In her new book Schoolishness: Alienated Education and the Quest for Authentic, Joyful Learning, published by Cornell University Press, Kellogg faculty fellow Susan D. Blum presents a a theory-based phenomenology of institutional education. She defines "schoolishness" as educational practices that emphasize packaged "learning," unimaginative teaching, uniformity, constant evaluation by others, arbitrary forms, predetermined time, and artificial boundaries, resulting in personal and educational alienation, dependence, and dread. Drawing on critical, progressive, and feminist pedagogy in conversation with the anthropology of learning, and building on the insights of her two previous books, Blum proposes less-schoolish ways of learning in ten dimensions, to lessen the mismatch between learning in school and learning in the wild. Join the Kellogg Institute for a book launch conversation between the author and special guests Jean Lave and Rev. Hugh R. Page, Jr. A reception will follow and books will be available for purchase and signing. Co-presented with the Department of Anthropology, with co-sponsorship by the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts and the Center for Educational Research and Action.   More information here. 

ND students, join us for the Nanovic Institute’s sixth annual EuroCup! Face off against dorms across campus, compete for prizes, and claim bragging rights in this trivia competition on all things European history, current events, geography, art, and beyond. Residence halls may field teams of 3–5 students; each hall may field as many teams as they wish. The Junior EuroCup will be awarded to the team with the most new hall referrals. Bonus points will be awarded for:The team with the best name;The team that recruits the most additional teams;The first five teams to register.And announcing our special round: Slovakia and Ukraine! Ahoj and привіт, fans of Eastern and Central European history and trivia! We are delighted to announce that this year’s EuroCup will feature a round testing your knowledge of all things Slovak and Ukrainian! Unsure of the difference between halušky and holubtsi? Brush up on your knowledge before the competition! Form your teams and let the games begin! Register Now Registration closes November 7, 2024, so sign up today! Originally published at nanovic.nd.edu.

More than a year after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip continues, violence in the West Bank mounts, Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon are engaged in escalating confrontation, and Israel and Iran are on the brink of war. This panel will address ongoing dynamics of the Israel/Palestine conflict and its consequences for the broader Middle East. This event is open to Notre Dame faculty, staff and students. Notre Dame IDs will be required for entrance to this event, and backpacks and large bags will be checked.   Panelists: Asher Kaufman, John M. Regan, Jr. director of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies; professor of history and peace studiesLisa Schirch, Richard G. Starmann, Sr. professor of the practice of peace studies  Atalia Omer, professor of religion, conflict and peace studies  Laurie Nathan, professor of the practice of mediation; Mediation Program director  Banafsheh Keynoush, Kroc Institute visiting research fellowDaniel Bannoura, Ph.D. student in the Department of Theology           Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

How did an event once considered the greatest of all political dangers come to be seen as a solution to all social problems?Join the Transnational France Research Cluster, supported by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, to welcome Dan Edelstein, William H. Bonsall Professor of French at Stanford University. He will be delivering a fascinating talk and leading a discussion on "Revolution: The History of an Idea." About the speakerDan Edelstein is a scholar specializing in eighteenth-century France, with a focus on literature, history, political thought, and digital humanities. He earned a Ph.D. in French from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004, following a Licence ès lettres in French, English, and Latin from the Université de Genève in 1999, and a Maturité scientifique from Collège Calvin in Geneva in 1993. Edelstein’s most recent book, On the Spirit of Rights (University of Chicago Press), traces the evolution of natural and human rights from the wars of religion to the revolutionary period. An earlier iteration of this research appeared in the Journal of Modern History, while a more theoretical exploration can be found in Humanity. A synopsis of the initial arguments was published in Critical Analysis of Law.At Stanford University, Edelstein teaches courses covering the literature, philosophy, history, culture, and politics of the Enlightenment; nineteenth-century novels; the French Revolution; early-modern political thought; and French intellectual culture, including a popular course titled “Coffee & Cigarettes.” Edelstein is a regular instructor in Education as Self-Fashioning, a first-year program focused on liberal education, and directs the Stanford Summer Humanities Institute, a program for high school juniors and seniors. Additionally, Edelstein teaches and co-directs, with Debra Satz, Stanford's Humanities Core program. A highly regarded educator, Edelstein has received Stanford’s highest teaching honor, the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching (2006), as well as the Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award (2011).Originally published at nanovic.nd.edu.

Join us in celebrating the launch of Charles W. Powell's book Southern Baptists and Muslims: A Path to Dialogue through Narrative Empathy with a brief reading from Charles himself as well as opening remarks from Ansari Faculty Fellow, Daniel Philpott. About the BookSince the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the largest Protestant religious group in the United States—the Southern Baptist denomination—has been criticized for using and fostering anti-Islamic rhetoric. The use of anti-Islamic speech, specifically by Southern Baptist leaders, has become an alarming trend within the denomination. The effects of Southern Baptists' antipathy towards Muslims are indeed dire. Charles W. Powell has observed that the Southern Baptist denomination is underprepared and at times reluctant to engage with Muslims in the United States. His formal interviews with Southern Baptist pastors reveal that most pastors as well as their congregants have had no personal encounter with Muslims. As a result, this lack of encounter has created a deficiency of narrative empathy. Southern Baptists and Muslims empirically investigates the dynamics of these patterns. Powell proposes that this lack of narrative empathy is the primary reason why leaders within the Southern Baptist denomination have negative perceptions of Islam and Muslims. Moreover, it is primarily the lack of narrative empathy that allows for anti-Islamic rhetoric to flourish. The purpose of this book is to shape an improved, if not new, perception of Islam and Muslims--a perception that can foster neighborliness via personal encounter. About Charles W. Powell. Charles W. Powell, serves as the associate director for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs (OMECA) at the University of Notre Dame. Powell joined OMECA in the fall of 2024. Prior to joining the team, he worked with the Ansari Institute where he headed multifaith engagement initiatives and taught the course “Evangelicals and Global Affairs.” Simultaneously, he was adjunct teaching faculty at Holy Cross College at Notre Dame; he taught courses in Christian-Muslim relations. Additionally, through Notre Dame Global he co-led the course “International Law and the Holocaust” in Poland for five years. He has traveled extensively into the Levant and Gulf States with a focus on building understanding, trust, and collaboration between Christians and Muslims. Powell is an academic visiting fellow alumnus of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford, UK. He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago; his concentration was spirituality. He is married to Emilia Justyna Powell, professor of Political Science at Notre Dame. He and his wife have two daughters and a Brussels Griffon.Charles Powell will be introduced by Daniel Phillpott, an Ansari Institute faculty fellow who is a professor of poltical science at Notre Dame who specializes in religion and global politics. Food and refreshments will be available following the formal portion of the event program. This is a free event and advanced registration is not required. Originally published at ansari.nd.edu.

After a botched money delivery, Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks. Get Tickets This screening is co-hosted with Tobias Boes, chair of the Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures and a Nanovic Institute faculty fellow.This is a free but ticketed event. Tickets will be available for pick-up at the Ticket Office one hour prior to the performance. To guarantee your seat, please pick up your tickets at least 15 minutes prior to the show. In the event of a sell-out, unclaimed tickets will be used to seat patrons waiting on standby. Originally published at nanovic.nd.edu.