Library of Congress: News from the John W. Kluge Center

Superman a Violent Narcissist? Kluge Fellow Chris Bishop Discusses the Anti-Comics Campaign of the 1950s, June 20—Dispatch June 18, 2013

On Thursday, June 20, at 12 p.m., Kluge Fellow Chris Bishop discusses Frederic Wertham and the anti-comics campaign of the 1950s.

Psychiatrist and author Fredric Wertham labeled comics a source of delinquent behavior in adolescents. He interpreted Superman as a violent narcissist, read homo-eroticism into the Batman adventures, and presented Wonder Woman as a lesbian sadomasochist. His criticisms helped spark a Congressional inquiry into the comic book industry. Was Wertham so far from the truth? A close reading of the comics today seems to validate many of Wertham’s theories.

What: “‘No Evil Shall Escape My Sight’: Frederic Wertham and the Anti-Comics Crusade,” a lecture by Chris Bishop, Kluge Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, June 20th at 12 p.m.

Where: Woodrow Wilson Room (LJ-113), Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

Can’t join us in person? Visit the Kluge Center YouTube page to see video of each event. Webcasts go up approximately two months after the date of the program: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8FA0A3359E858D1A

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with policymakers and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/kluge.

Marie Curie Fellow Jean-Francois Mouhot to Discuss the Environmental History of Haiti, June 18—Dispatch June 13, 2013

On Tuesday, June 18, at 12 p.m., Jean-Francois Mouhot examines the environmental factors that shaped the history of the western part of the island of Hispaniola—as well as the ways in which humans transformed the island's landscape, in particular deforestation and soil erosion. Mouhot is an environmental historian, author, scholar on the environmental history of Haiti, and current Marie Curie Fellow at the Library of Congress John W. Kluge Center.

What: “Haiti’s Environmental History: 1492 – Today,” a lecture by Jean-Francois Mouhot, Marie Curie Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Tuesday, June 18th at 12 p.m.

Where: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

Can’t join us in person? Visit the Kluge Center YouTube page to see video of each event. Webcasts go up approximately two months after the date of the program: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8FA0A3359E858D1A

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with policymakers and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/kluge.

Visiting Fellow Peter Kalliney to Discuss Modernism, African Literature and the CIA, June 13—Dispatch June 11, 2013

The CIA was the most active sponsor of African writing in English during the 1960s. The agency covertly funded African writers such as Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka, as well as Africa’s best magazines, radio programs, and conferences. Peter Kalliney, Visiting Fellow from the University of Kentucky, discusses why the CIA had interest in funding the emerging literature of post-colonial Africa.

What: “Modernism, African Literature—and the CIA?” a lecture by Peter Kalliney, Visiting Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, June 13th at 12 p.m.

Where: Woodrow Wilson Room (LJ-113), Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

Can’t join us in person? Visit the Kluge Center YouTube page to see video of each event. Webcasts go up approximately two months after the date of the program: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8FA0A3359E858D1A

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with policymakers and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/kluge.

Kluge Center Announces Call for Kluge Fellowship Applications—Dispatch June 6, 2013

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting applications for Kluge Fellowships. The application deadline is July 15, 2013.

The Kluge Fellowships are residential research fellowships at the Library of Congress open to scholars worldwide with a Ph.D. or other terminal advanced degree conferred within seven years of the deadline. The Fellowship supports research in the humanities and social sciences, especially interdisciplinary, cross-cultural or multilingual projects. The Kluge Center especially encourages humanistic and social science research that makes use of the Library’s large and varied collections.

Fellowships are tenable for periods from four to eleven months at a stipend of $4,200 per month. Up to ten Kluge Fellowships will be awarded. Fellows may be in residence at any time during the fourteen-month window between June 1 of the year in which the Fellowship is awarded and August 1 of the year following. The constraints of space and the desirability of accommodating the maximum number of fellows may lead to an offer of fewer months than originally requested.

Apply for the Kluge Fellowship by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kluge.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with policymakers and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/kluge.

This Week at The John W. Kluge Center—Dispatch June 3, 2013

This week at The John W. Kluge Center:

Morton Kondracke, Jack Kemp Chair in Political Economy, discusses Jack Kemp’s impact on national and international policy.
Tuesday, June 4th, 4 p.m., Room 119, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building

Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Kluge Chair in Countries and Cultures of the South, discusses Jews and “New Christians” in Portuguese Asia, 1500-1700.
Wednesday, June 5th, 12 p.m., Room 113, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building
Co-sponsored with the Embassy of India

Marie Arana, writer-at-large for the Washington Post and member of the Library of Congress Scholars Council, discusses her new book Bolivar: An American Liberator.
Thursday, June 6th, 4 p.m., Room 119, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building.

All programs are free and open to the public.

Learn more at loc.gov/kluge.

For maps and directions, visit loc.gov/visit/directions.

Can’t join us in person? Visit the Kluge Center YouTube page to see video of each event. Webcasts go up approximately two months after the date of the program: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8FA0A3359E858D1A

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Call for David B. Larson Fellowship in Health and Spirituality—Dispatch February 28, 2013

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting applications for the David B. Larson Fellowship in Health and Spirituality. The application deadline is April 17, 2013.

The Larson Fellowship is a post-doctoral fellowship in the field of health and spirituality. Made possible by a generous endowment from the International Center for the Integration of Health and Spirituality (ICIHS), the fellowship is named in honor of the Center’s late founder, David B. Larson, an epidemiologist and psychiatrist. The fellowship is designed to continue Dr. Larson’s legacy of promoting meaningful, scholarly study of these two important and increasingly interrelated fields. It seeks to encourage the pursuit of scholarly excellence in the scientific study of the relation of religiousness and spirituality to physical, mental, and social health.

Conducting full time research on-site at the Library of Congress, the fellowship provides an opportunity for a period of six to twelve months of concentrated use of the Library’s collections. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must possess a doctoral degree awarded by the deadline date. For the purposes of the Larson Fellowship, doctoral degrees include the Ph.D., M.D., Sc.D., Dr.P.H., D.S.W., P.Psy., D.S.T., Th.D., and J.D. A stipend of $4,200 per month supports the Fellow.

Apply for the Larson Fellowship by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/larson.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

David Grinspoon to Partake in Feb. 28 Panel Discussion; First Public Event as NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology—Dispatch February 26, 2013

Thursday, February 28 marks the first public event at the Library of Congress for David Grinspoon as the NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology at The John W. Kluge Center.

The Astrobiology Chair is a joint project between the NASA Astrobiology Institute and the Kluge Center. In April 2012, David H. Grinspoon, curator of astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, was named the inaugural chair holder. He began his residency on November 1, researching the Earth’s history from an interplanetary context in order to illuminate the planet’s current geological situation.

Grinspoon will participate in this Thursday’s noontime panel discussion on the environment hosted by the Kluge Center at the Library. The panel convenes three scholars from different disciplines to discuss human perspectives on the environment and the moral implications of those views. How do our differing perspectives on nature impact our behavior? Grinspoon will bring an interplanetary perspective to the discussion, which will be moderated by Kluge Center Director Carolyn T. Brown. Other panelists include environmental historian Jean-Francois Mouhot, and researcher Matthias Klestil, who studies the environmental consciousness in African-American literature.

For more details on the panelists and the event, read the press release at: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/13-027.html. The event is free and open to the public.

What: “The Evolving Moral Landscape: Perspectives on the Environment – Literary, Historical and Interplanetary” a panel discussion hosted by The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, February 28th at 12 p.m.

Where: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Just Announced: Three Kluge Scholars to Examine Human Perspectives on the Environment, Feb. 28—Dispatch February 19, 2013

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress will bring together three scholars from three different disciplines in a panel discussion centered on human perspectives on the environment and the moral implications of those views.

The panel, titled “The Evolving Moral Landscape: Perspectives on the Environment – Literary, Historical and Interplanetary” features three scholars-in-residence examining how human perceptions of our relationship to the environment vary considerably, and the implications for human behavior. The discussion will be moderated by Kluge Center Director Carolyn T. Brown.

The panel features David H. Grinspoon, the first Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, in his first public event at the Library. Additional panelists are environmental historian Jean-Francois Mouhot, a scholar in the environmental history of Haiti and current Marie Curie Fellow at the Kluge Center; and Matthias Klestil, Bavarian Fellow at the Kluge Center who studies the environmental consciousness in African-American literature.

What: “The Evolving Moral Landscape: Perspectives on the Environment – Literary, Historical and Interplanetary” a panel discussion hosted by The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, February 28th at 12 p.m.

Where: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

Read the full press release at: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/13-027.html

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Fellow Joel Frykholm to Discuss the Career of George Kleine and the Emergence of Hollywood, Feb. 14—Dispatch February 7, 2013

Film culture as we have come to know it emerged in the 1910s. Feature films and movie stars became key commodities; film exhibition was streamlined as purpose-built movie theaters emerged; Hollywood developed into the center of American as well as global cinema; and motion pictures came to be recognized as an art form in their own right.

Kluge Fellow Joel Frykholm tells the story of this tumultuous period from the perspective of one person: George Kleine—a captain of film industry at the time but today virtually unknown outside the field of film historians. He explores what happened to Kleine in the face of rapid historical change, why he drifted into historiographical oblivion, and why his case is ripe for rediscovery.

What: “The Lost Tycoon: Rediscovering George Kleine, Reframing Early American Cinema,” a lecture by Joel Frykholm, Kluge Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, February 14th at 12 p.m.

Where: Woodrow Wilson Room (LJ-113), Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

The Short-Term Kislak Fellowship: An Opportunity for the Study of the History and Cultures of the Early Americas—Dispatch February 6, 2013

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress continues to accept applications for the Kislak Short-term Fellowship for the Study of the History and Cultures of the Early Americas. The application deadline is March 1, 2013.

The Kislak Fellowship is a short-term fellowship for independent scholars, undergraduate and graduate students, and college and university faculty to conduct research based on items from the Kislak Collection, a major collection of rare books, manuscripts, historic documents, maps and art of the Americas donated to the Library of Congress by the Jay I. Kislak Foundation of Miami Lakes, FL. The collection contains some of the earliest records of indigenous peoples in North America and superb objects from the discovery, contact, and colonial periods, especially for Florida, the Caribbean, and Mesoamerica.

Conducting full time research on-site at the Library of Congress, the Fellowship supports scholarly research that contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the cultures and history of the Americas. A stipend of $4,200 per month for a period of up to 4 months supports the Fellow. Two fellowships will be offered during the next round and awards will be announced by August 2013.

Apply for the Kislak Short-Term Fellowship by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kislakshort.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Maguire Chair Robin Lovin to Investigate Reinhold Niebuhr and the Possibility for Moral Deliberation in Politics—Dispatch February 5, 2013

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Robin Lovin to the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

Lovin, a professor of ethics at Southern Methodist University, will spend four months at the Library of Congress researching 20th-century American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, his theories of Christian realism, and the possibility for moral deliberation in politics.

“Niebuhr’s Christian realism was probably the most significant public use of religious ideas in the 20th century,” says Lovin. “My effort is to explore what Niebuhrian realism means for us today, and what it has to tell us about politics and the human good.”

Learn more about Lovin and his research at:
http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/13-016.html.

Learn more about the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/maguire.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

German Fellow Stefanie Schaefer to Discuss the Yankee in Nineteenth Century America, Feb. 7—Dispatch January 31, 2012

The “Yankee” was omnipresent in 19th century literary and popular culture in the United States. On Thusday, February 7 at noon, German Fellow Stefanie Schaefer traces the Yankee’s most commonly known sectional (Northern) denomination to its origins and explores how this allegory was used to imagine an American national identity.

What: “Jonathan Going South: The Yankee and the Making of American National Character,” a lecture by Stefanie Schaefer, German Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, February 7th at 12 p.m.

Where: Woodrow Wilson Room (LJ-113), Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Call for Alan Lomax Fellowship in Folklife Studies—Dispatch January 29, 2013

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting applications for the Alan Lomax Fellowship in Folklife Studies. The application deadline is March 31, 2013.

The Lomax Fellowship is a post-doctoral fellowship for advanced research based on the Library of Congress Alan Lomax Collection. The Lomax Collection is a major collection of ethnographic field audio recordings, motion pictures, photographs, manuscripts, correspondence and other materials that represent Lomax’s lifetime of work to document and analyze traditional music, dance, storytelling and other expressive genres that arise from cultural groups in many parts of the world, particularly the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean. Lomax (1915-2002) was one of the greatest documenters of traditional culture during the twentieth century.

Conducting full time research on-site at the Library of Congress, the Fellowship supports scholarly research that contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the work of Lomax and the cultural traditions he documented over the course of a vigorous and highly productive seventy-year career. A stipend of $4,200 per month for a period of up to 8 months supports the Fellow.

Apply for the Lomax Fellowship by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/lomax.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Inquiring Minds: An Interview with Kluge Fellow Lindsay Tuggle—Dispatch January 24, 2013

An interview with Kluge Fellow Lindsay Tuggle is the latest blog post in the Library’s “Inquiring Minds” series.

A Ph.D. in English Literary Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia, Tuggle grew up in Alabama and Kentucky and has always been fascinated by the Civil War. Her research explores Walt Whitman’s role in the evolving cultural understandings of the body as an object of posthumous discovery and desire during the conflict. Tuggle talks about how she became interested in Whitman, her forthcoming book, and the discovery of a fragment of an unpublished Whitman poem in the Library of Congress collection that deals with skeletal human remains.

Read the full interview at: 1.usa.gov/10NJfKK

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Fellow Lindsay Tuggle to Discuss Science and Mourning in Whitman’s America, Jan. 24—Dispatch January 15, 2012

Walt Whitman’s experiences caring for wounded soldiers during the Civil War changed his perception of the wounded body, the dead, and the corpse. The Civil War as a whole was an era of “corpse fever,” reflected in the popularity of mourning manuals, elegies, séances, and posthumous portraiture. The conflict ushered in an era of national mourning that centred around the memorialisation of bodies en masse.

Kluge Fellow Lindsay Tuggle will discuss Whitman’s role in the evolving cultural understandings of the body as an object of posthumous discovery and desire during the Civil War. The lecture will occur at the Library of Congress at 12 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24 in the Woodrow Wilson Room (LJ-113) on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture is free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed.

What: “The Afterlives of Specimens: Science and Mourning in Whitman’s America,” a lecture by Lindsay Tuggle, Kluge Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, January 24th at 12 p.m.

Where: Woodrow Wilson Room (LJ-113), Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Inquiring Minds: An Interview with British Research Council Fellow Maria Shmygol—Dispatch January 10, 2013

An interview with British Research Council Fellow Maria Shmygol is the latest blog post in the Library’s “Inquiring Minds” series.

A doctoral candidate at the University of Liverpool, Shmygol’s research explores how developments in commerce, navigation and exploration impacted representations of the sea on the Renaissance stage. She talks about her interest in the Renaissance, her fascination with sea monsters, and her discovery of a collection of unusual sketches by a little-known Florentine artist while researching in the Library’s Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

Read the full interview at 1.usa.gov/ZmaNRU

In 2012, 28 promising young scholars from the United Kingdom conducted research at the Library of Congress Kluge Center, funded by Britain’s Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council. The British Research Councils have been collaborating with the Library since 2006 to provide short-term opportunities for scholars based in the U.K.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Programming for the Winter/Spring 2013 Season—Dispatch January 8, 2013

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress has announced its programming for the upcoming winter/spring 2013 season. The programs highlight the work of senior and junior scholars in residence at the Center.

The season’s programming is highlighted by lectures by two distinguished senior scholars the week of April 29 – May 3. Legal scholar John Witte, Jr., will lecture on the western arguments for monogamy over polygamy on April 30. Cold War historian Will Hitchcock discusses the leadership of President Eisenhower during the 1950s on May 2.

Lectures by junior scholars include Walt Whitman’s Civil War America, the early Hollywood magnate George Kleine, and 1960s vagrancy laws. All scholars use the Library’s rich collections to inform their research.

Visit http://www.loc.gov/kluge/news/ to see the full list of programs. All are free and open to the public. No tickets are required. On rare occasions event times and locations may change; please check the Kluge Center website prior to each event.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/kluge/.

NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology David Grinspoon to Discuss the Human Role in the Earth’s Evolution at the Cosmos Club on Jan. 4—Dispatch January 2, 2013

On Friday, January 4, at 8:30 p.m., David Grinspoon, NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, presents a lecture titled “The Human Role in Earth Evolution: Will the Anthropocene be an Event, an Era or a Transition?” at the meeting of the Philosophical Society of Washington held at the Cosmos Club. The event is free and open to the public.

Grinspoon was recently installed as the inaugural Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology at The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. During his one-year tenure at the Library, he will research the era of humans as a geological force on Earth, sometimes called the Anthropocene Era, from an interplanetary perspective, comparing Earth to similar planets over time.

What: “The Human Role in Earth Evolution: Will the Anthropocene be an Event, an Era or a Transition?” a lecture by NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology David Grinspoon.

When: Friday, January 4th at 8:30 p.m.

Where: John Wesley Powell Auditorium, adjacent to the Cosmos Club, 2170 Florida Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20008.

For more information, visit http://www.philsoc.org.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Visiting Scholar Wesley Granberg-Michaelson Discusses “The Pilgrimage of World Christianity” on Voice of America’s Press Conference USA—Dispatch December 26, 2012

How has Christianity’s presence within the world changed, and what impact has it had on the religion?

Distinguished visiting scholar Wesley Granberg-Michaelson explored these questions while in residence at The John W. Kluge Center. Granberg-Michaelson found an explosion of Christianity in the Global South, a trend that is presenting new challenges for Christian unity.

Granberg-Michaelson discussed his research with host Carol Castiel of Voice of America’s “Press Conference USA,” in an interview recorded live inside The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Listen to the full interview on the Voice of America website:

http://www.voanews.com/archive/press-conference-usa/latest/706/1458.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Call for Kislak Short-term Fellowship for the Study of the History and Cultures of the Early Americas—Dispatch December 20, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting applications for the Kislak Short-term Fellowship for the Study of the History and Cultures of the Early Americas. The application deadline is March 1, 2013.

The Kislak Fellowship is a short-term fellowship for independent scholars, undergraduate and graduate students, and college and university faculty to conduct research based on items from the Kislak Collection, a major collection of rare books, manuscripts, historic documents, maps and art of the Americas donated to the Library of Congress by the Jay I. Kislak Foundation of Miami Lakes, FL. The collection contains some of the earliest records of indigenous peoples in North America and superb objects from the discovery, contact, and colonial periods, especially for Florida, the Caribbean, and Mesoamerica.

Conducting full time research on-site at the Library of Congress, the Fellowship supports scholarly research that contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the cultures and history of the Americas. A stipend of $4,200 per month for a period of up to 4 months supports the Fellow. Two fellowships will be offered during the next round and awards will be announced by August 2013.

Apply for the Kislak Short-Term Fellowship by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kislakshort.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Event Highlights: “The Pilgrimage of World Christianity” (Dec. 13)—Dispatch December 18, 2012

How has Christianity’s presence within the world changed? Distinguished visiting scholar Wesley Granberg-Michaelson illuminated that answer last Thursday at The John W. Kluge Center.

Granberg-Michaelson outlined demographic trends that are profoundly impacting the character of the religion. By 2025, Granberg-Michaelson reported, Africa’s Christian population is expected to be 633 million people. Christianity is currently growing faster in Asia than Islam. One out of every four Pentecostals lives in Asia; one out of three lives in Africa. By all accounts, the growth of Christianity in the Global South is astonishing.

These changes do not come without tension, Granberg-Michaelson asserted. Geographical divisions cause rifts over resources. And, he said, the changes create huge challenges to Christian unity, as denominations learn how to stay in relationship to one another.

Granberg-Michaelson’s research at the Library of Congress will inform his forthcoming book, to be published in 2013 by Eerdmans Publishing Company. For more information on Granberg-Michaelson’s research and time in residence at the Kluge Center, visit: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-184.html.

A webcast of the program will be available on The John W. Kluge website in the coming months.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Visiting Scholar Wesley Granberg-Michaelson to Discuss “The Pilgrimage of World Christianity,” Dec. 13—Dispatch December 4, 2012

The face of Christianity has changed, says scholar Wesley Granberg-Michaelson.

