Northern Arizona University

Cline Lecture

Rebecca Solnit to deliver the Cline Lecture in the Humanities!!
Cultural Historian and award winning author Rebecca Solnit will deliver the Cline Lecture in the Humanities, April 26, 7;00pm in Cline Library at 7:00pm. Her talk is entitled "The World is Not Made of Atoms , but of Stories." A frequent contributor to The Nation, Harper's, Alternet, and Orion Magazine, she is the author of works ranging from nature writing, to literary criticism, to treatises on activism and the history of walking. Some of her titles include:
Secret Exhibition: Six California Artists of the Cold War Era
Savage Dreams: A Journey into the Landscape Wars of the American West
A Book of Migrations: Some Passages in Ireland
Hollow City: The Siege of San Francisco and the Crisis of American Urbanism
Wanderlust: A History of Walking
As Eve Said to the Serpent: On Landscape, Gender and Art
Motion Studies: Time, Space and Eadweard Muybridge

Light Gallery

Call 928-523-9515 for more information and watch this space for updates. Poster

Professor Gioia Woods, Associate professor of Humanities, has been awarded a grant from E-Learning to develop a gallery of online images and assignments

Stage Craft
Professor Bruce M. Sullivan, Professor of Religion, has had his essay “Dying on the Stage in the Natyashastra and Kutiyattam: Perspectives from the Sanskrit Theatre Tradition” accepted by the Asian Theatre Journal. Forthcoming in vol. 24, no. 2 (Fall, 2007 issue), it is a revised version of a presentation he made in India.

Honors Abound
Professor Zsuzsanna Gulacsi,Associate Professor of Art History, was awarded one research grant (ACLS/ Ryskamp Research Fellowship) providing a full salary stipend and two travel grants (National Humanities Center Residential Fellowship and Franklin Travel Grant of the American Philological Society).
-- American Philosophical Society / Franklin Research Grant, Am. Philosophical Society, Philadelphia
-- National Humanities Center / A. Clowes Fellowship, NHC, Research Triangle Part, North Carolina
-- American Council of Learned Societies / Ryskamp Research Fellowship, ACLS, New York

"Epic Publication"
Professor Bruce Sullivan's essay, “The Ideology of Self-Willed Death in the Epic Mahabharata” has been published in the Journal of Vaishnava Studies. Additionally, he has had two other essays accepted for publication: “Dying on the Stage in the Natyashastra and Kutiyattam: Perspectives from the Sanskrit Theatre Tradition” in the Asian Theatre Journal and “Tantroid Phenomena in Early Indic Literature” in a special number of Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies as a Festschrift in honor of James Sanford.

"Elected to the Select"
The Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion is pleased to announce that Professor Gioia Woods has been elected to serve a three year term on the Board of the Arizona Humanities Council. Woods, who has specializations in the arts of the southwest, American Women and the Arts, and the relationship of the environment to the Humanities, is currently working on questions of Science and Poetry, specifically as seen in the works of W.S.Merwin, Pattiann Rogers, and Alison Deming and the ways in which they "make meaning" about science. She will start her service this fall as the Coordinator of the Humanities area in HAR.

"the intellectual trajectory that you put me on, brings you to mind."
After decades of service to NAU, John Acker is retiring from Humanities, Arts, and Religion. John is well respected by student and colleagues and was recently named Emeritus faculty by President Haeger. As former student Juan Zambrano says, " It seems to me you can have no way of knowing the impact you have on people unless you are told. Yours was immense and unparalleled. We had many conversations in your office and that is what I remember most. You were one of the few people in my college years who challenged orthodoxy in both your teaching style and perception of life. For a kid who grew up on a ranch with no clue about the outside world and who had very little faith in those trying to educate me about it your presence was a wonderful twist of fate." We are fortunate indeed that John will continue to teach an occasional webclass for us!

