This event will center on the themes of Kroc Institute visiting research fellow, Liridona Veliu Ashiku’s book, ‘Balkanization’ and the Euro-Atlantic Processes of the (Western) Balkans: Back to the Future, exploring how the discourse of 'balkanization' has shaped EU and NATO policies toward the region. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, this event will challenge outdated narratives and advocate for sustained engagement with the Balkans, moving beyond episodic attention during crises. By partnering with the Kroc, Nanovic, and Keough-Naughton Institutes, the discussion aims to redefine the Balkans' central role in trans-Atlantic identity, peacebuilding, and global political responsibilities. Panelists:Moderated by Clemens Sedmak, director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies and professor of social ethicsPresented by Liridona Veliu Ashiku, Kroc Institute visiting fellowRespondent: Gëzim Visoka, associate dean for research and associate professor of peace and conflict studies, Dublin City UniversityRespondent: Carli Steelman, Kroc Institute Ph.D. student (peace studies and sociology)Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

About the Talk This lecture will tackle the theological understanding of history through the prism of Byzantine historiography and theology. Particular attention will be paid to a selection of historians and to the work of St. Maximus the Confessor and St. Gregory Palamas. The lecture will also consider some modern Orthodox contributions to the theology of history (Fr. Georges Florovsky, Fr. Sergius Bukgakov) and ask what specific contribution the Byzantine tradition can make to the broader field of the theology of history which has been shaped up to this point largely by Western figures and themes. The lecture will be followed by a reception. About the Speaker Marcus Plested (D.Phil., University of Oxford, 1999) is professor of Greek Patristic and Byzantine Theology at Marquette University. Schooled in London, he studied modern history followed by theology at Merton College, Oxford, completing his doctorate under the supervision of Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. He taught for many years at the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies and the Faculty of Divinity in Cambridge. He has been a member of the Center of Theological Inquiry and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and has taught, lectured, and published widely in patristic, Byzantine, and modern Orthodox theology. He is the author or editor of five books to date, the most recent being The Master Builder: Demetrios Koutroubis and the Renewal of Theology in Modern Greece (Limni: Harvey, 2024). About the Series The Mathews Byzantine Lectures, begun in the 2021–22 academic year, bring a distinguished scholar of Byzantine studies to campus each year to deliver a talk, supported by the Rev. Constantine Mathews Endowment for Excellence in Byzantine Christianity in the Medieval Institute. Originally published at medieval.nd.edu.

A "true crime" mood-piece inspired by notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, Killer's Delight is an intriguing mix of proto-slasher chills and detective drama thrills. An unknown killer in a van has been stalking women in Northern California. Sgt. Vince De Carlo has been assigned to the case but finds himself with almost nothing to go on. That is, until the murderer begins picking off girls who frequent a local public pool. With the aid of psychologist Carol Thompson, De Carlo begins to devise a plan to lure the killer into the open. Written by Maralyn Thoma (Days of Our Lives), this gritty true crime thriller has been newly restored from its original 35mm camera negative. GET TICKETS!  

Love, deception, ambition, and desire collide in Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s great romantic comedy. A delightful blend of mistaken identity, disguises, and love triangles, Twelfth Night features some of Shakespeare’s most famed passages, with its effervescent comic energy carried swiftly by deeper currents of grief, forgiveness, and transformation. Fast, energetic, and above all gloriously entertaining, Twelfth Night is one of the great playwright’s most popular and enduring stories. Actors From The London Stage, the renowned five-actor touring group, brings Twelfth Night back to the touring circuit in fall 2024. With each actor portraying multiple roles, this dynamic, self-directed ensemble brings a fresh and vivacious energy to each new performance. Shipwrecked on the isle of Illyria, Viola, separated from her twin Sebastian, dresses as a boy and works for the Duke Orsino, with whom she falls in love. Orsino is in love with the Countess Olivia, and sends Viola to court her for him, but Olivia falls for Viola instead. Sebastian arrives, causing a flood of mistaken identity, and marries Olivia. Will Viola ultimately be able to be with the one she loves? CAST: Shona Babayemi: Olivia/Maria/OfficersSarah Finigan: Toby Belch/Antonio/CurioSam Jenkins-Shaw: Orsino/Feste/FabianThuliswa Magwaza: Viola/SebastianHayden Wood: Malvolio/Sir Andrew/ValentineTOUR SCHEDULEWeek 1 - 9/23/-9/29: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA Week 2 - 9/30-10/6: TBD Week 3 - 10/7-10/13: University of Texas - San Antonio, San Antonio, TX Week 4 - 10/14-10/20: University of Florida - Gainesville, Gainsville, FL Week 5 - 10/21-10/27: University of Tennessee - Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN Week 6 - 10/28-11/3: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN Week 7 - 11/4-11/10: University of North Alabama, Florence, AL Week 8 - 11/11-11/17: DePauw University, Greencastle, IN Week 9 - 11/18-11/24: TBD Originally published at shakespeare.nd.edu.