“The typical Christian in the world today is a woman in a village in Kenya,” says the Kluge Center’s distinguished visiting scholar. “The shifts to Africa, Asia and Latin America constitute an astonishing change in how Christianity is present within the world. That creates a huge challenge in Christianity in learning how to stay in relationship to one another,” he adds.

Granberg-Michaelson will discuss this demographic shift to the Global South, and its ramifications for the religion, at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13 in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture is free and open to the public. Tickets are not needed.

What: “The Pilgrimage of World Christianity: A Post-Christian West and the Non-Western Church” a lecture by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, distinguished visiting scholar at the John W. Kluge Center.

When: Thursday, December 13th at 4 p.m. Reception to follow.

Where: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

More information: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-216.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Inquiring Minds: An Interview with Astrobiologist David H. Grinspoon—Dispatch November 30, 2012

An interview with the first Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology is the latest blog post in the Library’s “Inquiring Minds” series.

American astrobiologist David Grinspoon explains the origins of astrobiology, how he came to join the field, his role on the Curiosity Rover mission to Mars, and his vision for his one-year tenure at The John W. Kluge Center.

Read the full interview at:
http://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2012/11/inquiring-minds-an-interview-with-astrobiologist-david-h-grinspoon/

The Kluge Center is currently accepting applications for the second NASA/LC Chair, who will begin at the conclusion of Grinspoon’s tenure next year. Application information is available on the Kluge Center website. The deadline to apply is December 17.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Application Deadline Extended to Dec. 17 for NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology—Dispatch November 29, 2012

The application deadline for the NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology has been extended to December 17, 2012.

Please visit the NASA/Library of Congress astrobiology webpage on The John W. Kluge Center website to learn more or to apply:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/NASA-astrobiology.html

The astrobiology chair is a distinguished senior research position in residence at the Library of Congress John W. Kluge Center for a period of up to twelve months. Using research facilities and services at the Library, the scholar engages in research at the intersection of the science of astrobiology and its humanistic aspects, particularly its societal implications. Humanities and science scholars are encouraged to apply. A stipend of $13,500 per month during the term of appointment supports the scholar.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Scholar John Witte, Jr. Discusses “Sharia in the West” on Voice of America’s Press Conference USA—Dispatch November 28, 2012

Is there a place for family law systems such as Sharia, Halacha and Canon Law in liberal democracies?

Kluge scholar John Witte, Jr., says yes in an interview with Carol Castiel, host of Voice of America’s “Press Conference USA.”

Witte and Castiel explore issues of family law and faith in their recent discussion recorded live inside The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. Witte says that this will become a hotly debated and politicized issue in America in the coming years.

Listen to the full interview on the Voice of America website:
http://www.voanews.com/audio/audio/231605.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Fall Newsletter Now Available Online—Dispatch November 27, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center fall newsletter is now available online at http://www.loc.gov/kluge.

This season’s issue features:

• A message from Director Carolyn Brown on the Kluge Center’s record number of scholars in fiscal year 2012.
• A recap of the 2012 Kluge Prize awarded to Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
• Highlights from the Kluge Center’s rich year of programming.
• An interview with legal scholar John Witte, Jr., Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History, on “Sharia in the West.”
• News and notes from Kluge alumni, including new books, publications, and life events.

Download the full issue at:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/newsletters/KlugeNewsletterFall2012.pdf

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

The NASA/Library of Congress Chair: An Opportunity for Research in the Human and Social Implications of Astrobiology—Dispatch November 20, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress continues to accept applications from humanities and science scholars for the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology. The application deadline is December 1.

The astrobiology chair is a distinguished senior research position in residence at the Library of Congress for a period of up to twelve months. Using research facilities and services at the Library, the scholar engages in research at the intersection of the science of astrobiology and its humanistic aspects, particularly its societal implications. The chair holder also organizes workshops, symposia, or other activities that engage the broader academic community and the public. A stipend of $13,500 per month during the term of appointment supports the scholar.

Astrobiology addresses three fundamental questions: “How did life begin and evolve?” “Is there life beyond Earth?” and “What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?” Before the advent of modern science, these questions were largely in the realm of philosophy, theology and ethics. Today, the tools of science are increasingly being brought to bear to address these questions. The astrobiology chair represents an opportunity for high-level collaboration in understanding the interface between astrobiology and human society.

Apply for the NASA/Library of Congress Chair by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/NASA-astrobiology.html

Email questions or requests for more information to:
scholarly@loc.gov

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

New Kluge Center Webcasts Now Available—Dispatch November 8, 2012

Social movements in the Internet age. Muslim Spain as a symbol of Arab nationalism.
How custom functions as law. Imperialism, self-determination and the rise of human rights.

These are among the topics covered in new webcasts available on The John W. Kluge Center website at http://www.loc.gov/kluge.

The new webcasts highlight recent scholarship conducted by Kluge residents at the Library of Congress. Kluge Chair in Technology and Society Manuel Castells examined patterns common to social movements of the Internet Age such as the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street. Kluge Fellow Peter Wien discussed Al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, and its role as a symbol of Arab nationalism in the 20th century. Kluge Fellow Emily Kadens traced the efforts of medieval and early modern jurists to understand how custom functions as law. Historian Samuel Moyn asserted that though decolonization was a human rights victory, it was not thought of as such in its early years in his lecture delivered at the Seventh International Seminar on Decolonization, organized by the National History Center and hosted by the Kluge Center.

Each month, The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress hosts lectures, book talks, or panel discussions featuring prominent scholars as part of the Library’s ongoing mission of sharing its knowledge with the public. The programs are filmed and shared on the Library of Congress and Kluge Center websites. Select Kluge programs are also available on YouTube and iTunes U.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Legal Scholar John Witte, Jr. on “Sharia in the West”: “It’s a Question That is Going to Explode”—Dispatch October 31, 2012

Legal scholar John Witte, Jr., explores issues on the frontier of family law. In particular, he’s examining the legitimacy and authority of faith-based family law systems based on Sharia, Halacha and Canon Law that are operating quietly in many Western countries, including the United States.

It is a question “lurking just over the horizon in the United States,” Witte says. “It’s a question that is going to explode, especially when an issue regarding Sharia captures public imagination.”

Witte recently sat down with the Jason Steinhauer of the John W. Kluge Center to discuss how scholarship can help people think through this potentially inflammatory topic. Read the full interview on the Library of Congress blog:
http://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2012/10/inquiring-minds-an-interview-with-john-witte/

Witte’s lecture on “Sharia in the West?” will occur as scheduled on Thursday, November 1, at 4 p.m., in the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required.

What: “Sharia in the West? What Place for Faith-Based Family Laws in Liberal Democracies?” a lecture by John Witte, Jr., Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History

When: Thursday, November 1st at 4 p.m.

Where: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

More information: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-190.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Chair John Witte, Jr., to Discuss “Sharia in the West”—Dispatch October 25, 2012

On Thursday, November 1, at 4 p.m., The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents a free lecture titled “Sharia in the West? What Place for Faith-Based Family Laws in Liberal Democracies?”

The talk will be given by John Witte, Jr., the recent Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at the Kluge Center. Witte is a specialist in legal history, marriage law and religious liberty. He has published 220 articles, 15 journal symposia and 26 books. His talk will discuss how Western legal systems grapple with non-state-based, family-law systems such as Sharia, Halacha and Canon Law.

What: “Sharia in the West? What Place for Faith-Based Family Laws in Liberal Democracies?” a lecture by Kluge Chair John Witte, Jr.

When: Thursday, November 1st at 4 p.m.

Where: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

More information: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-190.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

The Kissinger Chair: An Opportunity for Scholarship in Foreign Policy and International Relations—Dispatch October 23, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress continues to accept applications from senior scholars for the Henry A. Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations. The application deadline is November 1.

The Kissinger Chair is a distinguished senior research position in residence at the Library of Congress for a period of up to ten months. Using research facilities and services at the Library of Congress, the Scholar is expected to engage in research on foreign policy and international affairs that will lead to publication. A stipend of $13,500 per month during the term of appointment supports the scholar.

The Kissinger Chair is appointed by the Librarian of Congress. A committee consisting of representatives from the academic community and high-ranking foreign policy experts advises in the selection. Interested parties may apply directly or nominate a colleague for the position.

Past Kissinger Chair Holders include Klaus Larres, Xiang Lanxin, Melvyn P. Leffler, C. Raja Mohan, Teresita Schaffer, and Alexander Evans. The scholar may be of any nationality and will have achieved distinction in the field of foreign affairs.

Apply for the Kissinger Chair by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kissinger.html

Email questions or requests for more information to:
scholarly@loc.gov

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Fellow Christopher J. Lee Examines the Cold War, Decolonization, and the Indian Ocean World—Dispatch October 16, 2012

On Thursday, October 25th, at 12 p.m., The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents a free lecture on decolonization, the Indian Ocean World and the Cold War titled “The Indian Ocean as a 'Zone of Peace': Decolonization and the Politics of the Cold War Between Africa and Asia.”

The talk will be given by Christopher J. Lee, Kluge Fellow and Assistant Professor of History at University of North Carolina. Lee edited the volume of essays “Making a World After Empire: The Bandung Moment and Its Political Afterlives” that examined the meaning of The Bandung Conference, a meeting of Asian and African states in 1955 to discuss issues of Cold War politics and the influence of Western powers on African and Asian affairs. Lee’s work at the Kluge Center built upon his work done with the book.

What: “The Indian Ocean as a 'Zone of Peace': Decolonization and the Politics of the Cold War Between Africa and Asia,” a lecture by Kluge Fellow Christopher J. Lee.

When: Thursday, October 25th at 12 p.m.

Where: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

The Kislak Fellowship: An Opportunity for Research in the History and Cultures of the Early Americas—Dispatch October 9, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress continues to accept applications from post-graduate scholars for the Kislak Fellowship in American Studies. The application deadline is October 15.

The Kislak Fellowship is a post-doctoral fellowship for advanced research in the study of the history and cultures of the early Americas, based on the Library’s Kislak Collection. The collection contains some of the earliest records of indigenous peoples in North America and superb objects from the discovery, contact, and colonial periods, especially for Florida, the Caribbean, and Mesoamerica.

Conducting full time research on-site at the Library of Congress, the Fellow is expected to engage in scholarly research that contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the cultures and history of the Americas. A stipend of $4,200 per month for a period of up to 8 months supports the Fellow.

Apply now at:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kislak.html

See treasures from the Kislak collection at:
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/kislak/

Email questions or requests for more information to:
scholarly@loc.gov

Apply today for an opportunity to conduct research in the world’s largest repository of knowledge, the Library of Congress.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Call for NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology—Dispatch October 4, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting nominations and applications for the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology. The application deadline is December 1, 2012.

The NASA/Library of Congress Chair is a distinguished senior research position in residence at the Library of Congress for a period of up to twelve months. Using research facilities and services at the Library of Congress, the scholar is expected to engage in research on the intersection between the science of astrobiology and its humanistic aspects, particularly its societal implications. A stipend of $13,500 per month during the term of appointment supports the scholar.

Astrobiology is the study of the origins, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe. It addresses three fundamental questions: How did life begin and evolve? Is there life elsewhere? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?

Learn more about Astrobiology on the Library’s press page:
http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-188.html

Nominate a scholar, or apply, by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/NASA-astrobiology.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Distinguished Visiting Scholar Wesley Granberg-Michaelson Examines the Impact of Christianity’s Changing Face—Dispatch October 2, 2012

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Wesley Granberg-Michaelson as a distinguished visiting scholar at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

The former general secretary of the Reformed Church in America, Granberg-Michaelson will use the Library’s resources to examine the impact of major demographic changes in the Christian world.

“The typical Christian in the world today is a woman in a village in Kenya,” said Granberg-Michaelson. “The shifts to Africa, Asia and Latin America constitute an astonishing change in how Christianity is present within the world. That presents a huge challenge in Christianity in learning how to stay in relationship to one another.”

Granberg-Michaelson will sit in residence at the Kluge Center for six weeks while finishing his forthcoming book.

Learn more about the Kluge Center’s newest distinguished visiting scholar on the Library’s press page: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-184.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Staff Fellow John W. Hessler Reconstructs Roman Law Using New Computational Techniques—Dispatch September 25, 2012

On Thursday, September 27th, at 4 p.m., The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents a free lecture on how new computational techniques can reconstruct how elements of medieval manuscripts are related to each. These new techniques are changing the face of even the most traditional of the humanities, classical philology.

The talk will be given by John W. Hessler, Kluge Staff Fellow and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Hessler will use the notes of the classical philologist Paul Kruger, whose manuscripts were recently rediscovered in the Law Library of Congress.

What: “Chasing Kruger’s Dream: Studying the Transmission of Classical and Medieval Manuscripts Using Lattice Theory and Information Entropy” a lecture by Kluge Staff Fellow John W. Hessler.

When: Thursday, September 27th at 4 p.m. Reception to follow.

Where: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Alan Lomax Fellow Deirdre Ní Chonghaile Speaks on Sidney Robertson Cowell and the Collection of Irish Folk in the 1950s—Dispatch September 13, 2012

On Thursday, September 20th, at 12 noon, The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents a free lecture on American folk music collector Sidney Robertson Cowell and her work in Ireland on the music of Conamara and the Aran Islands in 1955 and 1956. The lecture will be delivered by the Alan Lomax Fellow in Folklife Studies Deirdre Ní Chonghaile.

Chonghaile’s talk, titled “The Yank with the Box: Sidney Robertson Cowell collects music in 1950s Ireland” will examine work of Cowell’s that remains largely unknown to music historians, ethnomusicologists, and folklorists. Chonghaile explains that Cowell has been marginalized in the histories of the many places she worked during her twenty year career.

What: “The Yank with the Box: Sidney Robertson Cowell collects music in 1950s Ireland,” a lecture by Alan Lomax Fellow Deirdre Ní Chonghaile.

When: Thursday, September 20th at 12 p.m.

Where: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Call for Kislak Fellowship in American Studies—Dispatch September 6, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting applications for the Kislak Fellowship in American Studies. The application deadline is October 15, 2012.

The Kislak Fellowship is a post-doctoral fellowship for advanced research based on the Library’s Kislak Collection, a major collection of rare books, manuscripts, historic documents, maps and art of the Americas donated to the Library of Congress by the Jay I. Kislak Foundation of Miami Lakes, FL. The collection contains some of the earliest records of indigenous peoples in North America and superb objects from the discovery, contact, and colonial periods, especially for Florida, the Caribbean, and Mesoamerica.

Conducting full time research on-site at the Library of Congress, the Fellow is expected to engage in scholarly research that contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the cultures and history of the Americas. A stipend of $4,200 per month for a period of up to 8 months supports the Fellow.

Successful proposals will clearly indicate the purpose and principal scholarly contribution of the project, and the benefit to the project of working in the Library of Congress using both the Kislak materials and the Library’s other collections. Interdisciplinary projects that combine disciplines in novel and productive ways are encouraged.

Apply for the Kislak Fellowship by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kislak.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Announces Call for Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations—Dispatch September 5, 2012

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is now accepting nominations and applications for the Henry A. Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations. The application deadline is November 1, 2012.

The Kissinger Chair is a distinguished senior research position in residence at the Library of Congress for a period of up to ten months. Using research facilities and services at the Library of Congress, the Scholar is expected to engage in research on foreign policy and international affairs that will lead to publication. A stipend of $13,500 per month during the term of appointment supports the scholar.

The Kissinger Chair is appointed by the Librarian of Congress. A committee consisting of representatives from the academic community and high-ranking foreign policy experts advises in the selection. Interested parties may apply directly or nominate a colleague for the position.

Past Kissinger Chair Holders include Klaus Larres, Xiang Lanxin, Melvyn P. Leffler, C. Raja Mohan, Teresita Schaffer, and Alexander Evans. The scholar may be of any nationality and will have achieved distinction in the field of foreign affairs.

Nominate a scholar for the Kissinger Chair by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/nominations.html

Apply for the Kissinger Chair by visiting:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kissinger.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Fellows Team Up For New Library of Congress Publication on Two Rare and Important Maps—Dispatch August 29, 2012

Kluge fellows John W. Hessler and Chet Van Duzer, both leading authorities on the history of cartography, have teamed up on a new scholarly book titled “Seeing the World Anew,” spotlighting two cartographic treasures housed in the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division.

Hessler, the current Kluge Staff Fellow and a senior cartographic librarian at the Library of Congress, provides the narrative for Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 World Map, the first to apply the name “America” to the New World. Van Duzer, a recent Kislak Fellow in American Studies at the Kluge Center, provides the narrative for Waldseemüller’s 1516 map called the “Carta marina” (“sea chart”). The “Carta marina” is the first printed nautical chart of the world.

Both maps disappeared after they were originally published and were lost to history until their rediscovery in 1901. The Library of Congress now owns the only extant copies. Read more about the maps and the forthcoming book at: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-154.html

The Library of Congress, in association with Levenger Press, will release “Seeing the World Anew” on October 1. Hessler and Van Duzer will discuss the book at the National Book Festival, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 in the Library of Congress Pavilion on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Advance copies of the book will be sold exclusively at the National Book Festival, prior to its national release.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

New Kluge Center Webcasts Now Available—Dispatch August 24, 2012

Settler activism in Japanese Manchuria. Innovative alliances in the retail grocery trade. The impact of the Cold War on U.S.-Cuban economic relations. Morton Kondracke on the life and political career of Jack Kemp.

These are among the new webcasts available on The John W. Kluge Center website at http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/webcasts/index.php.

The new webcasts highlight the recent scholarship conducted by Kluge residents at the Library of Congress. Kluge Fellow Emer O’Dwyer examines an episode of settler activism during World War I that captures a complicated relationship with the politics of place. Kluge Fellow Vanni Pettina uncovers the cooperative attitude of U.S.-Cuba relations during the 1930s and 1940s, destabilized by the Cold War. Susan V. Spellman, the J. Franklin Jameson Fellow in American History, shows how independent grocers formed a variety of innovative alliances in the 1890s through the 1930s. The 2012 Jack Kemp Chair Morton Kondracke, a national commentator and journalist of nearly 50 years, discusses the life and political career of the nine-term Congressman.

Each month, The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress hosts lectures, book talks, or panel discussions featuring leading scholars discussing topics of worldwide significance. The programs are filmed and shared on the Library of Congress and Kluge Center websites, furthering the exchange of information and ideas within the scholarly community and the public at-large.

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Chair Manuel Castells to Lecture on Social Movements in the Internet Age—Dispatch August 21, 2012

On Thursday, August 23, at 4 p.m., The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress hosts a lecture, discussion, and reception titled “Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age.” The program features Manuel Castells, Kluge Chair in Technology and Society and leading expert on the information age and its sociological implications.

Professor Castells has examined the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and other social movements that have emerged in the Internet Age. He’ll share his observations on the recurring patterns in these movements: their origins, their use of new media, and their goal of transforming politics in the interest of the people. He’ll present what he sees to be the shape of the social movements of the Internet age, and discuss the implications of these movements for social and political change.

Who: The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress
What: “Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age”
When: Thursday, August 23rd, 4:00 p.m.
Where: Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, LJ-119.

Free and open to the public. Reception to follow.

Professor Castells has authored 26 books, including the trilogy “The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, 1996-2003,” which was translated into 23 languages, and “Communication Power,” which presents a global and interdisciplinary perspective on the social and political effects of the communications revolution. In March 2012, he was awarded the prestigious Holberg International Memorial Prize from the Parliament of Norway, the citation for which read: “Manuel Castells is the leading sociologist of the city and new information and media technologies. His ideas and writings have shaped our understanding of the political dynamics of urban and global economies in the network society.”

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Fellow Emily Kadens: “I Have the Best Job in the World”—Dispatch August 16, 2012

Law Professor and Kluge Fellow Emily Kadens says she has, “the best job in the world.”

“I love teaching law students,” says the University of Texas School of Law Professor in an interview with the Law Library of Congress. “I get to create educated lawyers,” she adds.

From January to August 2012, Professor Kadens also served as a Kluge Fellow at The John W. Kluge Center in the Library of Congress. Her research centered on theories of custom as law in the writings of medieval and early modern civilian jurists. Kadens expresses how invaluable the Library of Congress collection was to her research. “The Law stacks are the most amazing resource,” she says. “The sixteenth and seventeenth century material the Library has on the shelves is just incredible!”

