Late last month, UW20 Professor Kevin Bryant invited author and lecturer Abdur-Rahman Muhammad to speak in both of his classes, which focus on the life of the legendary Malcolm X.
This article was written by UW20 student, Jared Brenner.
Mr. Muhammad centered his lecture on a topic crucial to any study of Malcolm X: the origins (both factual and mythological) of the Nation of Islam. He described the truths and fallacies behind the organization’s founder, W.D. Fard, and explained how he believed Fard to have manipulated the early 20th century African-American social construct in creating the NOI. His lecture provided a great deal of historical context and insight into an era that Professor Bryant’s students continue to write about frequently as the semester progresses.
Says Professor Bryant: “I continue to invite Abdur-Rahman to participate as a guest lecturer in my Malcolm X course because my students appear to have a profound respect for his vast knowledge not just of Malcolm X in particular, but for his knowledge of African American history, Islam, and other religions. […] Abdur-Rahman is an engaging and eloquent speaker; you can sense [his] enthusiasm [and] he has a way of captivating his audience with fresh interpretations and analyses of the bygone era of Malcolm X.”
Mr. Muhammad describes his interest in the subject as having been primarily drawn from his experiences growing up in the post-Civil Rights Era 1970s, “particularly pertaining to the forced desegregation of public schools.” As a college student, he says he “met students who were part of the NOI, as well as many older Sunni Muslims who were once part of the NOI and educated me on their teachings.” He has been a regular lecturer on college campuses for over 20 years, with the past seven of them spent doing classroom lectures.
In addition to his work as an author (his first book, concerning Black American Islam, will be available this summer) and a blogger (at his website, A Singular Voice), Mr. Muhammad is a participant in an upcoming documentary, entitled Militant Islam and the West. As part of his contribution, the producers of the documentary filmed Mr. Muhammad’s visit to Professor Bryant’s classes.
A producer for the documentary described it in a recent e-mail as “seek[ing] to answer questions about the true nature of political Islam and how it is addressed in American society by Muslim American groups. This piece will particularly focus on the impact that adherents of political Islam and/or members of the Muslim Brotherhood have upon American Muslim organizations and the institutions with whom the groups interact.”
When asked what makes GW students stand out from those to whom he has lectured previously, Mr. Muhammad commented, “What I enjoyed most about lecturing to GW students was their obvious intelligence and genuine interest in the subject. They ask compelling questions which show that they have thought about the material. […] I am motivated by a desire to inspire young people to study the history of our country, and the social movements that contributed to it's greatness. My lectures have always been greatly received by students, for which I am entirely grateful.”
Mr. Muhammad’s website is A Singular Voice. His book, From the Back of the Bus to the Back of the Camel, will be available this summer. For more about the documentary mentioned in this article, please visit http://www.wemakedocs.com/.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Guest Lecturer Abdur-Rahman Muhammad Teaches UW20 Students the Fact and Fiction Behind the Nation of Islam
Thursday, March 26, 2009
DC Activist Nadine Bloch and UW20 Prof. Phyllis Ryder Discuss the Rhetorics of Social Protest
Prof. Abby Wilkerson of the University Writing Program invites the GW Community to attend a dialogue between internationally acclaimed activist Nadine Bloch and rhetorician Phyllis Ryder on the language and rhetoric of social protest. View samples of Nadine Bloch's work and learn how to access Prof. Ryder's writings in the full post.
This event is co-sponsored by the English Department, Women's Studies, and the University Writing Program.
When & Where
Wednesday, April 1
7 - 8:30 PM
Gelman 207
Contact: Prof. Abby Wilkerson 
Bloch (wikipedia profile) has led campaigns on issues from nuclear weapons to international trade justice and the environment. She is particularly known for her innovative use of street theater, puppetry, and performance art (and has been known to sport a hand-painted t-shirt proclaiming "Puppetry Is Not A Crime").
Ryder's (profile) scholarship on protest rhetoric explores the use of nontraditional means of communication such as puppetry as a form of democratic participation in international political/policy deliberation.
