91�Թ� | 91�Թ� | News

91�Թ� professor invites friends and learners into Quran Circle

2009-12-08T15:01:00-05:00

For most students, reading the Quran for an hour may sound like a homework assignment. For Gabriel Reynolds, associate professor of Islamic studies and theology at the University of 91�Թ�, and the student members of the Quran Circle reading group, it is an extra-curricular activity with many benefits. Established in 2004, the Quran Circle began when a few students and faculty members met informally to improve their Arabic in addition to discussing the language and the Quran. Today the group includes five student members, in addition to Reynolds. The group meets every Friday in Reynolds’ office in Malloy Hall. All students with at least one semester of Arabic experience are welcome to attend. What is it about this group that has students doing homework for fun? “The group helps me practice both speaking and comprehending spoken Arabic,” 91�Թ� junior Joshua Calton said. The structure of group meetings is designed to help all participants grow and learn more about Arabic and the Quran. Students take turns reading a passage and then translating it. Reynolds assists, explaining new terms, aiding in pronouncing challenging phrases and even teaching on occasion to help students understand the Quran in context. “Professor Reynolds also makes an effort to improve our grammar and ability to comprehend a complete passage, despite the presence of unknown words,” Calton said. Reading and translating, however, is only one part of the group’s purpose. “The group is meant to challenge students to master the rules of Arabic grammar, but also to be a circle of friends who reflect together on the important literary and religious issues connected to the Quran,” Reynolds said. “Given the many controversies in Quranic study and the close connection between the Quran and the Bible, there is always a topic for group discussion.” Reynolds hopes the group will grow in the future. “Ultimately I hope for the group to provide a context where students improve their Arabic and participate in a collegial yet scholarly conversation,” he says. “Thereby the Quran Circle becomes a setting where Muslims and non-Muslims are equal partners in a common intellectual initiative.” _*Contact:* Gabriel Reynolds, "greynolds@nd.edu":mailto:greynolds@nd.edu_

Sociologist Hans Joas to speak at 91�Թ�

2009-11-10T14:26:00-05:00

Internationally known sociologist and social theorist Hans Joas, director of the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt in Germany, will present a lecture titled “The Axial Age Debate As Religious Discourse,” at 4 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 12) in the Andrews Auditorium of Geddes Hall at the University of 91�Թ�.

The lecture, which is open to all 91�Թ�, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross College faculty, staff and students, is sponsored by the 91�Թ� Institute for Advanced Study (NDIAS) and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Concerns.

Since 2000, Joas has served as professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, where he also is a member of the Committee on Social Thought. Formerly a professor of sociology at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Joas also previously taught at the Free University of Berlin and served as a visiting professor of sociology at several universities in Europe and the United States, including Duke University, the University of Toronto, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Vienna.

Joas’ work has been translated into English, French, German, Korean, Polish, Russian and Spanish, and his publications in English include: “G.H. Mead. A Contemporary Re-examination of His Thought,” “Social Action and Human Nature,” “Pragmatism and Social Theory,” “The Creativity of Action,” “The Genesis of Values,” “War and Modernity,” “Do We Need Religion? On the Experience of Self-Transcendence,” and “Social Theory.” His most recent book in German is “Kriegsverdraengung,” a history of social theorizing about war from Hobbes to the present.

NDIAS hosts scholars from around the world and supports research that extends beyond the analysis of particular problems to the examination of larger, often ethical, ultimate questions. The institute is one of the five strategic research investments that 91�Թ� recently has funded through a multi-million-dollar commitment of internal financial resources.

Contact: Vittorio Hösle, Director, 91�Թ� Institute for Advanced Study, vhosle@nd.edu

Islam and contemporary European literature to be explored at 91�Թ� symposium

2009-11-10T12:11:00-05:00

Some of Europe’s most prominent Muslim and Muslim-born writers will discuss the place of Islam in their work at a symposium titled “The Place of Islam in Contemporary European Literature,” to be held Nov. 16 and 17 (Monday and Tuesday) at the University of 91�Թ�.

Jointly sponsored by the University’s Nanovic Institute for European Studies, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Kellogg Institute for International Studies and Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, the symposium will feature a keynote address by Azouz Begag, a novelist, scriptwriter, scholar and former delegate minister for equal opportunities in France who has been awarded Chevalier de L’Ordre du Mérite and Chevalier de La Légion d’Honneur.

