A Franco-American project, Spurious Notions and Other Writings, aims to catalyze literary discussion across the Transatlantic. Both English and French, have rich and complementary literary traditions. The project hopes to promote an informed and vibrant cultural dialogue, which bridges American trends and Continental perspectives (as well as vice versa). Each publication, should offer a vigorous and spirited take on pressing themes, issues, and concerns about literature and its inquiry, in a personal brand of wit and swagger.

Prof. James Huffman, Visiting Professor of History, will present an “outrageously brief” summary of key themes that have developed over the course of the last 1500 years in Japan: everything from having the world’s longest unbroken imperial line to being shaped by its island geography; from fluctuating between times of intense progress and times of falling behind, to a centuries-old proclivity for producing avant grade culture…

Wednesday, May 2, 7:00pm-8:00pm | Hollander Hall 241

Professor D. Fairchild Ruggles of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has written several award-winning books on Islamic gardens, architectural history, and cultural heritage. Her “Gardens, Landscape, and Vision in the Palaces of Islamic Spain” (2000), was praised in TLS as “a grand interpretive work written from a multidisciplinary perspective”…. “clear-headed, highly readable, stimulating….” The editor of numerous other books on cultural heritage, Islamic art, and landscape history, she has also been interviewed several times for television and film, most notably the PBS documentary, “Cities of Light.”

Monday, May 7 at 4:15pm to 5:30pm | Schapiro Hall, 129

* Sponsored by the Art Department and the Center for Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Drawing on the recently published book, Writing Out of Limbo, editor Gene Bell-Villada and contributor Leyla Rouhi will discuss what it means to live in an intercultural world that redefines issues of place, identity, and language.

April 9, 4:15 – 5:30Pm | Hollander 241

Belgian film scholar, Jasmijn Van Gorp, will present her documentary “Passage” (2010), an experimental film project made in Odessa, Ukraine, together with the American film director Zac Murphy (Flyeyemedia). “Passage,” set in a hotel by that name, is a lyrical exploration of individuals waiting and longing for change.

Wednesday, April 18 at 4:15pm | Hollander Hall, 241

* Sponsored by the Department of German and Russian and the Center for Foreign Languages.

Two filmscreening at Images Cinema.

9 April: Putin’s Kiss (Lise Birk Pedersen, 2011)
16 April: Khodorkovsky (Cyril Tuschi, 2011)

Images Cinema, 7 PM

* Funded with generous support from Department of German and Russian, The Oakley Center, International Studies, and The Center for Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

The economic and political interests of the United States defined twentieth century Spanish history. The close relationship between the two countries culminated in the 1950s and 60s, when American military bases and financial interests–including a new and lucrative outpost of Hollywood–were built on Spanish soil. This talk explores this alliance between the Franco Regime and Washington, and its cultural consequences on Spanish life. International Studies Colloquium with Soledad Fox, Chair and Associate Professor of Romance Languages.

March 13 at 2:45pm-3:45pm | Hopkins Hall, Room 002/B1964