An overview of brainbuzzes to come

As always, if you know of any events that ought to be publicized, please let me know. And if you are not receiving periodic updates about IndyBuzz and would like them, please send me your e-mail address. john@sipr.org

A quick overview of the most interesting events coming up in Central Indiana. Big names such as Lee Hamilton, Bill Clinton, and Mikhail Gorbachev; no less interesting will be local heroes such as Fran Quigley and Art Farnsley. The State Department’s top expert on human rights and democracy in China will come to town, but her talk will probably be less informative (and certainly less uninhibited) than local China expert Susan Erickson. National policy wonks come here to flog books on topics such as global corruption; at the same time, newly minted Hoosier Thomas Barnett is releasing the widely anticipated follow-up to his mind-expanding book, The Pentagon’s New Map. Get out your calendar, we are in for a couple of busy months.

In addition to the BIG series such as Spirit & Place and the Ann Katz Festival of Books, there are two smaller series you ought to note. In the spring many groups around town sponsor “Great Decisions” series: eight important foreign policy topics, each week an expert comes in to give a talk and answer questions, then the audience fills out ballots saying what they think the US should do. It’s an excellent series (and the topics for next spring are some of the best I have seen, stand by for much more information later).

So thought-stimulating is the program that Mid-North Shepherd Center has created their own Domestic Decisions series. Seven great topics even more experts … for the next seven Wednesdays starting October 5 at 11:00 AM you should plan to be in the basement of North United Methodist Church to hear about the conflict of values in American politics, political polarization, cuts in city services, separation of church and state, the future of public education, health care reform, and the globalization of higher education. You’ll want to stay for lunch, where the conversations get lively. (If you can’t free up this chunk of time in the middle of the week, don’t despair, the series is repeatedly broadcast on public access cable.) For more info about the Mid-North Shepherd’s Center program, contact Dotti Gerner.

I have started another adaptation of the international “Great Decisions” for OASIS, the adult education program. This is where I experiment with ideas and processes. Part of the change in this series is format: I like to play with mock debates, innovative pairing of experts, and so on. Even more importantly, I want the audience to realize not only that they can understand these issues, and not only that solutions are possible (although I do want them to realize these things). I want them to start to realize that we in Central Indiana can contribute to finding solutions for these problems right now. In fact, we already are. The first session in the series on September 29 was ideal. For our discussion of Russia they got to meet Sasha Korobkina, a college student from Orenburg. The benefit for the class was more than meeting a very self-confident, articulate, intelligent Russian. (Those who attended now will understand what the Russian playwright Edvard Radzinsky meant in his recent Wall Street Journal piece when he rhapsodizes about the remarkable young women who have sprung up in Russia.) Sasha is a civic entrepreneur in Orenburg, helping set up several nonprofit voluntary organizations to solve the crunching problems that beset her community. She has spent the past four months in Central Indiana learning about NGOs and civil society, thanks to the Northeast Indiana Sertoma Club. Sasha returns to Russia in a few days, and her country will be much better because of some generous Sertomans. My Great Decision series will be focused on seeking solutions that we here can launch right now, without waiting for DC bureaucrats or politicians. It should be exciting. Contact me if you would like to join us.


New additions to IndyBuzz are in red.

Sept. 30: Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, "the rock star of the new Muslim generation"

Oct. 1: Perspectives on Iraq -- A major conference

Oct. 5: Whose Values are “Real” American Values?

Oct. 6: Lee Hamilton and Todd Rokita on electoral reform in the United States

Oct. 6: American Intelligence Reform

Oct. 6-9: In Solidarity: Engaging Empire in Activism, Education and Community Strategies

Oct. 8: Environmental Ethics from Three Faith Perspectives

Oct. 10: Global Communities, Local Transitions: The Promise and Risks of Central Indiana

Oct. 11: Haiti: The International Community’s Dictatorship

Oct. 12: Finding consensus in a divided nation and state

Oct.13: Outsourcing jobs: US dilemmas

Oct. 13: A Conversation with George Will and Bill Bradley

Oct. 14: Jean Bethke Elshtain on the Role of the Public Intellectual in American Society

Oct. 14: A Conversation with Anna Quinlin and David Halberstam

Oct. 15: “From Guantanamo to the Statehouse: Human Rights in 2005” -- ICLU annual conference and dinner

Oct. 16: Celebrating a Confluence of Abrahamic Traditions

Oct. 18: Gaining that Competitive Edge — Global Sourcing

Oct. 19: Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior

Oct. 19: Human Rights in China: A Perspective from the US State Department

Oct. 19: Consequences of Cuts to City Services in Indianapolis

Oct. 20: China — An economic giant emerges

Oct. 20: The Japan-US Partnership - Its Significance in the Global Context

Oct. 24: The United Nations, Democracies, and Civil Liberties: Can We Learn Lessons for the Struggle against Extremism

Oct. 25: Theology in Contemporary Music: Its Source May Surprise You

Oct. 26: Separation of Church and State

Oct. 26: Soledad O'Brien on "Diversity: On TV, Behind the Scenes and In Our Lives"

Oct. 27: Sudan and the war in Darfur

Oct. 27: A book release party for Thomas Barnett's "Blueprint for Action"

Oct. 27: Mikhail Gorbachev speaks!

Oct. 27: The Big Book of Jewish Conspiracies

Oct. 31: Inheriting the Holy Land: An American’s Search for Hope in the Middle East

Nov. 2: Wedding Song: Memoirs of an Iranian Jewish Woman

Nov. 2 “Art and Culture in the Islamic World”

Nov. 2 -- "The Future of Public Education"

Nov. 3: The US and Global Poverty

Nov. 3: Maintaining Religious Values in a Changing Society

Nov. 4 Café Cinema: “Hotel Rwanda”

Nov. 5 -- Jewish Mystical Tradition and Spiritual Imagination: Living in the Presence of God

Nov. 5 -- Creation in Time and Eternity: Ecology and Orthodox Christianity

Nov. 5: Spirit and Place Anniversary Gala

Nov. 6 -- Bill Clinton at Butler!

