loehlin, associate professor of English and director of Shakespeare at Winedale, will moderate the event.

Explore Your Future: A Major and Career Workshop

The Liberal Arts Student Division, the Career Exploration Center and Liberal Arts Career Services invite undeclared students to attend the "Explore Your Future" workshop March 19. The workshop will address the value of a Liberal Arts degree, what to consider when selecting a major and how career planning and internships can complement a major. Seating is limited. To RSVP, contact Megan Conner at meganf@mail.utexas.edu, or call 512-471-4271.

Africa Seminar: The Taboo of Female Homosexuality in Senegal

The Center for African and African American studies presents "The Erotic Tale of 'Karmen Gei': The Taboo of Female Homosexuality in Senegal" by Frieda Ekotta, associate professor of Francophone and comparative literature at the University of Michigan. The annual Africa Seminar Series engages informal dialogue around African Diasporic feminisms, based on texts by leading international scholars, artists and activists.

Book Signing: "Rhetoric and the Republic" by Mark Longaker

Mark Longaker, assistant professor of rhetoric and writing, will discuss and sign copies of his new book, "Rhetoric and the Republic: Politics, Civic Discourse, and Education in Early America." The book examines the political, cultural, economic and religious agendas that drove the various visions of what good citizenship entails in America.

Conference: The Performance of Leftist Governments in Latin America

The Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies will host the conference "The Performance of Leftist Governments in Latin America: What Does the Left Do Right?" March 6-7. This scholarly meeting will examine the achievements and failures of left-of-center governments in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Venezuela. Ricardo Lagos, former president of Chile, will deliver the keynote address "The Chilean Experience in the Last 18 Years."

Texas Politics Projects Hosts Lecture by Attorney General Greg Abbott

The Texas Politics Project will host a lecture by Attorney General Greg Abbott at 3:30 on March 6. Abbott has served as the 50th attorney general of the State of Texas since 2002. As attorney general, Abbott oversees nearly 700 attorneys who represent the State of Texas. During his tenure, he has established new crime units such as the Cyber Crimes Unit, the Fugitive Unit and an expanded Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Lecture: Four Policy Planning Stories in Search of a Theory

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law presents the lecture "Four Policy Planning Stories in Search of a Theory" by Stephen Krasner, former State Department director of policy planning. Krasner will discuss the policy planning bureau's role in formulating and implementing U.S. foreign policy.

Symposium: Medieval Bibles

The Department of History, Department of Religious Studies and the Center for the Study of Antiquity and Christian Origins present the symposium, "Medieval Bibles: Studies in Word and Image" at 4 p.m., March 4. The Bible was a defining text in medieval Europe, but it was not a single, uniform object. Speakers will discuss the great variation in medieval understanding of scripture.

Lecture: The God Strategy: Faith as a Political Weapon

The Department of Religious Studies will host the lecture, "The God Strategy: Faith as a Political Weapon" by David Domke, professor of communication at the University of Washington. Domke will discuss why political debate today is often dominated by faith-based perspectives and what it means for democracy. This event is free and open to the public.

Latin American Photo Contest

The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies invites students, faculty and staff to submit images for the 2008 Latin American Photo Contest. The deadline for submissions is March 1. The winner will be announced after spring break and will receive a $200 award.

Explore UT: The Biggest Open House in Texas

Mark your calendars for Explore UT, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 1 at The University of Texas at Austin. There are more than 80 Liberal Arts activities and sessions featured at this university-wide event. Come see for yourself what the biggest open house in Texas has to offer.

Online Applications for Liberal Arts Merit Scholarships Due Mar. 1

The College of Liberal Arts offers a number of merit scholarships of $500 to $2,500 each year to students who fulfill the following requirements: 1) undergraduate student currently enrolled in Liberal Arts with at least one semester completed; 2) completion of a minimum of 30 hours of coursework in residence, though the fall 2007 semester; 3) GPA of at least 3.7; and 4) achievement in leadership and service to the college and community.

Nigerian Writer and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka Discusses Sudan Crisis

Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, Nigerian playwright, poet and political activist, will discuss the crisis in Darfur, Sudan at The University of Texas at Austin, March 2-3. Soyinka is the first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1986).

Diaspora Talk: The Science of the Word

The Center for African and African American studies presents the lecture, "The Science of the Word: Race, Place and the Struggle with Human Technology," a diaspora talk by Katherine McKittrick, assistant professor of women's studies from Queen's University, Ontario, Canada. The event is co-sponsored by the Center for Women's and Gender Studies and the Department of Geography and the Environment.

Lecture: Chinese Economic Competitiveness

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law presents the lecture "Playing Our Game: Chinese Economic Competitiveness in the Era of Globalization" by Ed Steinfeld, associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Steinfeld will discuss how China cooperates with international institutions that set the "rules" for global governance.