"oceanic cinema"
The Humanities, Arts, and Religion film series was the flagship of the college's "Water" theme in 2005-2006. With over 30 screenings of classic films to close to 5000 audience members, the Department provided weekly cinematic explorations of the representation of water--or its lack. Each screening was helmed by Department Chair Joseph Boles and he and our colleague from Communication, Paul Helford, presented introductions and discussions following to an audience ranging from students taking classes to senior community members who saw these golden age films when they came out the first time. The weekly doorprize presentations, normally film posters, were a hit, though the film star votive candles made by the Art History Society we especially appreciated. The series continues in the fall with the theme, "Duets: Film Comedy and Romance Teams", with everyone from Groucho and Margaret Dumont to Bogart and Bacall.

"into the theorists" or "we cover the globe part one"
Humanities Professor Alison Brown's books On Hegel and On Foucault were recently translated into Chinese as Heigeer and Fuke. Additionally, The Fund for Central and East European Book Projects has done a translation into Polish of the On Foucault book.

"andrei the giant"
Before a crowd of close to 700 people in Prochnow Auditorium, humorist, poet, NPR commentator, wit, wag, and cultural critic Andrei Codrescu,the 2005-2006 Cline Lecturer in the Humanities, delivered a stunning performance on the idea of "Borders." Mixing politics, poetry, ad libbed observations, delightfully elliptical story lines, and moving memories of growing up in Romania, he delighted the audience with his signature wry comedy and biting social commentary. With Professor Oelschaleger as coordinator of the visit and Tamara Ramerez as the point person on details, it was one of the most successful lectures on campus this year!

"august return"
Religious Studies professorJason BeDuhn, the only NAU faculty member to be named a Guggenheim fellow while at NAU, returned to the classroom after a productive sabbatical. BeDuhn's project, a book entitled Augustine’s Manichaean Dilemma: Making a Catholic Self in Late 4th Century Africa, involved travel to research collections and talks at Yale and Indiana universities. He presented his findings to a packed house of students and faculty members. His talk, engaging question of the construction and reception of Augustine's identity, was well received and prompted many questions and much discussion.

"the world of things"
It was a good year for "stuff" this year in HAR. We arranged for security lighting outside the building, a new concrete pad for even more bike racks, 7 new computers, 5 new printers, 2 new scanners, and a flock of legacy computers for TAs, faculty, and the slide room.

"shining return"
Following the publication of her book Discs of Splendor, Alexandra Carpino spent a sabbatical year extending her study of Etruscan art. On her return this past fall she was named "Director of Student Services" by Department Chair Joe Boles. In this position, Professor Carpino is in charge of the department's recruitment, retention, tracking, and graduation procedures for all HAR students. This past spring, also to a full house, she provided us with a striking sabbatical presentation called a "Taste for Violence: Images of Cruelty and Death in Etruscan Art,” also the subject of a special session she chaired at the 94th Annual Conference of the College Art Association.

"and still rising"
At last count (06/01/06) we have over 64 Art History majors and 29 Minors; 21 Humanities majors and 19 minors; 40 Religious Studies majors and 33 Minors.

"and keeps on tickin'"
After 35 years of service as a department Chair, faculty member... and Chair again, Humanities Professor Tom Cleman stepped to half time this year in anticipation of retirement. Dr Cleman continues to anchor our 200 level survey courses and looks forward to being able to work on his musical compositions full-time.

"we cover the globe 2"
After earning tenure and promotion and serving another year as Coordinator for the Religious Studies program, Professor Paul Donnelly is off to Tibet for a research trip this summer from where, for a few days at least, he will be teaching his web-class on Buddhism!

"they write the book"
From a large field and with fewer awarded than in past years, two Intramural Grants went to our Art Historians this year. Professor Jordan won a grant for her project entitled "The Lives of Thomas Becket in France" and Professor Gulacsi won an award for a pilot project for the "Computerized Digital Restoration of Manichaean Book Paintings."

