Tuesday, January 28, 2014

January 27- February 2, 2014


 
 
 
 
 
NEW COURSES:
 
  • LAST 490 (section ASG): HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY OF BRAZIL
 
Dr. Guimarães is professor titular in sociology at the University of São Paulo. He will join the Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies as Distinguish Visitor during Spring 2014. He completed his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin in 1988 and conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University in 1994. He will be teaching “A Historical Sociology of Brazil”, focusing on a reading of major elements of the literature on Brazilian social and national experiences.
 
 
  • SPAN 316B: LITERATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN LATIN AMERICA
MWF 10-10:50 am
 
A source of profit, a source of life. Mother Earth and the savage wilds. El Dorado and Montezuma’s revenge. Apocalypse and Paradise. This course will explore diverse ways that Latin Americans have portrayed the relationships between humans and the environment in literature and film. What is “nature” and what is the place of our species within it? How is environmentalism related to racism, sexism, and imperialism? Can fiction promote environmental justice? Readings and class discussion will be in Spanish. Prerequisite: SPAN 250 or consent of the instructor
 
 
  • SPAN 535 Seminar Latin American Literature- AFRICA IN COLONIAL SPANISH AMERICA: EXPERIENCES, IDENTITIES AND COLONIAL NEGOTIATIONS
TU 11:00 am-1:50pm
 
This course examines the dynamics of identity construction of the black subject in colonial Spanish America and its intrinsic relations to issues of race, gender, sexuality, spatiality, and ecology. We will explore the racial politics of Church and State and the evolution of racial constraints as seen through legal documents, chronicles, piracy accounts, religious literature, poetry, newspapers, and visual documents. The course focuses on how black bodies were categorized and constructed within specific political and cultural contexts by colonial authorities and other intellectual sectors of the population, such as creoles and mestizo writers. On the other hand, we also study how these subaltern subjects destabilized and contested the colonial order in their search for freedom and power. Works to be studied date from the early sixteenth century to the late eighteenth century. Part of the class will be devoted to the study of theoretical articles on the concept of race and issues of subjectivity, identity, space, and ecocriticism. We will conclude our readings with Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá’s novel, La noche oscura del niño Avilés (1984), which narrates an eighteenth-century black revolt in the city of San Juan and the subsequent seize of the city by black slaves. Our reading of this novel will center on the novel’s metacritical nature, specifically the manner in which colonial historiography is re-written and re-invented with blacks being protagonists at the center of historical “facts”. Spanish reading knowledge is required.
 
  • CWL 151: CONSPIRACY NARRATIVES AROUND THE WORLD
MWF 2-2:50
Aliens. Foreign governments. Dolphins. Terrorists. In this class we will explore narratives of conspiracy and paranoia across national contexts to investigate how conspiracy works. How do we tell stories of conspiracy? How do these stories construct plausible explanations of the world around us? How do these stories differ across countries? Why do conspiracy narratives sometimes just feel right? Why is paranoid thinking at the center of how we relate to technical progress and political systems? These are some of the questions that will guide our class. Readings and films from Argentina, the United States, Russia, and Mexico. Latin American authors that will be considered: Jorge Luis Borges, Roberto Bolaño, Rodolfo Walsh, Rafael Bernal. 
 
  • UP 521            CITIES AND CITIZENSHIP IN A TRANSNATIONAL ERA
                               
  • HIST 396 (section C) HISTORY OF “BLACK” MUSIC
 
  • HIST 507 RACE AND REBELS IN THE AMERICAS
 
  • ANTH 499 (Section KM) ANTHROPOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY MEXICO
 
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CLACS LECTURE SERIES
 
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30
12pm
101 International Studies Building
 
CESAR PEÑA, Ph.D. Candidate in Art Education
 
THE MODERN GAZE IN LATIN AMERICA: BOGOTA, 1930-1950
 
It has become common, of late, to mention the word “inequality” when talking about Latin America. At first, it was part of the discourse of academic elites; however, politicians have increasingly appropriated the term, even as it has found its way into public discourse. Everybody appears to be familiar with inequality; nobody, it seems, knows precisely how to cope with it. Through the use of images of the city, this research explores how everyday life aesthetic experiences have shaped people’s visual values in L.A. Such values, I argue, play a crucial role not only in perpetuating inequality but also in maintaining and papering-over unresolved historical issues. In the particular case of Colombia during the 1930s and 40s, the use of images as the primary source is intended to help us rethink, from a different perspective, about the decades that preceded the beginning of one of the most violent periods in Colombian history.
 