Concert: San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble

The Blanton Museum of Art and the Department of Religious Studies present the concert "Virgen de los Indios" by the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble (SAVAE). The concert will be performed in conjunction with the exhibition "Virgin, Saints and Angels: South American Paintings 1600-1825" at the Blanton Museum of Art.

College Hosts Fifth Annual Abriendo Brecha Activist Scholarship Conference

The fifth annual Abriendo Brecha Activist Scholarship conference, Feb. 21-23 at The University of Texas at Austin, will feature panels exploring university and community collaborations on environmental justice, education, immigration, the death penalty and border militarization. All events are free and open to the public.

Texas Skywarn Severe Weather Training Session

The 18th Annual Lou Withrow Austin/South Central Texas SkyWarn Training Session will be held Feb. 23, in the Commons Building at the Pickle Research Campus. Participants will receive training on how to spot severe weather. Troy Kimmel, senior lecturer in the Department of Geography and the Environment and chief meteorologist for Clear Channel Radio Austin, will chair the event.

Conference: Transitions in the Cuban Revolution

The Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies will host the conference "Transitions in the Cuban Revolution," Feb. 21-22. The conference will bring together some of the leading scholars on Cuba to analyze and discuss transitions in the revolution, as well as current challenges presented in the U.S.-Cuba relationship.

Lecture: Mass Consumerism and the Cold War as Global History

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law presents the lecture "Mass Consumerism and the Cold War as Global History" by Emily Rosenberg, professor of history at the University of California Irvine. In her presentation, Rosenberg will propose a new and more global framework as an explanation for the end of the Cold War.

Lecture and Reading by Tobias Wolff

The Plan II Honors program will host a lecture and reading by author Tobias Wolff, professor of creative writing at Stanford University. Wolff won the PEN/Faulker award for his novella, "The Barracks Thief," as well as several O. Henry awards for his short stories. His memoir, "This Boy's Life" was adapted into the 1993 film of the same name, which starred Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Liberal Arts ITS 3rd Friday

Interested in seeing how university faculty and staff use technology in teaching? On Feb. 15, Peter Keane will cover some of the new features of DASe (Digital Archive Services). He will focus on DASe as a "services engine" and will describe the ways that DASe can be used as a framework for building media-rich web sites. John Kappelman, professor of anthropology, will introduce eLucy.org--a new web site developed by the eAnthro group, about the most famous fossil on the planet.

College Hosts Lectures by Renowned Mapuche Scholar

Luis Cárcamo-Huechante, associate professor of romance languages and literatures at Harvard University and a well- known scholar of los mapuches (indigenous inhabitants of Chile and Argentina), will visit the College of Liberal Arts Feb. 14-15. He is the author of "Tramas del mercado: imaginación económica, cultura pública y literatura en el Chile de fines del siglo veinte."

Conference: Urban Segregation and Labor in the Americas

Researchers from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay and the United States will analyze the relationship between residential segregation and labor markets in the conference, "Urban Segregation and Labor in the Americas," hosted by the Lozano Long Insitute of Latin American Studies. Presentations will be given in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Robert C. Solomon Memorial Conference

The Department of Philosophy will host the Robert C. Solomon Memorial Conference Feb. 15-16. The conference will include panel presentations on the topics of emotions, continental philosophy, ethics and philosophy around the world, followed by general discussion. To register for this free event, email info@rcsmemorialconference.com.

Lecture: The Politics of Regime Structure Reform in Israel

The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies and Department of Government present the lecture, "The Politics of Regime Structure Reform: Israel in Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives," by Professor Gideon Rahat of Hebrew University. Rahat will speak about the Israel as a case study for political reform.

Explore UT Seeks Volunteers, Deadline to Sign Up is Feb. 22

Explore UT, the biggest open house at The University of Texas at Austin, is seeking volunteers. This year's event will be held March 1, and the deadline to volunteer is Feb. 22.

Performance: "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

The Center for Asian American Studies hosts writer and performer Kristina Wong who mixes sharp humor and psychology in "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," a serio-comic portrayal of the high incidence of anxiety, depression and mental illness among Asian American women. Discussion of health issues facing Asian Americans will follow the performance.

Women Decide '08: Women's Health Policy Roundtable Discussion

A range of speakers will discuss the nexis between state and national health policy, and the ability for women of all socioeconomic classes to access comprehensive, quality health care. The luncheon event is sponsored by the Center for Women's and Gender Studies, Legal Momentum, the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. Registration required at http://www.legalmomentum.org .

Student conference explores Latin American research topics

The Student Conference on Latin America, organized by the Institute of Latin American Studies Student Association (ILASSA), is an interdisciplinary forum for students involved in Latin American research topics. Students have the opportunity to present research activities, develop presentational skills, exchange ideas and information, and meet other scholars from around the world.

Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Discusses "Building a Palestinian State"

The LBJ School of Public Affairs, Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law and Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum present Prime Minister Salam Fayyad (PhD Economics, '86) of the Palestinian National Authority. Fayyad is an economist and political reformer who assumed the prime ministry in 2006 as part of President Mahmoud Abbas' unity government. He will speak on his hopes for progress toward Middle East peace.