Read the full interview with Professor Kadens on the Law Library of Congress blog:
http://blogs.loc.gov/law/2012/08/an-interview-with-professor-emily-kadens-kluge-fellow/

Learn more about Kluge Fellowships at:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/kluge.html

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Fellow Peter Wien Speaks on Al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, as Nationalist Symbol for Arab-Muslim Civilization—Dispatch August 1, 2012

This Thursday, August 2nd, at 12 noon, The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents a free lecture on Al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, and its role as nationalist symbol for Arab-Muslim civilization throughout the 20th century. The lecture will be delivered by Kluge Fellow Peter Wien.

Wien’s talk, titled “From the Glory of Conquest to Paradise Lost: Al-Andalus as an Arab Realm of Memory,” will discuss how “Realms of Memory” are central to how societies relate to a perceived collective past. The history of medieval al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, served as a shared point of reference for Arabs throughout the 20th century. A nationalist symbol for Arab-Muslim civilization, al-Andalus also served as a common nostalgia for a culture of “convivencia” and a flourishing of arts and sciences.

What: “From the Glory of Conquest to Paradise Lost: Al-Andalus as an Arab Realm of Memory,” a lecture by Kluge Fellow Peter Wien.

When: Thursday, August 2nd at 12 p.m.

Where: LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

Directions and maps: http://www.loc.gov/visit/directions/

The John W. Kluge Center was established at the Library of Congress in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The Center attracts outstanding scholarly figures to Washington, D.C., facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collections, and helps them engage in conversation with members of the U.S. Congress and the public. Learn more at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/.

Kluge Center Lecture "When the U.S. Went to War with Canada: Competing Narratives of the 1812 War" a Lecture by Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, Kluge Fellow

Once hailed as the Second War of Independence, The War of 1812 is now a forgotten war in the United States. In Canada, even 200 years later, the conflict remains a central event in national history. It is celebrated as the moment when the colonies reasserted their loyalty to the Crown by fighting the US alongside the British troops, and by rejecting annexation to the United States. As my talk will show, in the decades after the end of the war, writers and historians on both sides of the border articulated distinct and competing narratives about the conflict, its causes, and its outcome. These variations prove not only that, beyond linguistic and cultural commonalities, 19th-century Canada and the U.S. represented two coherent and distinct national communities, but also illuminate the North American dimension of the larger transatlantic contest between monarchy and republicanism that had started in 1776.

Thursday, July 26 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Lecture "Of All the Physicians is There a Physician?" by Farr Curlin, Larson Chair in Health and Spirituality on June 28th at Noon

Although practicing medicine is a historic and socially established way of living a good and worthy life, the best physicians at times find themselves asking of their own activity, âWhat does any of this have to do with medicine?â At such moments, physicians are bewildered and are unsure of how to proceed, even as they long to become the physician they are not yet. Physicians may be experiencing irony, at least irony as the concept is used by Kierkegaard and recovered by the philosopher Jonathan Lear in his recent book, âA Case for Irony.â Curlin will use Learâs account to describe irony and explore its place in the practice of medicine. He will describe contemporary dynamics that seem to make it hard for physicians to recognize and respond well to irony, and suggest resourcesâincluding religious concepts and practicesâthat may help physicians overcome such obstacles. In the end, how physicians respond to irony will determine if ironic experience leads to renewed efforts to realize a better medicine, or results only in detachment from and cynicism regarding medical practice as a way of living a good and faithful life.

Thursday, June 28 at Noon
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov

Kluge Center Lecture: The Creative Legacy of Russian Émigré Sculptors by Fulbright Scholar Ekaterina Khmelnitskaya

The names of many talented Russian émigré sculptors who once were prominent at the beginning of the twentieth now rarely figure in general works or specialized monographs on the history of Russian art. These exceptional artists shared the sad fate of many Russians who, for a variety of social and political reasons, found themselves outside the borders of the former Russian empire after the 1917 Revolution. The Soviet regime’s restrained and tolerant attitude toward Russian emigration in the 1920s changed in the following decade to one of extreme official hostility. After the communist party’s absolute hegemony was established, all dialogue between the two severed halves of Russian culture came to an end. It was strictly forbidden to even study the artistic legacy of those forced to emigrate, both before and after they went abroad- everything that enriched the culture of the country they had grown up in. As a result, today many artists’ works have been lost altogether or are known only from photographs and publications of the early twentieth century. This is certainly the case with the sculptors Baron K. Rausch von Traubenberg, A. Timus, S. Soudbinine and many others. They all worked for the Imperial porcelain factory in St. Petersburg and created the most outstanding porcelain chefs-d'œuvre.
The time has come to bring some historical justice to these great artists by reconnecting the “link of times” and showing the legacy of these artists whose formation occurred entirely in Russia, in all its completeness and diversity.
Thursday, June 21 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov

Kluge Center Lecture Today at 4pm: Louis Galambos to Discuss “The Creative Society and the Price Americans Paid for It”

Educated professionals have been responsible for shaping much of America’s history, according to scholar Louis Galambos. Since the turn of the 20th century, teachers, scientists, doctors, administrators, lawyers and business managers, among others, have been at the forefront of innovation and have provided solutions to many of the nation’s challenges. Our forebears from all walks of life make up this creative class that sought education to improve life and in the process made advances for American society.

Galambos will discuss his new book "The Creative Society – and the Price Americans Paid for It" at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13 in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets are needed.

In 2006 Galambos held the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at the Library’s Kluge Center.

In his book, Galambos asserts that entrepreneurial thinkers have always been the staple of American progress. Throughout America’s history, immigrants have advanced themselves through access to education, and as a result of professionalization, have been better able to grapple with such issues as the complex problems of urban life, the economy and international relations.

This system has created problems—corruption, lack of communication among professions, a widening gap among economic classes, growing disparities in quality and cost of education—but Galambos thinks American ingenuity can also solve these problems, given time.

A graduate of Indiana University and Yale University, Galambos is a professor of history at The Johns Hopkins University and editor of The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower. He also is the co-director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health and the Study of Business Enterprise.

Galambos has taught at Rice, Rutgers and Yale universities and is a former editor of The Journal of Economic History. In addition to holding a chair at the Kluge Center, he has been a senior fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a fellow at Harvard University's Graduate School of Business Administration, the Smithsonian's Woodrow Wilson Center, and The Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies at Princeton University. He held a Guggenheim Fellowship while working on this book.

His books include "America at Middle Age: A New History of the United States in the 20th Century"; "The Rise of the Corporate Commonwealth: U.S. Business and Public Policy in the 20th Century"; "The Fall of the Bell System: A Study in Prices and Politics"; "Networks of Innovation: Vaccine Development at Merck, Sharp & Dohme, and Mulford, 1895-1995"; "The Public Image of Big Business in America, 1880-1940: A Quantitative Study in Social Change"; and "Anytime, Anywhere: Entrepreneurship and the Creation of a Wireless World."

The Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History was established to explore the history of America with special attention to the ethical dimensions of domestic economic, political and social policies. The chair is funded by a generous endowment from Cary M. Maguire, a member of the Library’s James Madison Council.

The Library of Congress established the Kluge Center in 2000, through a generous endowment from John W. Kluge. The center’s mission is to bring together the world’s best thinkers to stimulate and energize one another, to distill wisdom from the Library’s rich resources and to interact with policymakers in Washington. For further information on the Kluge Center, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.

Webcast Available of the Kluge Center Kissinger Lecture: Felipe Cardoso

President of Mexico Felipe Cardoso, guest speaker at the sixth Henry Alfred Kissinger Lecture, focused on global challenges, such as global health, education, international trade, the fight against climate change and organized crime. The President also detailed how the Mexican government needs to strengthen and enforce local and federal entities to fight insecurity and to stop violence and crime in Mexico.

Louis Galambos to Discuss “The Creative Society and the Price Americans Paid for It,” June 13

Kluge Center Lecture "The Creative Society and the Price Americans Paid for It" by Former Maguire Chair Louis Galambos

Educated professionals have been responsible for shaping much of Americaâs history, according to scholar Louis Galambos. Since the turn of the 20th century, teachers, scientists, doctors, administrators, lawyers and business managers, among others have been at the forefront of innovation and have provided solutions to many of the nationâs challenges. Our forefathers from all walks of life make up this creative class who sought education to improve their lives and in the process, made advances for American society. Galambos, who held the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History in 2006 at the Library of Congressâ John W. Kluge Center, will talk about his book âThe Creative Societyâand the Price Americans Paid for It.â Galambos asserts that entrepreneurial thinkers have always been the staple of American progress. Throughout Americaâs history, immigrants have advanced themselves through access to education and as a result of professionalization, have been better able to grapple with the complex problems of urban life, the economy and international relations, among others.

Thursday, June 13 at 4:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Lecture âPivot of Empire: Settler Politics in Japanese Manchuria, 1913-1916â

In April 1895, Japan was victorious in battle and humiliated in diplomacy. The Triple Intervention orchestrated by France, Germany and Russia compelled the nascent Meiji empire to relinquish its most recent additions, the Kwantung Leasehold and Railway Zone, both located in Northeast China. Journalist Tokutomi SohÅ was famously âvexed beyond tearsâ at news of the reversal of Japanâs fortunes, and his grief echoed the consternation of the nation. To memorialize his sense of loss, SohÅ kept a handful of gravel from the leasehold in a souvenir box on his desk in Tokyo. Ten years later, following Japanâs defeat of Russia, the land was Japanâs again, though the vulnerability of this âsignificant soilâ to outside threats would be enduring. O'Dwyer will examine an episode of settler activism during the World War I period that captures settlers' complicated relationship with the politics of place in the empire and which foreshadowed later struggles to keep the Kwantung leasehold a center of popular participation in imperial governance.

Wednesday, May 24 at Noon
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov

Library of Congress to Award President Fernando Henrique Cardoso Kluge Prize for Study of Humanity

Cardoso to Receive $1 Million Prize at July 10 Ceremony at Library
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington will award the 2012 John W. Kluge Prize for lifetime achievement in the study of humanity to Fernando Henrique Cardoso, one of the leading scholars and practitioners of political economy in recent Latin American history. His scholarly analysis of the social structures of government, the economy and race relations in Brazil laid the intellectual groundwork for his leadership as president in the transformation of Brazil from a military dictatorship with high inflation into a vibrant, more inclusive democracy with strong economic growth.

The Library will present the Kluge Prize to Cardoso at a ceremony on July 10 in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building. Cardoso is the first prize recipient whose work spans the fields of sociology, political science, and economics.

Throughout his life, Cardoso has asked difficult questions and often defied conventional wisdom, whether with respect to race relations, the relationship among key structures within the economy, or integration into the world economic system. His deeply original analysis of the interplay among political, economic, and social processes substantively informed his later governmental policies. Perhaps the strongest evidence of his intellectual accomplishment is that his successors have continued so many of his policies and ensured his legacy as one of Brazil’s greatest leaders.

Cardoso is the eighth recipient of the $1 million Kluge Prize, which recognizes and celebrates work of the highest quality and greatest impact in areas that advance understanding of the human experience. A scholar of enormous intellectual energy, he has written or co-authored more than 23 scholarly books and 116 scholarly articles, with versions of each produced for a wider public.

Trained as a sociologist, Cardoso broke new ground in revealing the impact of Brazil’s slave heritage on contemporary economic patterns. His analysis demonstrated that the over-reliance of industry and labor on subservience to an authoritarian government did not promote development, but rather reinforced structural barriers to an efficient, well-functioning economy. Dynamic, new patterns of development required ending stagnant domestic monopolies and introducing the innovative potential of foreign investment.

Cardoso became known internationally for his breakthrough insight, developed with Chilean Enzo Faletto, in the debate on the best path to development. Most agreed that the international economic system set constraints on a developing nation’s sphere of action. Cardoso’s and Faletto’s originality lay in countering the argument that association with foreign companies would not lead to development because they would extract and transfer wealth to the power centers of the economic system. Cardoso and Faletto disagreed and argued that a nation could make wise, strategic choices among alternative paths of participation within that evolving system and achieve positive economic outcomes. This interpretive framework opened the way for fresh thinking about options, influenced generations of scholars in Latin America, the United States, and the world, and anticipated the later concept "globalization."

Cardoso spent several years in exile during the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964-1985) publishing prolifically, teaching at leading research institutions in Latin America, France, and the United States, and creating a research institute in São Paulo. His intellectual and political resistance to the authoritarian government reinforced his commitment to democratic processes. His writings argued that both economic development and social welfare could flourish in a liberal society.

He shifted from scholarly studies to practical politics a decade after the military banned him from academic activities and at a time when political changes opened possibilities for democratic action. He was elected to Brazil’s Federal Senate as an alternate in 1978, and became a member of the Senate in 1983. In the late 1980s he helped found the Social Democratic Party of Brazil. He served as Minister of External Relations during 1992-1993, and as Finance Minister from 1993-1994, he turned the tide against radical hyperinflation. He was elected president in 1994 and reelected in 1998, both times in the first round with more than 50 percent of the popular vote.

As an elected official and then as President, Cardoso instituted policies that followed the logic of his earlier scholarly analyses. At the same time he crafted specific policies that were also shaped by the evolving situation in Brazil and the world, as well as by his own continued reading, intellectual analysis, and principled political engagement. The structural reform of governing institutions, including elevating the role of Congress, strengthened democracy. Changes in the relationships among economic entities--ending state monopolies and privatizing companies, continuing support for independent labor unions, closing insolvent banks to make the financial sector more robust, creating an independent regulatory system to foster competitiveness and prevent monopolies, and others--made both the public and private sectors more transparent and accountable. Conditional cash transfers to the poor, universal education and universal public health, as well as policies to address racial disparities, began breaking down the cycle of poverty and raising the standard of living for all Brazilians. Cardoso’s policies demonstrated that strategic integration into the international capital system would lead to increased prosperity and thereby laid the foundations for Brazil’s rise to world prominence.

In the years since his presidency, Cardoso has continued his commitment to scholarship and democracy. He established the first presidential library in Brazil’s history, and he co-founded the Club of Madrid, which celebrates democratic transitions in power and encourages democratization in the world’s developing nations. His written reflections on his political career include "The Accidental President of Brazil," which he worked on while in residence as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Kluge Center of the Library of Congress in 2003.

"President Cardoso has been the kind of modern scholar who combines deep study with respect for empirical evidence," Billington said. "His fundamental aspiration is to seek out the truth about society as it can best be determined, while remaining open to revisiting conclusions as new evidence accumulates whether from a more probing analysis or from changing political and economic realities. He has used and embodied many different aspects of the modern social sciences, and kept a humanitarian perspective. The Library is pleased that through the generosity of the late John W. Kluge, we are able to recognize his accomplishments by honoring him with this prize."

The Kluge Prize is awarded for lifetime achievement in fields of humanistic and social science studies that are not included in the Nobel Prizes, most notably history, philosophy, politics, psychology, anthropology, sociology, religious studies, linguistics, and criticism in the arts and humanities. The study of humanity is a key part of academia, but it is a study not pursued solely in academic institutions. The prize recipient can make his/her contribution in fields such as the media, the performing or literary arts, or in public service institutions. Unique insights and understandings are also developed in these arenas. Prize winners must have earned unusual distinction within a given area, and their body of work must demonstrate growth in maturity and range over a sustained period of time and must affect perspectives and vision in other areas of study and walks of life. The work of the prize-winner must exemplify values and ways of thinking that have meaning for scholars in a variety of fields, for those involved in public affairs and for the average layperson.

The prize is administered by the Kluge Center in the Library of Congress. The center was established in 2000 to foster a mutually enriching relationship between the world of ideas and the world of action, between scholars and political leaders. The center attracts to Washington outstanding figures in the scholarly world – both very senior and very junior—and facilitates their access to the Library’s remarkable collection of the world’s knowledge and engages them in conversation with the U.S. Congress and other public figures. Lectures and other scholarly events contribute to a vibrant community and enrich the intellectual life of Washington. For further information on the Kluge Center, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the world’s largest library. It seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding by providing access to its incomparably rich and multi-faceted collections, many of which are freely available on its website at www.loc.gov.

Previous Kluge Prizes have been awarded to Leszek Kolakowski (2003); Jaroslav Pelikan and Paul Ricoeur (2004); John Hope Franklin and Yu Ying-shih (2006); Peter Lamont Brown and Romila Thapar (2008). Further information is available at www.loc.gov/kluge/prize/.

Kluge Center Lecture: Journalist Morton Kondracke to Discuss the Life and Political Career of Jack Kemp

Press contact: Audrey Fischer (202) 707-0022, afis@loc.gov
Journalist Morton Kondracke to Discuss the Life and Political Career of Jack Kemp
At the Library of Congress on May 24
Morton Kondracke, a national commentator and journalist for nearly 50 years, will deliver a lecture titled “Jack Kemp, An American Idealist” at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, in Room LJ-119 of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event, which is presented by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, is free and open to the public; tickets are not required.
Kondracke is the current Kemp Chair in Political Economy in the Kluge Center. His lecture culminates a year of research and writing about Jack Kemp’s congressional career, his leadership role during the Reagan era, his presidential campaign and his influence on the Republican Party and the nation. Drawing in part from the Jack Kemp Papers in the Library of Congress—comprising nearly 200,000 items and spanning the years 1963-1996—Kondracke will discuss Kemp’s life and career.
The Kemp Chair in Political Economy is part of the Kemp Legacy Project at the Library of Congress. The purpose of the project, funded by the Jack Kemp Foundation, is to honor Jack Kemp’s public service; to record, perpetuate and advance his contributions to American political thought by making them accessible to scholars, researchers and the general public; and to help educate the next generation of political leaders. Before going into politics, Jack Kemp played professional football for the Buffalo Bills. He served nine terms in Congress (1971-1988) as a representative from New York and as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1989-1993) under the George H.W. Bush administration. He is known as a leading advocate of “supply-side” economics, and co-sponsored the law that resulted in the 1981 tax cuts under President Ronald Reagan. Kemp was the first lawmaker to popularize “enterprise zones,” to encourage development in underserved urban neighborhoods, which he believed would foster entrepreneurship and job creation and expand homeownership. He died in May 2009 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Obama.
Kondracke is a graduate of Dartmouth College where he majored in English. His career has included positions at Roll Call, the New Republic, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal. He is a Fox News commentator and was a regular panelist on “The McLaughlin Group” and ABC’s “This Week.” A Nieman Fellow at Harvard, he has also frequently appeared on “Meet the Press” and NPR. He is author of the best-selling “Saving Milly: Love, Politics and Parkinson’s Disease.”
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs, publications and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.
Through a generous endowment from John W. Kluge, the Library of Congress established the Kluge Center in 2000 to bring together the world’s best thinkers to stimulate and energize one another, to distill wisdom from the Library’s rich resources and to interact with policymakers in Washington. For further information on the Kluge Center, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.
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PR 12-97
05/11/12
ISSN 0731-3527

The Kluge Center Presents: "A Preponderance of Politics: The Impact of the Cold War on US-Cuban Economic Relations, 1946-1952" A lecture by Vanni Pettinà Kluge Fellow

Historiography on U.S.-Cuban relations has tended to cast an aura of inevitability on Fidel Castro’s Revolution—as well as on Cuba’s clash with the United States after 1959. Indeed, much of the historiography suggests that it was Washington’s hegemonic approach to Cuba that was responsible for creating the structural disequilibrium that made revolution and the rupture of bilateral relationships inevitable. In this talk, Dr. Pettinà will argue against this view, maintaining that the US-Cuban relationship during the 1930s and ’40s was marked by a reciprocal cooperative attitude that favored the island’s democratic consolidation and economic development. The tremendous impact of the Cold War on US-Cuban relations played a crucial role in destroying the equilibrium of earlier decades, destabilizing the island’s political system, and creating fertile ground for the crisis of the 1950s.

Vanni Pettinà is an Associate Researcher at Ortega y Gasset Research Institute of Madrid and the LSE-IDEAS Latin American International Affairs Program of London. In July 2012 he will be Postdoctoral Fellow at Colegio de México in Mexico City. He is author of Cuba y Estados Unidos, 1933-1959 (Madrid, 2011). His work at the Kluge Center has been dedicated to an English edition of this work.