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TINKER INFORMATION MEETING
 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31
12PM
200 International Studies Building
 
TINKER PRE-DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS IN LATIN AMERICA
Are you interested in exploring a research project in Latin America this summer? The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies offers summer fellowships for graduate students (from any nationality) in any discipline.
Information Meeting: Friday January 31 at 12pm in Room 200 International Studies Building
Information and requirements about the fellowship:http://www.clacs.illinois.edu/academics/fellowships/tinker.aspx
 
Deadline to apply: MONDAY February 24, 2014
Any questions contact Angelina Cotler, Associate Director. cotler@illinois.edu
 
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HISTORY DEPARTMENT
JOB TALK
 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31
3:30-5:00PM
319 Gregory Hall
 
Prof. FRANCES RAMOS,  University of South Florida
 
AN HEIR OF ‘THY OWN BODY’: EXPLAINING SPAIN’S SUCCESSION CRISIS AND THE BIRTH OF PRINCE LUIS I IN EARLY EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY MEXICO
 
Professor Ramos is a candidate for a position in colonial Latin American history in our department
 
 
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LEMMAN LECTURE SERIES
 
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
2PM
101 International Studies Building
 
Prof. ANTONIO SERGIO ALFREDO GUIMARÃES (Sociology, University of Saõ Paulo and Lemann Distinguished Visitor Spring 2014)
 
POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES AND FRO-BRAZILIAN STUDIES
 
To reflect on post-colonialism in relation to Afro-Brazilian studies is to situate a very specific historical context of decolonization. In this talk, I will approach three moments of this process of decoloniality, as different moments of African- Brazilian struggles, and as moments of reception of new ideas circulating internationally. The first one was the concept of internal colonialism as a legacy of the American civil rights movement. The second one, stretching to the 1980s, and advancing studies in India, under the influence of British Marxist historiography (history from below).the current days, was Fanon's reception by the new generation of Brazilian black activists. Finally I will concentrate my attention on the writing of a new Brazilian historiography of slavery and its implicit dialog with the Black movement, an almost perfect match of what did the subaltern.
 
 
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GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS
 
•          FOREIGN LANGUAGE FELLOWSHIPS (FLAS) (support study in modern foreign languages in combination with area studies and international studies) 
FLAS FELLOWSHIPS FOR GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 2014-2015
 
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN LEARNING  QUECHUA, PORTUGUESE OR ANY OTHER AMERINDIAN LANGUAGE? APPLY FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES FELLOWSHIPS!!
FLAS Fellowships support undergraduate and graduate study in modern foreign languages in combination with area studies, international studies, or international or area aspects of professional studies. The following languages, classified by Center, are approved by the U.S. Department of Education for FLAS fellowships at Illinois. Undergraduate fellowships are only available for intermediate to advanced study of less commonly taught languages, which are defined as modern languages other than Spanish, German or French.
For more details on how to apply visit the FLAS website for UIUC:http://publish.illinois.edu/illinoisflas/
Any Questions contact Alejandra Seufferheld amsseu@illinois.edu
If a language is offered by more than one center, students can apply to all Centers that offer the language. For example, Polish is offered by EUC, CGS, and REEEC. If you are applying to study Polish, you can apply to all three centers at the same time. You do not need to submit separate on-line application forms (please simply check all the centers to which you apply on the form) but need to submit a complete set of supporting documents for each center to which you are applying.
  • Center for Global Studies (CGS): Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Hebrew, Hindi, Korean, Lingala, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian or Croatian, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Utzbek, or Wolof; or at the advanced level (third-year or above) Chinese or Japanese.
  • European Union Center (EUC): Arabic, Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, French, German, Greek (modern), Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, or Turkish. Priority will be given to less-commonly-taught languages (languages other than French, German, Spanish) and higher-level language study.
 