Conference panelists also include novelists, statesmen, sociologists, poets, filmmakers, translators and editors. Moderated by 91�Թ� faculty, panel discussions will focus on the place of Islam in the writing process; the literature of geography, memory and exile; literature and generational identity; and discussions of literature and power.

In addition to lectures and discussions, the symposium also will feature a screening of “Le Grand Voyage” at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Eck Visitors’ Center auditorium. Director Ismaël Ferroukhi is scheduled to introduce the award-winning film, which explores a father and son’s relationship as they travel across Europe to Mecca.

All symposium events are free and open to the public. More information and a complete schedule of events are available .

Contact: Anthony Monta, Nanovic Institute, amonta@nd.edu

91�Թ� professor co-edits book on history of religion

2009-11-03T11:11:00-05:00

Brad S. Gregory, Dorothy G. Griffin Associate Professor of Early Modern History at the University of 91�Թ�, has co-edited “Seeing Things Their Way,” a collection of essays that aims to bridge the gap between intellectual history and the history of religion.

Noting that while religious history and intellectual history both are dynamic fields of contemporary historical study, historians of ideas and of religion too often have paid little attention to one another’s work, the book’s editors and contributors urge intellectual historians to explore the religious dimensions of ideas and, at the same time, commend the methods of intellectual history.

Published by the University of 91�Թ� Press, the book is co-edited by Alister Chapman, assistant professor of history at Westmont College, and John Coffey, professor of early modern history at the University of Leicester. Contributors include Anna Sapir Abulafia, Willem J. Van Asselt, David W. Bebbington, James E. Bradley, Howard Hotson, Richard A. Muller, and Mark A. Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at 91�Թ�.

Gregory’s primary teaching and research interests concern the history of Christianity in late Medieval and early modern Europe, including Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and radical Protestantism, as well as the long-term effects of the Reformation era on subsequent Western history.

Gregory’s first book, “Salvation at Stake: Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe,” published in 1999, received six book awards. In 2005 he was the inaugural winner of the Hiett Prize in the Humanities from the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, an award given to the outstanding mid-career humanities scholar in the United States.

Gregory earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain, his master’s degree from the University of Arizona and his doctorate from Princeton University.

Contact: Brad S. Gregory, bgregor3@nd.edu

New book examines founding fathers, religious liberty

2009-10-13T14:29:00-04:00

Vincent Muñoz, associate professor of political science at the University of 91�Թ�, questions the traditional view of the founding fathers’ stance on religious liberty in “God and the Founders: Madison, Washington, and Jefferson,” recently published by Cambridge University Press.

In the book, Muñoz rejects the consensus view that the founding fathers agreed about the meaning of religious liberty by showing how Presidents James Madison, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson disagreed about the separation of church and state. He explains why the founders’ disagreement means that no single church-state position can claim the exclusive authority of America’s founding history. In doing so, Muñoz reveals how the founders have been misused by Supreme Court justices, demonstrates the limits of “originalism” in church-state jurisprudence, and explains how the founders’ different positions would adjudicate contemporary church-state controversies.

Muñoz writes and teaches in the fields of constitutional law, American politics and political philosophy. His recent research has focused on the theme of religious liberty and the U.S. Constitution.
After earning his undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College, Muñoz earned his master’s degree from Boston College and then returned to Claremont for his doctorate.

Contact: Vincent Muñoz, vmunoz@nd.edu

MIT research scientist to lecture on homeland security

2009-10-06T13:58:00-04:00

Cindy Williams, principal research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will give a lecture titled “U.S. Homeland Security Eight Years after 9/11: Are We Getting Our Money’s Worth?” at 4 p.m. Oct. 15 in Room 119 of O’Shaughnessy Hall at the University of 91�Թ�.

The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is the second in a series offered this year by the 91�Թ� International Security Program (NDISP) in collaboration with the Provost’s Women’s Distinguished Lecture Series.

The first lecture in the series was presented Sept. 9 by Tom Ricks, a former defense correspondent for the Washington Post and current senior fellow at the Center for New American Security.

