Internationalization Initiative

2012-2013 internationalization activities

Fall 2012

  • October 5, 2012 the Internationalization Initiative went to Leach Gardens for an all day retreat, our first retreat ever! There we planned what our priorities would be for the year.
  • October 15, Professor Anu Taranath, University of Washington, spoke at Cascade Campus on the importance of reading global literature, or why what goes on “out there” matters to what goes on “here” locally. As part of her talk, she distributed a reading list of suggested literature from around the globe, both well-known and a bit more obscure.
  • Thursday November 8 from 3-4pm, Professor Muhamad Ali, Professor of Religion at UC, Riveside spent the day at PCC speaking with students, faculty and administrators on Indonesia and Islam. As part of his time at PCC, “Global Crossroads” interviewed him about some key aspects of Islam.
  • Dr. Jeffrey Hanes, Director of the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies at U of O, and Lori O’Hollaren, Assistant Director of the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, visited the Asian Studies Committee on November 9, 2012. The center is a Title VI East Asia National Regional Center, and they have started the “Oregon East Asia Network,” which connects various institutions in Oregon together. The AS committee meet with them to talk about future collaborations.
  • Friday, November 16, 2012, as part of International Week, Seffarine performed a confluence of Arabic, Persian and European music, with short lectures on the origin and methods of both instrument and musical composition.
  • Also on November 16, 2012, a group of faculty and staff racked their brains for the answers at the fourth annual “WorldQuest Trivia Night for Grownups” held at Oaks Amusement Park. This year’s PCC participants included: Peggy Attia, Christine Richards, John and Tina Sparks, Bonnie Starkey and Takako Yamaguchi. Congratulations for this group garnering a tie for third place, the highest our PCC team has achieved at this event!
  • On November 30, 2012, as part of PCC China Cohort’s Title VI Grant obligation, The ASDP Symposium on Chinese Histories held two lectures:
    • “The Long Tail of the Chinese Revolution: Why Maoism Still Matters in Politics and Culture” by Shana Brown, Professor of History, University of Hawaii
    • “Thinking about Chinese Nationalism” by Cathryn Clayton, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Hawaii

Winter 2013

  • On January 24, from 9-10:30am, CIEE Curriculum Workshop, aimed at those individuals who have gone on a CIEE trip (both faculty and administrators), was open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the process of internationalizing one’s curriculum.
  • On Monday, January 28, from 10-11am, Professor Lina Beydoun spoke in the Cascade Morarity Auditorium on key migration patterns in Africa.
  • Thursday, February 7, 2013: Matt Shore performed an example of Japanese Rakugo theater. The reception that followed was attended by the Japanese Consulate-General in Oregon, Takamichi Okabe, with his wife, who spoke and answered questions.
  • On Wednesday February 20, from 2:30-3:30pm, the musical group Seffarine performed flamenco music and dancing at Sylvania’s Little Theater in the CT Building.
  • On Tuesday, March 12 from 3-4:50pm, Professor Amina Wadud spoke on Women and Islam, as part of her trip to Portland to be the keynote speaker at the Lewis and Clark Gender Symposium. A dinner followed her talk.
  • On Monday, March 18 from 12-2pm, Dasho Nob Tshering, from Bhutan, visited PCC, answering questions in conjunction with a slide show by faculty member Susanne Christopher, who recently visited Bhutan for the first time. Susanne followed up with another presentation of her trip on May 7, from 1-2pm in the CA TLC.

Spring 2013

  • Monday, April 15, 2-3:30pm, Jeff Hanes, Professor of Japanese History, University of Oregon, spoke at the Sylvania PAC Lobby on “Modernity and Tradition in Japan”.
  • Tuesday, April 23, from 2-3pm, as part of Earth Day, PCC’s own Kim Smith gave a recap of a presentation that she gave at the United Nations’ Earth Summit that she attended the summer of 2012.
  • Wednesday, April 24, from 2-3pm, Sophal Ear, Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval Postgraduate School, will speak on “How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy: Aid Dependence in Cambodia and Beyond”.
  • As part of the annual Asian Studies Focus Award, on May 15, 2:30-3:30pm, Yomi Braester, Professor of Cinema, University of Washington, will speak on Chinese Cinema.
  • Friday, June 7 from 2-4pm, The Internationalization Initiative and Asian Studies will have their last meeting of the year, in part to honor the long term dedication of Jane Rognlie and Scott Huff, both of whom are retiring this year.