Thursday, May 17 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Call for Applications for Kluge Fellow at the John W. Kluge Center

Kluge Fellowships
•Research in the humanities and social sciences, especially interdisciplinary, cross-cultural or multilingual
•Open to scholars worldwide with a Ph.D. or other terminal advanced degree conferred within seven years of the July 15 deadline
•Stipend: $4,200 per month (up to 12 months)
The Library of Congress invites qualified scholars to conduct research in the John W. Kluge Center using the Library of Congress collections and resources for a period of up to eleven months. Established in 2000 through an endowment of $60 million from John W. Kluge, the Center is located in the splendid Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. The Kluge Center furnishes attractive work and discussion space for Kluge Chair holders, for distinguished visiting scholars, and for post-doctoral Fellows supported by other private foundation gifts. Residents have easy access to the Library's specialized staff and to the intellectual community of Washington.

The Kluge Center especially encourages humanistic and social science research that makes use of the Library's large and varied collections. Interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, or multi-lingual research is particularly welcome. Among the collections available to researchers are the world's largest law library and outstanding multi-lingual collections of books and periodicals. Deep special collections of manuscripts, maps, music, films, recorded sound, prints and photographs are also available. Further information about the Library's collections can be found on the Library's website: http://www.loc.gov/rr/.

Applicant Eligibility
Scholars who have received a terminal advanced degree within the past seven years in the humanities, social sciences or in a professional field such as architecture or law are eligible. Exceptions may be made for individuals without continuous academic careers. Applicants may be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals. Upon selection, and in accordance with relevant visa regulations, foreign nationals will be assisted in obtaining the appropriate visa. To meet the minimum eligibility requirements, the degree must be formally awarded by the deadline date.

Tenure & Stipend
Fellowships are tenable for periods from six to eleven months at a stipend of $4,200 per month for residential research at the Library of Congress. The constraints of space and the desirability of accommodating the maximum number of Fellows may lead to an offer of fewer months than originally requested. Fellows may be in residence at any time during the fourteen-month window between June 1 of the year in which the Fellowship is awarded and August 1 of the year following. Stipends will be paid monthly by the Library of Congress, by means of electronic transfer to a U.S. bank account.

Applications
All application materials must be written in English. Please submit an original (signed) and six copies of your full application. The Fellowship application requires a research proposal (no longer than three single-spaced pages); a bibliography of basic sources; a one paragraph project summary; a two-page curriculum vitae which should indicate major prior scholarship; and three letters of reference (in English) from people who have read the project proposal and know the quality of the applicant's scholarship. Do not use any staples for the mailed application materials, use paper clips instead. In the research proposal, applicants should indicate the collections of the Library of Congress that will be used for research.

Application Form: [MS Word] [PDF]
Due Date
Applications must be post-marked by July 15.

Language Certification
For applicants whose native language is not English, there must be evidence that the applicant is fluent in English so as easily to conduct research, discuss work with colleagues, and make a public presentation, although the ultimate product of the research may be written in the applicant's native language. For English speakers who seek to do research in the Library's foreign language collections, there must be evidence that they have a command of the relevant language or languages at the level requisite for serious research.

Expectations
Kluge Fellows will give one public presentation of their research and provide a final report on their research and its results. Two copies of any ultimate product of this research (book, article, film, website, etc.) should be sent to the Library of Congress. Kluge Fellows will also have opportunities to meet with Library specialists and curators, and on occasion with Members of Congress and Congressional staff.

Awards
Up to twelve Kluge Fellowships will be awarded annually by the Library of Congress. Awards will be announced about April 1of the year following that in which the application is due. For overseas Fellows, award letters will address visa questions and include a form which must be filled out and submitted to the Library of Congress to determine tax residency status and the potential for U.S. Federal income tax withholding. Scholars who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who do not already have a U.S. Social Security number will be required to obtain either a Social Security or tax identification number, as appropriate, at the start of their fellowship at the Library, regardless of the taxability of their income under this program or exemption under a treaty with the United States. Transportation arrangements are the responsibility of each Fellow. Housing is not provided by the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress does not supply health insurance coverage but can provide contacts with commercial providers. Because the United States does not have a national health plan, if a selectee becomes ill or injured during the term of appointment, there is no provision for care.

Contact Information
Completed Applications, questions, and other requests for information should be sent to:

Kluge Fellowships, Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress, LJ 120
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20540-4860
tel. 202-707-3302 fax 202-707-3595
email: scholarly@loc.gov

Kluge Center Lecture “American Musicians, Soviet Music, and Cultural Ties in the 1940s”

During the 1930s, many American musicians and critics became fascinated with Soviet Russia. Some had communist leanings, but others admired Soviet models for musical criticism, professionalization of composing, racial equality, and musical style. Soviet art music also attracted large American audiences, and the exchange of musical scores and recordings became big business by mid-decade. American musical Sovietophilia crested immediately after the Second World War, when two private groups—the American-Soviet Music Society and the Music Committee of the National Council on Soviet-American Friendship—endeavored to institutionalize musical exchange with the Soviet Union. Scholars have given these groups scant attention, often dismissing them as diplomatically expedient byproducts of the US-Soviet wartime alliance. Bartig instead shows how they sought to maintain cultural ties forged in the 1930s. Their ambitious plans and seemingly idealistic claims of universalism and sameness reveal much about the way American musicians viewed Soviet music before the advent of the Cold War, a time when difference and competition became the watchwords of an era.

Thursday, May 10, at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov

The Kluge Center Presents: "Cooperation in Black and White: Innovative Alliances in the Retail Grocery Tradeâ a Lecture by Susan V. Spellman, J. Franklin Jameson Fellow in American History

Beginning in the 1890s through the 1930s, independent grocers (white and black) formed a variety of innovative alliancesâcartels, buying syndicates, and cooperativesâto navigate major changes within the trade. Through organizations like the Boston Wholesale Grocers' Association, Independent Grocersâ Alliance, Red & White Stores, and Colored Merchantsâ Association, small businessmen formulated alternative ways of dealing and distributing goods, challenged chain stores, and created new entrepreneurial opportunities for black proprietors. Cooperative enterprise had limitations, however; while some groups advanced, others struggled to maintain a united front. This talk explores both successes and failures while questioning the role of collaboration in small business.
Thursday, May 3 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

“Magnificent Distance: “Hawk & Dove”” An Artist’s Talk and Screening by Isabella Streffen British Research Council Fellow

In 2010 a Cooper’s Hawk took up residency in the Main Reading Room at the Library of Congress, and for a few days the airwaves were full of witty references to the hawks and doves of Congress, and the idea of a bird’s eye view of Washington DC. British artist Isabella Streffen was mid-way through a six-month Arts & Humanities Research Council Fellowship within the John W. Kluge Center, researching the history of ballooning through the Tissandier collection as part of her doctoral research into the use of military visioning technologies in fine art practice. This collision of real life and research, typical of research through creative practice, led Streffen to propose a highly-charged art intervention within federal power structures in the city using two seven-foot remote controlled zeppelins. “Hawk & Dove” is the filming of that art intervention, and will be screened here at the Whittall Pavilion prior to its installation at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, where two silver vinyl prints are currently exhibited as part of the ‘5x5’ Public Art Festival, part of the Centennial National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Tuesday, April 24, at 12:00 PM
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Lecture "When Insider Trading Was Legal" Mark Geiger, Kluge Fellow

The United States has stricter laws than any nation against insider trading in financial markets, but the earliest of these laws date only from 1909. Prior, stock and commodities exchanges governed themselves with minimal external oversight. Geiger will present a close-up view of member relationships and business practices within the Chicago Board of Trade during the later 19th century when rival groups of exchange members, often family-centered, competed for money and power on the trading floor. Members routinely employed tactics that now would be flagrantly illegal. Even so, they created an exchange of international importance, and introduced strategic financial innovations that transformed global markets.
Geiger’s first book, Financial Fraud and Guerrilla Violence in Missouri’s Civil War, 1861-1865 received the 2011 Tom Watson Brown Prize for the best book on Civil War history published in the preceding year and also received the Francis B. Simkins Award for the best first book on southern history published in a two year period.
Thursday April 19, at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

David Grinspoon Named the First Chair in Astrobiology

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named David H. Grinspoon the first Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. The chair is a joint project between the NASA Astrobiology Institute and the Kluge Center.
Grinspoon is the curator of astrobiology in the Department of Space Sciences at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. He is a well-known researcher in planetary science and the author of “Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life.”
Astrobiology is the study of the origins, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe. It addresses three fundamental questions: How did life begin and evolve? Is there life elsewhere? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond? As the chair, Grinspoon will conduct research at the intersection of the science of astrobiology and its humanistic aspects, particularly its societal implications.
This new chair at the Kluge Center is the result of a collaboration between NASA and the Library of Congress and is named for Baruch “Barry” Blumberg, the late Kluge Center Scholars Council member, Nobel Laureate and founding director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute.
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said, “It brings me great pleasure to bring to fruition Barry Blumberg’s vision of two great institutions working together to explore the societal implications of this emerging new interdisciplinary field of study and to make use of the Library of Congress’ unique multidisciplinary collections.”
NASA Astrobiology Institute Director Carl Pilcher said, “Grinspoon will conduct a very exciting investigation of how the insights and scientific culture of astrobiology can inform the choices facing humanity in the coming decades. His background as an astrobiology researcher, writer and communicator of science makes him an ideal choice to begin what we hope will become a great tradition of astrobiology chairs at the Library.”
While at the Kluge Center, from November 2012 through November 2013, Grinspoon will examine choices facing humanity as we enter the Anthropocene Era, the epoch when human activities are becoming a defining characteristic of the physical nature and functioning of Earth. His research will include studies of the role of planetary exploration in fostering scientific and public understanding of climate change and the power of astrobiology as a model of interdisciplinary research and communication.
Blumberg was awarded the 1976 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovery of the Hepatitis B virus and development of a vaccine to prevent Hepatitis B infection. He served as NASA Astrobiology Institute director from 1999 to 2002. He was elected president of the American Philosophical Society in 2005. At the Library of Congress, Blumberg was a founding member of the Scholars Council, distinguished scholars who advise the Librarian of Congress on matters of scholarship.

Through a generous endowment from John W. Kluge, the Library of Congress established the Kluge Center in 2000 to bring together the world's best thinkers to stimulate and energize one another, to distill wisdom from the Library's rich resources, and to interact with policymakers in Washington. For more information about the Kluge Center. Visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.

Kluge Center Lecture "Creating the Parisian Café, 1660-1800" a lecture by Thierry Rigogne, Kluge Fellow

The café is part of the essence of Paris and a symbol for a certain French way of life. How did coffeehouses and café culture get started in France? What did early Parisian cafés look like? Why did they become so popular so quickly? Tracking how history, myth and anecdote have molded Parisian cafés into emblems of modernity, this talk will transport us back to Old Regime and revolutionary Paris in order to trace the formation and the early history of an institution that stood at the crossroads between commerce, culture and consumption, politics, literature and globalization.
Thursday, April 12 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Symposium: Other Cultures Within, Beyond the Naming of Things Program for April 4

“OTHER” CULTURES WITHIN: BEYOND THE NAMING OF THINGS
A Symposium at the John W. Kluge Center, Library of Congress
The Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building
Wednesday, April 4, 2012

PROGRAM
8:30 am Continental Breakfast.
9:00 am Introduction:
Dr. Carolyn T. Brown, Director, the John W. Kluge Center, LOC.

Panel I (The AHRC Charge and Foci of the IRN):
Joan Anim-Addo (Centre for Caribbean Studies, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK), Presiding.
Joan Anim-Addo, “Reconstellating Creolization, Multiculturalism and Interculturality: Mirrors, Positions, Looking Glass(es).”
Antonia MacDonald (St. George’s University, Grenada), “Creolizing London: Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners.”
Suzanne Scafe (English Studies, London South Bank University, UK), “‘Because is we bleed to make this country prosperous’: Creolized Encounters at the Periphery of a Black British Aesthetic.”
Lisa Marchi (University of Trento, Italy), “Proving the Possibility of Interculturality: Leila Aboulela’s ‘The Museum’ and The Translator.”
Maria Helena Lima (Comparative Literature; SUNY-Geneseo, USA), “Worlds in Comparison.”
11:00 am
Panel II (Outreaches and Pedagogies):
Viv Golding (Dir. of Ph.D. Research, Lecturer in Communication & Education, School of Museum Studies, Leicester University, UK), Presiding.
Viv Golding, “Creolizing Museums: Nation, Memory, and Difficult Her/Histories.”
W. Richard West (Founding Director & Director Emeritus, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution), "The National Museum of the American Indian as Forum: Representing 'Other' Cultures Within."
James B. Gardner (Executive for Legislative Archives, Presidential Libraries, and Museum Services; National Archives, Washington, D.C.), “Rethinking Basic Assumptions: National Museums and Transnational Experience.”
Jake Homiak (Director, Anthropology Collections & Archives Program, Smithsonian Institution), “Shifting Selves, Imagi-nations, and Permeable Borders: Locating the Transnational and the Glocal.”
Paul Gardullo (Museum Curator, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Washington, D.C.), “Making a Way out of No Way: The Challenge of Building a National Museum of African American History and Culture”
Duncan MacInnes (Senior Public Diplomacy Officer, U.S. Department of State),
“National Cultural Narratives as Agents of Social Integration”

12:30 – 2:30
Collegial lunching in the Library of Congress vicinity. Information on eateries will be furnished at the event.

2:30 pm
Panel III (Issues and Glocal Interventions Worldwide).
Asimina Karavanta (Greece), Presiding.

Asimina Karavanta (School of Philosophy; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece), “Creolization, Interculturality and Community: Theoretical Challenges, Political Concerns.”
Jean Pfaelzer (Professor, Women’s Studies, English, & Asian Studies, U. of Delaware),
“Round-ups: Purges, Purity, and Immigrant Communities.”
Alan Kraut (University Professor & Professor of History, American University, Washington, D.C.), “The Bodies of Strangers: Health, Disease, and Stigma in the Admission of Immigrants to the United States, an Historical Perspective.”
Peter Roberts (Professor Emeritus of Caribbean Linguistics at the U. of the West Indies), “Creole, Identity, and Diasporic Connections.”
Tyechia Thompson (Doctoral Program in English, Howard University, D.C.), “Hip-Hop Aesthetics and Social/Political Unrest”
Andrea Wenzel (Producer/Editor of the Global Affairs series Latitudes,
WAMU 88.5 FM); with
Dereje Desta (Publisher/Editor, Zethiopia), and
Andrew Laurence (Community organizer/archivist),
“Black Broadway and Little Ethiopia”
4:00 pm
Projections and Farewells.
R. Victoria Arana (Symposium Organizer; English and Comparative Literature, Howard University, Washington, D.C.)

March 27, Day Two Agenda for the Kluge Center Conference on "The Profound Impact of Stress"

Recent scientific breakthroughs in the biomedical field have made it possible to concretely measure the physical effects of stress. Stress, according to Dr. George Chrousos, plays a sizable role in the health of the individual, as well as of society as a whole, and can be implicated in numerous psychosocial factors, such as addiction, obesity and poverty.
The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress will present "The Profound Impact of Stress: Human Biology and Social Implications for the Individual and Society," a two-day conference from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, March 26 and Tuesday, March 27 in Room 119 on the first floor of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The conference is free and open to the public. Reservations are not needed, but appreciated. Call or e-mail Elizabeth Gettins at (202) 707-7678 or eget@loc.gov.
Agenda for Day Two:
Tuesday, March 27
Moderator Day 2, Halifax
8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
9 a.m. Recap of First Day and Discussion (Gold)
Part I: Stress and Society
9:30 a.m. Stress and Socioeconomic Status (Ensminger)
10:15 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. Placebo and Nocebo Effects in Human Societies (Benedetti)
Part II: Stress and Resilience
11:15 a.m. Neurocardiology and Strategies for Resilience (Schneider)
noon Lunch
1:30 p.m. Managing Stress with Transcendental Meditation (Rosenthal)
2:15 p.m. Support Groups Improve Survival in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer (Spiegel)
3 p.m. Break
3:15 p.m. Acute and Chronic Effects of Stress and Strategies for Resilience (Reissman)
4 p.m. Recap and Discussion (Chrousos)

Full of Hot Air

A bat in the belfry? Maybe. A tree growing in Brooklyn? Sure. A light in the attic? Of course. But, a dirigible in the Library’s Jefferson Building? It happened.

Walking the institution’s resplendent halls, you come across lovely murals, elaborate ornamentation, gilded embellishments, and, as it turned out the other day, two rather large balloons – mini dirigibles in fact.

So, what were they doing? The balloons in question were floating about on March to film scenes for a project by artist Isabella Streffen, who was a visiting British Research Council Fellow at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center last year. Her project, titled “Hawk & Dove,” is a film using footage shot from two seven-foot remote-controlled zeppelins (the Hawk and the Dove) that moved around both the Library of Congress and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in a “balletic dogfight” to “explore the role of knowledge in the shaping of political debate.”

Isabella Streffen with her two dirigibles, the Hawk and the Dove./Richard Hollinshead
Streffen’s film developed directly out of her six-month Kluge Center residency, where she researched the early history of ballooning and military visioning in the Library’s Gaston and Albert Tissandier archive. She was also inspired by the unexpected residency of “Shirley,” our rather famous Cooper’s Hawk who camped out in the Library’s Main Reading Room while Streffen was doing her research.

“Hawk & Dove” debuts as part of the 5×5 Project, which is exhibiting 25 ground-breaking public art installations created by artists from around the world as part of D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Centennial celebration. More information on the project, sponsored by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, can be found here.

Streffen’s film will be screened at the Library of Congress on April 24 at noon in the Whittall Pavilion and at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library April 26-28.

Kluge Center Symposium: Other Cultures Within, Beyond the Naming of Things

A Symposium Open to the Public

How do practices and theories relating to the nation and transnational flows, movements, and institutions function to include/exclude communities—for instance, diasporic communities. How have ideas of creolization, multiculturalism, interculturality contributed to (or limited) possibilities, and what do they promise for the future? What role does intercultural translation that is attentive to “other cultures within” play? How do we carry on the urgent re-configuring required to address these crucial challenges in the present?

Among the speakers at this symposium are scholar/activists from the US, the UK, Brazil, the Caribbean Islands, Ethiopia, Greece, Italy, and Peru as well as leaders from the National Archives, several of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museums, the Kluge Center, and the D.C. community.

Wednesday, April 4 at 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Lecture: "Library of Congress “Slavica” and “Rossica "" Evgeny Povavorovca, Fulbright Fellow

The Library of the Congress has one of world’s largest collections of Slavic items. Jefferson's library, bought by Congress in 1815, contained a number of books about this distant region. However, Slavic items were hardly collected for the next century. The purchase of the Yudin Collection in 1906 signaled a turning point in collecting Slavic items with the help of many Russian-born scholars including Babine, Vinokouroff and Yakobson. Since that time, Slavic collections grew rapidly and constantly, passing through several stages and becoming more reader oriented. Projects initiated by these scholars reshaped the methods of Slavic collection development as well as led to the preservation of unique and priceless materials.

Thursday, March 22 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL

Kluge Center Lecture: "The Legends on Martin Waldseemuller's Carta Marina of 1516."

Martin Waldseemüller’s Carta marina of 1516 has always remained in the shadow of his 1507 map—less famous and less studied. In fact the Carta marina is in several ways more interesting than the 1507 map: it is the result of Waldseemüller’s radical re-evaluation of what a world map should be. Waldseemüller essentially started from scratch in creating the Carta marina, rejecting the Ptolemaic model and other sources he had used in creating the 1507 map, and adding more descriptive text and a rich program of illustration. In this talk Van Duzer will examine the differences between the two maps and discuss the new sources that Waldseemüller used, placing particular emphasis on his iconographical sources.
Thursday, March 15 at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center to Hold Conference, “The Profound Impact of Stress,” March 26-27

Accepting applications for David B. Larson Fellowship in Health and Spirituality

Application deadline set at April 17.
The Library of Congress invites qualified scholars to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship in the field of health and spirituality. Made possible by a generous endowment from the International Center for the Integration of Health and Spirituality (ICIHS), the fellowship is named in honor of the Center's late founder, David B. Larson, an epidemiologist and psychiatrist, who focused on potentially relevant but understudied factors which might help in prevention, coping, and recovering from illness.

