Center for Liberal Arts 2005-2006 Calendar Archive

Articles 2005-2006

Walden Pond Photo
BCC Faculty Selected for NEH Summer Workshops

Three BCC faculty participated in summer 2006 workshops organized by the National Endowment for the Humanities. These Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops provided the opportunity for community college educators to engage in intensive study and discussion of important topics in American history. The seminars gave participants direct experiences in the interpretation of significant historical sites and the use of archival and other primary historical evidence. They enabled faculty to gain a sense of the importance of historical places, to make connections between what they learn in the workshop and what they teach, to advance their own scholarship, and to develop enhanced teaching materials for their classrooms.

Dr. Roger George, communication instructor and program chair and English and American Studies instructor Scott Bessho attended a workshop entitled, Concord, Massachusetts, and American Utopian Thought in the Early Nineteenth Century which included visits to Concord, Canterbury Shaker Village, Brook Farm, Walden Pond, The School of Philosophy at the Orchard House Museum, Ralph Waldo Emerson Home and Nathaniel Hawthorne's Old Manse Museum.

Business instructor Debi Griggs attended Henry Ford and the History of American Industry, Labor, and Culture which included visits to The Ford Rouge Factory Complex, the Diego Rivera Murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Henry Ford Museum and Village, the Piquette (Model T) Ford Plant and the Benson Ford Archives.

Presentations, Fall 2005-Spring 2006:

April 24-28: College Civics Week
Governor Christine Gregoire has declared April 24 through 28 to be College Civics Week. In response, BCC will conduct a voter registration drive with registration stations open throughout the week in the cafeteria and the library. At a recent faculty professional development workshop on civic engagement, Dr. Ron Leatherbarrow, executive dean, provided these remarks on civic engagement at a recent faculty development workshop: 		Hands On Democracy

BCC's Center for Liberal Arts
2006 Spring Quarter Lectures

Dr. William Talbott Thursday, May 18, 12:30 - 1:20 p.m
The Evolution of a Constitutional Right to Liberty: The Development and Justification of a Constitutional Right Against Government Paternalism
Dr. William Talbott, Professor of Philosophy, University of Washington

Dr. Talbott is the author of Which Rights Should Be Universal? (Oxford University Press, 2005). He is currently working on a second volume on human rights, Human Rights and Human Well-Being to be published by Oxford University Press in 2006. He also continues to work on a book in epistemology to be titled, Learning From Experience.

Marjane Satrapi Thursday, June 1, 12:30 - 1:20 p.m., N-201
Reading and Discussion with Marjane Satrapi
Artist and author of Persepolis and Persepolis 2
Cosponsored with Washington Center for the Book at
Seattle Public Library and The BCC Women's Center

Marjane Satrapi grew up in Teheran during the Iranian Revolution. She studied illustration in Strasbourg and currently lives in Paris where her illustrations appear regularly in newspapers and magazines. Her books portray an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran.

Winter Quarter Lectures

Dr. Radi Tuesday, March 14, 9:30-10:30 a.m., C-120
Toward a Better Understanding of Islam
Ahmed Radi, BCC's Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence, Marrakech, Morocco

Dr. Ahmed Radi is Professor of English at Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco. His books include: Re-Reading Joyce (2002), Aesthetics and Politics in Virginia Wolf's To the Lighthouse (2002) and Ephemeral Fragments (1998), a volume of poetry. He serves on the editorial board of Signs and on the organizing committee for the creation of a multidisciplinary Center of Research on Marrakech at his home university.

John Gastil Photo Wednesday, March 8, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., C-130
Improving the Initiative Process: Making Direct Democracy More Deliberative
John Gastil, Associate Professor of Communication, University of Washington

John Gastil teaches courses in small group decision making, political deliberation, and public scholarship at the University of Washington. He has authored two books addressing public deliberation and the electoral process. Gastil recently co-edited The Deliberative Democracy Handbook: Strategies for Effective Civic Engagement in the Twenty-First Century.