Nov. 6 -- Public Conversation Dinner Dialogue

Nov. 6 -- A Public Conversation with Wendell Berry, A’Lelia Bundles and Rabbi Lawrence Kushner

Nov. 7: Randall Tobias on Indiana and America helping fight AIDS in Africa

Nov. 7: “A Reading with A’Leila Bundles”

Nov. 7: Working Our Way Home: An Evening with Wendell Berry & Friends

Nov. 8: Hotel Rwanda: An Evening with Paul Rusesabagina

Nov. 8 -- "Jewish Food: The World at Table"

Nov. 8: "Where have all the farmers gone"

Nov. 9 -- "Health Care Reform: Current Prognosis"

Nov. 9 -- Women in the Professions: Who Moves, Who Stays, and Why Some of Us Choose to Stay Home

Nov. 9: Moving and Staying in a Global Indy

Nov. 9: The Diaspora and the Homecoming

Nov. 10: Skirting the Issue -- Stories of Indiana’s Historical Women Artists

Nov. 10: US Challenges in Iraq and the Muslim World

Nov. 10: “'As Fast As Circumstances Should Permit': Abraham Lincoln's Move Toward Equality"

Nov. 10 -- Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, 1905 and 2005: Waltzing at the Edge of the Abyss

Nov. 11: “Becoming a Peacemaker”

Nov. 12: "At Home through Learning and Sharing"

Nov. 13: Sacred Circles, Public Squares

Nov. 13: The Crossroads Ensemble in Concert

Nov. 13: "Israelis and Palestinians: Living in Peace as Neighbors"

Nov. 15: A view from the Israeli peace movement

Nov. 15: Staying at the Heart of Belief, Moving Toward One Another in Openness—An Interfaith Peace-Prayer Service

Nov. 16: Indiana Higher Education in a Flat World

Nov. 16: Global corruption: Capitalism's Achilles Heel

Nov. 16: Breaking Ground -- Adventures in Life and Architecture

Nov. 16: Twenty Years of Interfaith in Indianapolis

Nov. 17: Freshwater and Foreign Policy

Nov. 17: Gravitating Towards Indianapolis

Nov. 18: Regulars and Refugees -- An Evening with Carrie Newcomer

Nov. 19: "Time and Timelessness: A Conversation with Stewart Brand and Witold Rybczynski"

Nov. 20: Viewing of film "Alan & Naomi" and discussion with director Sterling van Wagenen

Sept. 30: Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, "the rock star of the new Muslim generation"

Fundraising dinner and talks by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf and Sheikh Abdalla Idris Ali

When: Friday 30 September, 6:30 PM

Where: Islamic Society of North America headquarters: 6555 South 750 East, Plainfield, IN 46168

Many years ago, at St. Mary’s Hospital in a small town in the state of Washington called Walla Walla, two babies were born within a few weeks of each other. One (John Clark) went on to write the e-mail and blog you are reading. The other (Mark Hanson) moved to California with his parents where he converted to Islam and now, as Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, is perhaps the most important Muslim cleric in the US. The Guardian calls him “the West’s most influential Muslim Scholar.” The Wall Street Journal calls him “the rock star of the new Muslim generation” because he attracts crowds of tens of thousands to his lectures around the world. Newsweek calls him “the Muslim moderator” because he is seen as opposing the messages of extremism and violence that many Americans associate with Islam. Writing in the US neoconservative house organ Weekly Standard, by contrast, Steve Schwartz suspects that is and always has been an extremist. Conservative Middle East expert Daniel Pipes has laid out a litmus test for moderate Muslims that Hamza Yusuf proudly proclaims he has failed.

Destiny brings these two sons of Walla Walla to Plainfield IN the evening of September 30. I will be there scribbling notes, trying to get a handle on this very important scholar. Sheikh Yusuf will be addressing a fundraising dinner for the Islamic Society of Greater Indianapolis. Tickets at the door are $25. This is a big event, if it’s possible you should try to attend. You can get information from ISNA, including phone numbers of people who might be able to provide more information.

Oct. 6: Lee Hamilton and Todd Rokita on electoral reform in the United States

Late-breaking news flash: Lee Hamilton has asked that 25 seats for this event be made available to college students at no charge! Act quickly to take advantage of this opportunity to see the state and national power elite at work, and to talk personally with the individuals who are shaping our democracy. To attend, contact Pat Hasselblad of Sagamore Institute at pat@sipr.org or 317-472-7824.

A discussion of the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform with Lee Hamilton (Commission member, Director of the IU Center on Congress and Member of Congress 1965-1999) and Todd Rokita, Indiana Secretary of State

When: Thursday 6 October, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Where: One American Square, Tower Conference Center, TCC 206, Indianapolis IN (get directions here)

The focus will be on citizen participation in the electoral process, with insights and commentary from Congressman Lee Hamilton, who served on the Commission on Federal Election Reform co-chaired by Jimmy Carter and James Baker. The Commission released its findings to the public on September 19, 2005. Among its recommendations are the implementation of uniform voter-registration systems, the consistent use of voter ID cards, state-to-state registration “interoperability,” better maintenance of voter lists, special care for military and overseas ballots, re-enfranchisement of ex-felons and more responsible handling and release of exit-polling data. Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita will offer his perspectives on the progress of election reform here in Indiana.

The Commission's recommendations have stirred much controversy. One of the Commission members, SPencer Overton, has set up a webpage to air his dissent. The nonpartisan League of Women Voters called the report "disappointing" and offers an alternative set of reforms. Progressive Democrats of America complain they were excluded from the Commission's hearings, and lay out their own ideas for change. Here in Indiana, the Commission's recommendations concerning photo ID have been challenged in court by the Indiana Civil Liberties Union and other groups.

There will be a $10.00 charge for this program, although it is complimentary for members of SIPR’s Founders Club. SIPR has limited space for this program. Students can attend for free, but must RSVP. Please RSVP to pat@sipr.org by October 2, 2005 (acceptances only). Call Pat Hasselblad at 317-472-7824 with any questions.

For more information… Read the Carter-Baker Commission’s report, or at least its recommendations. These recommendations concerning photo ID have been challenged in court by the Indiana Civil Liberties Union and other groups.

If you like this event, check out … Other speakers with the Mid-North Shepherd’s Center’s “Domestic Decisions” series will explore different aspects of political reform, including consequences for local politics, and probably also for cuts in city services and healthcare reform.

Expect Bill Clinton to talk about political reform (as well as a hundred and one other topics).

The ICLU’s chief litigator Ken Falk will discuss his organization's court challenge at the ICLU’s Oct. 15 conference.

Oct. 6: American Intelligence Reform

A “debate” between FBI special agents and John Clark

When: Thursday 6 October, 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

The report of the 9/11 commission and questions of pre-Iraq-war intelligence have placed unprecedented attention on the workings of U.S. intelligence agencies. Are U.S. intelligence agencies out of date with dealing with post-cold-war realities? Are the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission adequate for reforming U.S. intelligence?