The fellowship is designed to continue Dr. Larson's legacy of promoting meaningful, scholarly study of these two important and increasingly interrelated fields. It seeks to encourage the pursuit of scholarly excellence in the scientific study of the relation of religiousness and spirituality to physical, mental, and social health. The fellowship provides an opportunity for a period of six to twelve months of concentrated use of the collections of the Library of Congress, through full-time residency in the Library's John W. Kluge Center. The Kluge Center is located in the splendid Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library, and it furnishes attractive work and discussion space for its scholars as well as easy access to the Library's specialized staff and to the intellectual community of Washington. If necessary, special arrangements may be made with the National Library of Medicine for access to its materials as well.

Deadline extended to March 31 for applications to the Lomax Fellowship in Folklife Studies

The Library of Congress's Kluge Center invites qualified scholars to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship for advanced research based on the Alan Lomax Collection. The Lomax Collection is a major collection of ethnographic field audio recordings, motion pictures, photographs, manuscripts, correspondence and other materials that represent Lomax’s lifetime of work to document and analyze traditional music, dance, storytelling and other expressive genres that arise from cultural groups in many parts of the world, particularly the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean. Lomax (1915-2002) was one of the greatest documenters of traditional culture during the twentieth century.

The Alan Lomax Fellows Program, established for a period of five years, supports scholarly research that contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the work of Lomax and the cultural traditions he documented over the course of a vigorous and highly productive seventy-year career. It provides an opportunity, for a period of up to 8 months, for concentrated use of materials from the Lomax Collection and other collections of the Library of Congress, through full-time residency at the Library. The program supports research projects in the disciplines of anthropology, ethnomusicology, ethnography, ethno-history, dance, folklore and folklife, history, literature, linguistics, and movement analysis, with particular emphasis on the traditional music, dance, and narrative of the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean, as well as methodologies for their documentation and analysis. We encourage interdisciplinary projects that combine disciplines in novel and productive ways.

Fulbright Fellow at the Kluge Center-Dmitry Galtsin to give a lecture on February 16 "A Train of Disasters: Puritan Reaction to New England Crisis of 1680-90s"

From the 1680-1690s, Puritan New England underwent political and cultural transformations that would eventually turn it from a Puritan “covenanted society,” virtually independent of the mother country, into a much more open and secular royal province. The main political events that shaped the crisis and transformations alike are the establishment of a royal Dominion of New England in 1686 and its downfall in the bloodless Boston "revolution" of 1689, “King William’s War” with the French and their Algonquin allies and, most notorious of all, the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. Studying a group of texts, written by political and spiritual elite, Galtsin will focus on how the Puritan colonies reacted to the turbulent decade, and how they saw it in a process of divinely ordained history.

Thursday, February 16, at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC. For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Fulbright Fellow Héctor M. Leyva, to give lecture on February 9th “Marvelous Country, Precious and Horrible: Honduras through Travel Writing from the Nineteenth Century”

Travel books from the past have the appeal of communicating vivid experiences of places and people, especially exotic or from remote locations. The analysis of such books written on Honduras during the nineteenth century clearly shows the influence of the romantic aesthetics distinctive of the period. Deeply moving and sometimes contradictory images bring to life a country of dreams and nightmares. This research explores the many transfigurations of the country through travel writing and the possibility of an alternative reading on the threshold between reality and fiction.

Thursday, February 9, at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DCFor more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

William May to Discuss “Testing the National Covenant,” Feb. 29

Ethicist William F. May, in his recent book, argues that the biblical idea of a covenant, which binds people together for a common good, offers a more promising way to deal with national problems than the language of contract, which is grounded in self-interest alone.

May, who held the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History in 2007 at the Library of Congress’ John W. Kluge Center, will talk about his book "Testing the National Covenant: Fears and Appetites in American Politics" at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 29 in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed. A reception with special guest Cary Maguire will follow.

May founded and chaired the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University and the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility at Southern Methodist University. He also held the Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Chair at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University. He is currently a senior fellow at the Institute for Practical Ethics and Public Life at the University of Virginia.

His honors include national service on the subgroup Ethical Foundations for the Clinton Task Force on Health Care Reform and on the President’s Council on Bioethics (2002-2004). He has received distinguished teaching awards from Indiana University, the American Academy of Religion and Southern Methodist University. From the Yale Divinity School, he received the Alumni Award for Distinction in Theological Education. He was selected as a national lecturer by the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

The Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History was established to explore the history of America with special attention to the ethical dimensions of domestic economic, political, and social policies. Cary Maguire is Chair and President of Maguire Oil Company and Maguire Energy Company and Chair of Components Corporation of America and Staco Inc. Maguire is a member of the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress.

Through a generous endowment from John W. Kluge, the Library of Congress established the Kluge Center in 2000 to bring together the world’s best thinkers to stimulate and energize one another, to distill wisdom from the Library’s rich resources and to interact with policymakers in Washington. For further information on the Kluge Center, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.

Deadline for Lomax Fellowship in Folklife is February 28, 2012

We welcome applications for the Lomax Fellowship in Folklife. The deadline is February 28, 2012

Kislak Fellow Anastasia Kalyuta to give lecture on January 26th

"Who really owned the estate in the place of "Place of Dog Tail"?: Land Tenure Patterns among the Pre-Hispanic Aztec Nobility in the late 15th-early 16th centuries”

Dr. Kalyuta’s lecture will focus on comparative analysis of land tenure and related practices of inheritance, land distribution and exploitation among Aztec nobility on the eve of Spanish conquest and aftermath. The lecture will explore distinctions of elite land tenure in two main centers of Aztec empire-Tenochtitlan and Tetzcoco" A native of Saint Petersburg Russia, Dr. Kalyuta studied at Saint Petersburg State University and the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology of the Russian Academy of Science in Moscow. She has conducted field studies in Mexico City through the Institute of Anthropological Investigations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and has held several fellowships including a Fulbright fellowship and a fellowship at the Dumbarton Oaks.

Thursday, January 26, at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Deadline extended for the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology.

Deadline for applications to the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology extended to February 13, 2012.

“Medical Culture in Yuan China (1206-1368): Aspects of Mongol Rule and Neo-Confucian Activism”

Challenging the conventional image of Mongols as ruthless destroyers of civilizations in the 13th & 14th century world, specialists in the past few decades have examined the complex roles that Mongols played in global history. Recent historians of middle-period China have uncovered the transformation of Neo-Confucianism from a philosophy/religion for the rebellious to an ideology for political power. The Yuan period is an enormously interesting moment in global and Chinese history because the Mongol intervention in Chinese history and the transformation of Neo-Confucianism occurred at the same time and interacted with each other. These interactions resulted in a culture that valued medical learning and doctors. The life-story of a scholar-official Yuan Jue (1266-1327) will be used as a personalized window onto this complex history.
Tuesday, December 13, at 12:00 PM
Location: LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington DC
For more information, contact the Kluge Center at (202) 707-3302.
Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov

Alexander Evans to Discuss U.S.-Pakistan Relations, Nov. 17

How members of Pakistan's strategic elite view their country's national interests will be addressed in a lecture by Alexander Evans, the Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress.
Evans, who spent 2009-2011 as a senior adviser to the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, will present "Pakistan's Strategic Culture and U.S.-Pakistan Relations" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.
Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6382 (voice/tty) or ada@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Lecture: "Reflections on a Year as ALA President"

Roberta Stevens, a visiting fellow at the John W. Kluge Center and 2010-2011 president of the American Library Association, will offer perspectives on the evolution of libraries in response to political transformations throughout the world. Stevens has managed the Library of Congress Bicentennial and the National Book Festival in her 26 years at the Library of Congress. The lecture will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6, at the Library of Congress.

Cardinal McCarrick to Present "The 'Amman Message': A Magisterium for Islam?"

Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington and a distinguished visiting scholar at the John W. Kluge Center, will discuss the similarities between Muslim and Christian quests for common understanding among adherents of each religion. The lecture will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 16, at the Library of Congress.

Financial Fraud and Guerrilla Warfare in Civil-War Missouri

Lecture: Thursday, November 3, 12:00 noon - 1 p.m.

An odd pattern in old court records has revealed a financial conspiracy at the beginning of the Civil War. Planters in the border state of Missouri had bet on the South's victory, but the scheme they devised had backfired.

John W. Kluge Fellow Mark W. Geiger will tell how he discovered the story, which resulted in his award-winning book, "Financial Fraud and Guerrilla Warfare in Civil-War Missouri."

Join us for the book talk, which is cosponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The talk is free; no reservations or tickets are required. Information: 202-707-7678

Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Expedition to the Equator in 1735: A Scientific Adventure Story

Lecture, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 4:00 p.m.

Ricardo V. Luna, a distinguished visiting scholar at the John W. Kluge Center and former ambassador of Peru to the United States, will hold a conversation with award-winning science writer Larrie D. Ferreiro, whose latest book describes an 18th-century scientific expedition to the equator to determine the true shape of the Earth.

"Market Empire: The United States, the Philippines, and Natural Resource Management"

Lecture: Monday, October 17, 12:00 noon - 1 p.m.
The importation of tropical products from the Caribbean in the early twentieth century will be discussed by Theresa Ventura, a Kluge Center Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies Dissertation Completion Fellow.

"Imperial and Financial Overstretch: The Politics of Nixon and Obama - Lessons to Be Learned?"

Lecture: Thursday, September 29, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Kluge Center Distinguished Visiting Scholar Klaus Larres will examine the political, military and monetary turmoil of the 1970s and draw possible lessons for today's current affairs. According to Larres, the 1970s, like today, were characterized by controversial military engagements, deep political divisions and severe financial disruptions. Larres will describe the Nixon/Kissinger approach to overcoming U.S. "decline" in an increasingly multilateral world and analyze whether this approach is still relevant for the current administration.

Location: Room 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. Free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed. Information: 202-707-7678.

Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Kluge Center Seeks Applications and Nominations for Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations

The Kissinger Chair is a distinguished senior research position at the Kluge Center for the study of foreign policy and international relations materials at the Library of Congress that will lead to publication. The Chair holder receives a stipend of $13,500 per month for up to 10 months, and may be of any nationality.

Applications and nominations must be postmarked by Tuesday, November 1.

Kluge Center Seeks Applicants for Kislak Fellowship in American Studies

The Kislak Fellowship offers a postdoctoral scholar the opportunity to conduct research related to the discovery, contact and colonial periods in Florida, the Caribbean and Mesoamerica. It supports research projects in the disciplines of archaeology, history, cartography, epigraphy, linguistics, ethno-history, ethnography, bibliography and sociology using the Jay Kislak Collection and other collections of the Library of Congress.

The Kislak Fellowship is open to scholars worldwide. It is awarded for a period of up to eight months at a stipend of $4,200 per month. Applications must be postmarked by Saturday, October 15, 2011.

Webcast: "In Mexico There Are No Mexicans"

Eric Van Young, Faculty, 2011 Decolonization Seminar
Hosted by the John W. Kluge Center

Eric Van Young, author of "The Other Rebellion: Popular Violence, Ideology and the Struggle for Mexican Independence, 1810-1821," describes the layered nature of decolonization, in which the last changes are usually social, with lingering ideas about ethnicity and power embedded even in new institutions.

Webcasts: James Bond & the CIA and caregiver compassion

Two new webcasts are available from the John W. Kluge Center:

"Ian Fleming, James Bond & the CIA"
Christopher Moran, a British Research Council Fellow at the Kluge Center, discusses how the novels of Ian Fleming include many references--both fictional and real--to the CIA and its staff.
Running Time: 66 minutes

"Inside Compassion"
Zen Buddhist Roshi Joan Halifax, a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Kluge Center, discusses empathy and compassion on the part of caregivers who are tending to the ill and dying. A response about the effects of stress they may experience is given by George Chrousos, Kluge Chair in Technology and Society.
Running Time: 84 minutes

Webcasts on screenwriting, Soviet Central Asia, Cuba & Florida

Three new webcasts are available from the John W. Kluge Center: "History & the Movies," by Distinguished Visiting Scholar James Reston Jr.; "The Making of Soviet Central Asia," by Distinguished Visiting Scholar Adeeb Khalid; and "Cuba & Florida: A Historical Connection," by Jay I. Kislak Fellow Miguel Bretos.

John W. Kluge Center Announces Kluge Fellows for 2011-2012

The Kluge Center announces the appointment of 12 post-doctoral fellows, who will conduct humanistic and social science research in the large and varied collections of the Library of Congress.

" 'Like musical woodpeckers tapping honey-trees' --Alan Lomax's Six Months in Spain, 1952"

Lecture: Thursday, August 25, 12 noon - 1:00 p.m.
Ethnomusicologist Judith Cohen will describe how legendary American folklorist Alan Lomax lugged a tape recorder around Spain to capture the musical traditions of mountain villages, fishing ports and island hamlets. Now, more than 50 years later, she has interviewed many of the same people. Cohen will discuss the nexus between her work and Lomax's documentary material--recordings, photographs, diaries, letters and ephemera--housed in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Cohen is the first Alan Lomax Fellow in Folklife Studies at the John W. Kluge Center.

Location: Room LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, DC 20540. Free and open to the public, no reservations required. Information: 202-707-7678.

Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Reminder: Abolition lecture at noon today (Thursday, August 18)

"Liberty or Death: Slaves' Suicides and the Fight to Destroy American Slavery"

Who had the power to bring slavery to its knees: white evangelicals who might be moved to action by displays of wretched slave suffering, or black slaves with the courage to fight and die for their freedom? The debate raged among northern abolitionists. Kluge Fellow Richard Bell will explain.

Location: Mary Pickford Theater, 3rd floor, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540
Free and open to the public. Information: 202-707-3302.

"Liberty or Death: Slaves' Suicides and the Fight to Destroy American Slavery"

Lecture: Thursday, August 18, 12:00 noon - 1 p.m.
As northern abolitionists set about trying to exploit mass media to denounce and destroy American slavery, they found themselves wrestling with the problem of slave suicide. Was it an act of principled resistance to tyranny that struck at the heart of the plantation economy? Or was it a measure of abject victimhood that begged to be mourned and avenged through humanitarian intervention? Kluge Fellow Richard Bell will describe the deep differences within the northern abolitionist movement as to who had the power to bring slavery to its knees: white evangelicals who might be moved to action by displays of wretched slave suffering, or black slaves with the courage to fight and die for their freedom.

Location: Mary Pickford Theater, 3rd floor, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540

Free and open to the public. Information: 202-707-3302, scholarly@loc.gov.

"'We Must Learn to Think in Terms of Collective Action': Industrial Democracy and the Civil Rights Establishment of the 1930s"

Tuesday, August 2, 2011, 12:00 noon - 1 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Kluge Fellow Toure F. Reed will examine the influence of labor activism on the civil rights agendas of the NAACP and National Urban League as he challenges presumptions about the ideological orientations of these two important civil rights organizations.

Mainstream civil rights activists of the 1930s and 1940s began to perceive racial discrimination as an outgrowth of class exploitation as they were pushed to the left by New Deal labor law and working-class political movements. Afro-American activists during the Depression and Second World War thus frequently identified black participation in the American union movement as a key component to the quest for racial equality.

Location: Room LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. Free and open to the public. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

"Visions of Empire in the Nazi-Occupied Netherlands"

Tuesday, July 26, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Focusing on the work of leading anti-Nazi resisters, Kluge Fellow Jennifer L. Foray will examine how World War II transformed Dutch perceptions of their centuries-old empire. As Dutch resisters planned for a post-war world, they anticipated a new, harmonious relationship between the Netherlands and its most prized colony in the East Indies. Instead, the Netherlands embarked upon a violent decolonization process. Foray will discuss how the resister's vision was trammeled.

Location: Room LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. Free and open to the public. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

"In Mexico There Are No Mexicans: Decolonization and Modernization, 1750-1850"

Wednesday, July 20, 4:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Historian Eric Van Young will use the case of Mexico to examine the layered and contradictory nature of decolonization. New Spain became Mexico virtually overnight, in 1821, although a decade of bloody civil strife preceded its final independence. According to Van Young, decolonization is a transition that typically takes place in several planes or spheres interconnected in complex ways, yet each with its own rhythm. The fastest and most easily achieved may be in the political sphere, with the severing of formal ties between colony and metropolis and the formation of a new state. Economic decolonization, says Van Young, may take a good deal longer, or never occur at all. Slower still is social decolonization, with lingering ideas about ethnicity and social power embedded even in new institutions.

Location: Room LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. Free and open to the public. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

"Decolonization--A History of Failure?"

Wednesday, July 13, 4:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Is the modern world really a world of nations or the detritus of broken-down empires? Decolonization Seminar leader John Darwin of the University of Oxford will discuss what is widely considered one of the foundational processes of the modern world--an old imperial order was swept away, and a new world of nations emerged to replace it. Statesmen, politicians, and policymakers assured us in their memoirs that such was the vision that guided their actions through the 'end of empire'. But how much of all this should we really believe? Were the statesmen so wise and far-seeing or merely dab hands in self-interest and expediency? There is some room for debate.

Location: Room LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. Free and open to the public. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lectures: "Inscribing Ethics and Belief in Medieval India and Europe"

Thursday, June 9, 2011, 12:00 noon, Library of Congress Kluge Center
Look through a literary window into the politics and culture of pre-colonial South India with "'Seeing You Is Equivalent to Being the King': Loyalty, Ethics, and Piety in Sixteenth Century India." Kluge Fellow Christopher Chekuri will examine loyalty and piety in the making of an ethical kingship by exploring vernacular concepts within texts and inscriptions about the life histories of courtly figures from the Vijayanagara Empire.

Thursday, June 9, 2011, 1:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Survey the Greek and Latin geographical tradition during Late Antiquity (c. 200 - 600 CE), when various genres of travel narrative rose to prominence, prompting the transition from a pagan/Greco-Roman world to a Christian one complete with a new institution: the pilgrimage. "From Ptolemy to Pilgrimage: Images of Late Antiquity in Geography, Travel, and Cartography," will be presented by Kluge Fellow Scott Johnson.

Location: Room LJ 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome.
scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lecture: "Ian Fleming, James Bond and the Public Perception of the Central Intelligence Agency"

Thursday, June 2, 2011, 12:00 noon, Library of Congress Kluge Center
The CIA has long taken an interest in the James Bond novels, even drawing inspiration from his adventures and especially technology, according to Christopher Moran, a postdoctoral British Research Council Fellow at the Kluge Center. Recently declassified material, including the papers of revered CIA Director Allen Dulles, informed Moran's research of how author Ian Fleming broke the "Company's" culture of secrecy.

Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome.
scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lecture: "Michael Pertschuk and the Federal Trade Commission, 1977-1984"

Thursday, May 26, 2011, 12:00 noon, Library of Congress Kluge Center
Kluge Fellow Eleanor Capper will discuss the American consumer movement and government activism in the 1970s and 1980s and tell how one crusader tried to make the Federal Trade Commission more responsive to consumer interests. Michael Pertschuk, a longstanding and well-respected consumer activist in Washington, D.C., was chairman of the Commission during the Carter administration. Be among the first to find out what he left behind in his papers.
Location: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome.
scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lecture: "From the London Stage to Westminster Abbey: Cultural Mobility of Handel's Oratorios in Britain, 1732-1784"

Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 12:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Does music reflect society or does it also contribute to its evolution? Kluge Fellow Ilias Chrissochoidis will examine the first classic music genre in modern history, English oratorio. Launched by Handel in 1732 as a theatrical entertainment, the genre crossed cultural divides, and in half of a century had become part of Britain's national heritage, being played in cathedrals including Westminster Abbey. Chrissochoidis will consider this remarkable change from the perspective of the cognitive effects oratorio-going produced on 18th-century listeners.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome.
scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lecture: "Inside Compassion: Edge States, Contemplative Interventions, Neuroscience"

Thursday, May 12, 2011, 4:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Zen Buddhist Roshi Joan Halifax will talk about empathy and compassion on the part of caregivers who are tending to the ill and dying. She will cover six contemplative interventions that are useful for clinicians. A response about the stressors caregivers may experience will be given by Dr. George Chrousos, Kluge Chair in Technology and Science.
Location: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome.
scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lecture: "History and the Movies: An Historian Writes a Screenplay"

Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 4:00 p.m., Library of Congress Kluge Center
Distinguished visiting scholar James Reston Jr. will describe the process of compressing history into drama. Of Reston's 15 books, three have become plays and three screenplays, but not always to his satisfaction. Asked to write a fourth, he leapt at the chance to resolve the historian/dramatist tension.
Location: Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome.
scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lecture: "Between Empire and Revolution: The Making of Soviet Central Asia, 1917-1932"

The hopes that the Central Asian intelligentsia attached to the Russian Revolution had a direct impact on cultural, national, religious and linguistic changes that shape the region's zeitgeist today. Adeeb Khalid, a distinguished visiting scholar at the Kluge Center of the Library of Congress, will describe who these people were and what they fostered.