Tom Coffman Photo Friday, February 24, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., N-201
Hawaii and its History
Tom Coffman, documentary filmmaker, author and journalist

Tom Coffman's films and books address Korean American, Hawaiian and Japanese history, culture and politics. His areas of special interest include Hawaiian history and Korean-American and Japanese-American experiences. He will screen and discuss a segment of a documentary made about his book, Nation Within: The Story of America's Annexation of the Nation of Hawaii.

Thursday, February 23, 10:30-11:20 a.m., B-204
North Korea from the Inside
Terry Martin and Marie-Louise Mercer, community activists

Successful negotiations at the six-party talks last summer led to the North Korean government allowing American tourists into the country for only the third time in the last 52 years. Two of these visitors, Terry Martin and Marie-Louise Mercer, will present slides, share experiences, and answer questions concerning their trip inside one of the least-visited country on Earth.

David Domke Photo Wednesday, February 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m., R-306
Religious Politics in the News Media
David Domke, Associate Professor of Communication,
University of Washington

David Domke studies political elites and news media, individual values and cognition, and social change, with particular interest in the dynamics of post-9/11 America. In 2004, he published God Willing? Political Fundamentalism in the White House, the 'War on Terror,' and the Echoing Press. His talk and discussion will focus on coverage of religious politics in the news media.

Frank Blethen Photo Thursday, January 26, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., R-301
American Democracy at Risk
Frank Blethen, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, The Seattle Times

The Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer have been operating under a 26-year joint operating agreement. The two papers have been locked in a court battle regarding their agreement for almost 3 years. The Hearst publishing company owns the P.I. while Knight-Ridder owns a minority share of the Times. Frank Blethen will discuss media consolidation and its effects on journalism, free speech and commerce.

Co-sponsored with Office of Student Programs, Library Media Center, CAB, ASG

My own involvement with civic engagement in education came about in a rather indirect way. About 25 years ago I taught a course in proposal writing at the University of Maryland. I divided the class in groups, and I asked students to identify an actual problem at work or in their communities and then write a proposal for a solution. Students then read and critiqued the proposals submitted by their group members. The course made me examine my own assumptions about teaching, and I learned some very important lessons:

Students were enthusiastic about their work, some of which resulted in commendations at work or in their community, and the class stands in my memory as a genuine success. This all occurred 15 years after I began teaching, and when I look back over the years of my own training, it surprises me that it took me so long to realize the power of engaging students in matters outside the classroom.

Back in the early 1960’s when I was working on my bachelors and masters degree, The University of Buffalo was strongly activist, and students and faculty were in a constant discussion of local and national events. As a double-major in English and American Civilization, I read Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, in which he explains his belief that education will preserve the health of democracy by ensuring a capable citizenry, and Democracy in America, in which d'Tocqueville somewhat inverts Jefferson's view in his declaration that public education will forestall the "leveling influence" of democracy. I read the Federalist Papers in three different courses, including American Intellectual History, and during the last I felt that I actually was bordering on a real understanding of the issues. When I recall my first encounters with the quality of the minds that fashioned our government, I am sobered by our reluctance to include these documents, so fundamental to an understanding of the American brand of democracy and government, in our educational programs. The time of the writing of the Federalist Papers may well have been the apex of the debate about civic responsibility in American political history.

As I look back on my education, I recall also that many of my most indelible learning experiences occurred outside the classroom. I remember particularly arriving at a class in the early '60's and being told by a professor to attend a talk by a speaker in a political series the University was sponsoring. And I arrived early and sat dutifully in the front row, and heard the commotion and threats as Malcolm X entered the room. I recall most vividly the sense that I was seriously at risk and had my first powerful recognition that a man could be threatened merely for responding to an invitation to speak.

