The LUC Anthropology Department Newsletter

ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT

NEWS AND UPDATES

• The Loyola Department of Anthropology now awards membership to the Father Joseph-Francois Lafitau, S.J., Honor Society.
• As of Spring 2007, Loyola Department of Anthropology is now a charter member of the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society.

EVENTS: ACADEMIC YEAR 2007-2008

FALL 2007

September 27 -- Dr. Jonathan Larson (Miami University of Ohio), anthropologist. "What's your critical thinking: classroom intimacies, voice and democratic process in western Slovakia." at 7 PM, 25 East Pearson, in the Rubloff Reception Room.

October 13 -- Dr. Anne Grauer (LUC Dept. Anthropology) will be a featured speaker in the LUC Library Speaker Series. Her program is entitled "Brunch with the Bones: What Can We Learn from the Human Skeleton?-- Lecture & Hands-on Session. 9:30 a.m. McCormick Lounge, Coffey Hall, LSC

November 2-4 -- Midwest Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Association. Hosted by the Midwest Museum of Natural History (Sycamore, Illinois), Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honor Society, and the Department of Anthropology. For information check the BARFAA link on the Anthropology department main page or Drs. Maria O. Smith or Anne Grauer (Anthropology faculty, LUC).

November 15 -- Dr. Leo Chavez (Professor of Anthropology, UC Irvine) studies undocumented immigrant workers in California.  Program entitled: "The Latino Threat: How the Media Constructs Alarmist Discourse." Dr. Chavez is a past recipient of the Margaret Meade award.  venue: Crown Center Auditorium, 4 PM.

SPRING 2008

January 10 -- Hallyu: The Korean Wave The Korean Drama Phenomenon in East Asia and Japan is addressed by a panel of experts including Dr. Laura Miller (Professor of Anthropology, LUC). Time is 5:30-8:00 PM at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, 131 S. Dearborn Avenue, #2400. 

February 6 -- Dr. Rick Kittles (Scientific Director, African Ancestry, Inc; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Section of Genetic Medicine) presenting "Race, Racism, and Racialization in the DNA Era."  LS Campus, Life Sciences Building Auditorium, 4:40 PM.  Event sponsored by Black World Studies (for information contact: Dr Ayana Karanja, director, Black World Studies and Professor, Dept. Anthropology) and the Office of Student Diversity & Multicultural Affairs.

April 12 -- "Girl Studies: A Colloquium on Girls Across Cultures" A panel of experts from several local universities discuss issues and ideas. The program is hosted by Dr. Laura Miller (Professor of Anthropology, LUC) and Professor Marcia Hermansen. The event is sponsored by the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, Women's Studies Program, Departmetns of Anthropology and Theology.  Piper Hall, 9a.m. - 5:30p.m., free admission.  

April 21 -- "Seeking Black Elk's Identity." A lecture by Dr. Michael Steltenkamp, S.J., professor of Religious Studies, Wheeling Jesuit University. The lecture is a biographic discussion of Black Elk, a well-known Sioux "holy man" and "wisdom keeper." 4:00 pm, 235 Damen Hall. Reception to follow.

---

• For academic year 2007-2008, the Loyola Anthropology Department welcomes Ms. Kate McClellen, a doctoral student from the University of Michigan, as a visiting instructor. Ms. McClellen's areas of interest are the Middle East (e.g., Syria and Lebanon) and Islamic American culture. Her recent research has focused on Islamic women's issues.
• Dr. Ryan J. Cook, a Ph.D. graduate of the University of Chicago, will be a visiting assistant professor for the academic year 2007-2008. Dr. Cook is a cultural anthropologist with a particular interest in the marginalized scientific and religious groups. His research has focused on religious movements and UFO investigators in the US and with the varied groups of knowledge experts who study and active volcano near Mexico City.
• Dr. Laura Miller was an invited speaker at the conference Trends in Japanese Girl Culture at Harvard University's Japan Forum on September 21, 2007. The conference was sponsored by the Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies.
• As of Fall 2006, Dr. Benjamin Penglase has joined the faculty in the anthropology department in a tenure-track position as an assistant professor. Dr. Penglase's research area is Latin America, particularly Brazil, and he focuses on the topics of violence, race, urban issues, transnational organized crime, and pop culture.
• Dr. Phillip Arnold has received a grant of $198,843 from the National Science Foundation for archaeological research in Mexico. The multiyear grant, "Late Classic Transitions at Teotepec, Southern Veracruz, Mexico," will support archaeological fieldwork and analysis and will foster the participation of Loyola anthropology students in this significant research.

• For the academic year 2006-2007, the Chardin Award was given to Zachary D. Cofran and Katherine D. Good. The Mulcahy Scholar was Katherine D. Good.

• For the academic year 2005-2006, the Chardin Award was given to Mary K. Ecker, Christine M. Ecker, and Alexis M. Jordan. The Mulcahy scholars were Ashley M. Dailide, Bethany A. Riebock, and Vivian M. Vreeman.

• In the spring of 2007, eight anthropology students designed and constructed exibits at the Midwest Museum of Natural History in Sycamore, Illinois (see photos below and below left). The students were also responsible for doing the research for their exhibits. The participants and their exhibit titles are: Elizabeth Anderson and Lara Greife - "Ice age Mammals of Illinois", Daniel Beacher and Jen Stierman - "Wonderful Life of the Mazon Creek Formation", Kate Looby and Lauren Prest - "Baboons. Primates of the african Plains", and Brittany Craig and Cathleen O'Very - "No Butts About It: The Story of Antlers and Horns." The museum's website is www.mmnh.org.

  ---

 Photo above: At the Midwest Museum of Natural History. L-R: Lara Greife, Elizabeth Anderson, Cathleen O’Very, Brittany Craig, Daniel Beacher, Jennifer Stierman, Lauren Prest, Kate Looby, Dr. Smith.

<-- Photo at left: Lauren Prest (L) and Kate Looby with their exhibit at the Midwest Museum of Natural History.

Last revised: April 14, 2008
by Maria O. Smith
All contents copyright 2007
Loyola University Chicago (Disclaimer)
Department of Anthropology
6525 North Sheridan Road
Chicago, Illinois, 60626
Tel. 773.508.3485
Fax 773.508.7099