Thursday, May 5
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Room 119
Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C., 20540
Free and open to the public; no tickets are needed.
Information: 202-707-3302

Conversation: "Dignity of the Human Person"

Distinguished scholars from the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress will probe the meaning of human dignity from a variety of historical, political, religious, medical, and social perspectives at the Library on April 26.

Seven senior scholars associated with the Kluge Center will engage in an informal, scholarly conversation on "the dignity of the human person," a concept that informs innumerable contemporary issues. What is "human dignity"? How does the concept shape what we think and how we behave?

Jean Bethke Elshtain will moderate the discussion among Dr. George Chrousos, Roshi Joan Halifax, Jennifer Hochschild, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Abdulkarim Soroush, and John Witte, Jr.

Tuesday, April 26
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Room 119
Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, S.E., Washington, DC, 20540.
Free and open to the public; no tickets are needed.
Information: 202-707-3302

Thursday Lecture: History of Cubans in Florida

April 21, 2011, 12:00 noon, Library of Congress Kluge Center
Lecture: "Cuba and Florida: Exploration on a Historical Connection, 1539-1991"
Miguel Bretos, Kislak Fellow in American Studies and an independent scholar, will look at the Cuban presence in "La Florida" from the time of Ponce de Leon, almost 500 years ago, through the late-20th century. Special attention will be paid to the development of a cultural identity.
LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Japanese history lecture Thursday

March 31, 2011, noon, Library of Congress
"Money on the Road to Empire: Japan's Choice for Gold Monometallism, 1873-1897," Michael Schiltz, Kluge Fellow, Faculty of Arts, K.U. Leuven, Belgium. Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Haitian Revolution lecture Wednesday

March 30, 2011, noon, Library of Congress
"Dancing on the Volcano: The Haitian Revolution and Atlantic Performance," by Peter Reed, Kluge Fellow, Assistant Professor of American Literature, University of Mississippi. LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. All are welcome. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Library of Congress conference on history

March 31 - April 1, 2011
"Warring for America, 1803-1818." Mumford Room, Sixth Floor, Madison Building, Independence Avenue between First and Second streets, Washington, D.C. Doors: 8:30 Thursday; remarks, 9:15; sessions 9:30-5:30. Friday sessions, 9:30-4:30. Sponsored by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, the Huntington Library, the Department of History of New York University, and the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. All are welcome. scholarly@loc.gov, (202) 707-3302

Lomax Fellowship application deadline extended to April 4, 2011

The application deadline for the Alan Lomax Fellowship in Folklife Studies has been extended to April 4, 2011.

The Library of Congress's Kluge Center invites qualified scholars to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship for advanced research based on the Alan Lomax Collection. The Lomax Collection is a major collection of ethnographic field audio recordings, motion pictures, photographs, manuscripts, correspondence and other materials that represent Lomax’s lifetime of work to document and analyze traditional music, dance, storytelling and other expressive genres that arise from cultural groups in many parts of the world, particularly the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean. Lomax (1915-2002) was one of the greatest documenters of traditional culture during the twentieth century.

For more information, contact Mary Lou Reker at 202-707-3302.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, DC
Tel: 202-707-3302

David Laitin discusses discrimination against Muslims in France, March 3, Library of Congress

David Laitin to Discuss Discrimination Against Muslims in France, March 3

David Laitin, a political science professor who has examined the causes of religious discrimination in France, will discuss the rationales that sustain discrimination against Muslims in the French labor market.

Laitin will present "‘One Muslim is Enough!’—Evidence from a Field Experiment in France" at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel: 202-707-3302

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2011/11-028.html

John Witte Jr. Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed John Witte Jr., a professor at Emory University, as distinguished visiting scholar at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

At the Library, Witte will pursue research on the history of law, religion and marriage in the Western tradition. Witte is Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law, Alonzo L. McDonald Family Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion Center at Emory.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress
tel. 202-707-3302

Experts to Discuss Alfred North Whitehead on Feb. 17, Library of Congress

Experts to Discuss Famed Mathematician and Philosopher Alfred North Whitehead and a Rare Piece of Correspondence at Symposium on Feb. 17

A rare, six-page letter written by Alfred North Whitehead, one of the major philosophers and mathematicians of the 20th century, will be the subject of a half-day symposium at the Library of Congress. The letter was recently donated to the Library and will be housed in the Manuscript Division.

The symposium will focus on the historical context of the letter and on Whitehead and his intellectual focus in a number of fields. The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 17, in Room 119 on the first floor in the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center and the Manuscript Division, the symposium is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed. The letter and a transcript will be on display.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

James Reston Jr. Named Scholar in Residence at Library of Congress

James Reston Jr. Named Scholar in Residence at Library of Congress

Distinguished author and historian James Reston Jr. is a scholar in residence at the John W. Kluge Center in the Library of Congress.

Reston, who will be at the Kluge Center through May 2011, is working on "The Last Sultan of Grenada," which will tell the story of Boabdil or Muhammad XI, the Arab king who surrendered the fortress Alhambra to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in January 1492. The project is an outgrowth of Reston’s 2005 book "Dogs of God: Columbus, the Inquisition and the Defeat of the Moors."

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Author Nelly LaHoud discusses “The Jihadis’ Path to Self-Destruction” Feb. 16 at Library of Congress

Nelly Lahoud Discusses “The Jihadis’ Path to Self-Destruction” on Feb. 16

Do contemporary jihadists hold, in their own doctrine, the seeds to self-destruction? Nelly Lahoud, a top expert on jihadi ideology and a West Point associate professor, will discuss the topic at the Library of Congress on Feb. 16.

Lahoud will talk about her new book "The Jihadis’ Path to Self-Destruction" at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Jennifer Hochschild Appointed to Chair in American Law and Governance in John W. Kluge Center

January 14, 2011

Jennifer Hochschild Appointed to Chair in American Law and Governance in John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Jennifer Hochschild, a professor at Harvard University, to the Chair in American Law and Governance in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

While at the Library, from January until July 2, 2011, Hochschild will be examining the politics and ideology of genomic science—specifically, the developing links between genomics and governance. Her current project is tentatively titled "Racial Transformation: Immigration, Multi-racialism, DNA and Cohort Change."

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel.: 202-707-3302

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the John W. Kluge Center

January 12, 2011

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, as distinguished visiting scholar in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

While at the Kluge Center, from January through December 2011, McCarrick will be studying the growing critical role of religion in diplomacy and the new responsibilities of religious leaders to work in the search for peace and care of the world’s poor.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel: 202-707-3302

Ibram Rogers discusses Black Student Movement of 60s/70s, Jan. 19 at Library of Congress

January 19, 2011

Lecture: “The Black Campus Movement and the Racial Reformation of Higher Education, 1965-72.” Ibram Rogers, Jameson Fellow, at 12:00 PM in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

This event is FREE and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, DC
Tel. 202-707-3302

David Laitin Named to Kluge Center Chair at Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed David Laitin, a political science professor at Stanford University, to the Chair of the Countries and Cultures of the North in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

At the Kluge Center, from December 2010 through March 2011, Laitin will analyze data he has collected over the past several years on the social and economic integration of Muslims into contemporary France. He hopes to use the Library’s vast resources to provide him with materials on the historical origins of French secularism and the cultural context of Senegal, the country of the Muslim migrants whose descendents he has studied.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Kislak Short-term Fellowship Application deadline, 31 January 2011

The Library of Congress offers short-term fellowships for independent scholars, undergraduate and graduate students, and college and university faculty to conduct research based on items from the Kislak Collection.

The Kislak Collection spans three millennia and includes masterworks of the pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean and rare books, manuscripts, documents, maps, and artwork from the earliest records of European contact through the period of exploration and settlement the Americas. Complementing the books and manuscripts is an extensive research library of secondary sources.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Hernan Arauz lectures on early Panama cartography, Dec. 16 at Library of Congress

December 16, 2010
Lecture: “The early cartography of Panama and Darien: Creating a descriptive and interpretive carto-bibliography of a world crossroads.” Hernan Arauz, Kislak Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Lecture: Daniel Brook on "Building model modernities in Shanghai and Mumbai," 12/8/10

December 8, 2010

Lecture: “Building model modernities in Shanghai and Mumbai.” Daniel Brook, Black Mountain Fellow, at 12:00 PM in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
tel. 202-707-3302

Lecture: R. Brienen on "Cornelis de Bruyn" 9 December 2010 at 12:00

December 9, 2010
Lecture: “Cornelis de Bruyn and his contemporaries: Internationalism and late seventeenth century Dutch art.” Rebecca Parker Brienen, Kluge Fellow, addresses the phenomenon of Internationalism as exemplified in the work and career of painter, traveler, and writer Cornelis de Bruyn (1652-1726). 12:00 pm in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
tel. 202-707-3302

Kluge Center Enewsletter, Fall 2010 edition

The Fall 2010 edition of the Kluge Center eNewsletter has been issued. See the link. Also, it is archived on the Kluge Center home page found at www.loc.gov/kluge. See "Newsletter" on left hand side of home page.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kemp Scholar in Political Economy at Library of Congress, Application deadline

The Library of Congress is accepting applications and nominations for the Kemp Scholar in Political Economy, a distinguished senior research position in the Library’s John W. Kluge Center. Deadline is Nov. 15

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy/Intl. Relations, application deadline

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is accepting applications and nominations for the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations. Applications and nominations must be postmarked by Monday, Nov. 1.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Jeffrey Alexander to Discuss “Obama’s Victory and the Democratic Struggle for Power,” Oct. 14

Sociologist Jeffrey Alexander to Discuss “Obama’s Victory and the Democratic Struggle for Power,” Oct. 14

Sociologist Jeffrey Alexander, in a lecture at the Library of Congress, will offer a new way of looking at the Democratic struggle for political power, discussing what happened and why during Barack Obama’s run for the presidency.

Alexander will discuss his book "The Performance of Politics: Obama’s Victory and the Democratic Struggle for Power" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C.

Sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20540

Sep 23 lecture: "Professional Help for Public Policy: Policy Analysis as a Field of Intellectual Inquiry and Practice" at Library of Congress

Roger White to Discuss Policy Analysis and Public Policy, Sept. 23, at Library of Congress

Roger S. White, in a lecture at the Library of Congress, will discuss how the field of policy analysis informs policymaking.

White, a scholar in residence in the John W. Kluge Center, will present "Professional Help for Public Policy: Policy Analysis as a Field of Intellectual Inquiry and Practice" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

“Three Presidents, Three Policies: Nixon, Bush, Obama and Europe” Lecture, Library of Congress, Sept. 16

“Three Presidents, Three Policies: Nixon, Bush, Obama and Europe” Lecture by Klaus Larres on Sept. 16

Distinguished scholar Klaus Larres will analyze the approach taken by Presidents Richard Nixon, George W. Bush and Barack Obama in managing and exploiting relations with Washington’s European allies at crucial points in world affairs.

Larres will present the lecture "Three Presidents, Three Policies: Nixon, Bush, Obama and Europe" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Library of Congress in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Benjamin Fordham Named Kissinger Scholar at Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Benjamin Fordham, professor and chair of Binghamton University’s Political Science Department, as the Henry Alfred Kissinger Scholar in Foreign Policy and International Relations in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, beginning in September 2010.

At the Library, Fordham will research ways that domestic, political and economic considerations influence foreign-policy decisions, especially as they relate to the rise of the United States as a world power.

Fordham is the 10th scholar to occupy the Kissinger chair. The position was created in 2000 through the generosity of friends of Kissinger to honor the former secretary of state and to emphasize the importance of foreign affairs.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress

Alexander Hidalgo lectures on Clothing and Cartography in early Spanish America, Aug 19

August 19, 2010

Lecture: "The Map in Garb: Clothing and Cartography in Spanish America," Alexander Hidalgo, Kislak Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Andrew Gentes lectures on George Kennan and Russian Nihilists, Aug 5 at Library of Congress

August 5, 2010

Lecture: “George Kennan and the Russian Nihilists: A Sojourn into the Dialectics of Friendship,” Andrew Gentes, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 pm in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not needed.

Renzo Baldassa lecture on "Rise of Printed Visuality: Printers and Page Design, 1467-1482" 29 July

July 29, 2010

Lecture: "The Rise of Printed Visuality: Printers and Page Design, 1467-1482," Renzo Baldasso, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 pm in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-160.html

Historian Daniel Branch to Discuss “The Airlift: African Students Overseas in the Era of Decolonization,” July 28 at Library of Congress

The attendance of African students at universities in North America, Europe and Asia in the 1960s is a significant part of the interlinked histories of decolonization and the Cold War.

Historian Daniel Branch will discuss the topic in his lecture "The Airlift: African Students Overseas in the Era of Decolonization" at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Jason Parker lecture on decolonization and the Cold War, 21 July, Library of Congress

Lecture: “The Empires Who Came In From The Cold: Decolonization and the Cold War,” Jason Parker, Texas A&M University, at 4:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Wm. Roger Louis lecture on European colonies in Asia, Africa, July 12 at Library of Congress

Historian William Roger Louis to Discuss “The European Colonial Empires in Asia and Africa” on July 12

Historian William Roger Louis will survey the differences and similarities in European colonial empires from the 19th century to the post-World-War-II era, in a lecture July 12 at the Library of Congress.

Louis will present "The European Colonial Empires in Asia and Africa" at 4 p.m. on Monday, July 12, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Karbiener lectures on Walt Whitman, 24 June at Library of Congress

June 24, 2010

Lecture: "Walt Whitman, Rural New Yorker," Karen Karbiener, Kluge Fellow at 12:00 pm in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress

Kluge Fellowship Application Deadline, 15 July 2010

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is accepting applications for Kluge Fellowships that offer post-doctoral scholars an opportunity to conduct humanistic and social-science research in the Library’s large and varied collections.

The fellowships are awarded for periods of up to 11 months at a stipend of $4,200 per month. Applications must be postmarked by Thursday, July 15, 2010. For more information and an application form, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.

The fellowships are open to scholars worldwide with a Ph.D. or other terminal advanced degree conferred within seven years of the July 15 deadline.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kluge Fellowship application deadline is July 15, 2010

Library of Congress Seeks Applicants For Kluge Fellowships

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is accepting applications for Kluge Fellowships that offer post-doctoral scholars an opportunity to conduct humanistic and social-science research in the Library’s large and varied collections.

The fellowships are awarded for periods of up to 11 months at a stipend of $4,200 per month. Applications must be postmarked by Thursday, July 15, 2010. For more information and an application form, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Jon Levy lectures on the Freedmans Bank and the 1873 panic, 5/26

May 26, 2010
Lecture: “Failure of the Freedman’s Bank: Freedom, Finance and Security in 19th c. American Capitalism,” Jonathan Levy, Mellon Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Kluge Center Newsletter - Spring 2010 issue

The Spring 2010 issue of the Kluge Center newsletter is found at www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/newsletters/KlugeNewsletteSpring2010.pdf

Devin Pendas lectures on "trasitional justice" in post-war Germany, Library of Congress, May 20

May 20, 2010

Lecture: “Transitional Justice or Just Transitions?: The German Case, 1945-50," Devin Pendas, Burkhardt Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

Gerasimova Lecture: Reconstruction of Russian Imperial Libraries, May 19

May 19, 2010

Lecture: “Russian Imperial Bindings as artifact and a key for reconstruction of the Imperial Libraries” with Ekaterina Gerasimova, Fulbright Fellow, at 12:00 PM in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress

"History as a Way of Life: Jürgen Kocka in Conversation with Klaus Larres" at Library of Congress. May 18

"History as a Way of Life: Jürgen Kocka in Conversation with Klaus Larres" at Library of Congress on May 18

Two distinguished historians will discuss German and American historiography at the Library of Congress on May 18 in a program titled "History as a Way of Life: Jürgen Kocka in Conversation with Klaus Larres."

The discussion will start at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, in the Whittall Pavilion on the ground level of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. Sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library, the event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

The historians will focus on Kocka’s contributions to the rise of social history, which became the dominant force in contemporary history on both sides of the Atlantic. Kocka will also illuminate the continuing benefits of studying history in the 21st century.

Robert Saladini, Program Officer
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

James Childress lectures on Unresolved Tensions in American Health Care, May 6

A lecture on "Respecting Conscience, Protecting Patients: Unresolved Tensions in American Health Care" will be presented at the Library of Congress by James F. Childress, a distinguished professor from the University of Virginia, May 6.

Childress, who currently holds the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics at the Library's John W. Kluge Center, will give his talk at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

In his lecture, Childress will examine the current controversies about whether and how far to respect the conscientious refusals of health professionals -- such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists or emergency medical personnel -- to provide legal but morally contested health-care services.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kujumdzieva lectures on Sinai musical manuscripts, May 6

May 6, 2010
Lecture: Svetlana Kujumdzieva, Kluge Fellow, “The Library as witness to music history: The case of the Sinai Musical manuscripts housed at the Library of Congress,” at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

Loughmiller-Newman lectures on "Kislak Ceramics," 29 April at Library of Congress

April 29, 2010

Lecture: Jennifer Loughmiller-Newman, Kislak Fellow, “Kislak Ceramics: Drugs, Drinks, and Ritual Goods, Actual or Imaginary Content?” at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, DC
Tel. 202-707-3302

Holger Hoock lectures on Civil War in the British Empire, 15 April

Lecture: Holger Hoock, Kluge Fellow, “Civil War in the British Empire: Practices and Representations of Violence in the American Revolutionary War” at 12:00 in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

In this illustrated lecture, Dr Holger Hoock gives an overview of his Kluge Fellowship project - a cultural history of violence in the American Revolutionary War against the background of European conventions of warfare, and of experience with civil war and counter-insurgency in the British Isles.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel: 202-707-3302

Cecelia Tichi book talk "Civic Passions" 3/25 at Library of Congress

Progressive America,” March 25
In the last quarter of the 19th century, great industrial growth resulted in corporate excesses and economic inequities, somewhat similar to current economic and social conditions. The Gilded Age led to community organizers fighting tirelessly to better the lives of working people.

Cecelia Tichi will discuss the era and its parallels to today in a lecture about her new book "Civic Passions: Seven Who Launched Progressive America (and What They Teach Us)" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C.

Sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, the event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

John Haynes discusses "Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America" 3/2 at Library of Congress

Author and Kluge Staff Fellow, John Haynes, discusses his book "Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America" at Library of Congress, on Tuesday, March 2, at noon in the Mary Pickford Theater, third floor, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. The event, co-sponsored by the Center for the Book and the Manuscript Division in the Library of Congress, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Panel Dicsussion on Sino-Indian Maritime Rivalry and the US, 2/22 at Library of Congress

The Library’s John W. Kluge Center will present "The United States and Sino-Indian Maritime Rivalry" at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

The moderator for the panel discussion is C. Raja Mohan, holder of the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Kluge Center. Mohan is professor of South Asian studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-017.html

January 25, 2010
James F. Childress Appointed to Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics at John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed James F. Childress, a distinguished professor from the University of Virginia, to the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics at the John W. Kluge Center.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Wm. Roger Louis named to Kluge Chair at Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed William Roger Louis, a distinguished historian from the University of Texas at Austin, to the John W. Kluge Center Chair for Countries and Cultures of the North.

While at the Kluge Center, from January through May, Louis will complete his book "The British Empire in the Middle East, 1952-1971," which is a sequel to his previous work "The British Empire in the Middle East, 1945-1951."

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Abdulkarim Soroush speaks at Library of Congress on 21 January

Abdolkarim Soroush, a well-known Iranian thinker and reformer and a Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, will present a lecture on Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, theologian and Sufi mystic.