In our western culture and mythology we generally polarize thought and action, and our agencies for education reinforce that polarization. We need to continue to discover means of reengaging the academy in the community and linking the learning in our classrooms with the world and the needs and resources of the community surrounding us. We need to continue to reinforce learning by application and action.

The most cursory reading of a daily newspaper continually reminds us that in our current society debate is all but stifled, and education provides the most fundamental and powerful vehicle for demonstrating the need for conscientious citizens to be informed and ready to act upon that information. It is the vehicle for reenergizing the American political and social debate and for creating able, discerning citizens and truly responsible human beings. Service Learning, for example, is not just learning in deed and action. It demonstrates that learning relies on action and application and that learning has efficacy. Education I believe is the primary, perhaps the single, hope for the future of our society.

True citizenry, I might add, for me goes beyond engagement; it involves service. Albert Schweitzer once greeted an assembly like this one by saying, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” Most people in our current society, including those with college degrees, would not know how to interpret and apply his comment. The term “service,” and so much of what it denotes, is lost in our social and political lexicon. And it is a critical loss because the value of service is crucial in the formation of a complete human being and of a truly healthy and dynamic society.”

Resources for "Doing Our Part: A Katrina / Rita Education and Relief Day"

NOAA animated GIF of the path of Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans available at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2005/katrina.html There are no usage restrictions for this photo of New Orleans flooding following Katrina There are no usage restrictions for this photo of a worker repairing a sign that reads BUILDING MATERIALS

A Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita On Friday, November 18th, BCC presented a day of reflection, education and support in response to the hurricanes that decimated the Gulf: Katrina and Rita. During the morning hours, the campus examined how the hurricanes have altered life from the perspectives of varying academic disciplines-- the arts, sociology, meteorology and geology. Rebuilding efforts, issues of race and class, and government responsibility were examined and discussed by students, faculty and members of the outside community. At noon, a musical performance highlighted the cultural benefits that Louisiana, and New Orleans have given the United States. Besides educating the public, the “Katrina Education and Relief Day” also acted as a fundraiser to support community colleges that were damaged during the hurricanes. In the evening, a dance was held, sponsored by BCC’s student government and various student clubs

The following information complements Doing Our Part - a one-day symposium and fundraising event focused on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

We invite you to participate in 3 ways:

  1. Bring your classes to the scheduled events listed below.
  2. Buy tickets and encourage student participation in Mardi Gras in the Fall, a dance fundraiser organized by BCC’s students that will cap off the day’s events.
  3. Before and/or after the November 18 event, host class discussions about the hurricanes and their aftermath from the lens of your discipline. Below are a series of editorials about the hurricanes from various current publications and from diverse disciplinary perspectives. We hope that they will aid you in generating provocative classroom discussions that tie research and foundational context in your field with the current moment’s questions and policies.

Doing Our Part: Friday, November 18 - C120 (the Continental Room)

8:30-9:30 a.m. - The Science Behind Katrina: A Recipe for Disaster
BCC Science Instructors Kent Short and Gwyneth Jones will lead a discussion of the geology, oceanography and meteorology of the Gulf Coast region.

9:30-10:30 a.m. - Responding to Katrina: Issues of Race and Class
BCC Scholar-in-Residence Malcolm Cash and Cascadia Community College Instructor Dr. R. J. Braxton will present an analysis of the nation’s response in the hurricane’s aftermath.

10:30-11:30 a.m. - My Story: Personal Experiences of Katrina
A panel of citizens will share accounts of the storms and their aftermath.

2:00-4:00 p.m. - What Should We Expect of Our Leaders: A Philosophical Perspective
BCC Philosophy Instructor Russ Payne will lead a lecture and discussion on the role of government in times of crisis.

Mardi Gras in the Fall Dance: Friday, November 18 - Cafeteria - 8:00-11:30 p.m.
To purchase tickets or participate in fundraising, contact Student Programs at 425.564.6150.

Discussion Resources:

Black, Carrie. "Six Reasons We Lost New Orleans." Earth Island Journal. 20.4 (2005): 40-41. Research Library. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.