Together, Bloch and Ryder will explore rhetorical challenges and strategies in the ongoing efforts to foster participation in democratic processes globally.
Prof. Ryder's article,"In(ter)ventions of Global Democracy: An Analysis of the Rhetorics of the A-16 World Bank/IMF Protests in Washington, DC" Rhetoric Review v. 25, iss. 4 (2006): 408-26 is available to members of the GW community by searching "Ryder Phyllis" on the Articles tab of the Gelman Library website.
View pictures of Nadine Bloch's activist work with puppets here and here.
Nadine Bloch's "Global Warming Polar Bears"
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Student Lecture Series Event: Change and Motion: Place, Space & Rhetoric in the Urban Space
UW20 Alumns Jennifer Nguyen, Matt Bevilacqua, and Alex Pazuchanics will present a panel entitled "Change and Motion: Place, Space, and Rhetoric in the Urban Space." Elizabeth Chacko, Associate Professor of Geography, will provide a faculty response. Discussion will follow the presentations.
When & Where
Friday, March 27
4:00 - 5:30 PM
Gelman Library 207
Change and Motion: Place, Space, and Rhetoric in the Urban Space
This panel explores the interactions between location and culture. Drawing from examples in New York, Washington, and Pittsburgh, the panel hopes to expose the discourse that develops around the urban experience in America.
Speakers will focus on the way in which their personal experiences and academic research in the metropolis contribute to an understanding of leisure, movement, and hegemonic identity. Pulling from discourses of geography, political theory, critical race theory, and the study of class, the panelists will engage the issues of homelessness, income inequality, and uneven geographic development.
"Beggars Can't Be Choosers: The Discursive Creation of Habituated Homelessness in Washington D.C."
Jennifer Nguyen examines the phenomenon of habituated homelessness in Washington D.C and argues that this apathetic behavior towards the homeless is deeply rooted to both cultural and class struggle. She argues that this generally dismissive view of homelessness is critically linked to our view of national identity and the moral statutes that accompany such a national identity. To assume any definition of "American morality" as it is often used in political discourse, as well as everyday rhetoric, is to assume both cultural homogeneity and hegemony.
Ms Nguyen critically examines the disparity between the stereotypical heroic image of the "American Moral Duty" and the behavior towards homelessness in our nation's capital. Moreover, the speaker posits that homelessness is an issue that is often ignored or left unaccounted for because the stigmatized associations of homelessness do not fit into the generally accepted homogenized view of the American dream. The homeless are essentially ex iled from this idealized imagery and thus are not included cultural identity. In the same way that America exercises political hegemony towards other regimes it feels are inferior, the homeless suffer a cultural hegemony that perpetuates their struggle to find themselves at home in their own country
"Omnibus No More: Deconstructing the Culture of Mass Transit"
Alex Pazuchanics analyzes the major trends that affect urban mass transportation systems, with a particular focus on transit systems in Washington DC and Pittsburgh. Using the works of several cultural theorists and radical geographers, he makes connections between who people are, where they live, and how they move. The paper examines structural and socioeconomic issues that face American transit systems. It details and critiques the two-tiered system that develops between buses and light rail. It details the institutional and social factors that contribute to the culture of automobility. The presentation closes with making the case for transportation studies as an interdisciplinary study of American culture. This work draws from discourses of race, poverty, class, and location to paint a picture of the way that transit systems work, and are perceived by both their riders and their non-riders.