For more information… read the report of the 9/11 commission and the report on Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the US regarding WMD for all the background you need for this discussion. Yahoo does a good job of collecting recent news articles about intelligence reform.

If you like this event, check out … a couple of events that address civil liberties aspects of intelligence reform are the ICLU conference and a panel discussion of the United Nations and lessons the US can learn from other democracies’ efforts to fight terrorism.

For what promises to be a dazzling overview of how intelligence reform fits into the new patterns of foreign and military challenges facing the US, attend the talk by defense guru and iconoclast Thomas Barnett.

This event Oct. 6 is part of the OASIS "Great Decisions" series. Let me know if you would like to attend by e-mailing john@sipr.org.

Oct. 8: Environmental Ethics from Three Faith Perspectives

A panel discussion of religion and ecology with three of the region’s most important intellectuals

When: Saturday 8 October, 2:00-3:15 PM

Where: DeBoest Lecture Hall on the Indianapolis Museum of Art campus

The first of Bridging the Gap's “Reverence for Life” public dialogue series will feature Representative David Orentlicher (from the Jewish perspective), Sr. Mary Lou Dolan (Catholic), and Dr. Shahid Athar (Islam) will reflect upon issues such as health and the environment, stewardship vs. dominion, and the Precautionary Principle. This event is part of the Fifth annual Earth Charter Community Summit, visit http://www.earthcharterindiana.org/ for registration information.

If you like this event, check out … other upcoming events looking at the environment. You can learn about the Orthodox Christian attitude about nature and ecology. Wendell Berry will discuss relations between ourselves and the natural world. I will talk about how environmental issues such as water shortages could spark international conflicts in the future.

You also have a lot of opportunities to continue the interfaith dialogue: a feastly celebration with Jews, Muslims, and Christians; dinner and fun with the Sikh community; and a 20th anniversary celebration of “Interfaith in Indianapolis”

Oct.13: Outsourcing jobs: US dilemmas

A “debate“ between Justin Heet, author of Beyond Workforce 2020: The Global Labor Force and John Clark

When: Thursday 13 October, 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

Outsourcing has been characterized as a threat to American jobs and companies by some, while others claim it is necessary to stimulate overall economic growth. What effects does outsourcing really have on economies that are sending jobs overseas? How does outsourcing affect economies that are receiving the influx of jobs?

This is the classic “glocal” issue, as far as I am concerned. We can no longer talk about a local labor market, or even a national labor market. Local workforce developments in Mumbai and Monterrey are shaping local development in Marion County. My intuitive feelings about outsourcing: (1) on the whole, Indiana and the world is better off; (2) but individual workers in Indiana and in India are hurt badly by global labor competition; (3) no one in Indianapolis deserves to lose her job or her home because of changes in the international labor market; (4) the answer isn’t to close ourselves off from competition, it’s to prepare our workers for global competition through education, better information about job availability, a trampoline-like social safety net, and other policies that are in many cases going to be expensive; (5) workers in India don’t deserve to suffer either, so we need to help them adjust as well.

Justin Heet is an associate fellow at Sagamore Institute, and was perhaps the brightest young researcher I was privileged to work with at Hudson Institute. He was one of the contributors to the bestselling Workforce 2020. Justin got hosed by Hudson closing its Indianapolis shop since the move came just as he was completing writing Beyond Workforce 2020 … a book that Hudson now “owns” but has no interest in publishing. Poor Justin. A year or two of work down the tubes, but it means he knows more about this topic than just about anyone else. This will be a lot of fun.

For more information… read Justin Heet’s article, “America and the Coming Global Workforce.”

If you like this event, check out …the business perspective on gaining the competitive edge through global sourcing. And contrat it with the careful analysis of corruption as endemic to the global capitalism … in this glocal world, we are effected by more than just job competition.

This is part of the OASIS Great Decisions series. If you would like to attend, please contact me at john@sipr.org.

Oct. 14: Jean Bethke Elshtain on the Role of the Public Intellectual in American Society

A talk by Jean Bethke Elshtain, The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics at The University of Chicago

When: Friday 14 October, 7:30 PM

Where: IUPUI Informatics and Communications Technology Complex Room 152.

Author of the controversial Just War against Terrorism: The Burden of American Power in a Violent World, and Democracy on Trial, among others, Elshtain is considered one of the country’s most influential public intellectuals. Her teaching and research areas include social and political theory and ethics (including the history of political thought), contemporary political and social theory, moral philosophy and women’s studies, and the just war tradition.

My quickie assessment of Elshtain: she hits all of the right issues, she gets half of them wrong in infuriating ways (assuming I know what I am talking about), and I am always happy that I have grappled with her books and articles.

But Jean Bethke Elshtain’s appearance in town has particular resonance for me for a different reason than her advocacy of an American empire or her hard-conservative stance on issues of the Catholic Church. IndyBuzz, after all, is devoted to connecting intellectuals to the public, to the mutual benefit (I hope) of both. All too many of our intellectuals have retreated to college campuses where their attention is focused inward, toward their students and their academic colleagues and their promotion-and-tenure files. Too many important public discussions are carried out without the larger vision and substance they need.

Indianapolis is fortunate to several intellectuals who take their public role as seriously as their academic obligations. You tend to see their names repeatedly in IndyBuzz: Pierre Atlas, Sheila Kennedy, Fran Quigley, others. They are my heroes as I pretend to be an intellectual. To be honest, even though I will be in the proverbial front row for her talk, we don’t need an outsider like Jean Bethke Elshtain to step in as a public intellectual, we have plenty of local talents.
Here’s the essence of IndyBuzz’s rationale: we don’t need public intellectuals either, not to explain to a non-intellectual public what it ought to think, how it ought to vote. If you attend these events plugged in IndyBuzz, if you read the books and articles it suggests, you will discover that these intellectuals — even the very articulate and clever Jean Bethke Elshtain, to say nothing of the chronic amateur John Clark — are interesting and insightful … but not indispensable. IndyBuzz exists to make public intellectuals of us all.

For more information… you should read Elshtain. If you are ambitious, read a couple of her books. Jane Addams and the Dream of American Democracy I think is her best examination of a “public intellectual,” while her recent Just War against Terrorism: The Burden of American Power in a Violent World is the best example of Elshtain being a public intellectual. She wrote an article nearly a decade ago, “The Trials of a Public Intellectual,” that explains how she defined and adopted this role. More recently she participated in a forum on “The Future of the Public Intellectual” held by The Nation.

