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BALSSI Lecture Series:
"What is Lithuania?"
Professor Emeritus Alfred E. Senn
BALSSI Cultural Event (Dancing Demonstration):
Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers
Date and time: July 7, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Location: 1217 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 N. Park Street (Click here for a map)
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the lecture: Noted historian Al Senn will discuss issues of Lithuanian identity, politics, and culture.
About the speaker: Alfred Senn is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received a PhD in East European History from Columbia University in 1958. Professor Senn is the author of eight books, including Lithuania Awakening (1990), several monographs, and numerous scholarly articles. One of his books, "Gorbachev's Failure in Lithuania," was awarded the Edgar Anderson Presidential Prize by the American Association of Baltic Studies in 1996.
Date and time: July 8, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Location: 114 Van Hise, 1220 Linden Drive
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the film: Famed documentarist Laila Pakalnina's first feature film, a Latvian, German and French collaboration. Set in Liepaja in the 1950's, Pakalnina's wry humor captures the tensions, paranoia, and ineptitude of the Soviet era. A search for a shoe that provides a modern take on the Cinderella story. Shot in black and white.
Date and time: July 14, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Location: 1217 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 N. Park Street (Click here for a map)
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the film: Set in small-town Lithuania in the 1980's, Giedrė Beinoriūtė's film provides a tender glimpse of everyday Soviet life of the time. After his parents' divorce, 11-year-old Rolanas moves to town with his father, to find his first romance with the girl-next-door.
Date and time: July 21, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Location: 1217 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 N. Park Street (Click here for a map)
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the lecture: The Baltic nations have become identified with the "Singing Revolution"
that led to their emancipation from the Soviet Union. Singing is a deep
and rich tradition in each of the Baltic countries. The origins are in folklore,
with organized revivals starting with 19th century Romanticism and subsequent
national awakening movements. Many of the songs record the pre-Christian
mythologies of the ancient Lithuanians, Latvians, Livonians, and Estonians.
They include spiritual sensibilities that reveal a pre-modern world-view about
the relationship between humans and nature.
About the speaker: Professor Vilius Rudra Dundzila Dundzila, Ph.D., D.Min. is Professor of Humanities and Comparative Religion at Harry S. Truman College (City Colleges of Chicago), Adjunct Faculty at Starr King School for Ministry in Berkeley, CA, Adjunct Faculty for the Graduate School of Professional Studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and Community Minister at Second Unitarian Church in Chicago. He has written extensively on Baltic Mythology and Folklore, including the following: “Baltic Lithuanian Religion and Romuva.” Tyr: Myth, Culture, Tradition. 3 (2007); Michael F. Strmiska and Vilius Rudra Dundzila. "Romuva: Lithuanian Paganism in Lithuania and America." Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives. Ed. Michael F. Strmiska. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO Publishers, 2005. 240-97; “Baltic Indigenous Religion.” Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature. Ed. Jeffrey Kaplan and Bron Taylor. London: Thoemmes Continuum, 2005. 155-58; and the forthcoming “Baltic Gods and Goddesses.” Gods and Goddesses of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia. Ed. Shelley Rabinovitch. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO Publishers. In his spare time, he likes to play with his dogs, ride his bike, and practice yoga.
Date and time: July 23, 2009 from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M.
Location: 333 East Campus Mall, 4th Floor, Student Activities Room
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the event: Enjoy a master dance demonstration from Madison's Žaibas Lithuanian Dancers. This event will be hosted by the UW-Madison Russian Student Association. For more information and videos, check out the Žaibas website.
Date and time: July 23, 2009 at 3:00 P.M.
Tune in: Wisconsin Public Radio, AM 970
Sponsor: CREECA
About the event: Tune in to Wisconsin Public Radio's "Here on Earth" with Jean Feraca this Thursday, July 23rd, at 3:00 pm for a show related to the CREECA region. UW-Madison sociology professor and director of CREECA Ted Gerber will be speaking about his participation in the Obama-Medvedev summit in Moscow in early July. For more information, please visit: http://www.wpr.org/hereonearth/archive_090723k.cfm.
In Madison, "Here on Earth" can be heard on AM 970. Please check the WPR web site for other stations in the Wisconsin Public Radio network.
Date and time: July 28, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Location: 1217 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 N. Park Street (Click here for a map)
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the speaker: Dr. Lazda has a Ph.D. in history from UW-Madison. His specialities
are Russian and Eastern European history. He teaches in the history
department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
In 1993, Dr. Lazda founded the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia,
which documents the experience of Soviet and Nazi rule in Latvia until
Latvian independence in 1991.
In 1999, Dr. Lazda, who was born in Latvia, was awarded an honorary
doctorate from the University of Latvia in recognition of his work setting
up a UW-Eau Claire semester study abroad program at the university.
In 2000, he was awarded the highest honor of his homeland,
Commander of the Order of Three Stars for his initiative in founding
the occupation museum.
Date and time: July 29, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Location: 114 Van Hise, 1220 Linden Drive
Sponsors: The Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) is sponsored by a consortium of twelve U.S. universities and receives additional support from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
About the film: A coming-of-age story set at a rural school at the end of the 19th century, based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Oskar Luts. Subtext of Estonian struggle for independence, truth and justice, a strong message to the Estonian audiences at the time of release. Directed by Arvo Kruusement.