"Renewal in Coney Island: What it Means for a Class of People Often Forgotten"
As of last month, Astroland, one of the two popular theme parks that compromise the commercial amusement portion of Coney Island, permanently shut its doors after more than forty-five years of operation. Its closing marks the latest development in a campaign to renew the area, undertaken by a powerful real estate development company with considerable support from the local city government. Matt Bevilacqua examines the history of Coney Island with regards to its cultural image as a social space of leisure reserved for the working class, and how the existence and availability of such an "urban populist" entertainment space can provide identity for a people often forsaken in a city's development plans. The paper also analyzes the history of gentrification as it occurred in Times Square and Las Vegas , the former of which held a similar image of working class identity prior to its renewal, and the latter or which has been invoked by the company in question as influence in its plans for the future of Coney Island. Examining the gentrification of these two neighborhoods exposes what is in store for Coney Island should it undergo renewal. It is ultimately concluded that, if the current plans for Coney's renewal come to fruition, then the neighborhood will lose its longstanding image as a space for the working class, and will instead adopt one of a luxury resort for members of the upper classes. This will generate more profits for the company and city hall, but leaves legions of blue collar New Yorkers at a loss, for without a substantial social space of entertainment, there is no space in which to find an adequate identity.
The Student Lecture Series is an ongoing public event sponsored by the Student Lecture Series Editorial Collective and the Capstone Committee of the University Writing Program. The Student Lecture Series features the research-based writing of UW20 students. The series features students who are identified by their professors as doing original, compelling writing and research. For current UWP students and the GW community, the lecture series is an opportunity to experience writing as a public event and writers as public intellectuals. Each student lecture includes a faculty respondent who has expertise or interest in the fields that the paper addresses who provides a 10 minute response that highlights the contributions of the paper. Conversation with the audience follows the presentation.
The Student Lecture Series is open to all members of the UW20 community and beyond, especially current faculty, students, and librarians. A special thanks to Cathy Eisenhower and Dolsy Smith for securing a room in the library for this presentation. And, a special thanks to the members of the Editorial Collective of the SLS for providing review and feedback for all paper submissions.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Prof. Robin Marcus's New Short Story is Published
In It's All Love, Black writers – including the Writing Program's own Robin Marcus – celebrate the complexity, power, danger, and glory of love in all its many forms: romantic, familial, communal, and sacred. On February 24th, see Professor Marcus speak with other contributors.
Where & When:
Busboys and Poets
2021 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
February 24, 2009
6:00 PM-8:00 PM
More about the book:
Editor Marita Golden recounts the morning she woke up certain that she would meet her soul mate in "My Own Happy Ending."
Memoirist Reginald Dwayne Betts, in a piece he calls "Learning the Name Dad," writes stirringly about serving time in prison and how that transformed his life for the better.
New York Times bestselling author Pearl Cleage is at her best in the delicate, touching "Missing You."
DC-area resident Robin Marcus explains how "Becoming A Grandmother Becomes Me – Finally"
Award-winning author David Anthony Durham enraptures readers with his "An Act of Faith."
New York Times bestselling author L. A. Banks is both funny and wise in her beautiful essay on discovering love as a child, "Two Cents and a Question."
The poetry of love is here, too-from Gwendolyn Brooks's classic "Black Wedding Song" to works by Nikki Giovanni, E. Ethelbert Miller, A. Van Jordan, and Kwame Alexander.
It's All Love is a dazzling, delightfully diverse exploration of the wonderful gift of love.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Symposium Poster Design Contest Announced
The University Writing Program and the University Bookstore are co-sponsoring a poster design contest for the Spring 2009 University Writing and Research Symposium, an annual forum for the public discussion of student research and writing. The first place winner will receive a $100 gift certificate from the University Bookstore. The runner-up will receive a $50 gift certificate from the University Bookstore.
Interested George Washington University students should submit digital files for their original poster designs by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 30, to uwsymposium@hotmail.com. Participation in the Poster Design Contest is not limited to students currently enrolled in UW20. In your email, please also include your name, campus or off campus address, email address, and a telephone number where you can be reached. Winners will be notified the week of Monday, April, 6th, and the first place winner will work with the Symposium organizers to finalize design and printing details. Both the winner and the first runner-up will be announced and awarded their prizes at the Symposium.The winning designs from previous semesters are available.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
See My Big Break and Talk to the Director
Students in Prof. Kathy Larsen's Fame and Fandom UW20 course are working on understanding why so many of us seek fame when most of us agree that it can be so destructive. Working with the Student Association Program Board, Prof. Larsen has brought the yet-to-be-released film My Big Break along with its filmmaker to campus to explore these question. The film screens this Friday (January 30) at 7 pm in the Marvin Center Amphitheater.
