2008 Woodie Awards
Faculty discuss issues surrounding African culture and society
Linda Moore
Issue date: 10/11/06 Section: News
Let us come together in unity through communication, stopping the violence, and not believing the ideology that is given to us through the lens of the West.
These were the messages that were sent out to at least 30-40 listeners on Sept. 28 in Schulz room 3001.
Barbara Butler, dean of the library, introduced the Arts & Lecture series on "Citizen of the World: On Common Ground?" Butler said, "We really need to try very much to understand more about other places and other people."
Before the audience there were three panelists. Cathy Kroll, from the English department. spoke on "African Literature: The Missing Dialogue."
Myrna Goodman, from the Sociology department focused on "Student Activism in Response to African Genocide," and Mutombo M'Panya, from the Hutchins school, also spoke.
Pay attention to your cultural values because they are and will continue to be tainted by ideology. This was the unified message spoken by three dynamic speakers.
Kroll began her talk telling the audience that she would be discussing problems and solutions regarding African culture. Leaping into her message, she presented some rhetorical question to the audience.
Kroll asked, "Is dialogue possible among people that do not stand on common grounds?" "How is it that we can speak and listen across cultures?" and "Who do I dialogue with when African fiction novels are read?"
These are questions that need to be answered. It is unfortunate, yet amazing, that the American culture put stumbling blocks in the way to stop the true answer from sprouting.
"The west has given us the wrong viewpoint of Africa," said Kroll of her opinion based on her travels to the continent.
The message was clearly delivered that the West fixed certain imagery of Africa as chaotic; but that is not true.
"The answer could be in the hands of African novelists and this could be the point of transformation," said Kroll.
From her readings, Kroll understands the West has a narrow view about Africa is bravely contradicted by it literature.
These were the messages that were sent out to at least 30-40 listeners on Sept. 28 in Schulz room 3001.
Barbara Butler, dean of the library, introduced the Arts & Lecture series on "Citizen of the World: On Common Ground?" Butler said, "We really need to try very much to understand more about other places and other people."
Before the audience there were three panelists. Cathy Kroll, from the English department. spoke on "African Literature: The Missing Dialogue."
Myrna Goodman, from the Sociology department focused on "Student Activism in Response to African Genocide," and Mutombo M'Panya, from the Hutchins school, also spoke.
Pay attention to your cultural values because they are and will continue to be tainted by ideology. This was the unified message spoken by three dynamic speakers.
Kroll began her talk telling the audience that she would be discussing problems and solutions regarding African culture. Leaping into her message, she presented some rhetorical question to the audience.
Kroll asked, "Is dialogue possible among people that do not stand on common grounds?" "How is it that we can speak and listen across cultures?" and "Who do I dialogue with when African fiction novels are read?"
These are questions that need to be answered. It is unfortunate, yet amazing, that the American culture put stumbling blocks in the way to stop the true answer from sprouting.
"The west has given us the wrong viewpoint of Africa," said Kroll of her opinion based on her travels to the continent.
The message was clearly delivered that the West fixed certain imagery of Africa as chaotic; but that is not true.
"The answer could be in the hands of African novelists and this could be the point of transformation," said Kroll.
From her readings, Kroll understands the West has a narrow view about Africa is bravely contradicted by it literature.