Humanities Institute Hosts China Studies Lecture

The Humanities Institute will host the lecture "A World of Slobber and Slime: British Imperial Botany, Technology and Bewilderment in the Sino-Tibetan Borderlands," by Erik Mueggler, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan. Mueggler is an affiliate of Michigan's Center for Chinese Studies and Center for Ethnography of Everyday Life.

Feminist Scholar Naomi Wolf Challenges Unrealistic Standards of Beauty at Symposium

Leading feminist scholar and bestselling author Naomi Wolf will be the keynote speaker at the Feb. 2 "Defining Beauty" symposium, sponsored by the Center for Women's and Gender Studies, the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership and Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. Wolf will discuss "Beauty and Self-Esteem in Society: Freeing Ourselves and the Next Generation," at a panel presentation at 11 a.m.

Visiting Scholar Discusses Energy Security

The Strauss Center for International Security hosts a presentation on "Energy Security: Perceptions and Policy Choices" by Felix Chang, an associate scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Chang will discuss the differing perceptions of the meaning of "energy security" that often cloud debate. The presentation is part of the Strauss Center's Energy and Environment Speaker Series, which features leading experts on energy production and climate change.

South Asia Institue hosts lecture by Penn State professor

The South Asia Institute hosts Mrinalini Sinha, a professor of history and women's studies at Penn State, for a lecture on "Civis Britannicus: The Strange Death of an Imperial Ideal." Sinha will discuss what led Indian nationalists to trade earlier claims of equality for Indians as British subjects for citizenship rights in an arguably more limited, and even limiting polity: the nation-state.

Garrison Hall Reopening Gala and Lecture Series

The Department of History and the College of Liberal Arts invite students, faculty and alumni to celebrate the reopening of historic Garrison Hall at the "Back to Garrison" gala and reception Thursday, Jan. 31 and Friday, Feb. 1. The two-day event will celebrate the founding of the Institute for Historical Studies, launch of the History Lecture Series and inauguration of the History Advisory Council. History department faculty and staff will host a day of lectures, exhibits and tours on Friday, Feb. 1.

Study Abroad Fair

More than 50 study abroad programs will be highlighted at the Study Abroad Office's semi-annual information fair. Students can talk with study abroad advisors and program coordinators to discuss programs and options.

Liberal Arts Council Town Hall Meeting

The Liberal Arts Council invites students to a town hall meeting to discuss how students can work toward a more unified, determined and socially conscious student body. Johan van der Walt, vice president of the council, will facilitate the discussion.

Film Screening: "Anna May Wong, Frosted Yellow Willows"

The Center for Asian American Studies will screen the film "Anna May Wong, Frosted Yellow Willows," at 7:15 p.m. on Jan. 29. A discussion with the film's director, Elaine Mae Woo, will follow the film screening. The event is free and open to the public.

Lecture: How the United Nations Can Stop Terrorism

The Strauss Center for International Security and Law will host the lecture, "How the United Nations Can Help Stop Terrorism" at 5 p.m., Jan. 24. The speaker, Eric Rosand, is a senior fellow at the Center on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation. He will address the counter-terrorism role of the United Nations Security Council since 9/11, what it has accomplished and why the UN's efforts to contribute to global counter-terrorism have largely failed.

University Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

AUSTIN, Texas - The 15th annual community march celebrating the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the national holiday in his honor will begin at 9 a.m., Monday, Jan. 21 at the King statue on The University of Texas at Austin's East Mall.

Liberal Arts ITS Third Friday

Interested in using technology in teaching? Come to Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services (LAITS) 3rd Friday to see and talk abou thow faculty have put technology to work in and out of the classroom. Each month two or three presentations are followed by open discussion.

Nancy Keenan Discusses Legacy of Roe v. Wade

In recognition of the 35th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade, the Center for Women's and Gender Studies hosts a talk by Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 17. Keenan will discuss the legacy of Roe v. Wade and the future of reproductive rights in the United States.

Cuban Jews: Identity, Diaspora and the Search for Home

The Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies presents the lecture, "Cuban Jews: Identity, Diaspora and the Search for Home," by Professor Ruth Behar, a anthropologist from the University of Michigan.

Alum to Discuss Value of Public Service

Deputy Secretary Tevi Troy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will offer remarks on public service and address the Administration's health policy goals in a talk at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16 in the Texas Union. The event is co-sponsored by the LBJ School of Public Affairs' Center for Politics and Governance and the College of Liberal Arts' Department of Government.

Classes Begin in January

Classes begin for the spring semester on Monday, January 14, 2008.

Professor Discusses Population Research Center Projects

The Center for Health Promotion Research (CHPR) in the School of Nursing hosts Mark Hayward, director of the Population Research Center, as a speaker in the CHPR 2008 Colloquia Series. Hayward will discuss current projects in the Population Research Center.