The XIXth Annual E.P. Thompson Memorial Lecture

Robin Blackburn is Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex. He was educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics and served as editor of New Left Review. He is author of many important books, including an influential trilogy on origins and history of Atlantic slavery: The Overthrow of Colonial Slavery, 1776-1848 (1988), The Making of New World Slavery: From the Baroque to the Modern, 1492-1800 (1997), and The American Crucible: Slavery, Emancipation and Human Rights (2011).

The background of Peter Paul Rubens’s Miracles of St. Francis Xavier, painted in 1617 for the Jesuit church in Antwerp, contains a surprising detail - a horned Hindu idol that is being destroyed by rays of light emanating from an allegory of the Catholic Faith. Far from being meaningless exotica, the Hindu idol plays an important iconographic role in the larger decorative scheme of the Antwerp Jesuit church.

The Extras is the fourth and finest feature from the inaugurator of Syrian auteur cinema, Nabil Maleh. A multiple festival award winner, The Extras is the engaging story of a poor young couple's courtship. For eight months, Salem, an aspiring actor/gas station attendant has been courting Nada, a young widow - yet they can only see each other in public under the watchful eyes of her overly protective brothers. (Nabil al- Maleh, 1993)

Set in 12th century Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, famed philosopher Averroes is appointed grand judge by the caliph. The caliph’s political rivals, centered around the leader of a fanatical Islamic sect, force the caliph to send Averroes into exile, but his ideas keep on living thanks to his students. (Youssef Chahine, 1997)

Six Lebanese woman, of different religions and ages, all seek love, duty, friendship and possibility. Some work together in a beauty salon in Beirut but each one of their lives intersects. A comedy about everyday women facing everyday problems. (Nadine Labaki, 2007)

Meet with Pitt Alumni and China Business Expert Lois Dougan Tretiak!

Lois Dougan Tretiak has more than 30 years experience working on China business issues and direct involvement in China. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Ms. Tretiak is currently the Senior Advisor on China for the Economist Group. She also served as the Economist Group’s Chief Representative in Beijing and Shanghai, advising businesses on Chinese investment strategies.

Six Lebanese women, of different religions and ages, all seek love, duty, friendship and possibility. Some work together in a beauty salon in Beirut but each one of their lives intersects. A comedy about everyday women facing everyday problems. (Nadine Labaki, 2007)

If you are interested in any of these languages, come to Caribou Coffee from 5:30-6:30 pm. Converse with other language speakers to improve your own language skills or to learn something about the language.

Come to Einstein's in Posvar Hall to practice conversing in the Romanian language or learn more about the language.