Free and open to the public
Week of September 22, 2024 in UCIS
Monday, September 23
Join Brazil Nuts for Bate Papo: Portuguese Language Hour in the Global Hub!
Tuesday, September 24
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Moderator:
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh
Jae-Jae Spoon, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Tim Bale, Queen Mary University of London
Diane Bolet, University of Essex
Simon Hix, European University Institute
Come practice your conversational Slovak with your classmates.
Join historian and sociologist Carole Reynaud-Paligot for a compelling discussion on the paradox of racism. Specializing in the history of ideas, race, and identity in Western societies, Ms. Reynaud-Paligot holds a doctorate from EHESS and has authored several influential works, including Parcours politique des surréalistes 1919-1969, De l'identité nationale, and L'Ecole aux colonies. Dr. Reynaud-Paligot will explore why racism persists despite the scientific invalidation of the concept of "human races."
Join the University Center for International Studies for its first event in the Fall 2024 mini-series "Unpacking the Buzzwords." This mini-series is the continuation of a Spring 2024 Year of Discourse and Dialogue initiative, and this semester, is made possible by a mini-grant from the University of Pittsburgh Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. During this event, we will reflect on the question, "What is Decolonization, Anyway?" as we hear from Dr. Sera Mathews, Director of Equitable and Inclusive Teaching at the University Center for Teaching and Learning.
Decolonization is a frequently discussed concept in higher education. Yet, there remains uncertainty about what it truly entails and how it can be intentionally applied to reimagine Eurocentric classrooms and curricula. This interactive session provides a space for meaningful dialogue and strategy building, enabling participants to engage with decolonization ideas authentically. The goal is to collaboratively develop a shared vocabulary that can be used to advance decolonization in teaching and learning.
Come practice your conversational Hungarian with fellow students!
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
French Club at Pitt will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2024, EXCEPT on Tuesday, October 1 and November 6.
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Fall semester to practice speaking German and learn about German culture!
German Club at Pitt will meet on Wednesdays during Fall 2024, EXCEPT on Wednesday, October 1.
Wednesday, September 25
Register here: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/pop-up_registration
Free and open to the public
Join the French Program for a welcome event for students interested in taking our globally-focused courses.
Looking to brush up on your Swahili? Join Swahili TA and students every Wednesday and Thursday in the Global Hub.
The Global Appalachia Reading Group is looking forward to this semester’s new book discussion. For Fall 2024, the World History Center and the Global Studies Center will host the second series of book discussions focusing on Appalachia from a global perspective. The semester’s series theme is Race, Place and Migration. Participation in all four events in the series is not required but encouraged. All events will take place from (please see dates below) 1:30-3:00pm. Copies of the books will be available for those planning to attend the event. Please contact Veronica Dristas at dristas@pitt.edu for the book or with questions.
Note: We are able to fund and distribute books to registrants as funding allows. Registration will remain open after this amount is reached. Registrants will be notified if we are unable to provide them with the reading material.
Session Descriptions:
September 25, 2024: African American Workers and the Appalachian Coal Industry by Joe William Trotter
October 23, 2024: Hillbilly Highway: The Transappalachian Migration and the Making of a White Working Class by Max Fraser
November 13, 2024: After Coal: Stories of Survival from Appalachia and Wales by Tom Hansell
December 4, 2024: Out of the Mountains: Appalachia Stories by Meredith Sue Williams
Enjoy a beading workshop with the Olorgesailie Maasai Women Artisans of Kenya! All materials provided.
This is an informal time to meet fellow speakers of African languages and practice your skills with a seasoned facilitator! All levels are welcome.
Monthly schedule -
1st Wednesday: Arabic & Wolof
2nd Wednesday: Swahili & Amharic
3rd Wednesday: Yoruba & Akan/Twi
4th Wednesday: Haitian Creole
Description: Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
French Club at Pitt will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Fall 2024, EXCEPT on Tuesday, October 1 and November 6.
Join us as we kick off the first film of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival with Salli (2023), a Taiwanese film from Director Chien-Hung Lien. A lonely middle-aged chicken farmer embarks on a journey to a foreign land, determined to prove her online romance is real despite warnings of a scam.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
Thursday, September 26
Register here: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/pop-up_registration
Free and open to the public
Looking to brush up on your Swahili? Join Swahili TA and students every Wednesday and Thursday in the Global Hub.
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Interested in experiential learning opportunities on environmental sustainability and indigenous rights? Join community organizers as well as Pitt students and faculty to hear about their work on the Pine Ridge Reservation, home of the Oglala Lakota Nation. The Lakota Program is the first service-learning program launched by the University Center for International Studies (UCIS) with indigenous communities in the United States. Learn about what you can accomplish and how to apply for Summer 2025. (In-person event only.)
Join us for an informal and engaging conversation between Veronica Dristas (Global Studies Center) and Dr. Gabriel Garcia Ochoa (Monash University), Visiting Fellow from Australia, as they unpack the essentials of Global Studies. Whether you're curious about cultural exchange, or the interconnectedness of today's world, this discussion will shed light on what Global Studies is all about.
5:00 - Doors Open, Materials on Display / 5:30 - Program Starts
RSVP at pi.tt/maasai24
Please join the University of Pittsburgh Center for African Studies, Library System, and Studio Arts Department for a discussion on the global impact of Indigenous women focusing on the craft, culture and community of Maasai with Olorgesailie Maasai Women Artisans of Kenya and IdiaDega. This decade’s long collaboration of eco-design and sustain + ability has shown work Internationally including in Nairobi, Paris, Copenhagen, Netherlands, New York and Pittsburgh at Carnegie Museum of Art, Frick Museum and August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
Learn more here: https://calendar.pitt.edu/event/visibleinvisible-the-global-impact-of-in...
