Dr. Urbansky discusses the challenges faced by Chinese immigrants during the late Tsarist Empire and early Soviet Union, highlighting the racial and cultural prejudices that fueled hostilities in urban settings. His analysis explores how these early interactions shaped the experiences and perceptions of Chinese communities in a rapidly changing socio-political landscape.
Week of October 6, 2024 in UCIS
Wednesday, April 3 until Thursday, April 3
Sunday, October 6
Join Lingovation for a meeting to discuss our plans for the year and help bilingual students find volunteer opportunities.
Monday, October 7
Join Brazil Nuts for weekly Bate Papo: Portuguese Language Hour in the Global Hub, every Monday at 5-6 pm during Fall 2024!
Free and open to the public
Tuesday, October 8
Come practice your conversational BCMS with fellow students at this conversation table!
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!
Description: Join in a conversation on criminalization of climate activists and their day in court with legal scholar Veronica Federico, Attorney Gaëlle Cognet, and one of the successful Swiss Climate Activists, Elsbeth Stern.
9 April 2024 the European Court of Human Rights decided in favor of the “Climate Grannies” that the Swiss Government had failed to meet its climate responsibilities and, therefore, violated their human rights. The case set global legal precedent. It will have impact for years to come. In a world where 80% of the people want more action from their governments on climate change, the case’s success highlights too how the courts increasingly play a central role in the sustainability movement.
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Gaëlle Cognet, Ashurst LLP
Veronica Federico, University of Florence
Elisabeth Stern, Board Member, Klima Seniorinnen
Join us in celebrating Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month as we explore the vibrant cultures of the Americas. This workshop welcomes anyone interested in discovering Alebrijes from Mexico. As we explore into these colorful creations, we’ll also share personal stories and explore what it means to be Latinx/Hispanic in the USA, all in a relaxed and comfortable setting. Sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies in collaboration with the Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month (LHHM).
Study abroad financial aid drop-in advising hour!
Meeting URL:
https://pitt.zoom.us/j/95481243302?from=addon
Meeting ID:
954 8124 3302
Come practice your conversational Slovak with your classmates.
Come practice your conversational Hungarian with fellow students!
Are you interested in living and working abroad?
Have you been studying Japanese and looking to apply your skills after graduation?
Do you want to make an impact on the lives of young people?
Would you like to find out where the ultimate ramen shop is found?
If any of these questions apply to you, then please join the Asian Studies Center and JET Alumni group in Pittsburgh for an information session to learn more about the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. This hybrid Information Session will be in room 4130 Posvar Hall, on the 4th floor of W. Wesley Posvar Hall on October 8, 2024 starting at 5:30pm. Learn about the requirements of the JET Program and learn from your future-JET Program sempai with our JET Alumni Panel.
The lecture by Prof. Dr. Steffen Höhne, "Bohemia, Prague, and Franz Kafka – Intercultural Contexts in Central Europe," will explore Franz Kafka's work in relation to the cultural and political dynamics of Bohemia and Prague. The event will also include a discussion with students from Prof. Dr. Amy Colin's Kafka seminar.
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 Tuesdays during Fall semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
German Club at Pitt will meet on Tuesdays during Fall 2024, EXCEPT on Tuesday, October 1.
Wednesday, October 9
Looking to brush up on your Swahili? Join Swahili TA and students every Wednesday and Thursday in the Global Hub.
Students who have completed various study abroad programs in Africa will serve on a panel where they will discuss the programs available to students, talk about their experiences, and answer questions from attending students. Presenters include: Kiran Wakanma (Pitt in Senegal), Cassandra Calvaresi (Pitt in Tanzania & non-Pitt study abroad programs to Africa), as well as two students from Pitt in South Africa. The panel will take place on October 9, 2024 from 4-5pm in Posvar Hall 4130. Light refreshments will be 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
Come practice your conversational Russian with your peers at the Russian conversation table!
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.
Introduction to contemporary race/ethnicity debates in Brazil and its role in the region’s politics.
Interdisciplinary approach to understand the intersections between race, ethnicity and politics
Thursday, October 10
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!
Learn the key strategies to crafting a standout application from current professionals and faculty who've successfully navigated the process. With personal insights and expert advice, this session will give you the competitive edge you need to secure your spot in a leading professional program.
Study abroad financial aid drop-in advising hour!
Meeting URL:
https://pitt.zoom.us/j/95481243302?from=addon
Meeting ID:
954 8124 3302
With filmmaker Veljko Vidak in attendance! Following Q&A with Vidak, we'll screen ARIEL (1988) by Aki Kaurismäki.
In a small village in Finland, which has relied solely on metallurgical activities for the past two centuries, Aki Kaurismäki and his friend, the poet and writer Mika Lätti, are constructing their own cinema within an old foundry. Employing recycled wood, metal, and pre-owned furniture, Kaurismäki and the residents of Karkkila collaboratively craft Kino Laika. The venue is surrounded by Cadillacs, motorcycles, rock bars, and the awe-inspiring beauty of nature, encapsulating the very essence of cinema’s enchantment – a place where the magic resides in its profound capacity to instigate change.
In chronicling the creation of Kino Laika, Croatian-French filmmaker Veljko Vidak has created a modest yet finely-crafted film that is simultaneously a documentary about a particular cultural project, a more wide-ranging filmic meditation on the nature of cinema, and a portrait of a small-town community. Transcending the usual documentary trappings, CINEMA LAIKA radiates a deadpan charm and bemused curiosity about humanity that calls to mind nothing so much as the work of Kaurismäki himself.
With filmmaker Veljko Vidak in attendance! Following Q&A with Vidak, we'll screen ARIEL (1988) by Aki Kaurismäki.
Following the film, Cinema Laika,
In Kaurismäki’s drolly existential crime drama, a coal miner named Taisto attempts to leave behind a provincial life of inertia and economic despair, only to get into ever deeper trouble. Yet a minor-key romance with a hilariously dispassionate meter maid might provide a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. ARIEL, which boasts a terrific soundtrack of Finnish tango and Baltic pop music and lovely cinematography by Kaurismäki’s longtime cameraman Timo Salmimen, put its director on the international map.
Show your Pitt ID at the door for discounted admission.
Friday, October 11
Veljko approaches the question through his experience of making Cinema Laika and living in a small Finnish community (Veljko is Croatian and lives in France). The talk will explore how cultural spaces like movie theaters contribute to local identity and social cohesion.
Veljko will reveal how he constructed this documentary with elements of fiction, resulting in a form that could be called <> (Fiction of the Real). He's also got stories to tell of sharing a construction site with the master of Finnish cinema, Aki Kaurismaki (Fallen Leaves)
If you missed the Thursday screening, no worries. He'll show plenty of excerpts from the film.
Coffee, Tea, and La Gourmandine Treats will be served.
Join undergraduate Pitt students for a conversation hour to practice speaking in Hindi and Urdu and connect over shared cultural experiences.
Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Fridays, during the 2024-2025 academic year, EXCEPT on the following dates:
September 20
September 27
December 20
December 27
January 3
The event will include a meet and greet session for Nigerians and other African students to interact with the Nigerian community leadership in Pittsburgh.
The event is organized by the Association of Nigerians in Pittsburgh (ANP) in partnership with the Center for African Studies, University of Pittsburgh. There'll be a meet and greet session for Nigerian and other African students to interact with the Nigerian community leadership in Pittsburgh.
Join Addverse, a transcultural, multilingual, and intergenerational poetry organization, for weekly meetings in the Global Hub.
Addverse will meet weekly, on Fridays, during Fall 2024, EXCEPT on the following dates:
September 27
October 4