"and not a drop to drink"
As part of a College of Arts and Letters competition for projects to highlight the college's Water Theme, Professor Zsuzsanna Gulacsi was awarded $1500 to enhance the Art History slide room holdings of images of Japanese Gardens. Joseph Boles was awarded $2000 to bring in "watery" films both for HAR and the rest of the college.

"and carry a big mace"
Humanities professor Marcus Ford concluded his term as Faculty Senate President leading in the faculty and the students at all four University graduation ceremonies. The revision of the Liberal Studies program and salaries dominated faculty discussions this year. He will continue to serve as Past President this coming year.

"the Gulacsi codicological"
Newly published, promoted, and tenured Art History Professor and Program coordinator Zsuzsanna Gulacsi has been awarded an American Council of Learned Societies/Ryskamp Research Fellowship, for her project "Formation of Medieval Book Art in West and Central Asia: A Codicological Study of Eastern Christian, Manichaean, and Islamic Illuminated Manuscripts from the 8th to the 12th Centuries." She will spend this fall as a the National Humanities Center Fellow at Research Triangle Park and then onto Europe to extend her study of Islamic manuscripts.

"magisterial endeavor"
Arne Hassing is in the final stages of revision of his book, The Church's Resistance to Nazism in Norway, 1940-1945, for the Norwegian Academic Press. Additionally, he is working with our colleague Max Oeschlaeger on a book on Christianity and sustainability.

"welcome back to the show that never ends"
We are fortunate indeed to welcome Curtis Hinsley, Regents Professor, to the Humanities faculty. A former chair of the history department here at NAU and at Colgate University, Hinsley received his B.A. from Princeton University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has a special interest in the uses of photography in anthropological study and is the author of numerous articles, reviews and books, including From Site to Sight: Photography, Anthropology and the Power of Imagery (with Melissa Banta, 1986 Peabody Museum Press), The Smithsonian and the American Indian: Making a Moral Anthropology in Victoria America, and The Lost Itinerary of Frank Hamilton Cushing. Professor Hinsley will teach courses on the southwest, American Romanticism, Utopias, and intellectual and artistic community.

"where have all the flying buttresses gone?
Art History's Alyce Jordan is coediting "Medieval Art and Architecture after the Middle Ages" for Cambridge Scholars Press with Janet Marquardt. Due out in 2007 the anthology will examine the reception of medieval art and architecture monuments in the centuries since their creation. The book will also look at the continued use of medieval art, as well as its adaptation, neglect, destruction, restoration and reinvention. She has also had a paper accepted at "The Nature and Function of Water, Baths, Bathing, and Hygiene from Antiquity through the Renaissance" conference entitles "The Water of Thomas Becket: Water as Medium, Metaphor and Relic." Dr Jordan will assume the Program Coordinatorship for Art History in the Fall.

"final lecture...not"
As a parting gesture as he stepped down as Chair of the Program in Community, Culture, and Environment, Professor Max Oelschlaeger delivered a "last lecture" for colleagues, students, and community. A witty and intellectually rich coda to his career, his presentation was warmly received. Dr. Max will now help anchor the new online iteration of the Humanities degree, delivering courses as varied as "Introduction to Humanities," "Humanities in the Enlightenment and Romantic Era," and "Nature and Values."

"montreal, kerala, london oh my!"
Professor Bruce M. Sullivan has been trotting the globe, having presented a paper at a conference sponsored by the Government of India's Ministry of Culture and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in the capital of Kerala in south India; a paper in July at the University of London, School of Oriental & African Studies; and a paper in Montreal, Quebec, at the joint international meeting of the American Literary Translators Assn. & Literary Translators’ Assn. of Canada.

"blinded by science, enlightenment through poetry"
Professor Gioia Woods, who recently published her monograph on Gary Nabhan in the Western Writers Series, returned this spring from a sabbatical looking at questions of "Science and Poetry," specifically as seen in the works of W.S.Merwin, Pattiann Rogers, and Alison Deming and the ways in which they "make meaning" about science. She assumes the mantle of Humanities Program Coordinatorship in the Fall.

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