Friday, September 27
This year's Race & ... Conference is themed Pitt Global: Africa and the Africa Diaspora! It will include a global marketplace, student presentations, a luncheon featuring African-influenced cuisines from around the world, and a research showcase and panel discussion that highlight the work of Pitt scholars in Africa and in nations populated by people of African descent across the globe. Learn more here: https://www.facultydiversity.pitt.edu/race-initiative/race-conference/ra...
Join the Slavic department for an informational event about scholarship and funding opportunities for language study.
In the 1970s, a new genre of samizdat emerged in the Soviet Union: the dissident conduct manual, covering situations ranging from interrogations to apartment searches to interviews with psychiatrists. They spoke not to the age-old question "What is to be done?," but the existential "How should you conduct yourself?" What did self-respect require? Did interrogation rooms and psychiatric wards demand a distinct code of behaviour, a moral state of exception- or did they merely reproduce everyday Soviet reality in a heightened form?
Director: Fred Ouro Preto. Screening followed by Q&A session with Emicida. Reception to follow.
Register here: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/content/emicida-amarelo-its-all-yesterday...
Free and open to the public
Join us for an African fashion show to kick off our Celebrate Africa Festival!
Join us for a screening of City of Wind at Harris Theater, a hauntingly beautiful drama set in the cold, arid landscape of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This film follows Ze, a teenage shaman, as he struggles to balance his traditional spiritual role with the modern, chaotic world of adolescence. Between rituals and everyday life, Ze's journey through romance and self-discovery reveals the delicate line between two worlds that coexist in his reality.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
*Please Note: Pitt ID holders can reserve tickets by clicking “Promo Code” in the upper right corner of the Harris Theater website and using SCREENSHOT24 as the code. IDs will be checked on entry.
Content Warning: Some sexual content
Join us for a screening of In Flames at Harris Theater, a haunting examination of the intersection between personal trauma and societal oppression in Pakistan. After Miriam's father dies, she and her mother Fariha are left vulnerable, facing a growing sense of dread that blurs the line between supernatural menace and real-world threats. This film starkly portrays the gender dynamics and violence that women face, offering a powerful, socially relevant narrative that debuted at Cannes in 2023.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
*Please Note: Pitt ID holders can reserve tickets by clicking “Promo Code” in the upper right corner of the Harris Theater website and using SCREENSHOT24 as the code. IDs will be checked on entry.
CONTENT WARNING: Sexual content and disturbing imagery
Saturday, September 28
The Celebrate Africa Festival brings students, faculty, and staff together with the vibrant African diaspora community in Pittsburgh. There is food, song & dance, artisans, children's activities, and more! It is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the diversity of Africa and the Pittsburgh community, as well as network with local African organizations and businesses.
Find the full schedule of events and vendor list here: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/africa/celebrate-africa-2024
Join us for a screening of In the Land of Brothers at Frick Fine Arts Auditorium 125, a poignant drama about Afghan refugees in Iran. The film explores how the family's displacement reverberates across generations and speaks to the constant feeling of otherness that comes with being a refugee. Through the lives of Mohammad, Leila, and Qasem, this beautifully shot debut by Alireza Ghasemi and Raha Amirfazli reflects on the enduring struggle for belonging and identity amidst political upheaval.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
Join us for a screening of A Normal Family at Frick Fine Arts Auditorium 125, a gripping adaptation of the novel The Dinner that delves into personal morality amidst a family crisis. As two brothers, Jae-wan and Jae-gyu, clash over their differing ethical views, their respective children’s legal troubles force the family to confront their values and relationships.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
Join us for a screening of The Day of Reckoning at Mt Lebanon Library on September 28 or Frick Fine Arts Auditorium 125 on September 29. This documentary by Xu Xing uses a personal love story to explore the broader sweep of China’s political history since 1949. By intertwining individual destinies with national narratives, the film offers a reflective view of a nation’s evolving story and seeks to uncover overlooked historical perspectives.
Both viewings will include a Live Q&A with director Xu Xing.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID, and the Mt Lebanon Library viewing is free for all. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
Join us for a screening of Black Dog at Harris Theater, a visually stunning exploration of an ex-con and his unlikely bond with a stray dog in the Gobi Desert. This moving film delves into themes of isolation, belonging, and the search for redemption against the desolate beauty of the desert. With breathtaking imagery and an emotional journey that is both wistful and humorous, Black Dog reflects on love, longing, and the unpredictability of the future.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
*Please Note: Pitt ID holders can reserve tickets by clicking “Promo Code” in the upper right corner of the Harris Theater website and using SCREENSHOT24 as the code. IDs will be checked on entry.
CONTENT WARNING: Some animal violence
Join us for a screening of Sweet Dreams at Harris Theater, a darkly comedic and surreal exploration of colonial legacy in Indonesia. As the plantation owner’s death uncovers familial strife and colonial absurdities, the film delves into the complex relationships and power struggles within a sugar plantation. With its blend of malevolence and absurdity, Sweet Dreams critically examines how colonialism permeates and distorts every facet of life.
This film is part of the SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, which takes place September 25-29. All films are free for Pitt students, staff, and faculty with a valid Pitt ID. Registration in advance is requested but not required. For the full schedule of films, please visit screenshot.pitt.edu.
*Please Note: Pitt ID holders can reserve tickets by clicking “Promo Code” in the upper right corner of the Harris Theater website and using SCREENSHOT24 as the code. IDs will be checked on entry.
CONTENT WARNING: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Disturbing imagery