Remaining scheduled events include:

Nov. 4: “Protecting ‘The Prize:’ Oil and American National Security,” Eugene Gholz, Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas, Austin, 4 p.m., Room 119, O’Shaughnessy Hall

Nov. 12: John Mueller, Woody Hayes Chair of Strategic Studies, Department of Political Science and Mershon Center, Ohio State University, discussing his new book, “Atomic Obsession,” 4 p.m., 119 O’Shaughnessy Hall

April 22 to 23: 91�Թ�’s Henkels Conference series, speakers to be announced

The NDISP was established in 2008 to provide a forum in which leading scholars in national security studies from 91�Թ� and elsewhere can gather to explore some of the most pressing issues in national security policy. The program is co-directed by 91�Թ� political science faculty members Michael Desch, Daniel Lindley and Sebastian Rosato.

More information is available on the Web at .

Contact: Paul Avey, pavey@nd.edu

iNDustry Alliance Festival to bring alumni filmmakers back to campus

2009-09-22T13:46:00-04:00

Four University of 91�Թ� alumni working in the film industry will return to campus to screen and discuss their work at the annual iNDustry Alliance Alumni Documentary Film Festival, to be held Oct. 1 to 3 (Thursday to Saturday) in the Browning Cinema of 91�Թ�’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

Featured presenters are John Mikulak, a 1990 graduate and the director of “The Man Who Would Be Polka King;” Greg Kohs, a 1988 graduate and the director of “Song Sung Blue;” Jake Rademacher, a 1997 graduate and the director of “Brothers at War;” and Scott Mitsui, a 1992 graduate and the producer and cinematographer of “Jam.” The filmmakers will participate in question and answer sessions after each screening and Mitsui will present a talk on Oct. 2 titled “Making the Perfect Trailer: A Behind the Scenes Look at Movie Marketing.”

The festival is part of the iNDustry Alliance Alumni Filmmaker Series, sponsored by 91�Թ�’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, the performing arts center, and Alumni Association. The series brings alumni directors, producers, screenwriters and actors back to campus to screen their recent feature films and documentaries.

Screenings are free, but tickets are required. The festival schedule and ticket information are available on the Web at or by visiting or calling the performing arts center box office at 574-631-2800.

Contact: Ted Mandell, Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, tmandell@nd.edu

91�Թ� to host Catholic Culture Literature Series

2009-09-21T13:14:00-04:00

The University of 91�Թ� will host its eighth annual Catholic Culture Literature Series beginning Tuesday (Sept. 22). The opening lecture, which will focus on poet and playwright T.S. Eliot, will be presented by Dominic Manganiello, professor of English at the University of Ottawa.

Presented by the 91�Թ� Center for Ethics and Culture, lectures will take place every Tuesday through Oct. 13. Presentations are free and open to the public and will begin at 8 p.m. in Room 155 of DeBartolo Hall on the 91�Թ� campus.

Titled “Close to Catholics: A Celebration of Kindred Spirits,” this year’s series is themed around a discussion of four non-Catholic writers whose works share common themes with Catholic theology. Each speaker will discuss the similarities and differences between the professed faith of each author and the Catholic faith and the way these differences shape each author’s work.

Other speakers are Ann Astell, associate professor of theology at 91�Թ�, speaking on Simone Weil; Joseph Pearce, biographer of modern Christian literary figures and the author of “C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church,” speaking on Lewis; and Robert Bird, associate professor in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and associate faculty in the Divinity School at University of Chicago, speaking on Fyodor Dostoevsky.

The series was created in 2002 to engage the 91�Թ� community in an appreciation of literature with a unique Catholic perspective.

More information is available on the Web at .

Contact: Kathryn Wales, program coordinator, 91�Թ� Center for Ethics and Culture, kathrynwales@nd.edu

Senior business students receive Fanning Scholarships

2009-09-17T15:11:00-04:00

Adam C. Hansmann, a senior finance and economics major from Cincinnati, and Amber R. Lattner, a senior management consulting major from Montrose, Pa., have been named recipients of the 2009 Eugene D. Fanning Scholarship at the University of 91�Թ�.

Hansmann and Lattner were selected by the faculty of the Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication in 91�Թ�’s Mendoza College of Business for excellence in communication skills and exemplary personal characteristics. Six finalists were selected and the two winners were determined based on faculty interviews.

The scholarships include a credit to each student’s tuition account with the University and a commemorative pewter plate. The award, funded by donations from 91�Թ�‘s Business Advisory Council, honors the life and work of Eugene D. Fanning, a Chicago businessman and investor who taught business communication courses as a guest instructor in the business school from 1989 to 1995.