This Friday at 7 in the Marvin Center Amphitheater the SA Program Board Film Series and the University Writing Program are co-sponsoring the screening of the documentary My Big Break. There will be a Q&A with the director following the screening. No admission will be charged.
Filmed over a period of ten years, My Big Break follows five roommates (four actors and a director) as they try to make it in Hollywood. More than just a behind the scenes peek, the film captures (as it is happening) the effects of the quest for fame - seeking it, experiencing it, succumbing to it, and turning away from it – on all five.
Tony Zierra’s controversial documentary puts an achingly real, and sometimes disturbing face on the actors and the industry that many of us study but rarely get to see from this perspective. Featuring Wes Bentley, Chad Lindberg, Brad Rowe, Greg Fawcett, and Tony Zierra.
For those interested in writing, My Big Break is also a marvelous study in revision. The film opens with Zierra scrapping an early incarnation of the film and then traces the sometimes painful steps he takes to reimagine his work. His own journey as an artist is as riveting as that of the actors whose loves he chronicles.
Check back here after the film to leave your comments about the film, and maybe to see video of the Q&A.
Visit the event's Facebook page here.
Visit the film's official website here.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Eckles Library Plans Two Campus Read Events
Get a free book, eat some pizza and snacks, and listen to Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Edward P. Jones read from his new novel, The Known World.
On Thursday January 22, from 5 to 6 pm, Eckles Library (on the Mt. Vernon campus) will be having A Novel Happy Hour, at which will be given away pizza and up to 100 copies of Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Edward P. Jones's The Known World. Both the pizza and the book will be free.
Next week, on Thursday, January 29, Mt. Vernon residents can gather at Eckles Library at 3:30 in preparation for a trip to to Morton Auditorium to hear Mr. Jones read from his novel. Free snacks will be provided.
According to the publisher: The Known World "tells the story of Henry Townsend, a black farmer and former slave who falls under the tutelage of William Robbins, the most powerful man in Manchester County, Virginia. Making certain he never circumvents the law, Townsend runs his affairs with unusual discipline. But when death takes him unexpectedly, his widow, Caldonia, can't uphold the estate's order and chaos ensues. In a daring and ambitious novel, Jones has woven a footnote of history into an epic that takes an unflinching look at slavery in all of its moral complexities."
Hear what Jones has to say about why he wrote The Known World
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Media Fandom is More than Just a Hobby
UW20 Prof. Kathy Larsen Never Knew Research Could be Such Fun.With her colleague Dr. Lynn Zubernis (a clinical psychologist and professor at West Chester State University in Pennsylvania), Prof. Larsen is currently working on a book titled Stalking Fandom, an exploration of media fandom from the inside.
Prof. Larsen says: “Henry Jenkins and those who followed him have done some ground breaking work in establishing fan culture as a viable area of academic research. But as we read the scholarship, we felt that as intellectuals started to take fan culture seriously, something--someone--crucial was being lost in translation. No one was talking directly to either the creators or to the consumers of media culture. We wanted to put real people back into the discussion.”
The first step was to choose a fandom small enough to get to know thoroughly, and active enough to demonstrate a range of fan practices. They decided on the cult hit series Supernatural.
For the last year and a half they have been interviewing everyone connected with the fandom: the fans themselves, the creator of the series, writers, directors, actors, journalists, bloggers and fan convention organizers.“We didn’t count on the effect we would have on the fandom. In one case we explained fan fiction to an actor and a week later he turned up at a fan convention wearing a teeshirt announcing that he read fan fiction – just to see what the fans would do. The fallout from that lasted for days!”