If you like this event, check out …many of the fine local public intellectuals plugged by IndyBuzz.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

Oct. 16: Celebrating a Confluence of Abrahamic Traditions

An interfaith celebration of Jewish High Holy Days, Ramadan, and Feast of St. Francis

When: Sunday 16 October, 5:00-7:00 PM

Where: Peace Learning Center, 6040 DeLong Rd. Indianapolis

At this special event, organized by Bridging the Gap, local Jews, Muslims, and Christians will share faith traditions and personal revelations before breaking the Ramadan fast at sundown with a pitch-in dinner (please bring a dish to share). Everyone is welcome. Attendees are encouraged to skip a meal and contribute the savings to Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. For further information contact Charlie Wiles at cwiles@peacelearningcenter.org or call (317) 466-0114

Oct. 19: Human Rights in China: A Perspective from the US State Department

A talk by Susan O’Sullivan, Senior Advisor on Asia at the State Department‘s Bureau of Human Rights and Democracy

When: Wednesday 19 October, cocktail reception at 5:30; dinner at 6:30; talk 7:15-8:45 PM

Where: Butler University, Robertson Hall Johnson Room, 4600 Sunset Ave.

Susan O’Sullivan is the State Department’s leading experts on human rights, civil liberties and democracy in China. She is especially engaged in issues of internet freedoms and dissidents’ rights.

This dinner and talk is jointly sponsored by the Indiana Council on World Affairs and the Indianapolis Committee on Foreign Relations. Dinner for ICWA and ICFR members costs $22; $24 for nonmembers. Reserve by e-mail to kmkulkarni@aol.com.

Oct. 20: China — An economic giant emerges

A talk by Susan Erickson of IUPUI

When: Thursday 20 October, 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

China is increasingly influential globally, but continues to face obstacles at home. As China's record economic growth continues, the country must still contend with a growing gap between rich and poor, devastating pollution and resource shortages. What strategies can China adapt to sustain its economy while meeting the needs of its people?

When we were both graduate students at the University of California at Berkeley, Susan Erickson introduced me to the joys of studying Chinese and Taiwanese politics ... it is a love affair that has been going on for twenty years now. Susan is one of the area's liveliest and most popular soeakers, this event is wrth making time to attend. It is part of the OASIS "Great Decisions" series, if you would like to attend please contact me at john@sipr.org.

Oct. 27: Sudan and the war in Darfur

A challenge by Humanitarian hero Sarah Archer

When: Thursday 27 October, 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

The conflict in Sudan's Darfur region has drawn the world's attention because of the humanitarian crisis it has spawned. What role will the international community take in resolving the Darfur crisis? What role should the U.S. play?

Part of the OASIS "Great Decisions" series. For more information, contact me at john@sipr.org.

Oct. 27: A book release party for Thomas Barnett's "Blueprint for Action"

When: Oct. 27, time to be announced later

Where: Location to be announced

This promises to be a hot one.

Thomas P. M. Barnett is a senior adviser to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Central Command, Special Operations Command, the Joint Staff and the Joint Forces Command. He formerly served as a senior strategic researcher and professor at the U.S. Naval War College and as Assistant for Strategic Futures in the OSD's Office of Force Transformation. He is a founding partner of the New Rule Sets Project LLC, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and Esquire, where he is now a contributing editor. In civilian and military circles alike, Barnett’s The Pentagon's New Map became one of the most talked-about books of the year. The Pentagon's New Map combined security, economic, political, and cultural factors to provide a fundamental reexamination of war and peace in the post-9/11 world, and a compelling vision of the future. Now Barnett tells us how we get to that future. In a book at once pragmatic, thought-provoking, and optimistic, he explores both the long- and short-term pathways for governments, institutions, and individuals alike. Paying particular attention to such nations and regions as Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East, China, North Korea, Latin America, and Africa, he outlines the strategies to pursue, the entities to create, the pitfalls to overcome. If the first book was a compelling framework for confronting twenty-first-century problems, the new book is something more-a powerful road map through a chaotic and uncertain world to "a future worth creating."

We are working out details of place and time. Check with me at john@sipr.org for details.

Nov. 3: The US and Global Poverty

“Debate” between Fran Quigley and John Clark

When: Thursday 3 November 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis


The promise of globalization is that it will benefit poor countries through trade and close the poverty gap. Critics have argued that high debt owed by poor countries to rich countries has widened the gap between these countries. What can be done to narrow the global poverty gap?

For information about this discussion, contact me at john@sipr.org.

Nov. 3: Maintaining Religious Values in a Changing Society

A multi-faith public dialogue sponsored by "Bridging the Gap"

When: Thursday 3 November, 7:00-9:00 PM

Where: United States of Mind, 291 West 40th Street Indianapolis

Dr. Sayyid Syeed, Secretary General of Islamic Society of North America, Dr. Marti Steussy from Christian Theological Seminary, and Rabbi Lew Weiss from Clarian Health and Bridging the Gap will engage in a thoughtful dialogue regarding faith in a changing social, political, and ethnically diverse society. As people and cultures become increasingly mobile, they often find many of their religious and cultural values in conflict with their new environment. The Reverence for Life Discussion Series will focus on how the merging of cultural and religious values has strengthened and challenged the Central Indiana community. Speakers representing Central Indiana’s Jewish, Muslim, and Christian communities will focus on the challenges of staying within traditional religious values as people and cultures continue to move closer together. A facilitated discussion and question and answer period with the audience will follow. This event is part of the Spirit & Place festival, visit http://www.spiritandplace.org/ for more information.

Nov. 7: Randall Tobias on Indiana and America helping fight AIDS in Africa

A conversation with Ambassador Randall L. Tobias, United States Global AIDS Coordinator

When: Monday 7 November, 12:00-1:30 PM

Where: Indiana Convention Center.

Randall Tobias is the former chairman, president and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. His leadership of the firm from 1993 to 1999 directed it through some of the most significant growth in its history. On October 6, 2003, Mr.Tobias was sworn in as Coordinator of U.S. Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally with the rank of Ambassador. He coordinates the work of several U.S. humanitarian agencies and reports directly to the Secretary of State.

For info about the event, go here.

Nov. 10: US Challenges in Iraq and the Muslim World

“Debate” between Zaineb Istrabadi (Iraqi American professor at IU and a real expert on the Middle East) and John Clark (mock expert)

When: Thursday 10 November 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

Iraq is, of course, the most urgent issue for US foreign policy. Will that country’s steps toward democracy continue, and perhaps even set off the sort of “domino effect” that we saw when East European dictatorships toppled one after another in 1989? Or will it keep the US mired indefinitely? Iraq is a grand experiment, an effort (in part) to impose democracy on a country by force. Success or failure will determine how the US relates to the Middle East and the world.