Hansmann and Lattner are the 27th and 28th recipients of the scholarship, which was established in 1995. More information on the scholarship and the Fanning Center is available on the Web at www.nd.edu/~fanning.

Contact: James S. O’Rourke, Director, Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication, James.S.ORourke.2

91�Թ� Best Buddies group recognized as outstanding chapter

2009-09-10T15:35:00-04:00

Best Buddies International, a non-profit organization focused on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has designated the University of 91�Թ�’s chapter as an Outstanding Chapter of the Year for the 2008-09 school year.

The 91�Թ� chapter was honored in July at the awards ceremony of the 20th annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference in Bloomington, Ind.

The Best Buddies program seeks to eliminate social isolation for those with disabilities by creating strong one-on-one friendships with non-disabled peers.

The program was started by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989 at Georgetown University and has grown to include more than 1,400 middle school, high school and college chapters worldwide. More than 400,000 lives have been touched by this organization.

The 91�Թ� chapter pairs 91�Թ� and Saint Mary’s College students with South Bend citizens with disabilities through the Logan Center. Chapter events, which include karaoke night, bowling, science night and costume parties, are held twice a month. Buddy pairs also spend time in one-to-one settings engaging in activities such as going to the movies, shopping, a 91�Թ� sporting event, or out to eat.

The award winner is selected based on the quality of its one-to-one friendships, group outings, chapter involvement, community awareness and chapter communication. The 91�Թ� chapter also was recognized for its strong student leadership, faculty support and community connections.

The 91�Թ� Best Buddies chapter also was honored in 2004 with an honorable mention for national Chapter of the Year and as Chapter of the Year for the State of Indiana.

Contact: Best Buddies, bbuddies@nd.edu

91�Թ� to host third annual Energy Week

2009-09-10T15:16:00-04:00

The University of 91�Թ� will observe its third annual Energy Week from Sept. 13 to 19 (Sunday to Saturday) with the theme “Green is the new Black.”

Organized by members of the Student Advisory Board of the 91�Թ� Energy Center, each day of Energy Week will feature energy education and awareness activities, including participation from major energy companies, lectures on renewable energy sources, tours of both the 91�Թ� power plant and the New Energy Ethanol Plant, and screenings of documentaries and energy-focused movies, such as “Fuel” and “Earth.”

Students also can participate in a career luncheon featuring representatives from major energy companies, attend a “green” prayer service and participate in the third annual “Lights Out,” during which students, faculty and staff across campus will power down and turn the lights off for three hours Sept. 14.

Energy Week is designed to promote awareness and education in the 91�Թ� community about energy challenges. Participation in these events will allow students, faculty and staff to gain a better understanding of our nation’s energy crisis and will provide the basic tools and knowledge to help affect change and bring about a more sustainable energy future.

Energy Week is sponsored by the 91�Թ� Energy Center Student Advisory Board and GreeND. For more information, visit http://energycenter.nd.edu on the Web.

Contact: Barbara Villarosa, 631-4776, villarosa.2@nd.edu

Anthropologist wins award for ethnohistory paper

2009-09-01T13:27:00-04:00

University of 91�Թ� anthropologist Karen Richman has been awarded the Robert F. Heizer Article Award by the American Society for Ethnohistory. The award recognizes the best article in the field of ethnohistory this year.

Richman, the director of academic affairs and the Center for Migration and Border Studies in the University’s Institute for Latino Studies, was recognized for an article on Haitian Vodou art that appeared in the Spring 2008 issue of the journal Ethnohistory.

Richman’s article uses a scandal at a Chicago-area elementary school as the starting point for a discussion on how artistic mimicry can serve to engage modes of perceiving and understanding Haitian culture. By utilizing the travel memoirs of experts on Haitian Vodou art, the article suggests that despite the apparent contradiction, mimicry in art can provide valuable insight into how cultures see themselves.

Richman, a faculty fellow in 91�Թ�’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies, specializes in Haitian society, language, religion, migration and politics.

The American Society for Ethnohistory is the preeminent international organization in the field of ethnohistory. Founded in 1954, the society is an outgrowth of research conducted for the Indian Claims Act of 1946. The Heizer award was established in 1980 in honor of Dr. Robert Heizer, a famed ethnohistorian and archaeologist. Richman is the first 91�Թ� faculty member to receive this prestigious award.

Contact: Karen Richman, krichman@nd.edu