For more on Prof Larsen’s project, check out her blog (http://spnfans.wordpress.com/). She’ll also be screening My Big Break, a documentary about making it and not making it in Hollywood featuring Chad Lindberg (Fast and the Furious, October Sky, Supernatural), on January 30 at 7:00pm in the Marvin Center Amphitheater at GWU. Both the director and producer of the film will be available for a Q&A after the screening.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
UW Film Event: Faces From the New Farm
UW20 students will be interested in a free screening of a new documentary "Garden Cycles Bike Tour Presents: Faces from the New Farm" on Tuesday, November 18, 5:30 p.m., Visitor Center, 22nd & H Sts. NW. Discussion will be led by filmmaker Lara Sheets. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the University Writing Program.
The film chronicles a 2,000 mile bicycle trip made by Lara Sheets, Liz Tylander, and Kat Shiffler to explore the budding environmental agriculture and local food movement. From the mid-Atlantic up into New England and Canada, they discover people and communities finding solutions to the environmental excesses of industrialized agriculture.
This event should be of particular interest to UW20 faculty and students because Sheets will be discussing how this project is connected to research techniques and interests she developed as an undergraduate. The film and discussion will also address the rhetoric of social change, so it will be particularly relevant for related UW20 sections.
Website for the film and the filmmakers: http://womensgardencycles.wordpress.com/
link to a Washington Post news story about them: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artsandliving/homeandgarden/
Friday, November 14, 2008
Guest Speaker Brian Becker Motivates UW20 Students to Activism
Prof. Wolfe says: "About this time in my classes, people are thinking quite seriously about advocacy and the role of students and scholars in taking on some of the demands of our times. This usually results in tremendous frustration at the apathy of those around them and the government's apparent invulnerability to public demands. This past Monday, I invited Brian Becker (National Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition and a life-long political organizer) to speak to my classes (See the "Rosa Parks" excerpt; view the full hour). He has particularly interesting things to say about the promise of the coming administration and the need for continued social activism given the properly understood roles of leaders versus the people, as well as some inspiration to frustrated organizers. I particularly like the bit about the women who were organizing with Rosa Parks being fewer in number than a UW20 section and more frustrated than any of us can reasonably be."
Happy Accident: Comix Artists and UW20
Five graphic novelists spoke about their creative process in Gelman Library 301 on Monday, October 6. This was the third annual event held in junction with Gelman’s Graphic Novel Collection. According to Dr. Heather Schell, organizer and Assistant Professor of Writing, the panel brought together artists, writers, students and community members in a dynamic exploration of comic arts, new literacies, and collaborative writing. Earlier in the day, graphic novelist Jesse Reklaw led a select group of UW20 students in a hands-on cartooning workshop, in which they illustrated their dreams.
The event was co-sponsored by Gelman Library and the University Writing Program.
Student Lecture Series Event Draws Big Crowd
UW20 alumn Eva Ceder's talk on conspiracy theory prompts much discussion.
GW sophomore Eva Ceder gave a lecture on conspiracy theories surrounding the People’s Temple Mass Suicide in Jonestown, Guayana (read the paper ; view the lecture). Titled “Jonestown: A Lens into the Phenomenon of Conspiracy Theory,” her talk examined the prevalence of conspiracy theories in American life, and explained the personal and social imperatives behind these passionately-held beliefs. Assistant Professor of American Studies Kip Kosek provided a scholarly response.
Each semester the University Writing Program sponsors several lectures delivered by former UW20 students. Student-lecturers speak on matters of significant and compelling public or academic interest. Student-lecturers are nominated by the First-Year Writing Program faculty and selected in a rigorous peer review process by an editorial collective composed of UWP faculty, librarians, and former student-lecturers. After selection, student-lecturers work closely with a member of the editorial collective to develop their work for a public audience. Student Lecture Series events are moderated by intellectuals from GW and the Washington DC area, who also provide a considered response to the lecture. Each event holds significant opportunities for audience participation.
Past events have included lectures on gay marriage, liberation theology and indigenous discourse, Asian American identity, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the social meanings of incarceration.
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