Literary Portraits

As you complete your reading this week, don't forget to check out the Castiglione Resource page on the wiki. On it, I've linked to the very useful work-in-progress begun by the Castiglione "wiki note-takers". You'll also see a few questions I posted regarding the theme of Renaissance portraiture:

• What is the purpose of the portrait?
  
• Can you ever really capture the "true" essence of a person?
  
• What techniques to painters use? writers?
  
• Why might "portraiture" be an appropriate theme for thinking about the connections between Renaissance cultural thought, painting, and literature?

Dante in the news

Just when you thought Dante was the stuff of the fourteenth century, The New York Times publishes an article to remind you of just how wrong you are. Ralph Blumenthal uses Dante's formulation of Hell to explain (in some ways) why Bernie Madoff's recent sentence was so harsh--one he suggests is "more than some killers." The article also quotes Robert Pinsky, who offers his perspective on why fraud lands you in the ninth, frozen level of Hell--three-headed Satan and all.

Luther Film Viewing

As we approach the end of March, we also approach "Luther week". Along with our reading, we'll be watching the film Luther outside of class (replacement for canceled April session). Please log on to the wiki, and list what time slots work for you on the Luther Viewing page.

Extra Credit Blog Opportunity

FOURTH ANNUAL DIVERSE STUDENTS' LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
March 18-20, 2009
Saint Mary's College. Notre Dame, Indiana

Closing Keynote Speaker: Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Opening Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Fluri

This conference is structured to allow participants opportunities to:

(1) Identify the challenges and underlying prejudices that exist in various social institutions.
(2) Develop educational and interactive skills to transform the challenges of diversity into opportunities.
(3) Become empowered leaders actively promoting the advantages of diversity.

DSLC brings together professionals, faculty, community members and students from different universities. Workshop topics include issues of class, politics of difference, peace and conflict, immigration, global inequality, sexual orientation, peace and conflict, cultural and religious diversity. To check out a list of possible workshops or to sign up, go to this website. ** The deadline for registration is Friday, March 13th.

A highlight of this year’s DSLC promises to be our keynote speaker Dr. Julianne Malveaux President of Bennett College for Women. Recognized for her progressive and insightful observations, she is also an economist, author and commentator, and has been described by Dr. Cornel West as “the most iconoclastic public intellectual in the country.” Dr. Malveaux’s contributions to the public dialogue on issues such as race, culture, gender, and their economic impacts, are shaping public opinion in 21st century America.

For more information, please contact Multicultural Services and Student Programs at Saint Mary's College at (574) 284-4721 or at lolinort@saintmarys.edu