Clarke, Richard A. "Things Left Undone." The Atlantic Monthly. 296.4 (2005): 37-38. Research Library. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.

Ellwood, David T. "Empowering the Poor." The Boston Globe. 27 Sept. 2005. 1 Nov. 2005. <http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/09/27/empowering_the_poor?mode=PF>.
[Reposted on the web at: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ksgnews/Features/opeds/092705_ellwood.htm]

Fluker, Walter Earl. "Needed: Ethical Leadership in the Aftermath of Katrina." Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 6 Oct. 2005: 35. Ethnic NewsWatch. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.
[Available free online at: http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_4832.shtml]

Ignatieff, Michael. "The Broken Contract." New York Times Magazine. 28 Sept. 2005: 15. ProQuest Newspapers. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.
[Reposted on the web at: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ksgnews/Features/opeds/092505_ignatieff.htm]

Kalb, Marvin. "A Hurricane Strips Off Bush's Teflon." International Herald Tribune. 28 Sept. 2005. 1 Nov. 2005. <http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/09/27/opinion/edkalb.php>.
[Reposted on the web at: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ksgnews/Features/opeds/092805_kalb.htm]

"Katrina, Climate Change and the Poor." Canadian Medical Association Journal. 173.8 (2005): 837-38. 1 Nov. 2005. <http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/173/8/837>.

"Katrina Reveals Fatal Weaknesses in US Public Health." The Lancet. 366.9489 (2005): 867. Platinum Full Text Periodicals. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.
[Also available, with free registration, at http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673605672911/fulltext]

Malveaux, Julianne. "Standing in Katrina's Wake." Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 6 Oct. 2005: 34. Ethnic NewsWatch. ProQuest. Bellevue Community College Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.
[Available free online at: http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_4833.shtml]

Nieburg, Phillip. "Evacuated Populations - Lessons from Foreign Refugee Crises." The New England Journal of Medicine. 353.15 (2005): 1547-49. 1 Nov. 2005. <http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1547>.
[The entire special issue, including this article, is available free online at http://content.nejm.org/content/vol353/issue15/index.shtml]

Niman, Michael I. "Katrina's America: Failure, Racism, and Profiteering." The Humanist. 65.6 (2005): 11-15. Research Library. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.
[The entire issue is available via ProQuest, but selected articles from this special issue are available free online at http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/NovDec05.html. This article can be found at http://www.thehumanist.org/humanist/articles/Niman.Katrina.pdf]

Sustendal, Diane. "It is Numbing to Realize you are a Refugee in your own Country." India Abroad. 16 Sept. 2005: A14. Ethnic NewsWatch. ProQuest. Bellevue Community Colege Library Media Center, Bellevue, WA. 1 Nov. 2005 <http://www.proquest.com>.

Walt, Stephen. "The world watches as the US attempts its restoration." Financial Times. 19 Oct. 2005. 1 Nov. 2005. <http://news.ft.com/cms/s/cfd41902-403d-11da-8394-00000e2511c8.html>.
[Reposted on the web at: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ksgnews/Features/opeds/101805_walt.htm]


Additional Resources:

National Climatic Data Center's Summary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

US Census Bureau's Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Information

Taxpayers for Common Sense: The Costs of Katrina

Hurricane Recovery Information on FirstGov.gov and Katrina.louisiana.gov

Though Wikipedia articles are not reviewed by scholarly editors, the background information and timeline of events related to Katrina provide a useful introduction to current issues.

Google Earth - Hurricane Katrina Imagery


For help finding further discussion resources to support instruction in your discipline(s), contact reference librarians at 425.564.6161 or bccref@bellevuecollege.edu.

This program is sponsored by Center for Liberal Arts in collaboration with the Office of Student Programs, Campus Activities Board, ASG, LACC, BSU, IBEC, Library Media Center, Philosophy Club and BCC Choral Music Program.