Undergraduate applications are submitted directly by students to the Center to which the student is applying; undergraduate students should visit the Undergraduate Instructions page to access the on-line application form and for more information.
 
Graduate applications are submitted through the student's home department.  Departmental deadlines for graduate students can be found here: http://publish.illinois.edu/illinoisflas/deadlines/
 
 
  • TINKER PRE-DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS IN LATIN AMERICA
Are you interested in exploring a research project in Latin America this summer? The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies offers summer fellowships for graduate students (from any nationality) in any discipline.
Information Meeting: Friday January 31 at 12pm in Room 200 International Studies Building
Information and requirements about the fellowship:http://www.clacs.illinois.edu/academics/fellowships/tinker.aspx
Deadline to apply: MONDAY February 24, 2014
Any questions contact Angelina Cotler, Associate Director. cotler@illinois.edu
 
 
 
  • 2014-2015 LEMANN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS FOR BRAZILIAN STUDIES
The Lemann Institute of Brazilian Studies offers fellowships to UIUC graduate students doing research about Brazil. For the academic year 2014-2015, fellowships will pay $18,000.00. The Lemann Graduate Fellows will have tuition and fee waivers from LAS units and participating professional schools. Applicants should check with their Departments and Schools to verify that their home units offer tuition waivers. The number of awards varies year to year and may depend on the strength of the applications received.
Deadline to apply: Monday February 24th, 2014
Any questions contact Camila Führ Diel  diel1@illinois.edu
 
 
  • MARIANNE AND PETER KILBY AND THE DR. JOSEPH L. LOVE, SR. AND VIRGINIA ELLIS LOVE FELLOWSHIPS
Thanks to the generous support of Professors Joseph Love (History-Emeritus) and Werner Baer (Economics), the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies announces the competition   for TWO fellowships to graduate students working in Latin America.
WHO CAN APPLY: Any graduate student at any level in their studies, from any department, from any nationality.
REQUIREMENTS: Research for at least minimum 4 weeks either on summer or during the academic year.
REPORT: Students should report the donors within a month of their return from Latin America.  If the students are going to the field for the first time, they should participate in the Tinker workshop held in late October every year.
RESTRICTIONS: Grant money cannot be used for conference or course registration, or for intensive language workshops or field schools. The subject of investigation may be related to dissertation research
It is acceptable to use other grants in conjunction with this grant.
 
HOW TO APPLY:
  • Submit 1 PDF electronically to Angelina Cotler (cotler@illinois.edu)
  • Write in the subject Line: Love & Kilby Fellowships  
  • Deadline:  Monday, March 3rd, 2014
 
 
 
  • 2014-2015 FOCAL POINT PROJECTS
 
The Graduate College invites proposals from faculty and graduate students for 2014-2015 Focal Pointprojects.  The full Request for Proposals (RFP) is available at on the Graduate College website atwww.grad.illinois.edu/focalpointFocal Point seeks to stimulate the formation of new intellectual communities and interdisciplinary research activities among faculty and graduate students. Proposals should be uploaded to the Graduate College website by March 21, 2014.
 
The 2014 Focal Point RFP solicits proposals from a broad range of topics.  We especially encourage new proposals for:
·         collaborative research communities addressing issues of domestic under-represented minorities in graduate education, aligning with the campus’s diversity initiatives, such as Illinois EDGE (Enhancing Diversity, Guiding Excellence).  Such projects may also propose collaborations with domestic institutions to strengthen diversity in graduate education.
·         project teams who collaborate with international institutions or NGOs to establish new partnerships for graduate education in the pursuit of innovative topics with international/global impact.
 
We welcome Phase II proposals that build upon successful projects and provide new directions and opportunities for graduate students.
 
This year, the Graduate College is pleased to announce a new option for Focal Point proposals:   Focal Point Breakthrough grants for potentially transformative projects.
 