For more information about the discusison, contact me at john@sipr.org.

Nov. 14: A view from the fringe of the Israeli peace movement

A chat with Jeff Halper, coordinator of the Israeli Committee against Housing Demolitions (ICAHD)

When: Monday 14 November 9:00-11:00 AM

Sagamore Institute 340 W. Michigan St. Indianapolis

Jeff Halper, coordinator of the Israeli Committee against Housing Demolitions (ICAHD). Halper is, to put it mildly, controversial, on the far edges of the Israeli Left: for a flavor of his views, see this article and this interview; for a flavor of the passion he inspires in his enemies, see this. A responding view will be offered by local Mid East expert Pierre Atlas. This ought to be a livelier and perhaps even stormier discussion than the more friendly reception Halper can expect from Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East on Nov. 13.

Nov. 16: Global corruption: Capitalism's Achilles Heel

Talk by Raymond Baker of the Brookings Institution, author of the new book Capitalism's Achilles Heel: Dirty Money and How to Renew the Free-Market System

When: Wednesday 16 November, reception at 5:30, dinner at 6:30, talk starts at 7:15 and ends at 8:45 PM

Where: Butler University 4600 Sunset Ave. Indianapolis: Johnson Room, Robertson Hall

This is the 50th anniversary gala for the Indiana Council on World Affairs, and it should be a good one. Terrorism, drug and human trafficking, environmental degredation, income inequality, poverty, political repression...no matter what your angle or area of concern in international affairs, there is money behind every challenge facing civilization. Dictators need resources to pay off their political power bases pases and support their lavish lifestyles; terrorists need resources to acquire weapons and stealthily transfer wealth to aid allies across borders; criminals, such as poachers, drug smugglers and human traffickers need some way to stash their ill-gotten proceeds; wealthy corporations and individuals have to hide their money somewhere to avoid paying taxes and skewing the economic system further in their favor. No matter what problem you're looking at, money needs to go in, and money needs to come out, and somebody has to hide it. Raymond Baker is under no illusions. He's no pie-in-the-sky socialist still refusing to accept that capitalism has enriched and people everywhere it has been introduced. At the same time, he's not slavishly devoted to the ideology that says open markets are the cure for all ills, that the best the solution for every problem is simply to let the market "do its thing." He recognizes that the key to having a safe, fair and free capitalist system is to re-establish fair play and the rule of law necessary to maintain a truly free market. Baker’s book Capitalism’s Achilles Heel is grounded in Baker's rich use of economics, philosophy, practicality, personal experience and careful research. Incorporating case studies, economic research, the proceeds of international criminal investigations and his own experience as an international businessman, Raymond Baker shows how dirty money is at the center of so many of the world's problems--not just a peripheral side-effect of the spread of wealth--and why it is so important to get this worsening problem under control.

$27 to attend the event. For more information or to RSVP, please contact ICWA president Kishor Kulkari at KMKulkarni@aol.com

Nov. 17: "Freshwater and Foreign Policy"

A talk about environmental issues and the future of international relations by John Clark

When: Thursday 17 November 3:00-4:30 PM

Where: Glendale Mall OASIS 6101 North Keystone Ave Indianapolis

The concluding session of the series I am organizing for OASIS. Scarcity of water in many regions creates problems and conflict for large numbers of the world's population. What policies should be adopted to ensure water quality? What international actors or governments will make the greatest impact on improving water governance? For a sobering picture of where global crises are most likely to erupt, check out the BBC's "World's Water Hotspots." With the exception of Southern Australia and perhaps the Ogallala aquifer in the US, this map could be an accurate forecast of where international conflicts are raging 25 years from now. We know this, and yet somehow we keep marching ahead without changing our behavior. That's no surprise to those who have sprained their wrists reading Jared Diamond's essential book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Not every society facing ecological crises fails to change ... but a depressingly large number do indeed seem to "choose to fail."

IndyBuzz -- dedicated to the thriving intellectual community of Central Indiana

After a summer hiatus, Indybuzz is back. To keep informed about the most important and intellectually stimulating events taking place in Central Indiana, check out http://IndyBuzz.blogspot.com. Please let me know events or activities you think deserve to be publicized: e-mail me at john@sipr.org. Please forward this message to anyone you think would be interested in learning more about our booming brain-community.

If you would like a Word document with all of these events and information (not with the fancy pictures that are on the website), zap me an e-mail and I’ll send you an attachment.

Let me know what you think, and I’ll see you at these events.

John Clark



What is remarkable about the Central Indiana intellectual scene in the coming months is not the sheer quantity of excellent lectures, seminars, feasts, and cultural performances … although I guess that is remarkable. More noteworthy is the number of diversity of organizations and groups that are sponsoring these events. Central Indiana is experiencing a yeasty ferment of many different initiatives both to increase our knowledge of important problems and to find workable solutions to these problems. That is why IndyBuzz entries try to provide information about how to contact the groups who sponsor and organize these events. At the end of an event, you may not only feel entertained and enlightened. You may want to do something … and IndyBuzz is here to try to connect you with those friends you may not know yet who are also trying to do something.

Readers of IndyBuzz will see many of the “usual suspects” who regularly organize sparkling events: the Indiana Council on World Affairs, the World Trade Club, the Franciscan Center for Global Studies at Marian College, and many others. Butler University is celebrating its 150th birthday with several very high profile free events. Two very big mega-events in November open up dozens of possibilities for education and engagement. The Ann Katz Festival of Books, running from October 27 to November 16, exposes us to the very best contemporary Jewish art, journalism, and literature. It is part of the broader Spirit & Place Festival, the city’s 800-pound gorilla in the month of November. (A very benign, friendly, thought-provoking gorilla.) Spirit & Place is an annual festival of the arts, humanities, and religion, taking place Nov. 4-20 at sites around Central Indiana. Close to 100 dialogues, concerts, plays, exhibitions, and services highlight the spiritual and cultural traditions of our place. Managed by The Polis Center at IUPUI, Spirit & Place brings together more than 150 cultural, civic, and religious organizations. Many events are free. A Public Conversation featuring Wendell Berry, A’lelia Bundles, and Rabbi Lawrence Kushner takes place Sunday, Nov. 6. For a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.spiritandplace.org or call 274-2455. A printed program for Spirit & Place will be available after September 15, so readers of IndyBuzz are getting a sneak peak.