Soroush will lecture on "Persian Rumi versus American Rumi: A Long Journey from Afghanistan to Iran, Then to Iraq, Mecca, Turkey, Europe and Eventually to the United States," at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, in Room 119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Kluge Center in the Library's Office of Scholarly Programs, the lecture is free and open to the public; tickets or reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Arafaat Valiani lectures on civic violence in Gujarat, India, 1/14, Library of Congress

January 14, 2010

Lecture: “Militant Publics: Physical Training, Guerilla-Styled Protest, and ‘Civic’ Violence in Gujarat, India." Arafaat Valiani, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 PM in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Fayth Parks on healing in Geechee/Gullah Sea Islands, Dec. 16

Robert Saladini, Library of Congress

Fayth Parks, Larson Fellow in Health and Spirituality, “Legacy of healing: Resilience and Positive Thought in African American Folk Beliefs, Spirituality, and Emotional Healing Practices: Implications for Physical, Mental, and Social Health" on Wednesday, December 16 at 12:00 PM in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are needed.

Lecture: David Christian and John R. McNeill, "The Anthropocene: Are We There Yet?" 12/10 at Library of Congress

December 10 , 2009

Lecture: David Christian and John R. McNeill, "The Anthropocene: Are We There Yet?" Christian and McNeill will discuss how rapidly increasing human impact on the biosphere is changing the way scholars and experts view human history at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10 in the Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

This event, sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, is free and open to the public. No reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Lisa Noetzel lectures on Pareja, Spanish missionary to the Timucua, 12/3 at Library of Congress

December 3, 2009

Lecture: Lisa Noetzel, Kluge Fellow, “Francisco Pareja: Missionary and Linguist in Spanish Colonial Florida” on Thursday, December 3, 2009, 12:00 PM, Thomas Jefferson Building, Room LJ-119. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Marlis Schweitzer lecture on Transnational Trade in Theatrical Commodities, c. 1907-8, Nov. 19

November 19, 2009
Lecture: “Lying, Stealing, and Other Theatrical Crimes: Molnar’s The Devil and the Transnational Trade in Theatrical Commodities, c. 1907-8,” Marlis Schweitzer, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

This event is free and open to the public.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Judith Nies lecture: Black Mesa Syndrome,, November 18 at Noon, Library of Congress

November 18, 2009
Lecture: “The Black Mesa Syndrome: Indian Lands, Black Gold,” Judith Nies, Black Mountain Fellow, at 12:00 in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

This event is free and open to the public; no tickets are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Library of Congress Celebrates 400th Anniversary of “Royal Commentaries” by El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Nov. 19

"The Royal Commentaries of the Inca," by El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, considered by historians to be the earliest and most important literary work of the Americas, was published 400 years ago, in 1609. The book is a keenly observant account of the Inca Empire, its conquest by Spain and the first years of colonial rule in the Americas.

The Library of Congress and the Embassy of Peru will celebrate its 400th anniversary with a presentation by scholars at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the Library’s James Madison Building, 100 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington D.C. The event is free and open to the public; tickets and reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Library of Congress observes Berlin Wall anniversary, 10/29

October 29, 2009

Book talk: “Kennedy and the Berlin Wall: ‘A hell of a lot better than a war’” with author, W. R. Smyser, 4:00 PM in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

The lecture, sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center and the German Historical Institute of Washington, D.C., marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book talk is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Agnes Kefeli lectures on Tatar national identity, 10/22 at Library of Congress

Lecture: “The Tale of Joseph and Zulahkha and Tatar National Identity on the Volga Frontier,” Agnes Kefeli, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress.

The ancient tale of Joseph, son of Jacob, was a "best seller" on the Silk Road from Russia to China. Before the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, Tatars, a Turkic-speaking people living in the Middle Volga, used it to propagate Islam and address the internal communal fractures caused by Russian colonization. Today, proponents of national Islamic identity call for the re-appropriation of such tales to restore boundaries between Tatars and Russians.

This event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Iranian Philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush Named Distinguished Iranian Philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at John W. Kluge Center

September 24, 2009
Iranian Philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named Abdolkarim Soroush—renowned Iranian thinker, philosopher and reformer—as Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Historian David Christian Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar Library of Congress

September 25, 2009
Historian David Christian Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named David Christian, a professor from Australia, as Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

Christian will conduct research at the Library from September through December 2009 to complete a draft of a comprehensive history of Inner Eurasia, the lands dominated by the former Soviet Union as well as Mongolia and parts of Xinjiang. The project combines his background as a historian of Russia and his growing interest in world history and "big history," which is history on a large scale across long time frames through a multi-disciplinary approach.

Library of Congress Symposium Celebrates Chinese Cartoonist Ding Cong

September 25, 2009
Library of Congress Symposium Celebrates Chinese Cartoonist and Artist Ding Cong, Oct. 20

A Library of Congress symposium, "Public Art and Illustrations: The Cartoons and Art of Ding Cong," will celebrate the life and work of China’s famous cartoonist and artist, Ding Cong, who provided daring social commentary on Chinese society during China’s turbulent 20th century.

The symposium, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Oct. 20, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, and reservations or tickets are not needed.

C. Raja Mohan Named Kissinger Scholar at Library of Congress

September 22, 2009
C. Raja Mohan Named the Henry Alfred Kissinger Scholar in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed C. Raja Mohan, professor of South Asian studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, as the Henry Alfred Kissinger Scholar in Foreign Policy and International Relations in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Morenus on chiaroscuro woodcut printing 16/17th c. Italy

October 1, 2009
Lecture: Linda Stiber Morenus, Kluge Staff Fellow on “Chiaroscuro woodcut printing in 16th - 17th century Italy: Technique in relation to artistic style” at 4:00 PM in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

In her illustrated talk, Morenus will present research that contributes to the establishment of a signature of style, materials, and methods for the Italian printmakers in the study.

Lecture: Junchang Yang on pre-Qin period gold, 9/17 Library of Congress

In this lecture based on archaeological findings, Junchang Yang introduces the use of gold and the development of the making of gold artifacts during the pre-Qin period, including the type and the scope of gold being utilized at different dynasties of pre-Qin period.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kislak Fellowship recipients named at Library of Congress

The Library of Congress announces Luisa Elena Alcala and Jennifer Loughmiller-Newman as Short-Term Kislak Fellows at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, where they will research cultures and history of the Americas. Loughmiller-Newman will study Mayan ceramics and the chemical and physical analysis of residues and decomposition. Alcala will research a project titled "Art Taming the Landscape: Creating a Sense of Place in Colonial Spanish-American Images."

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Karen A. Leal lecture "“Between European and Ottoman" August 20, Library of Congress

August 20, 2009

Lecture: Karen A. Leal, Kluge Fellow, on “Between European and Ottoman: Hellenic Grand Dragomans, Roman Subjects, and Classical Ruins at the turn of the 18th Century” at 12:00 PM, Pickford Theater, James Madison Building.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Jason Stahl on "Conservatives in a marketplace of ideas" Aug 13

August 13, 2009
Lecture: Jason Stahl, Jameson Fellow, on “Conservatives in a marketplace of ideas: Think tanks, interests, and expertise in the 1970s” at 12:00 PM, Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

K. Shankar Bajpai Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Library of Congress’ John W. Kluge Center

K. Shankar Bajpai Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Library of Congress’ John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named K. Shankar Bajpai—who served as India’s ambassador to Pakistan, China and the United States—as Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Philippa Levine to Discuss Why Historians Ignore Women in Studies on Decolonization, Library of Congress, July 15

Historian Philippa Levine, in a lecture at the Library of Congress, will examine why studies of decolonization rarely explore the contributions of women.

Levine, a professor of history at the University of Southern California, will present "Still Invisible: Women, Gender and Decolonization," at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Announcement - 2009/2010 Kluge Fellows at Library of Congress

Thanks to the efforts of Library of Congress subject specialists and curators and, based on the recommendations of National Endowment of the Humanities panel members, the Librarian of Congress was able to choose from a distinguished group of applicants in selecting the 2009-2010, and most recent, class of Kluge Fellows.

Historian Marilyn B. Young to Discuss “Limited War, Unlimited” at Library of Congress, July 8

Historian Marilyn B. Young, in a lecture at the Library of Congress, will discuss the nature of America’s limited wars, from Korea to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

oung, professor of history at New York University, will present "Limited War, Unlimited" at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Petr Eltsov on Harappan/Indus Civilization, July 9 at Library of Congress

July 9, 2009
Lecture: Petr Eltsov, The Great Tradition of Ancient South Asia: From Sanskrit Literature to the Archaeology of the Harappan/Indus Civilization (ca. 2600/2500 - 1900/1800 BC)" at 12:00 PM in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

No tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Dimitry Lyubin talks about artist colonies in Europe and the US, July 6

July 6, 2009
Lecture: Dimitry Lyubin, “Artist colonies in Europe and the United States at the turn of the 20th century,” at 12:00 PM in LJ-159, Thomas Jefferson Building. No tickets are needed; this event is free and open to the public.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

July 2, Neil Maher lecture: “Ground control: Beyond an environmental history of the space race”

July 2, 2009

Lecture: Neil Maher, Kluge Fellow. “Ground control: Beyond an environmental history of the space race,” 12:00 PM in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Jacqueline Messing lecture, June 24 - Ethnography, Identity and Ethnohistory: Studying narrative in contemporary and colonial Tlaxcala, Mexico

June 24, 2009

Lecture: Jacqueline Messing, Kislak Fellow: “Ethnography, Identity and Ethnohistory: Studying narrative in contemporary and colonial Tlaxcala, Mexico” with Jacqueline Messing, Kislak Fellow. 12:00 PM in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-3302

Marie Arana Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Library of Congress

Author Marie Arana Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress’ John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named Marie Arana a distinguished visiting scholar at the John W. Kluge Center, where she is pursuing research on Simón Bolívar, the famed liberator of Latin America from Spain.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kelly Pemberton lectures on Islamic medicine, June 17

June 17, 2009
Lecture: Kelly Pemberton, Larson Fellow, “Competing Medical Cultures or Close Collaborators? Islamic Medicine and Biomedicine in South Asia and the Middle East” at 12:00 in Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Kluge Fellow, Zachary Schrag lecture: “Militias and Mobs in Antebellum America”

June 11, 2009
Lecture: Zachary Schrag, Kluge Fellow, on “Militias and Mobs in Antebellum America” at 12:00 PM, Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

This lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini

Lecture: Christine Johnson, (What was German about the Holy Roman Empire?), June 10

June 10, 2009
Lecture: Christine Johnson, Kluge Fellow, “What was German about the Holy Roman Empire? National and Imperial History in the Renaissance” at 12:00 in Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building.

This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini

Kluge Fellow, Johanna Bockman on Socialism in Latin America, June 4 at Library of Congress

June 4, 2009

Lecture: Johanna Bockman, Kluge Fellow, on “Yugoslav Socialism in Latin America: The Left-Wing Origins of Neoliberalism” at 12:00 PM, Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building

“Indigenous Identity, Artistic Agency, and the Heraldic Imagination in Early Colonial Mexico” Monica Dominguez Torres, May 28

May 28, 2009
Lecture: “Indigenous Identity, Artistic Agency, and the Heraldic Imagination in Early Colonial Mexico” with Monica Dominguez, Kluge Fellow, 12:00 in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building.

Spring 2009 Kluge eNewsletter issued

Dear Friends of the Kluge Center:

Please know that the Spring 2009 issue of the Kluge Center eNewsletter has just been issued and is found on the Kluge Center website www.loc.gov/kluge. You will find a link to it, along with the two previous issues, under “Newsletter” in the column on the left side of the page.

In this issue of the eNewsletter we feature some of publications resulting from work that our scholars have pursued while in residence here at the Library of Congress and we ask that you join us in congratulating them on their accomplishments. In addition, you will find information about the 2008 Kluge Prize recipients, news about some past Kluge Center events and programs, a story about John Hope Franklin, and some general news of interest.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you. Should you have any comments on ways to improve the eNewsletter’s effectiveness, don’t hesitate to let me know. Also, for those of you who are former Kluge Center scholars, do keep us apprised of any news (publications, awards, appointments, etc.) that you wish to share, especially as it relates to your work here at the Library of Congress.

Best wishes to all of you from the residents and staff of the Kluge Center.

Robert Saladini, Editor
Program Officer, John W. Kluge Center / Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress
10 First Street SE
Washington, DC 20540-4860
Email: rsal@loc.gov

"Building the Bomb" panel discussion at Library of Congress, May 27

PLEASE FORWARD

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress will hold a panel discussion on "Building the Bomb, Fearing Its Use: Nuclear Scientists, Social Responsibility and Arms Control, 1946-1996."

The discussion will take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Library’s Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Mary Palevsky, a Black Mountain Institute fellow at the Kluge Center, will moderate the panel discussion. Panelists will include Hugh Gusterson, William Lanouette and Martin J. Sherwin.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, DC

Lecture: Marcy J. Dinius on "Frederick Douglass's 'Lecture on Pictures' and Daguerreian Portraiture" May 14

May 14, 2009
Lecture: Marcy J. Dinius, Kluge Fellow, on "Frederick Douglass's 'Lecture on Pictures' and Daguerreian Portraiture" at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building

This talk considers Frederick Douglass's 1861 "Lecture on Pictures," one of the few speeches that the great self-educated orator and activist dedicated to a topic other than the problems of slavery and civil rights.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Romila Thapar, 2008 Kluge Prize recipient, May 12 lecture

One of the world’s foremost experts on the history of early India, Romila Thapar, winner of the 2008 Kluge Prize, will discuss the rich and ancient civilization in a lecture at the Library of Congress.

Thapar will present "Perceptions of the Past in Early India" at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

“Defining Enslavement: Literary depictions of slaveries 18th century Britain”

May 7, 2009
Lecture: Srividhya Swaminathan, Kluge Fellow on “Defining Enslavement: Literary depictions of slaveries in early 18th century Britain” at Noon, Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building.

Historian Peter Brown to discuss wealth and work in early Christian monasticism, 4/30 at Library of Congress

Historian Peter Brown, winner of the 2008 Kluge Prize, will lecture on "A Parting of the Ways: Wealth, Working and Poverty in Early Christian Monasticism" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Joseph Kosek discusses book on Christian pacifists, March 25 at Library of Congress

Joseph Kip Kosek, assistant professor at George Washington University, will discuss the impact of radical Christian pacifists on American democratic theory and practice, at the Library of Congress on March 25.

Kosek, the author of "Acts of Conscience: Christian Nonviolence and Modern American Democracy" and a former fellow of the Libraryâs John W. Kluge Center, will talk about his book at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. The event is free and open to the public; tickets and reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
lckluge@loc.com

Anthropologist Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney Named To Library of Congress Kluge Center's Chair of Modern Culture

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney, an anthropology professor at the University of Wisconsin, to the John W. Kluge Center’s Chair of Modern Culture.

Ohnuki-Tierney’s term at the Kluge Center will run from February through July 2009. Her research will explore general theories about the role of symbolism and folk aesthetic in Japan’s history and culture and will show the importance of symbolism in political and military affairs.

Robert Saladini
Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20540

Maroud Aouad lectures on Arab Medieval Philosophers' Doctrines on War, Library of Congress, 2/25

Distinguished Scholar at Library of Congress To Discuss Doctrines on War of Arab Medieval Philosophers, Feb. 25

Unlike the concept of jihâd in the Islamic world, the doctrines on war that were held by medieval philosophers writing in Arabic have received minimal attention.

Maroun Aouad, a distinguished visiting scholar in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, will discuss the topic in a lecture titled "Arab Medieval Philosophers' Doctrines on War" at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Maurice Jackson to lecture on abolitionist, A. Benezet, 2/16 at Library of Congress

Maurice Jackson To Discuss Anthony Benezet, Father of Atlantic Abolitionism, Feb. 26

Anthony Benezet is recognized as the founder of the antislavery movement in America in the mid-1700s. Benezet and his fight against slavery will be the topic of a lecture by Maurice Jackson, an assistant professor in the history department at Georgetown University. Jackson will discuss his recently published book "Let This Voice Be Heard: Anthony Benezet, Father of Atlantic Abolitionism" at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

A book sale and signing will follow the lecture, which is sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center. The lecture is free and open to the public; tickets and reservations are not required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Jeffrey C. Alexander Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Library of Congress John W. Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named Jeffrey C. Alexander, the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology at Yale University, as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library’s John W. Kluge Center.

Robert Saladini
Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress
Washington, DC

Peter Brown and Romila Thapar receive Kluge Prize at Library of Congress

$1 Million Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Humanity Bestowed by Library of Congress

In a ceremony in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building, Peter Robert Lamont Brown and Romila Thapar today were awarded the 2008 Kluge Prize for lifetime achievement in the study of humanity. They are the sixth and seventh recipients since the Prize’s 2003 inception.

Endowed by Library of Congress benefactor John W. Kluge, the Kluge Prize rewards lifetime achievement in a wide range of disciplines including history, philosophy, politics, anthropology, sociology, religion, criticism in the arts and humanities, and linguistics. Among all international prizes at the $1 million level, the Kluge Prize covers the widest range of academic disciplines, languages and diverse cultural perspectives in the world. Brown and Thapar will share the prize.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Timothy M. Rohan lectures on architect, Paul Rudolph, Dec. 16 at Library of Congress

Lecture: “Model City: Buildings and projects by Paul Rudolph for Yale and New Haven”

Timothy Rohan, Kluge Fellow

December 16, 2008, 12:00 Noon (Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building)

This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

In this lecture, Timothy M. Rohan from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst discusses the exhibition he curated, “Model City: Buildings and Projects by Paul Rudolph for Yale and New Haven”, which draws upon works from the Paul Rudolph Archive in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress.

Historians Peter R. L. Brown and Romila Thapar receive 2008 Kluge Prize

Peter Robert Lamont Brown and Romila Thapar will receive the 2008 Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Humanity in a ceremony Dec. 10 at the Library of Congress. They are the sixth and seventh recipients since the Prize’s 2003 inception.

Endowed by Library of Congress benefactor John W. Kluge, the Kluge Prize is unique among all international prizes at the $1 million level in rewarding a very wide range of disciplines including history, philosophy, politics, anthropology, sociology, religion, criticism in the arts and humanities, and linguistics, as well as a great variety of cultural perspectives in the world. Each awardee will receive half of the $1 million prize.

Robert Saladini
John w. Kluge Center
Library of Congress

Reuben Rose-Redwood lecture: “Spaces of Calculation: Street Addressing and the Making of a Geo-coded World” 3 Dec. at Library of Congress

Kluge Fellow, Reuben Rose-Redwood lectures on “Spaces of Calculation: Street Addressing and the Making of a Geo-coded World” at Library of Congress on December 3, 2008 at 12:00 PM in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Mark Anderson lectures on Tropical Imaginings in Brazilian Literature, 11/13 at Library of Congress

Kluge Fellow, Mark Anderson, will speak "The Natural Nation: Tropical Imaginings and Ecologies of Abjection in Brazilian Literature,” on November 13, 2008 at 12:00 pm in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Ambassador Teresita Schaffer on India and the U.S., Nov. 13 at Library of Congress

Ambassador Teresita Schaffer To Lecture on India and the United States, Nov. 13

The relationship between the United States and India and its likely evolution in the next decade is the topic of a lecture at the Library of Congress by Ambassador Teresita Schaffer, holder of the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the John W. Kluge Center.

Schaffer will present "India and the United States – Reinventing Partnership" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Library’s Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20540
lckluge@loc.gov

William R. Smyser lecture "Is diplomacy the answer?" Oct. 23 at Library of Congress

Willam Smyser To Discuss "Is Diplomacy the Answer?" at Library of Congress Oct. 23

Does the U.S., as a longstanding superpower, need a diplomatic strategy to protect and advance our interests in the new world? William R. Smyser will examine the topic in a lecture at the Library of Congress on October 23.

Smyser is the former holder of the Henry A. Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. He will present the talk at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the lecture is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Paul Crego to lecture on "Abkhazia and the New Cold War" Library of Congress, Sep. 25

Kluge Staff Fellow, Paul Crego, lectures on "Abkhazia and the New Cold War" on September 25 at 4:00 PM in the West Dining Room, James Madison Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Historian Gerald Stourzh speaks at Library of Congress, Sep. 24

Distinguished Austrian historian Gerald Stourzh, professor emeritus at the University of Vienna, is one of the few prominent scholars equally at home with U.S. history and the history of central Europe.

Stourzh will discuss his storied career and his latest book, a collection of 15 essays previously published from 1953 to 2005, in a lecture at the Library of Congress titled "Traces of an Intellectual Journey: Gerald Stourzh Presents His Book ‘From Vienna to Chicago and Back" at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The event, which will take place in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C., is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required. The lecture is sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center and the European Division, both of the Library of Congress, and the Austrian Cultural Forum of Washington.