We invite all graduate students and faculty interested in developing Focal Point proposals to attendinformation sessions on:
                Monday, January 27, 2014, 4-5pm, Coble Hall, Room 304
Friday, January 31, 2014, 11am-12noon, Coble Hall, Room 304
 
 
·         IPRH Prizes for Research in the Humanities, 2013–14
IPRH has recognized outstanding humanities research in numerous ways during its sixteen-year existence. The IPRH Prizes for Research in the Humanities allow us to celebrate excellence in humanities scholarship, and we are pleased to solicit submissions and nominations for the 2013–14 academic year. These prizes recognize outstanding humanities research at the University of Illinois, with awards given at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty levels. The awards will be presented at a reception on May 6, 2014. Submissions are invited from scholars in all sectors of the university with focus on the humanities and humanities-inflected research.
 Eligibility: The awards are open to all full-time U of I students and tenured and tenure-track faculty.
 Application deadline: Friday, March 14, 2014 by 5:00 p.m.
 Submission proceduresAll submissions must be accompanied by a completed nomination form, which can be downloaded from the IPRH website. The submissions must contain NO references to the applicant’s name or other identifying details. Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be disqualified from consideration.
Please email the submission and the nomination form as two separate attached pdf documents to  iprh@illinois.eduPlease note that scans of journals or book pages are not acceptable. Submissions should be in manuscript form, double-spaced, with all identifying details removed, and conform to the length limitations. For specific funding information and application guidelines for each application category, please consult the IPRH website:http://www.iprh.illinois.edu/programs/humanitiesprizes/(Please note that the IPRH website is in the process of being redesigned and that this link may break when the new IPRH website goes live later this semester, but the information will be attainable under the "Programs" section on our website.)
 Selection: The applications will be read by a selection committee comprised of members of the IPRH Advisory Committee, one or two invited members of the faculty, and the IPRH Director and Associate Director (both of whom serve on the committee in an ex officio capacity). Submissions will be judged in a blind review process; names and other identifying details must not be included in the essay itself. The essays will be evaluated on their scholarly merit, the intellectual rigor of the questions being posed, and the quality of the writing.
 For a list of 2012-13 winners visit the IPRH website 
Questions about these awards and the nomination procedures should be addressed to Nancy Castro at ncastro@illinois.edu.
 
 
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OPPORTUNITIES
 
·         UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY…ILLINOIS IS BACK IN CUBA!!
REGISTER FOR THIS STUDY ABROAD COURSE  "History and Culture of Modern Cuba" (HIST 396, SPAN 395, ANTHRO 399; 4 credits), to take place from 5/19 to 6/12 (SS I 2014) AND TRAVEL TO CUBA
                                                                                     
Deadline to Apply: February 1,2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
·         EDUCATIONAL DELEGATION WITH FOOD FIRST TO BOLIVIA, FOCUSING ON LLAMAS, QUINOA AND ANDEAN FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
March 14-24, 2014.  Registration ends Feb 1.
The trip is organized by Food Sovereignty Tours, a project of Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy in Oakland, CA, called one of the country’s “most established food think tanks” by the New York Times.
 We really want to engage and include more students, and partial scholarships are available. Please inquire for more information.
  And do feel free to contact me with questions. I am happy to provide additional information. For more info, you can also visit http://www.foodsovereigntytours.org/international-tours/bolivia/llamas-quinoa/
 
·         STUDY ABROAD IN BOLIVIA
MACS 395: Media Ethics and Global Culture
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IN THE NEWS
 
 
Argentina rolls back dollar restrictions hoping to contain market volatility; Monday test day http://en.mercopress.com/2014/01/25/argentina-rolls-back-dollar-restrictions-hoping-to-contain-market-volatility-monday-test-day
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
January 27, 2014: A Date with Destiny for Peru and Chile  http://www.coha.org/january-27-2014-a-date-with-destiny-for-peru-and-chile/
 
 
La Corte de la Haya decreta una nueva frontera marítima entre Chile y Perú  http://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/view/118218-corte-haya-fallo-peru-chile
 
 
Brazil police arrest dozens after anti-World Cup protest http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-25900526
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Angelina Cotler, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
201 International Studies Building
910 S. Fifth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Ph: (217) 333-8419
Fax: (217): 244-7333