Go here if you want a chronological schedule of the events through the end November, or just scroll down the blob. Note the colorful pictures: slowly I am developing the computer savvy of a seven-year-old. For some of the musical events, I have provided MP3 links to the groups that will perform, just click and listen.

Let me draw your attention to some themes and clusters of events. For instance, if you want to learn about the Middle East you can hear lectures by experts on the Persian Gulf states, Iran, and Israel and the Palestinians. You can see Paul Volcker, head of the recent commission investigating the United Nations’ scandal-ridden oil-for-food program in Iraq, and learn about Islamic art and culture. In addition to hearing from a consul general of Israel, you can hear the story of an Iranian Jew driven from her home in the 1970s or can learn about the Jewish mystical tradition. You can go to IUPUI to hear some of the country’s top academic experts at a day-long conference on Iraq, or join a group of peace activists explain their controversial visions of healing the divide between Palestinians and Jews. (And that’s not all there is about the Middle — check out the links below to food and music!)

Learning about Africa can be fun as well as serious. A Ugandan nun who has devoted herself to preventing AIDS and supporting women in her country invites us to an evening of food, music and dance. You can watch and discuss the gripping film Hotel Rwanda, then later meet the real-life protagonist of that movie. Listen to a lawyer committed to protecting civil liberties of Haitians. Or attend the Indiana Civil Liberties Union’s annual conference if you want to hear from a lot of committed civil libertarians. The civil liberties theme informs panel discussions of the Constitution and the war on terrorism and the United Nations.

If all of that sounds too heavy, perhaps you can stretch your brain through art and culture. I’ll be joining with Indianapolis Opera to discuss the darker sides of The Merry Widow, that frothiest of all light operas. You can learn about China by attending a lecture on current politics in Beijing by a top American academic or by hearing about how an Indiana company has cornered the popcorn market in Asia. Even more fun will be to hear China’s finest classical music quarter. Contrast these tunes with a traditional Jewish klezmer performance and with a multi-national ensemble that fuses jazz with Sephardic and Latin music. You can attend a play about the “Scopes Monkey Trial” in 1925 performed by the Indiana Repertory Theatre, then participate in a panel discussion with some of the main players in the controversy over teaching “Intelligent Design” (or “Creationism Lite”) in public schools. Then the next day, go to Butler to hear from a paleoanthropologist who led the team that discovered what may be a new species of hominid that may still live in remote Indonesia. A Greek Orthodox theologian offers a different perspective on his faith’s attitude toward Creation and nature, while a Roman Catholic bio-ethicist explains his Church’s attitude about stem cell research and other scientific controversies.

As you might expect, issues of faith and values come up repeatedly, as so they should. You can hear about theology and the music industry, the contested separation of church and state, and religion and journalism. Lots of conversation about journalism, in fact, including visits from such national media stars as Soledad O’Brien, George Will, Naomi Wolf, Anna Quinlan and David Halberstam. Not just national journalists, we will see such world-historical leaders (or failures) as Mikhail Gorbachev and Bill Clinton. Yowza!

Many groups recognize that deep thought is very naturally paired with a nice meal with friends. (Socrates lives!) You can eat a fine dinner at a country club with the Indianapolis Committee on Foreign Relations, have lunch with the international businesspeople of the World Trade Club, or a breakfast roundtable discussing women in the workplace and at home. You also can learn more about the philosophy of food by sampling some of the best Jewish dishes from around the world, by eating with local proponents of the “Slow Food” movement, or by dining with America’s leading philosopher of farming, Wendell Berry.

These are just a few of the many topics that will engage our intellectual community in the weeks to come. Stay tuned to http://IndyBuzz.blogspot.com to be kept up to date about what is buzzing.

IndyBuzz is back … and it’s BIG!

A roughly chronological schedule of some of the most interesting and thought-provoking events for Central Indiana through November. Click on the event, or try scrolling down the blog. As always, please tell me if you know of any events that ought to be publicized to a wider audience: John Clark at john@sipr.org. Thanks, and enjoy!

Sept. 13: Faith and Values in the News: Who, How, When, Where, and Why Not

Sept. 14: The Gulf Region after 9/11

Sept. 14: "China and the Asia-Pacific in an Era of Global Conflict"

Sept. 15: “The Constitution and the War against Terrorism”

Sept. 15: An evening with Paul Volcker

Sept. 16: Dance with a Nun: Break the Silence, Break the Chains of Tradition for the Women of Africa

Sept. 20: “Gaining Access to Global Markets: An Indiana Case Study”

Sept. 21: "Hooking Up: Sex, Alcohol and the Death of Romance on College Campuses"

Sept. 21: Sagamore Institute Conversation on Philanthropy

Sept. 22: Iran: Its Future Relations with the US and with the World

Sept. 24: A performance of Chinese folk music

Sept. 25: Intelligent Design and Evolution: A Discussion of Education, Science, and Faith

Sept. 26: “A Revolution in Evolution: Rewriting Evolutionary History”

Sept. 26: The Current State of US-Israel Relations

Sept. 28: A lecture at DePauw on Bioethics and Faith

Sept. 28: The Struggle for a Multiracial Democracy in the 21st Century

Oct. 1: Perspectives on Iraq -- A major conference

Oct. 5: Whose Values are “Real” American Values?

Oct. 6-9: In Solidarity: Engaging Empire in Activism, Education and Community Strategies

Oct. 10: Global Communities, Local Transitions: The Promise and Risks of Central Indiana

Oct. 11: Haiti: The International Community’s Dictatorship

Oct. 12: Finding consensus in a divided nation and state

Oct. 13: A Conversation with George Will and Bill Bradley

Oct. 14: A Conversation with Anna Quinlin and David Halberstam

Oct. 15: “From Guantanamo to the Statehouse: Human Rights in 2005” -- ICLU annual conference and dinner

Oct. 18: Gaining that Competitive Edge — Global Sourcing

Oct. 19: Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior

Oct. 19: Consequences of Cuts to City Services in Indianapolis

Oct. 20: The Japan-US Partnership - Its Significance in the Global Context

Oct. 24: The United Nations, Democracies, and Civil Liberties: Can We Learn Lessons for the Struggle against Extremism

Oct. 25: Theology in Contemporary Music: Its Source May Surprise You

Oct. 26: Separation of Church and State

Oct. 26: Soledad O'Brien on "Diversity: On TV, Behind the Scenes and In Our Lives"

Oct. 27: Mikhail Gorbachev speaks!