Robert Saladini
lckluge@loc.gov

Book Talk: "The Hemingses of Monticello" with Annette Gordon-Reed, Sep. 23

Author Annette Gordon-Reed, who received attention in 1997 for a book that carefully evaluated claims and counter-claims about the Jefferson-Hemings relationship, has written a new book about Sally Hemings – a slave in the Founding Father’s household – and her family.

Gordon-Reed will discuss "The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family" at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The book will be on sale and available for signing.

The lecture, sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center and the Manuscript Division, is free and open to the public; tickets and reservations are not required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Subarno Chattarji on Aspects of Vietnamese Representations of the Vietnam War and its Aftermath

Lecture: 'Will there be peace again?': Some Aspects of Vietnamese Representations of the Vietnam War and its Aftermath

Subarno Chattarji, Kluge fellow

September 18, 2008, 12:00 Noon (LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress)

This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

Frances Garrett on Tibetan Buddhism at Library of Congress, Aug. 12

Larson Fellow, Frances Garrett, discusses “Death, Rebirth and Being Human in Tibetan Buddhism" at 12:00 Noon, Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, August 12. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Geert Buelens, Kluge Fellow, lectures on poetry as propaganda during World War I, Jul. 17

Kluge Fellow, Geert Buelens, presents a lecture titled ‘Remember Belgium’ - Poetry as Propaganda during the First World War on July 17, 2008 at 12:00 in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Roger Louis discusses UN role in creation of Israel, Library of Congress, Jul. 16

William Roger Louis to Discuss United Nations' Role in Creation of Israel at Library of Congress, July 16 in a lecture titled "The Moral Conscience of the World: The United Nations and Palestine in 1947" at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Chitralekha Zutshi on Rajatarangini and the Making of India's Past, Jul. 10

Kluge Fellow, Chitralekha Zutshi, presents a lecture titled "Translating History: Rajatarangini and the Making of India's Past" on Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 12:00 noon in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

$1 Million Kluge Prize to be Given Dec. 10

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington will award the fourth John W. Kluge Prize for lifetime achievement in the study of humanity on Dec. 10, 2008, the culmination of the Library’s most extensive worldwide search yet for nominees. Nominations will be accepted until July 15.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Dane Kennedy on "Decolonization and Disorder" at Library of Congress, Jul. 9

Historian Dane Kennedy, in a lecture at the Library of Congress, will examine three waves of European decolonization, from the late 18th century through the late 20th century, and the violence and discord that accompanied the transitions.

Kennedy’s presentation "Decolonization and Disorder" will take place at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

The lecture, sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center and the National History Center, is free and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not needed.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Michael Wesch on anthropology of YouTube at Library of Congress, 6/23

Wesch will discuss the three-year-old video-sharing Web site in a lecture titled "The Anthropology of YouTube" at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 23, in the Montpelier Room on the sixth floor of the Library of Congress’ James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required. Robert Saladini

Kluge Fellow Claudia Haake on Native American Removal in U.S and Mexico, June 12, Library of Congress

Kluge Fellow, Claudia Haake lectures on "Breaking the Bonds of People and Land: Native American Removal in the United States and Mexico" on June 12, 2008, 12:00 Noon (Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building).

This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20540
tel. 202-707-2692

Authors Chollet and Goldgeier discuss book on pre-9/11 period, June 12, Library of Congress

Derek Chollet and James Goldgeier will examine the period between the end of the Cold War and the destruction of the Twin Towers in a talk based on their book, "America Between the Wars," at the Library of Congress, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

The event, sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library, is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Steve Stathis lecture "Congress: Crucible of American Democracy 5/29 at Library of Congress

Steve Stathis, Kluge Staff Fellow, presents a lecture titled "Congress: Crucible of American democracy" on May 29 at 4:00 P.M. LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Though often treated by historians, political scientists, and the American public as of lesser consequence than the Executive, the U.S. Congress has historically served as the crucible of American democracy. In continual interaction and evolution as an institution, Congress has molded and directed national policy affecting the lives of virtually every American citizen. Its history is as diverse and complex as the nation and is waiting to be told in its entirety. Stathis’ continuing effort to capture the essence of that story focuses on the historical evolution of the twin functions of Congress: to legislate for the nation and to represent the people.

Steve Stathis lecture "Congress: Crucible of American Democracy 5/29 at Library of Congress

Karen Carter on “Poster mania in turn-of-the-century Paris”, May 22 at Noon, Library of Congress

Karen Carter, Kluge Fellow, presents a lecture titled “Poster mania in turn-of-the-century Paris” at 12:00 on May 22 in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Author Steven Berlin Johnson discusses book "Everything Bad Is Good for You" at Library of Congress, May 12

A spirited defense of the digital generation will be presented at the Library of Congress by Steven Berlin Johnson, who will discuss "Everything Bad Is Good for You" at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 12, in the Montpelier Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

2008-2009 Kluge Fellows selected at Library of Congress

In its sixth full year of operation, the John W. Kluge Center continues to attract the world’s brightest minds to the Library of Congress where they pursue humanistic and social science research making use of the Library's large, varied collections and expert staff. While in residence, they also have the opportunity to interact with the Washington, DC diplomatic community and one another. See the link for the names of those selected.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress

Application Deadline: April 17, 2008 - David B. Larson Fellowship in Health and Spirituality, John W. Kluge Center, Library of Congress

The Library of Congress invites qualified scholars to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship in the field of health and spirituality. Made possible by a generous endowment from the International Center for the Integration of Health and Spirituality (ICIHS), the fellowship is named in honor of the Center's late founder, David B. Larson, an epidemiologist and psychiatrist, who focused on potentially relevant but understudied factors which might help in prevention, coping, and recovering from illness.

Robert Saladini
Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress
rsal@loc.gov

Jennifer Sessions lectures on “The Conquest of Algeria at Louis-Philippe's Versailles" at Library of Congress on 4/17

April 17, 2008
Lecture: “An Empire for a King: The Conquest of Algeria at Louis-Philippe's Versailles," Jennifer Sessions, Kluge Fellow, at 12, in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

Robert Saladini
Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress
rsal@loc.gov

Max Edelson lectures on “Mapping the New Empire: Britain’s General Survey of North America, 1763-1782,” at Library of Congress on 4/16

Lecture: “Mapping the New Empire: Britain’s General Survey of North America, 1763-1782,” Max Edelson, Kislak Fellow, at 12 in Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

Robert Saladini
Office of Scholarly Programs
Library of Congress
rsal@loc.gov

Joseph Kosek lectures on “God and Gandhi: Radical Spiritual Politics of Rev. John Haynes Holmes” 4/3 at Library of Congress

The Library of Congress, John W. Kluge Center, presents Kluge Fellow, Joseph Kosek, in a lecture titled “God and Gandhi: The Radical Spiritual Politics of the Reverend John Haynes Holmes (1879-1964)” on Thursday, April 3, 2008, at 12:00 p.m., Dining Room A, James Madison Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required. For more information, contact Robert Saladini at (202) 707-2692. Requst ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or <ADA@loc.gov>.

Library of Congress series on âDigital Nativesâ begins April 7

Distinguished scholar and child-development expert Edith Ackerman will present "The Anthropology of Digital Natives" at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 7 at the Library of Congress.
The event, the first in a series on Digital Natives â those who have been raised with the computer as a natural part of their lives â is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed. In addition, the lecture will be webcast live at www.loc.gov.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Tel. 202-707-2692

Symposium: "Art, Culture, and Government: The New Deal at 75"

Leading scholars from throughout the United States will join experts from the Library of Congress in the program, "Art, Culture, and Government: The New Deal at 75," on Thursday and Friday, March 13 – 14. The two-day program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Robert Saladini
Library of Congress
Email: rsal@loc.gov

The Druze Heritage is Subject of Feb. 7 Symposium, Library of Congress

The Druze are a thousand-year-old religious community of the Middle East, whose members today live primarily in Lebanon, Syria and Israel, while others have emigrated to the United States, Europe and Africa. Their historical and intellectual legacy will be examined by 10 scholars from the U.S. and Middle East who will participate in a symposium to be held at the Library of Congress from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7 in Room LJ-119, located on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington D.C.

Smyser appointed to Kissinger Chair at Library of Congress

W. R. Smyser, adjunct professor in the BMW Center for German and European Studies, Georgetown University, has been appointed to the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Tom Zeller lectures on parkways in Germany and U.S., 1920-70; 1/23 at Library of Congress

Library of Congress Kluge Fellow, Thomas Zeller, presents a lecture titled “Consuming Landscapes: Parkways in Germany and the United States, 1920-1970" on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public.

Van Der Wee on Economic Globalization through history, 1/17 at Library of Congress

Economic globalization is a new word for an old process, according to economic historian Herman Van der Wee, holder of the Chair of the Countries and Cultures of the North in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Van der Wee will explain this concept in a lecture titled "Economic Globalization in the Mirror of History" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

Lecture: Mario del Pero on Henry Kissinger and international repercussions of the Portuguese Revolution, Library of Congress 12/12

December 12 at 12:00 noon
Lecture: "Which Chile, Allende? Henry Kissinger and the International Repercussions of the Portuguese Revolution,” Mario del Pero, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations or tickets are required.

Michael Schiltz to give lecture on Japanese diplomat, Megata Tanetaro, at Library of Congress, 12/5

Lecture: âA Money Doctor from Japan: Megata Tanetaro in Korea, 1904-1907),â Michael Schiltz, Kluge Fellow, at 12:00 in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Ethicist William F. May gives lecture on Nov. 29 at 4, Library of Congress

"Containing Runaway Fear in Foreign Policy: Recovering Our National Identity" will be discussed by William F. May, holder of the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics, at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

The lecture starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington D.C. Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public; no reservations are needed.

In his presentation, May will discuss the religious apprehensions, such as good versus evil, embedded in American politics. He will look at American foreign policy during the last 60 years, as political anxieties in the West shifted from the mind-set during the Cold War (the West vs. tyranny) to the current apprehensions (the West vs. anarchy).

Writers From Iowa's International Writing Program Read Their Works, Nov. 15 at Library of Congress

Writers from the distinguished International Writing Program at the University of Iowa will read from their works at the Library of Congress at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15, in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC. This event is free and open to the public, no tickets are required.

David Orique on Bartolome de las Casas, Oct. 18 at Library of Congress

Kislak Fellow, David Orique, presents a lecture titled “What seemed to be or not to be a 1528 letter of Bartolomé de las Casas to Charles V: an historiographical opinion about the Parecer” on October 18, 2007 at 12:00 in Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Congressman Major Owens and Distinguished Panel To Discuss "A New Challenge to Black Congressional Caucus" on 10/1 at Library of Congress

What did Ossie Davis envision in 1971 when he proclaimed to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) that "it’s not the man, it’s the plan"? In a special forum on Oct. 1 at the Library of Congress, Congressman Major Owens will host a distinguished panel of U.S. representatives and political scientists in a discussion of his forthcoming book, "The Peacock Elite: A Subjective Case Study of the Congressional Black Caucus and Its Impact on National Politics."

The forum will start at noon on Monday, Oct. 1, in the Members’ Room on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are needed.

William F. May Appointed to Maguire Chair in American History at Library of Congress Kluge Center

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed William F. May to the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics at the John W. Kluge Center for a three-month tenure from September to December. May will conduct research on the shift of political anxieties in the West, from the mindset during the Cold War (the West vs. tyranny) to the current apprehensions (the West vs. anarchy). He will bring a religious interpretation to the political analysis. May is conducting the research to prepare for the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Princeton Professor, Jenna Joselit, on the 10 Commandments in America, 10/11 at Library of Congress

Jenna Weissman Joselit, a Princeton University professor who spent the summer as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library's, John W. Kluge Center, will wrap up her research with a lecture titled "Holy Moses! A Cultural History of the Ten Commandments in Modern America."

Joselit will present the talk at the Library of Congress at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event, sponsored by the Library’s Kluge Center, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Charles Kupchan discusses bipartisanship at Library of Congress on 9/20

Charles A. Kupchan, holder of the Henry Alfred Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress, will give a lecture titled "Dead Center: The Collapse of Bipartisanship and Its Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sep. 20, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

The event, sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Kay Shelemay on Ethiopian American music at Library of Congress on Sep. 6

Harvard scholar, Kay Shelemay, presents "Music in the Ethiopian American Diaspora: A Preliminary Overview" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Shelemay Appointed Chair of Modern Culture at Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Kay Kaufman Shelemay, an ethnomusicologist from Harvard University, to the Chair of Modern Culture in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

While in residence at the Kluge Center, Shelemay will pursue research for a book on Ethiopian music and musicians in the United States.

The End of European Colonial Empires To Be Discussed by William Roger Louis, July 10

One of the great themes of 20th century history is the end of European colonial empires. William Roger Louis, founding director of the National History Center, will discuss the topic in a lecture at the Library of Congress.

The talk will start at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Free and open to the public, the event is sponsored by the Libraryâs John W. Kluge Center and the National History Center, and is presented in conjunction with the History Centerâs Second International Research Seminar on Decolonization, held in Washington, D.C., from July 9 through Aug. 4.

Crawford Young on African colonial states, 7/25 at 4:00 at Library of Congress

Crawford Young, a distinguished scholar on Africa and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, will discuss "The African Colonial State and the Encounter with Decolonization" at the Library of Congress on July 25.

The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will start at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C.

Nobel Laureates John Mather and Craig Mello discuss origins of life on 7/26 at Library of Congress

Origins of Life and Universe To Be Discussed by Nobel Scientists John Mather and Craig Mello, July 26

Two 2006 Nobel Prize winners will address the fundamental questions pondered by many through the ages: the origins of life and the universe.

Free and open to the public, the event, "On the Origins of Life and the Universe: An Afternoon with 2006 Nobel Laureates Craig Mello and John Mather," will be held at the Library of Congress from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C.

Jenna Joselit researches 10 Commandments at Library of Congress

Jenna Weissman Joselit, a Princeton University professor who was recently appointed Visiting Scholar at the John W. Kluge Center, is studying the variety of cultural forms in which the Ten Commandments appear in American culture.

A professor of American studies and Modern Judaic studies at Princeton, Joselit’s appointment at the Kluge Center started June 1. She is conducting research in the Library of Congress collections for her forthcoming book on the Ten Commandments. Joselit is investigating a variety of cultural forms, including synagogue and church architecture, Sunday school pageants and Cecil B. de Mille’s legendary movies.

Kluge Fellow, Tobie Meyer-Fong on "The Taiping Rebellion" at Library of Congress on 6/14

Kluge Fellow, Tobie Meyer-Fong, presents a lecture titled “Ruin and Restoration: An Eyewitness Frames the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864)” on June 14, 2007 at 12:00 Noon (LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building).

Lecture: "Creating Adam and Eve" in 16th century Germany" with Crowther-Heyck at Library of Congress

Lecture: Creating Adam and Eve: Body, Soul and Gender in Sixteenth-century Germany with Kathleen Crowther-Heyck on
June 13, 12:00 Noon in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building at Library of Congress

2007-08 Class of Kluge Fellows Selected at Library of Congress

2007-08 Class of Kluge Fellows at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress has been selected.

Cecelia Tichi discusses social reformer Julia Lathrop on June 28 at Library of Congress

Cecelia Tichi will discuss "Justice, Not Pity: Julia Lathrop, First Chief of the U.S. Children’s Bureau" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public; no tickets are needed.

James Sanders on "Contesting Modernity in Latin America" on May 30

James Sanders, Kluge Fellow at the Library of Congress will give a lecture titled âThe Vanguard of the Atlantic World:
Contesting Modernity in Nineteenth-Century Latin Americaâ on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. in Room 119, Thomas Jefferson Building. This lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Request ASL and ADA accommodations five days in advance at 202-707-6362 or <ADA@loc.gov>. For more information, call 202-707-3302.

Shigemi Inaga lectures on Modern Japanese Arts and Crafts in Kyoto on June 7

Shigemi Inaga, Kluge Chair of Modern Culture at Library of Congress lectures on "Modern Japanese Arts and Crafts in Kyoto: From Asai Chu to Yagi Kazuo" at 4 p.m. Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building. Library of Congress

Lecture on commercialization of academic research at LC on 5/24

"Commercializing University Research - Threats and Opportunities - The Oxford University Model" is the topic of a lecture scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.

Paul Wilson discusses Václav Havel's Book, "To the Castle and Back," 5/17/07 at Library of Congress

Paul Wilson will discuss his English translation of former Czech Republic President Václav Havel’s recently published book "To the Castle and Back," at the Library of Congress on May 17.

The event, sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center and the Embassy of the Czech Republic, will begin at noon on Thursday, May 17, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The book talk is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Symposium on HIV and Hepatitis Vaccines To Be Held on May 10

Distinguished health and medical experts will participate in a symposium addressing critical issues on the challenges of developing an HIV vaccine and ensuring the eradication of Hepatitis B, on May 10 at the Library of Congress.

The symposium, titled "Combating HIV and Hepatitis B," will coincide with World AIDS Vaccine Day on May 18 and Hepatitis Awareness Week, May 7-11.

The program will begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 10, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The experts will focus on HIV in the morning and on Hepatitis B at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; tickets are not required. The symposium will be cybercast live at www.loc.gov.

Yu Ying-shih speaks at Library of Congress on April 24 and April 26

Yu Ying-shih, recipient of the 2006 John W. Kluge Prize for the Study of Humanity, will present talks on China at the Library of Congress on April 24 and April 26. Yu's discussion, at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 24, is titled "China Rediscovers Its Own History." Yu's lecture, at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, is titled "China's Return to Tradition: How to Interpret the New Forces Emerging in China." Both events take place in Room 119, Thomas Jefferson Building, and are free and open to the public.

Raymond Dwek appointed Chair of Technology and Society at Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Raymond Dwek, director of the Glycobiology Institute at Oxford University, to the Chair of Technology and Society in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Gerhard Casper discusses "Caesarism in Democratic Politics" on March 22 at Library of Congress

President Emeritus of Stanford University Gerhard Casper will talk about "Caesarism in Democratic Politics: Reflections on Max Weber" on March 22 at 4:00 P.M. in Room 119 of the Libraryâs Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

John Hope Franklin speaks at Library of Congress on Mar. 6

Historian John Hope Franklin will present a lecture titled "Where Do We Go from Here" at the Library of Congress on March 6, focusing on pressing domestic and foreign policy issues at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Charles Kupchan named Henry Kissinger Scholar at Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has appointed Charles A. Kupchan, a professor in the School of Foreign Service and in the Government Department at Georgetown University, as the Henry Alfred Kissinger Scholar in Foreign Policy and International Relations in the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III speaks on 2/27 at Library of Congress

Former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III will deliver the fifth Kissinger Lecture on Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C., is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

Jaskulowski on Western and Eastern ideas of nationalism, 2/22 at Library of Congress

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents Kluge Fellow, Krzysztof Jaskulowski, in a lecture titled "Western and Eastern nationalism?" on Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 12:00 P.M. in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 1st Street S.E. Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Pamela Geller on the Pre-Columbian Maya, 2/21 at Library of Congress

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress presents Kislak Fellow, Pamela Geller, in a lecture titled “Ancient Bodies: A Humanistic Bioarchaeology of the Pre-Columbian Maya” on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at 12:00 P.M. in LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 1st Street S.E. Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Lecture on the women in Sigmund Freud’s life, Feb. 14

Inge Scholz-Strasser, director of the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna, Austria, will present "The Women Around Sigmund Freud -- Patients, Colleagues, Confidantes" at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 14, in Room 119 of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Michael Brose on foreigners in post-Ming Dynasty China at LC on 1/25

Michael Brose, Kluge Fellow, will present a lecture titled âWhatâs in a name?: Foreigners in Ming Dynasty Chinaâat 12:00 P.M. on Jan. 25, 2007 in Room #119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public; no reservations are required.

Congressman Major Owens at Library of Congress

U.S. Congressman Major Owens named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at John W. Kluge Center.

Marianne Kamp on women in Uzbekistan

Marianne Kamp will discuss her book "The new woman in Uzbekistan: Islam, modernity, and unveiling under communism" on Jan. 11, 2007.

2006 John W. Kluge Prize Winners Announced

John Hope Franklin, 91, and Yu Ying-shih, 76, have been named the recipients of the third John W. Kluge Prize for lifetime achievement in the study of humanity.