Oct. 27: The Big Book of Jewish Conspiracies

Oct. 31: Inheriting the Holy Land: An American’s Search for Hope in the Middle East

Nov. 2: Wedding Song: Memoirs of an Iranian Jewish Woman

Nov. 2 “Art and Culture in the Islamic World”

Nov. 2 -- "The Future of Public Education"

Nov. 4 Café Cinema: “Hotel Rwanda”

Nov. 5 -- Jewish Mystical Tradition and Spiritual Imagination: Living in the Presence of God

Nov. 5 -- Creation in Time and Eternity: Ecology and Orthodox Christianity

Nov. 5: Spirit and Place Anniversary Gala

Nov. 6 -- Bill Clinton at Butler!

Nov. 6 -- Public Conversation Dinner Dialogue

Nov. 6 -- A Public Conversation with Wendell Berry, A’Lelia Bundles and Rabbi Lawrence Kushner

Nov. 7: “A Reading with A’Leila Bundles”

Nov. 7: Working Our Way Home: An Evening with Wendell Berry & Friends

Nov. 8: Hotel Rwanda: An Evening with Paul Rusesabagina

Nov. 8 -- "Jewish Food: The World at Table"

Nov. 8: "Where have all the farmers gone"

Nov. 9 -- "Health Care Reform: Current Prognosis"

Nov. 9 -- Women in the Professions: Who Moves, Who Stays, and Why Some of Us Choose to Stay Home

Nov. 9: Moving and Staying in a Global Indy

Nov. 9: The Diaspora and the Homecoming

Nov. 10: Skirting the Issue -- Stories of Indiana’s Historical Women Artists

Nov. 10: “'As Fast As Circumstances Should Permit': Abraham Lincoln's Move Toward Equality"

Nov. 10 -- Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, 1905 and 2005: Waltzing at the Edge of the Abyss

Nov. 11: “Becoming a Peacemaker”

Nov. 12: "At Home through Learning and Sharing"

Nov. 13: Sacred Circles, Public Squares

Nov. 13: The Crossroads Ensemble in Concert

Nov. 13: "Israelis and Palestinians: Living in Peace as Neighbors"

Nov. 15: Staying at the Heart of Belief, Moving Toward One Another in Openness—An Interfaith Peace-Prayer Service

Nov. 16: Indiana Higher Education in a Flat World

Nov. 16: Breaking Ground -- Adventures in Life and Architecture

Nov. 16: Twenty Years of Interfaith in Indianapolis

Nov. 17: Gravitating Towards Indianapolis

Nov. 18: Regulars and Refugees -- An Evening with Carrie Newcomer

Nov. 19: "Time and Timelessness: A Conversation with Stewart Brand and Witold Rybczynski"

Nov. 20: Viewing of film "Alan & Naomi" and discussion with director Sterling van Wagenen

Sept. 13: Faith and Values in the News: Who, How, When, Where, and Why Not”

Butler University’s Center for Faith and Vocation Lecture Series discussion by Debra Mason, founder of the Religion Newswriters Association, and Julia Lieblich, a former religion writer for the Associated Press and Chicago Tribune

When: Tuesday 13 September, 7:00-9:00 PM

Where: Butler University, Clowes Hall 4602 Sunset Ave. Indianapolis

Few topics in the news incite public dissatisfaction more than how the mainstream media report and write about religion. With faith often at the heart of legal battles, political races, social service funding and advocacy issues, it is more important than ever that the media cover religion with intelligence, fairness and accuracy. Discussing this topic will be Dr. Mason, a former award-winning journalist and the first executive director of the Religion Newswriters Association and its foundation, and co-editor of Reading in Religion as News (2000), the only anthology of religion news reporting in the mainstream media; and Julia Lieblich, former national religion writer for the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune, and the author of Sisters: Lives of Devotion and Defiance (1992). These two women have stepped up and brought coverage of religion to the forefront of media publications during this time when reporting on religion is consider too controversial for most journalists. "So much of the way people are engaging ideas about religion in this country and around the world are filtered through journalistic media, like newspapers and television and internet coverage of religion, but also through popular media, such as movies and music,” said Judith Cebula, director of the Center for Faith and Vocation. “So it seemed appropriate that we bring together some scholars and practitioners to take a critical look at how media are handling religious ideas.”

Sept. 14: The Gulf Region after 9/11

Indiana council on world Affairs Distinguished Speakers Lecture by Dr. Fatma Hasegh Al-Sayegh

When: Wednesday 14 September, 7:15-9:00 PM

Where: Butler University, Robertson Hall Johnson Room, 4600 Sunset Ave.

Since September 11, 2001, many of us in the United States have attempted to expand our understanding of Islam and its followers. This desire to understand the values of Islam has grown as we observe the Iraqi National Assembly debates over the ratification of the country’s new Constitution and what consideration it give to women’s rights. One should also take into consideration the impact that the adoption of a new constitution will be for the rest of the Middle East. If Iraqi women gain more rights under the new system will this encourage women in neighboring countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, to challenge the restrictive laws? Or, if Iraqi women are not granted equal rights will this lead Arab and Muslim women to rise up in protest? Will the world witness a Suffrage Movement on grander scale that of the Untied States in the early twentieth century? Moreover, what message does this send to groups such as Al-Qaeda, who believe that Westernization, and particularly Americanization, has had a demoralizing effect on Muslim society? Overall, how can we here in the U.S. give our support, whether it be moral, technical, or physical, to the Iraqis, and most especially the women of the Middle East and Muslim societies, as they attempt to move toward governmental system of shared and equally distributed power? Dr. Fatma Hassan Al-Sayegh will help us answer these questions as she shares the history and economics of the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East, including the history women in the region, at the 2005-2006 ICWA Distinguished Speakers Program Presents: “THE GULF REGION AFTER 9/11”, hosted by the Indiana Council on World Affairs and Butler University. Dr. Al-Sayegh is an associate professor in the Department of History and Archeology, University of United Arab Emirates. She is also a two-time recipient of the William Fulbright Research Grant, author of seven books and numerous articles.

Sept. 14: "China and the Asia-Pacific in an Era of Global Conflict"

Lecture by Mark Selden, Professional Associate in the East Asia program at Cornell University

When: Wednesday 14 September, 7:00-8:30 PM

Where: Butler University, Clowes Hall 4602 Sunset Ave. Indianapolis

Mark Selden is one of the big names in Chinese and Asian studies, author of over twenty books on China, Japan and East Asia. His most recent publication is Revolution, Resistance and Reform in Village China.

Sept. 15: “The Constitution and the War against Terrorism”

When: Thursday 15 September, 7:00-8:30 PM

Where: University of Indianapolis Recital Hall

Celebrate Constitution Day with three of the area’s brightest and most articulate scholars: Pierre Atlas (Assistant Professor of Political Science, Marian College and associate fellow at the Sagamore Institute), Milind Thakar (Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Indianapolis), and Sheila Suess Kennedy (School of Public and Environmental Affairs IUPUI ). Expect to see articles about this event in Sheila’s and Pierre’s columns in the Indianapolis Star.

Sept. 15: An evening with Paul Volcker

Lecture by Paul Volcker, Chairman of the Independent Inquiry Committee into the U.N. Oil for Food Program, former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve

When: Thursday 15 September, 8:00-9:30 PM

Where: DePauw University Performing Arts Center, Moore Theatre

Paul Volcker's widely anticipated report about the abuses of the UN's "oil-for-food" program for Iraq (1991-2003) has been released. Critics of the UN (many of them Americans who support the invasion of Iraq and feel the UN was an obstacle to deposing Saddam) can quote plenty of lurid examples of corruption and malfeasance from the report. The report does say that the program worked to ease the suffering of Iraqi people; and as James Traub wrote in the New Republic in February, the program was designed for political reasons, to maintain support on the UN Security Council for the sanctions on Saddam, and in that sense the program worked relatively well. The criticisms of UN secretary general Kofi Annan in the report are for his acts of omission rather than comission, for his poor oversight rather than his personal corruption. (Annan's son benefited from the program, but not apparently because of any strings his father pulled ... ask members of the Bush family about how possessing a powerful dad seems to open doors as if by magic.) The Economist calls it "a fair-minded report at a crucial time": a round of negotiations over UN reform starts next week, and this report certainly highlights the urgency of making major changes. It's interesting that the report that criticizes his management of the UN thus strengthens the hand of Kofi Annan, the most vocal proponent of meaningful reform ever to head the UN.

For more information about the oil-for-food program, go here. For a copy of the report, go here. Want a chance to hear Paul Volcker talk about "Ethics and Leadership"? Go to DePauw on September 15 at 8:00 PM.

Sept. 16: Dance with a Nun: Break the Silence, Break the Chains of Tradition for the Women of Africa

A day of fun and cross-cultural education about Africa

When: Friday 16 September, 4:30-9:00 PM

Where: St. Philips Church, 720 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

One of the best events I organized at Hudson institute was for Sister Sabina Stella Santana, a Ugandan nun who had established a nongovernmental organization in Uganda called “Break the Silence, Break the Chains of Tradition for the Women of Africa, Inc. (BSBCTWA)” Sister’s Sabina’s story was a good one, her cause a noble one, but the best part of the event was when she taught to crowd of 60+ Hoosiers (many of whom were themselves 60+) how Ugandans dance. A lot more booty-shaking than one expects from a nun, especially a nun giving a talk in a right-wing think tank.

You have a chance to experience the delight that is Sister Sabina. St. Philip’s Church will host a book signing and fundraiser for BSBCTWA. Sister Sabina will share her books, Break the Silence; Break the Chains; and Ten Happy Ending Children's Stories Vol. 1. Other works by local authors and artists will also be available, including those of Nina McCoy of Indianapolis. (Proceeds from Sr. Stella's books will go towards the completion of the Women's Adult Education Center in Uganda.) In addition to the book signing will be cultural events including Food, Belly Dancers led by Judy Drums by Indianapolis Urban Vibes, Music and dance by Wabash University, Poetry by Afri-Shake children, Gospel Music by four Gospel Choirs, and more. Volunteers are very welcome .

Break the Silence, Break the Chains of Tradition for the Women of Africa is a non-profit organization based in Indianapolis to assist the women of Africa in their fight against oppressive traditions. BSBCTWA initiates educational programs to help women change their lives and live as full human beings for the greater glory of the Creator. BSBCTWA wants to bring about change in African traditions such as ending the circumcision of women, the sexual and physical abuse of women, enabling women to inherit, women maltreated in the employment setting, the trafficking of women, and improve women’s educational opportunities. Questions? Contact Sister Sabina S. Santana: P.O.BOX 441724 Indianapolis, IN 46244; Tel: 317 489 3013; bsbcatwainc@yahoo.com

Sept. 20: “Gaining Access to Global Markets: An Indiana Case Study”

World Trade Club Lecture by Tom Mathews, Export manager of Weaver Popcorn

When: Tuesday 20 September, 11:30 AM-1:15 PM Registration and social time from 11:30am to Noon.

Where: Omni Severin Hotel Downtown Jennings Ballroom 40 W. Jackson Pl. Indianapolis

Weaver Popcorn, an Indiana Company founded in 1928, is a genuine player in the global economy: it supplies nearly 30% of the popcorn sold in the world. Tom Mathews focuses on international sales in Asian markets. He will focus on Weaver Popcorn’s history, and on case analyses of markets such as Russia, East Europe, and Asian countries.


Event Cost:

• $30 for members
• $40 for non-members
• $25 for full-time students

To make a reservation:

• Tel: 317-261-0918
• Fax: 317-888-6152
• E-mail WTC Administration

Sept. 21: "Hooking Up: Sex, Alcohol and the Death of Romance on College Campuses"

Lecture by award-winning author and media personality Naomi Wolf

When: Wednesday 21 September, 7:30-9:00 PM

Where: Kresge Auditorium of DePauw’s Performing Arts Center

Naomi Wolf is accredited for launching a new feminist movement in the late 20th Century with her claim that the fashion industry’s images of beauty are used against women. Beauty Myth "presents a provocative and persuasive account of the pervasiveness of the beauty ideal in all facets of Western culture, including work, sex, and religion," noted Library Journal. Wolf is also co-founder of The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership, an organization that teaches young women how to become leaders and agents of change in the 21st century. Woodhull has graduated ov er 800 students. As Newsweek recently reported, 78% of college students say they have "hooked up," usually after consuming alcohol. According to Wolf, young women feel pressured to live up to the unrealistic sexual standards of the pornographic industry, but also fear being called 'sluts' if they are too sexually assertive. Young men feel the pressure to 'score' and have casual conquests without getting emotionally involved. The result? Hooking up. Rather than simply condemning this practice, Wolf's lecture explores why it is a symptom of something deeper: the reality that students are pressured with millions of sexual images but lacking a real set of values surrounding sexuality. In her lecture, Wolf forges, with the students' participation, a realistic set of sexual ethics that will help them address real-life situations and take responsibility for their own value-based decisions.